The year is 2023, and Community Shares Scotland has supported an exciting new initiative in Pitlochry. While the details of this case are of course fictional, hopefully it can inspire other ideas!

Married couple Craig and Ellen began plans for High Life Magazine in 2020, aiming to capitalise on the growing number of tourists visiting the Highlands in search of unique experiences.

Through their respective careers as a wedding photographer and restaurant manager, they had an expert knowledge of interesting venues and locations across Scotland.

Initially beginning as a social media exclusive guide, High Life brought exclusive news of the best hotels, restaurants, camp sites and other tourist experiences throughout the Highlands. As their following grew, Craig and Ellen were able to gain income through sponsored content.

By 2022, High Life had reached thousands of followers and Craig and Ellen hatched plans to expand further. They put together a business plan to begin a quarterly magazine, which would also provide its subscribers with various discounts and exclusive offers. No longer focussed purely on tourism and hospitality, the magazine would also highlight food, drink and other goods produced in the Highlands, as well as shining a light on the artists and musicians based there.

Launching in early 2023, the High Life community share offer raised £85,000 to help establish the venture, allowing Craig to begin working on it full time. The shares money also funded initial marketing costs, including the development of a new website with an exclusive members area, and provided a major upgrade to IT equipment.