Why I'm Building Fife CIC: A Challenge to the System
The coffee shop is quiet on a Tuesday afternoon. I’m sitting across from a friend who’s just been made redundant—again. She’s skilled, capable, and desperate for work that gives her purpose. But the job market has changed. There are no “simple roles” anymore, no entry points for people rebuilding their lives. Everything requires years of experience or a degree she can’t afford. She’s isolated, purposeless, and the system doesn’t seem to care.
This conversation, multiplied across hundreds of Fife residents, is why I’m building Fife CIC.
But first, let me be honest: this is ambitious. It will require a strong business plan, a realistic roadmap to growth, and relentless execution. I’m not naive about what it takes to build something that scales. But I also know that ambitious ideas are the only ones worth pursuing.
The Problem We're Not Talking About
We live in a society obsessed with efficiency and profit. Remote work promised flexibility but delivered isolation. Technology promised connection but enabled loneliness. We’ve optimised ourselves into a corner where purpose—genuine, community-rooted purpose—has become a luxury good.
Meanwhile, the wealth gap has become obscene. During a global pandemic that devastated communities, certain billionaires increased their net worth by 200%. The system isn’t broken; it’s working exactly as designed. It’s designed to concentrate wealth at the top while suppressing the true cost of wellbeing from economic calculations. When mental health crises explode, the same people who profited from creating them get praised for funding “solutions.”
But here’s what really bothers me: the third sector—the organisations actually doing the work of community care—are constantly fighting for scraps. I’ve worked in the charity sector. I’ve chaired a community group. I’ve seen the health benefits of outdoor programs, the resilience that builds when people work together, and the transformation that happens when someone is given purpose and support. And I’ve watched these organisations exhaust themselves chasing funding while billionaires get tax breaks.
There has to be another way.
My Journey: Why I'm Qualified to Try
I didn’t start out thinking I’d challenge the system. I started out as a WordPress developer trying to make a living.
Before the pandemic, I was working from home. I have young children with additional needs. The demands were intense—trying to deliver quality work while managing children who needed constant support and attention. It wasn’t sustainable. I was burning out.
Then I made a decision that changed everything. I stepped away from remote development work and took a role working outdoors with the community. I ran woodwork sessions and family play programs with Kirkcaldy YMCA. It seemed like a step backwards professionally. It wasn’t.
During lockdown, when the world went remote, and many people struggled, I thrived. I was already working outdoors, already embedded in the community, already adapted to a different way of working. My children adapted too. We found rhythm, purpose, and resilience in a system that was designed around community rather than isolation.
That experience taught me something crucial: the system isn’t designed for people like me, or people like my children.
I’m now a solo parent. I have been for five years. Seven days a week, I’m responsible for children (the numbers at home fluctuate, haha!), all of whom are neurodivergent. I understand, intimately, the challenges that solo parents face. I understand what it’s like when your child doesn’t cope with school and the disruption to routine. I understand the money pressure, the isolation, the seemingly impossible financial choices. I understand what it means to need flexible work that doesn’t punish you for having a family.
I’m also neurodivergent—autistic, and I suspect ADHD. I’ve struggled with tasks that come easily to others. I’ve burned out in dysfunctional workplaces with inadequate resources. But I’ve also learned something crucial: the problem isn’t me. The problem is that workplaces aren’t designed for diversity. We don’t account for different communication styles, different processing needs, and different ways of working. We treat neurodivergence as a deficit rather than a difference. It locks away potential, while people like me try desperately to accept and conform to environments that are obviously flawed…perspective is everything!
This lived experience—as a solo parent, as someone neurodivergent, as someone who’s worked in the third sector and seen its struggles—has given me something that no business school could: a genuine understanding of the barriers people face.
I have four children. I want them to know that someone in their family was willing to challenge the norm, even when it seemed impossible. I want to show them that another way is possible. And I want to build something that would have helped me when I was struggling.
Fife CIC: The Vision
Fife CIC starts with technology. Innovation. A long list of great ideas I can’t wait to get to work on. We’ll develop WordPress plugins and digital solutions for a global market. We’ll generate revenue independently of local funding, grants, and the whims of billionaires and their tax strategies.
Then we’ll reinvest huge percentages of profits back into Fife.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t just about WordPress plugins. This is about proving a model that can scale. Proving that the bespoke solutions and system I have planned is a game changer!
The ultimate vision is a multi-business ecosystem. Technology is the backbone, but it won’t be the only business. We’ll eventually expand into other services—domestic services, community support, skills training—all operating under the same principles: shared infrastructure, reduced overhead, community members moving between roles to stay engaged and motivated.
Imagine a system where you’re not trapped in one job. You can move with ease between roles, develop different skills, stay employed or volunteer in ways that keep you engaged. Where your contribution is recognised and rewarded, not just in salary but in genuine community benefit. Where the business succeeds *because* it invests in people, not despite it.
That’s the vision. And yes, it’s ambitious. It will require disciplined execution, strong financial management, and a clear roadmap for growth. We’re not building this on hope—we’re building it on a detailed business plan with realistic milestones and measurable progress indicators.
Over the next 2-3 years, I look forward to sharing a glimpse of all the tools that will be created to streamline…everything!
Specific Programs: Built from Lived Experience
One of our core commitments is supporting solo parents and families with low income. This isn’t abstract corporate social responsibility. This is personal.
We’re allocating 10% of profits specifically to Single Parent Home Workstation Support—providing desks, chairs, computers, and software to solo parents who need a functional home workspace. Whether you’re working, studying, or managing a household, you deserve a proper setup. Not a laptop balanced on your knee while your children demand attention. A real workspace that says: your work matters, your family matters, and you deserve support.
We’re also committed to Student Hardware Support—providing computer equipment to low-income students, particularly those pursuing a career in technology education. Because if we’re going to close the digital skills gap, we can’t do it by asking people to learn coding on a phone.
The Bigger Picture: An Incubator Model
Here’s where it gets interesting. We will launch a business incubator model—something we’ll detail more in future posts—where community members can manage new business ventures with all the support and benefits of the Fife CIC system. It’s about removing the isolation and risk of entrepreneurship while creating opportunities for people to lead and grow.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, we prove the model works with technology. We prove that this Scottish company can punch above its weight through innovation and grit determination.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about business. It’s about proving that another way is possible. Required by society!
It’s about showing that you can run a profitable, competitive business and prioritise community wellbeing. That you can generate wealth *and* distribute it fairly. That you can challenge the system without being naive about how business works.
It’s about creating opportunities for people like my friend at the coffee shop—people with skills and potential who’ve been left behind by a system that only values them when they’re profitable.
It’s about creating support for solo parents who are doing the impossible every single day.
It’s about proving to my children that challenging the norm is possible.
And it’s about Fife. This community has given me everything. It’s time to give something back—not charity, but genuine economic opportunity built on the principle that shared success is stronger than individual profit-maximisation.
You're Invited
If you’re a Fife resident interested in being part of this, we’re building something for you. If you’re a solo parent struggling to find flexible work that respects your family, we’re building this for you. If you’re a funder or stakeholder who believes in this vision, we’d love to talk. If you’re just curious about whether another way is possible, follow along.
This is ambitious. It will be hard. There will be tears. But it’s necessary.
This is just the beginning.
The Unique Opportunity:
- Working from home culture is strong
- Fife Council’s provision of iPads means more young people can connect with FifeCIC
- Those young people also want a longer weekend – FifeCIC can offer work experience
- Our skillpool is improving fast due to migration from America
- The government urgently needs innovative solutions to unemployment
- Current Status: Preparing CIC application | Seeking community partnerships and stakeholder support
The Model
- Develop WordPress plugins and digital solutions for international markets
- Reinvest profits into Fife community programs
- Create flexible employment and skills development opportunities
- Distribute 10% of profits to community contributors through our unique Fair Incentive System
The Impact:
- Digital skills training for residents
- Hardware support for students and single parents
- Discounted services for local businesses
- Sustainable economic opportunity for Fife
Please Note: The company name “FIFE CIC” and branding title “FifeCIC” are pending Companies House application acceptance.
