Kylie Reid created Edinburgh Gossip Girls, which is a community of people supporting each other and great local businesses in Scotland. Kylie launched EGG three years ago and has since given up her full time job to take the business to a new level and it all seems to be paying off.
Hi Kylie. Please can you tell us more about Edinburgh Gossip Girls and what inspired you to create the community?
I initially set up EGG as a way of giving and getting good local recommendations. I had recently returned to Edinburgh and didn't know where the hotspots were and was keen to tap into some insider info! The group quickly grew and is now so much more than just recommendations. It's a supportive and collaborative community that is making a real difference, not just to businesses but to girls in the group too. Every day I see or hear a story of how EGG has helped someone, which makes me feel warm and fuzzy! Or makes me cry - I can be quite emotional.
You recently gave up your day job to put your full energy into EGG. How are you finding the leap from a secure and regular career, to being self employed?
One of the main reasons I took up EGG full time was so that I could enjoy a better work/life balance. I have a 3 year old daughter and wasn't enjoying having to throw her into nursery at 7.30am before making a dash to work and from that respect it's all much more relaxed in the morning. But to be honest, I'm still trying to find balance for the rest of the day! I can find myself at my computer at 9.30am and still be there at 11pm. I could work all day and all night and I do find it hard to just switch off. And yes a lot of that is down to the security - not knowing what's going to come in every month does nothing for my anxiety levels! I'm trying to do some yoga, which always makes me feel better (thanks to Tribe and the amazing offer they extended to the group I'm now there 3 times a week) and I go for a run (the Runny EGG 10k at Archerfield Walled Garden takes place on 1st Oct and I'm slightly behind schedule in terms of training - I need to get a shift on!) - exercise really helps me. I do think it'll take several more months for me to crack it in terms of workload and balance though but in that respect I don't think I'm different from anyone else who has also made the transition. To be clear though, this is absolutely the very best decision I've ever made.
Do you have any favourite healthy eateries?
I love the smoothies at Pumpkin Brown in The Grassmarket and their healthy Wagon Wheels are literally to die for. I cannot believe they're healthy but they are!
What’s your idea of a good diet?
I try to keep sugar levels down (although I did enjoy a Fry's Turkish Delight last night) and not drink too much alcohol (although I did enjoy a couple of glasses of champagne last night). Yesterday, my lunch was a smashed avocado and a big bowl of wilted spinach with chilli flakes and I felt quite good about myself after that. It made me feel a little more relaxed about the champagne and chocolate!
What would be your “Last Supper”?
A Caldera, which is a Portuguese fish stew - utterly amazing.
What top 5 healthy staples are always in your fridge?
Almond milk. Humous. Coconut water. Cucumber (my daughter eats one a day) and butter - I count that as healthy :) I never buy "diet", "low sugar", "fat free" anything and I hate artificial sweeteners with a passion.
Do you have a favourite cookbook?
At the moment it's Deliciously Ella's cookbooks. I have made lots of her dishes, which are easy to cook, delicious and make me feel uber smug afterwards :)
What’s your beauty routine like? Do you have any can’t live without products?
My beauty routine is varied! At the moment, I'm loving Dermalogica and The Ordinary. My skin is pretty hormonal, so I'm often slapping things on my chin to try and combat an outbreak. It seems better at the moment and I think The Ordinary has helped.
Where is your favourite beauty salon or spa in the world?
I love Fletchers Cottage at Archerfield but definitely need to take more time out for beauty treatments! I cannot remember the last time I had a facial.
Where do you love to go on holiday?
Portugal. My grandpa bought an apartment just north of Lisbon about 50 years ago and it's a really special place for us (we scattered both my mum and dads ashes there). We've recently redecorated it all, so it has a lovely relaxed beach house feel to it. Amazing Atlantic views, wonderful people and the freshest fish you'll ever taste - I love it.
Where in the world serves your favourite food?
Well I would say Portugal but I also love Spanish tapas. I lived in Melbourne for a few years and they do healthy really well - you just can't live unhealthily over there! We're so behind here.
Finally, what advice would you give your 16 year old self?
Put that fag out.
Thank you Kylie and for more information about the Edinburgh Gossip Girls: