In this episode of Profits & Parenting, Jordan sits down with Mark Innes, founder of The Tartan Timber Co and Tartan Talks, a business networking community based in East Lothian. Mark's path took him from joinery through the 2007 crash into an unexpected stint in the Royal Navy, then Network Rail, before he found his way into business ownership.

Mark opens up about property deals that collapsed late in the process, why he treated getting discharged from Navy training as a turning point rather than a setback, and how he rebuilt his income fast by launching a timber merchant from affordable space. He and Jordan get into disruption as a strategy, running an ultramarathon across the Sahara, and the boundaries he now sets to protect family time while scaling the business.

Key Takeaways:
- Leaving joinery during the 2007 crash and an unexpected turn into the Royal Navy shaped how Mark handles setbacks
- Property deals falling apart late in the process pushed him toward building his own business instead
- Winning customers through responsiveness, service and social media attention built the timber business fast
- Tartan Talks was created to bring trades together and build deeper business relationships
- Self-sufficiency lessons from the Marathon des Sables carry over into how he runs the business
- Batching work and choosing when to be reachable protects family time as the business scales
- Systemising operations and hiring reduces dependence on him personally, with a "forever home" as the long-term goal
- Christmas tree sales smooth seasonal cashflow, with year-on-year data shaping the approach

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Guest Links:
🤝 Tartan Talks: https://tartantalks.co.uk/
📸 Tartan Talks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tartantalks/

Host Links:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejordanrobb
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanrobb15
📧 Email: jordan@jordanrobb.com
🌐 Website: https://www.jordanrobb.com

Watch the Show:
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfitsandParenting

About the Host and Guest:
Jordan Robb is an Edinburgh-based property investor, developer and business strategist, and founder of Multiple property businesses. Beyond the deals, Jordan is building a personal brand and advisory practice around property, business strategy, and balancing ambition with family life.

Profits & Parenting is where he brings that mission to life, hosting conversations with business owners who are scaling wealth without losing time with the people who matter most.

Mark Innes is founder of The Tartan Timber Co and Tartan Talks, an East Lothian business networking community for trades and business owners.