In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Fiona Duguid, co-founder of Indigo Seven Ventures, Chief Information Officer at Aurora Energy Services, and the portfolio lead for Expo Design – a business creating sustainable exhibition and display solutions using engineered fibreboard made from recycled cardboard. Fiona describes how Indigo Seven Ventures invests with a focus on sustainability and “doing good in the world,” while she splits her time between fast-growth energy services and a greener alternative to traditional MDF exhibition builds. 

Fiona’s career path is anything but linear. She started in medicine, switched to mechanical engineering at the University of Cape Town, worked in the nuclear industry, then pivoted into software development and technical sales in London – eventually becoming a senior account manager at Halliburton, working across Latin America, Europe and Houston before making Aberdeen home. Through each change she’s been one of very few women in the room, learning how to negotiate pay, hold her own in male-dominated spaces and back herself. 

We dive deep into the gender pay gap, why women often wait to be “noticed” while men actively negotiate, and how language, body language and “knee-capping” ourselves with constant apologies holds us back. Fiona shares why coaching, mentors and honest feedback are so powerful for women – and why we have to stop assuming good work will automatically be rewarded. 

From an investor’s perspective, she explains what Indigo Seven Ventures looks for in opportunities: values-aligned people, authenticity, realistic plans and a clear understanding that things will take longer and cost more than you think. We also talk about the funding gap for women-led businesses, how to aim higher when you’re raising money, and why asking for help on LinkedIn or in your network is often the most underused strategy. 

Above all, this is a conversation about self-belief. Fiona is candid about underestimating herself early on, and the mindset shift that came when she realised she was “so much more able” than she’d ever given herself credit for. Her message to younger women – and to all of us – is clear: trust yourself, reach higher, and be the master of your own destiny. 

In this episode, we cover:

• What Indigo Seven Ventures does and how Fiona and her husband involve their (adult) children in learning about investment
• Fiona’s portfolio roles: CIO at Aurora Energy Services and leading Expo Design, using recycled cardboard honeycomb board for sustainable exhibitions and activations
• A non-linear career journey: medicine to mechanical engineering, nuclear industry, software development, technical sales and global account management
• Being “the only woman in the room” in engineering, tech and energy – and the reality of the gender pay gap
• Why women often stay too long in roles, expecting good work to be recognised, while men tend to move and negotiate for higher salaries
• The concept of “knee-capping” ourselves in emails and meetings with apologetic language – and how Fiona now edits her words to show she belongs at the table
• How coaching, mentors and good courses can transform women’s confidence around money, negotiating and career progression
• What early-stage businesses often underestimate: the sheer number of hats you wear and the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses
• Advice for women seeking funding: look at how men approach it, aim higher and don’t be afraid to ask for help from people who know the investment world
• What Indigo Seven Ventures looks for in an opportunity: authentic people, shared ethos, realistic plans and contingency for “it’ll take longer and cost more”
• Why it matters who you take advice from – and Fiona’s rule to only listen deeply to people she genuinely respects
• The power of networking, building genuine relationships, and paying it forward by supporting other women coming through

About Fiona Duguid

Fiona Duguid is co-founder of Indigo Seven Ventures, a small investment company she runs with her husband, with a focus on sustainability and doing good in the world. She is also Chief Information Officer at Aurora Energy Services and portfolio lead for Expo Design, which creates exhibition stands and experiential activations using strong, printable engineered fibreboard made from recycled cardboard. 

Originally from South Africa, Fiona studied mechanical engineering after a brief start in medicine, worked in the nuclear industry, and later pivoted into software development and technical sales. She spent years at Halliburton in a technical software division, including five years based in Venezuela covering Latin America and later managing major operator accounts across Europe and Houston. Having spent her whole career in male-dominated sectors, she is passionate about helping women understand their value, negotiate fairly, and take ownership of their careers and businesses.