Andrew Marshall does not conveniently fit the profile of what a 'conventional' entrepreneur might be. Marshall, who grew up in Edinburgh, went to Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, moved to London in 1998 aged 22, worked in telesales, was made redundant and - noticing the number of cash-rich, time-poor people in the capital set up a lifestyle concierge company, providing cleaners and builders and organising parties on the streets of Chelsea and Knightsbridge.
Then he entered the lucrative construction sector, digging double basements in these opulent areas, then borrowed from any bank who was willing and moved into luxury property development, selling one of the UK's most expensive homes in 2012 for an eight-figure sum.
Fast forward to 2025 and Marshall has moved much of his business closer to Edinburgh. He heads Carlowrie Group, nine diverse brands which he says is using business as a force for good. The group flies the flag at Carlowrie Castle, a luxury venue set on 32 acres of private estate near Edinburgh and hosts corporate events, weddings and other celebrations.
Voted one of the top three venues in Europe, it is, adds Marshall, the only B Corp certified castle in the world, measured by its performance across five categories: governance, workers, customers, community and the environment.
The group, which employs 350, also includes Edinburgh Street Food, an all-week street food market; The Breakfast Bothy in Edinburgh providing hot food and drink to those who can't afford it; a London- based charity called RESTART Lives helping the homeless with housing, employment, and health issues and most recently, a regeneration project on Ronay in the Outer Hebrides.
How, then, does Marshall bring such an eclectic assortment of enterprises within the wrap of Carlowrie Group? "I call it The Carlowrie Way," he replies disarmingly. This he explains is about integrating businesses and charities to create an ecosystem that benefits business, communities and the environment, not solely measuring success in terms of profit but rather in terms of impact. "I've found that prioritising social and environmental wellbeing is what ultimately pays off." As the group spans hospitality, finance (through Innovative Partners, an innovation funding consultancy) charity and real estate this seems like a tall order - but Marshall is confident that his vision to use business as a force for good will empower others in the group to facilitate growth, not only for individuals but the wider society. Much of the impetus for this singular strategy derives from his time in London. "I was volunteering in 2008 at the West London Churches Homeless Concern and saw the dramatic imbalance between the affluence there and people who were struggling with homelessness."
He set up his first charity RESTART Lives in 2009 and in the period since founding Carlowrie Group he has established what he believes is a virtuous circle, combining business innovation with social enterprise. "There have been entrepreneurs in my family, and I've been inspired by seeing entrepreneurs having a positive social impact. It works for my business: we plan to employ another 150 people this year and we have very high retention rates because they like to work in a company with our values - and our clients also appreciate what we are doing so they become involved in our charities," he says. When not otherwise booked, Carlowrie Castle is also used by charities for meetings or other events while the annual Isobel Award, inspired by explorer and botanist Isobel Wylie Hutchison who grew up in the castle, recognises people who have faced challenges, risen to meet them and have excelled and brought positive change. "It would be great to see more businesses operating on similar lines to The Carlowrie Way, lifting each other up to support growth in Scotland as it's often not easy in these challenging times," he says. "I'm also keen to share my experiences or open my network up to other people who are looking for entrepreneurial help to get them into business. his is something that we do with those who join us and we also know and support our vendors and suppliers." Through Innovative Partners, which has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, the group provides funding support, investment and consultancy. "At the moment we're looking at setting up a pre-seed and seed collective fund to help Scottish founders on their journey, throughout a range of different sectors," says Marshall, adding that they have already made investments in the likes of an EdTech business and a pioneering AI business, within the aviation sector. "A lot of brilliant businesses are struggling to get investment, not just bank loans and that's where, if there is an avenue for them to get grants or incentives or a network that will be useful, we can introduce them. It's been good both for them and us -and we've very much journeyed with them along the way."
Marshall is preparing to host a retreat at Carlowrie Castle this month when Entrepreneurial Scotland is inviting business leaders to the fifth cohort of The Exchange, a peer support programme bringing together company founders, directors and CEOS. It will no doubt be another innovative showcase for the Carlowrie Way.