Scottish Speaker
Dr Alison Edgar MBE is a Scottish motivational and business speaker who grew up in a Clydebank council flat and left school with no qualifications. She turned that into an MBE, and she gives teams the tools to turn self-belief into performance.
What Ferrari Packaging said
“What can I say, apart from what a woman and thank you! Every single staff member couldn’t praise Alison more on the 90 minutes of pure passionate motivational pitch. A local lass from Clydebank, she made it that little bit more special for our Scottish team.”
A Scottish speaker with a story worth the stage
Dr Alison Edgar MBE grew up in a high-rise council flat in Clydebank, raised by a shipyard worker and a cleaner. She left school with no qualifications and undiagnosed dyslexia, the girl everyone quietly decided wasn’t very bright. What she learned from being underestimated became the engine for everything after: if the system won’t make room for you, you make your own luck.
She built a career from the hospitality floor upward, into sales, and eventually her own company. She went on to earn an MBE for services to entrepreneurship, write two Amazon international bestsellers, and receive an honorary doctorate. It is a genuinely Scottish story, and it is exactly why she can get a room to back itself.
Alison motivates on more than the story, though. Her framework,The Intrapreneur Mindset, gives teams a way to take ownership and raise their performance day to day, delivered in a style that is funny and down to earth.
Why teams book Alison Edgar
A motivational speaker is worth booking for what changes afterwards. Here is what you get with Alison.
Clydebank to the honours list
Raised in a high-rise council flat, written off at school, now an MBE. A real Scottish story, and it lands with any room.
Straight-talking, no fluff
Alison is warm, funny and down to earth. She motivates by being straight with a room, not by shouting platitudes at it.
It changes behaviour
Her Intrapreneur Mindset framework sends people away with a way to take ownership of their work. After one keynote, Haydock Finance converted £54 million more from the same pipeline.
What can Alison speak about?
Every session is tailored to your audience and the outcome you want from the day. Tell us what you are after and we will recommend the right one.
The Intrapreneur Mindset
Her signature keynote: getting a whole team to think and act like owners.
Resilience & self-belief
Backing yourself, and your team, when the pressure is on.
Overcoming adversity
Her own story of beating the odds: a council flat, undiagnosed dyslexia, and a school that wrote her off.
What clients say
Alison was a great addition to our event. Her presentation was motivational and meaningful to everyone in the room; there was something for everyone. She also spent time with individuals and businesses on the day and was a fabulous presence throughout, sharing insightful knowledge that was greatly appreciated. I would highly recommend Alison to any employer or organisation looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and insightful presenter who has worked with blue-chip and small companies alike as a mentor and advisor. It was a pleasure to work with Alison.
Alison and her team were so prompt in organising everything. We were able to give some pointers and comments on things that should be included and left out which gave the session added authenticity. Alison being Scottish also gave our session that extra wee buzz. Thank you again Alison for everything.
Rachel, SQA Alison Edgar really is an inspirational speaker. Alison made connecting and booking her for our event absolutely seamless. We found her engaging, funny and plain speaking. Highly recommend and will definitely connect again on future events. Thank you Alison.
Charlie, Marriott Bonvoy
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Frequently asked questions about booking a Scottish speaker
Is Alison Edgar a Scottish speaker?
Yes. Dr Alison Edgar MBE grew up in a high-rise council flat in Clydebank, Scotland, raised by a shipyard worker and a cleaner. Her Scottish roots and self-made story run right through her keynotes, and she now speaks across Scotland, the UK and internationally.
What does a motivational speaker actually change?
The best ones change how people behave once they are back at work, well beyond the lift in the room on the day. Alison gives teams practical tools to take ownership and raise their performance at their desks, through her framework, The Intrapreneur Mindset.
What’s Alison’s story?
She left school in Clydebank with no qualifications and undiagnosed dyslexia, built a career from the hospitality floor upward, and went on to earn an MBE for services to entrepreneurship, write two Amazon international bestsellers and receive an honorary doctorate. Being underestimated for years is exactly why she can motivate a room to back itself.
Does Alison speak in person and virtually?
Both. She delivers in person across Scotland, the UK and internationally, and virtually. She once kept a 10,000-strong online audience engaged from start to finish.
How much does it cost to book Alison Edgar?
Fees depend on the format, time of year, location and audience size. The quickest way to get a figure for your event is the tailored quote calculator, and you will have an estimate in minutes.
Ready to motivate your team?
Get a tailored quote in minutes, or give us a call and we’ll happily talk it through.