At a glance
Allison Harrison is an entrepreneur, Honorary Professor and PhD researcher who has spent two decades building businesses, not just studying them. She co-founded Hot Yoga Edinburgh, growing it to a six-figure turnover twice, and spent a decade in national account management, more than doubling Innis & Gunn's largest market and negotiating directly with the UK's biggest retailers. She now trains, mentors and advises founders and organisations on the practical realities of growth — grounded in her own PhD research into the imposter phenomenon so many entrepreneurs quietly carry.
"I've built two businesses, exited one, and negotiated my way through rooms most people find intimidating — from the Scottish Parliament to the central buying offices of Tesco and Sainsbury's.
At Hot Yoga Edinburgh, I kept the business trading without a single missed day through lockdown, lobbying government directly when the sector was initially excluded from support. I designed the studio's Yoga Teacher Training course from scratch, and built a team of 15 whose staff attrition stayed well below the sector average.
Before that, a decade in national account management taught me how to hold full P&L responsibility, manage a team of account managers, and win shelf space against competitors many times my size.
I'm now an Honorary Professor and Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Stirling, a part-time PhD researcher studying Imposter Phenomenon in women entrepreneurs, and I split my time between training founders, mentoring teams, and advising businesses on the growth decisions that actually move the needle."
University of Stirling
Honorary Professor & Entrepreneur in Residence
Hot Yoga Edinburgh
Co-Founder - built to 6-figures twice, generated over 7-figures in sales
Innis & Gunn / Heineken
National Account Leadership - over 7-figure sales, full P&L responsibility
PhD Candidate
Researching the impact of Imposter Phenomenon on Women Entrepreneurs
Relationship first
Every account I've grown and every business deal I've won has been built on trust, not just a pitch deck
Doubt is normal, not a diagnosis
As a PhD researcher studying the impact of Imposter Phenomenon on women entrepreneurs, I know that voice inside your head isn't a personal failing. My job is to help you to act anyway.
Built to develop people
Whether it's a team of 15 or a lecture hall of hundreds of students, growing people is the part of the job I care about most.
Resilient by necessity
Kept a business alive through a pandemic that tried to close it. I plan for what goes wrong, not just for what goes right.
Practical, not theoretical
Everything I teach, I've done; built, budgeted, negotiated, scaled, exited - not just studied.
What I bring
Expertise
Speaking, Training & Course Design
Engaging talks, teaching and bespoke training from someone who delivers 5-star rated courses for private groups and whose university sessions for undergraduates and postgraduates are regularly described by students as inspirational.
- Keynotes, guest lectures and conference talks
- University teaching and bespoke student sessions
- Team and leadership training
- CPD and advanced skills workshops
- Course and curriculum design
1:1 & Team Mentoring
Ongoing mentoring for founders and rising leaders, drawing on my role as mentoring students, faculty and my team as well as my experience as a mentor for UK Gov Help to Grow programme, with the honesty of someone who's made the mistakes already.
- Founder and early stage mentoring
- Leadership and team development
- Accountability and goal setting support
- Confidence and imposter fears support, grounded in my PhD research
Business Consulting
Strategic advice from someone who's held full P&L responsibility, secured government funding, and negotiated with the UK's biggest retailers - not just read about it.
- Growth strategy and financial management
- Major account and retailer negotiation
- Government and stakeholder advocacy
- Succession and exit strategy
Working with me
I work with founders, teams and organisations who want straight advice, not a slide deck — clarity and hands-on support that actually moves the business forward, from someone who's built it, not just studied it.
Whether that's a single conversation, a half-day workshop, or ongoing support, the aim doesn't change: honest, practical advice that gets you results.
My rates reflect what the work involves and the experience behind it. Rather than a fixed rate card, here's roughly how I structure things:
Ad hoc advice: £60 per hour
Half-day workshops and sessions: from £350
Full-day workshops and sessions: from £600
Every piece of work is scoped individually, and you'll always get a clear proposal before anything begins — no surprises.
Not sure what you need yet? Start with a free 15-minute call. We'll work out together what's right for you and your business.
Client Voices
"The course provided a complete overview of everything to consider before starting a business and becoming self employed. Allison provided many personal examples and insights which was valuable additional information."
Lynne Higgins - 2026
"Being part of a small group, facilitated excellently by Allison, it fostered an environment to freely express questions and opinions, and made for an ideal learning experience."
Andrew Douglas - 2025
" Allison's teaching style is really warm and welcoming with lots of great advice and things to think about for the future."
Jane MacDonald - 2026