Supporting Boobs All Over the World: Ros Marshall on Building an Ethical Bra Brand in Rural Perthshire, the Brexit Hurdles Nobody Warned Her About, and Backing Herself

In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Ros Marshall — managing director and co-founder of Molke Limited, an ethical underwear brand manufactured in Scone, rural Perthshire, now shipping to 72 countries worldwide.

You might not have heard of Molke. You should have. They make comfortable, supportive, non-wired bras in a size range that runs from a 26 band to a 54 band, and up to a P cup. They've been going since 2016. They have a Facebook community of 12 to 13,000 members. And everything is made in Scotland.

And it all started because Kirsty — Ros's co-director and the original founder — designed a bra for herself, put a picture on Facebook, and within days was completely overwhelmed by people who wanted one.

We cover:

• What Molke is, who it's for, and why size inclusivity is at the heart of everything
• The origin story: cloth nappies, a council losing its funding, and a friendship that became a business
• Direct to customer: why Molke has kept 99.9% of its business that way — and what that means for customer service
• What Brexit has actually meant for a small Scottish manufacturer exporting to 72 countries
• COVID: how Molke was one of the businesses that found itself exactly where the moment needed
• What Ros has learned about herself over 10 years of business: adaptability, unflappability, and "there is always a road"
• Stepping back from her ex-husband's priorities in her 30s, and what 2016 meant for her sense of self
• Her mum: one of the first women to qualify as a stockbroker, working in a male-dominated industry in the 1980s
• Being a real living wage employer, endometriosis-friendly, menopause-aware, and a Neurodiversity in Business founding member
• "You spend most of your life working. It shouldn't be a place you hate."

Quote of the episode: "There is always a road. It's just taking the time." — Ros Marshall

Whether you make something physical, ship something across the world, or just want to hear from someone who has built something genuinely special in Scotland — this is a great one.