Rachel is Estate Manager at Glen Dye.

She oversees everything a private 30,000 acre Scottish estate can throw at you: lifelong tenants, forestry, deer populations, holiday homes, footpaths, snow, farms, weddings…

This is the stuff she knows for certain.

Please tell us what your role in the business is?

I manage the day-to-day running of Glen Dye Estate and its associated businesses.

Where do you do most of your work?

I work mainly from the Estate Office and sometimes at my kitchen table.

How many people do you work with closely on a day-to-day basis?

4-6 on a daily basis, whilst there are generally between 3-5 of us in the office other members of staff drop in regularly!

What is the biggest challenge that you face at work every day?

My days are so varied, which I love, but it can get a little chaotic from time to time and the to-do list can grow… so I would say the biggest (ongoing) challenge is staying organised.

Talk us through lunch. A sandwich at your desk or a full hour in the park?

During the last year (after moving onto the Estate) I have been going home for lunch and walking the dog. Before that it was a sandwich at my desk - which I still do from time to time as I secretly quite enjoy it.

What is the biggest lesson that you’ve learned that you wish you’d known when you started your career?

Having a good team around you is essential – you can’t do everything yourself.

Email. Friend or foe?

Friend.

Imagine having to do all that on the phone? Besides which, my email is my memory bank. I delete NOTHING.

Do you use a digital or paper To Do List? And how effective are you at getting everything done?

I’m a paper fiend. I am trying hard to convert to digital but if it’s out of sight…

I’m pretty good at getting through my to-do lists, but it very much depends on how the day unfolds.

Do you leave work at a set time each day?

I try to be away from the office by 6.30pm at the latest. If I need more time in the day I prefer to get in early before the phone starts ringing.

How do you relax? Do you look after yourself properly?

I walk to relax; I love being outside, it puts a smile on my face and settles my brain. I’m terrible at looking after myself properly, but age has thrown me a couple of curve balls recently, so things are changing, starting with Pilates classes and meditating. The former has yet to start, and the latter is proving helpful for getting a good night’s sleep - I’m using the Breethe App.

How confident are you about the future of your business?

I feel very strongly that Glen Dye Estate has a secure future; diversification into holiday lets has invigorated the Estate and developed its brand presence and profile – and I feel that this positive energy affects all the Estate businesses in turn, it’s a happy and productive place to be.

The holiday cottages were proving very successful prior to the pandemic hitting and tourism in Scotland is an important part of the economy; the East Coast is, rightly, enjoying rising recognition as a desirable destination.

The UK has some amazing holiday opportunities and we have seen a huge increase in demand since the arrival of COVID-19. I think it will result in people wanting to explore their own country year on year.

What is your secret time-wasting technique at your desk?

Chatting… it’s never changed since my schooldays (in black and white on my school reports). And I talk to myself, too (hard to keep either a secret).

The other not so secret one is that I’m regularly Facetimed by one of my three children who clearly forget that I have a real job!

Do you listen to music as you work and if so, what has been playing today?

I love music, but I find it very distracting when I am at my desk.

But, since it is currently lunchtime, I am putting Sting’s Ten Summoner’s Tales to prove to myself that I am not a bore (I am).