THREE generations of one family had more reason than many to celebrate International Women’s Day earlier this month.

Chartered marketer Emily McGowan branched out on her own last April to deliver business management services throughout the Borders and beyond from her base at Ettrick Riverside in Selkirk.

Since then, both her mum, Christine Kellett, and 16-year-old daughter Lara, have joined the McGowan Marketing team who have quickly outgrown their current offices at the Selkirk business centre.

Emily, who is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, was recently appointed Mentor with the organization.

Family businesses and third sector organisations form the basis of her client base and Jedburgh-born Emily believes her own family values have helped her win the trust of her customers.

She told us: “Working with my mum and Lara has been really interesting and people have responded well to the company dynamic.

“The three of us attended a meeting with a prospective client recently and they commented on how lovely it was to see the three of us working together was and how they felt we’d be able to really understand their needs as they were a family business too.

"Happy to say they are now a client. Of course, it’s not always harmonic in the workplace as music loving Emily knows to her cost.

“The only issue so far is when my mum tells me to turn my music down in the office. I feel like I’m a 13-year old again.”

Matriarch Christine went to SCOT College at the age of 38 and graduated with a degree in Business Studies six years later.

This was at the same time as working and brining up her four children.

Christine was the Facilities Manager at Jean Muir Student Village at Heriot Watt University before taking early retirement to join Emily last August.

Christine deals with the office management and is the lead on events.

She said: "The dynamic in the office is great and I very quickly felt comfortable with Emily as my boss.

"However, I have to remind her to eat her lunch on an almost daily basis and not to squint at her screen.

“There’s not a lot you can do to stop that maternal instinct kicking in although I try not to say anything when she’s with a client.”

Born and raised in Melrose Lara is currently in fifth year at Earlston High School and is one of the youngest members of Entrepreneurial Scotland where she has been offered an internship this summer in their marketing department.

And just last week she won Business Management Student of the Year at Earlston High School.

Lara said: “I have genuinely been surprised by how much I have learned from my mum - when it comes to marketing she really does know best - her choice of hats though, not so hot.

“One of the best parts of getting to work with my mum and gran is when me and my gran stick together to overrule mum."