Monica Coyle is a Registered General Nurse who has turned her professional experience into an exciting enterprise – Positive Pulse Scotland. We first met her when she came along to a Meet a Mentor event but now she’s hosting an event of her own. We caught up with Monica, who is an IOEE Affiliate member, to find out about the upcoming event and the business itself.

Monica Coyle, who has previously worked as a Healthy Working Lives Adviser and as a Nurse Practitioner in both the NHS and private healthcare settings, originally qualified in 1992. Having spent over two decades in the industry, she decided to act on another burning ambition: to be her own boss. Monica explains:

“I’m very passionate about health, wellbeing and preventing serious illness. I decided I wanted to set up my own business reaching out to people and helping them to change their lives. What Positive Pulse Scotland offers is health screening, workshops and events designed specifically for different workplaces and we can also provide health checks for individuals.”

In fact, the checks and procedures Monica and her team perform are very comprehensive and cover everything from blood pressure screening and body fat analysis, to measuring cholesterol and blood glucose levels. This provides a positive outcome for employers and employees alike.
Monica explains this further:

“The idea behind Positive Pulse Scotland is to help companies unlock the energy of their workforce by taking better care of their staff. By looking after their people, employers can reduce sickness absence, increase productivity, and engage their work force to create positive change.”

Today Monica’s fledgling enterprise has made a promising start, winning new business and building a great reputation. Back in January, when she was just starting out, the health professional was seeking a little guidance and she signed up for Meet a Mentor Glasgow. She recalls:

“I was hoping to meet a mentor to help me clarify my ideas, and to help turn my dreams into a viable reality. Speaking to the mentors at Meet a Mentor was a great opportunity to speak to a wide range of people who could input with ideas and support.”

While at the Glasgow event, Monica made a particular connection with fellow female entrepreneur Erica Wallace, who has since kept in touch on an informal mentoring basis. Monica says of this developing relationship:
“It’s made me feel more confident, more focused on where I want to be with my business.”

Now, less than a year on and Positive Pulse Scotland is going from strength to strength and is the driving force behind an exciting event that’s set to raise its profile to the next level. On the afternoon of Sunday 11th September, at The Park Hotel in Kilmarnock, women from all walks of life will gather for the Positive Pulse Scotland health and wellbeing event. A number of speakers will lead the event, including Carol Smillie of TV fame, who has recently reinvented herself as an entrepreneur with new business Diary Doll. This innovative enterprise sells women’s underwear specifically designed to be worn when women are menstruating or have pelvic floor weakness, something Monica believes there is a market for:

“As a nurse with a urology specialty, I think Carol’s Diary Doll product is amazing. I think the event will be a fantastic opportunity to let more women know about it.”

Carol Smillie’s appearance at the event is just one of many highlights. Dr. Philippa Whitford, who is the SNP’s MP for Central Ayrshire, as well as being a Consultant Breast Surgeon, will be the second keynote speaker. Monica is clearly looking forward to the inaugural Positive Pulse Scotland event:

“It’s all about women and their health. The event will inspire, motivate and help women to look at their mindsets when it comes to their physical and emotional wellbeing. It’s about bringing people together to connect and talk about how we can live healthier, happier lives by making small, positive changes.”

You can find out more at www.positivepulsescotland.com or on Eventbrite.