Business Made Smarter

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Doug D’Aubrey is joined by ETC consultant Earl Lynch to explore what business success really looks like. Earl shares his varied career journey, from being a professional musician with a number one hit in Spain to leadership development, working with global organisations including Microsoft, and eventually establishing his own training business, The Kairos Experience. He explains why he joined ETC and how working with small and medium-sized businesses has allowed him to use his experience to help owners grow, become more profitable and create businesses that support the lives they actually want to lead.Doug and Earl also discuss the loneliness that can come with running a business, the importance of having someone to challenge your thinking and hold you accountable, and why business coaching isn't always about simply making more money. Sometimes success means working fewer hours, spending more time with your family or even recognising that a business should remain a passion rather than become a full-time career.Key TakeawaysBusiness Owners Don't Have to Do It Alone: Earl describes the "leadership loneliness" that can come from running a business. Having trusted people to bounce ideas off, challenge your thinking and provide accountability can be hugely valuable for owners who would otherwise have to make every decision alone.Success Looks Different for Everyone: Business coaching isn't necessarily about pushing every company towards rapid growth. Earl shares examples where the right outcome was helping someone recognise that their business should remain a passion alongside their career, while other clients have used coaching to restructure, retrain or expand.Start With the Personal Goal: Doug and Earl explain why one of the most important questions they ask a business owner is what they actually want from life. Once that personal goal is clear, the business can be shaped around achieving it rather than becoming an end in itself.Protect Your Life Outside the Business: For couples and families running businesses together, work can easily become a 24/7 conversation. Setting boundaries – such as a guaranteed day off or a cut-off time for talking about work – can help restore family life and ultimately improve focus when you return to the business.Think About Life Management, Not Just Time Management: Earl argues that managing your diary shouldn't simply be about fitting in more work. Making deliberate space for holidays, date nights, family events and time away from the business can help owners create a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.Key Moments"We suffer with leadership loneliness.""We need to make a difference.""Our starting point is always: what is the personal goal? What is it they want out of life?""It's no good having what you want in life after all your kids have grown up... you've got to be living it.""I call it life management."About the hostDoug D’Aubrey, founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy (ETC), leverages extensive senior management experience to help businesses across the UK and Europe. With tailored consultancy packages ranging from short-term projects to 3-year growth programs, Doug aids companies in improving operations and achieving results. Doug’s success lies in his honest communication with leaders, identifying strategies to enhance management skills and optimise service delivery for measurable outcomes.Take advantage of a FREE 2-hour Business Review with ETC’s expert consultants to identify goals, tackle challenges, and create a clear plan for growth. Visit https://exec-tc.com/ to book your review.Subscribe, share, and leave a review to stay connected and keep your business journey moving forward Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Gets Measured Gets Managed - Using KPIs and Data to Run a Smarter BusinessIn this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Ed Nell is joined by Doug D'Aubrey, Founder and Managing Director of Executive Training Consultancy, to dig into one of the most underused tools available to small business owners - their own data.From understanding what a KPI actually is to knowing which numbers really matter, Doug cuts through the jargon and makes the case for why tracking even just a handful of key metrics can transform the way a business is run. Whether it is monitoring net profit, conversion rates or customer retention, the principle is always the same - if you are not measuring it, you cannot manage it.Key TakeawaysKPIs are simpler than they sound.A key performance indicator is just a way of measuring whether a role or activity is delivering the outcome it should. Every job in the business has one - even the ones that are not obviously measurable. The starting point is always the same: what does success look like in this role, and how can we measure it?We remember our successes and forget our failures.Without data, gut feeling becomes the default. One client believed he was closing 75% of his sales opportunities. When the numbers were tracked properly, the real figure was 33%. That gap is the difference between a business that thinks it is fine and one that knows exactly where to improve.Customer retention is as important as winning new business.If 10% of clients are quietly leaving each year, any growth target has to account for that loss first. Tracking retention rates makes the problem visible - and a visible problem is one you can actually solve.Graphs show you what spreadsheets hide.Numbers in a table are easy to ignore. The same numbers plotted on a graph make trends impossible to miss. When business starts dipping, a graph lets you pinpoint exactly when it changed - and forces the question of what was different at that moment.Key Moments"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.""We remember our successes and forget our failures. He genuinely thought he was closing 75% - the real number was 33%.""If it just sort of happened in business, you're not in control. And it could just sort of stop happening."About Business Made SmarterBusiness Made Smarter is the podcast from Executive Training Consultancy, bringing no-nonsense practical advice to help businesses of all sizes grow and thrive.Hosted by Ed Nell and featuring Doug D'Aubrey, Founder and MD of Executive Training Consultancy, each episode draws on over two decades of real-world business experience to give listeners strategies and insights they can start putting to use straight away.How to Get in TouchTo book a free two-hour business review with one of ETC's expert consultants:Website: www.exec-tc.comIf you found this episode useful, subscribe, share it with your network and leave a review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, the microphone switches sides. Host Doug D'Aubrey turns the tables on Ed Nell - the voice behind the Business Made Smarter podcast and founder of The Media Insiders - to find out the story behind the man who usually asks the questions.From a career in radio spanning two decades, through a stint trying to bring broadcasting into schools and a business partnership that led him to podcasting almost by accident, Ed shares the full journey of how The Media Insiders came to be.Key TakeawaysA podcast without a plan is just an open microphone.Before anyone gets near a microphone, Ed works with clients to nail down who their audience is, what they want to achieve and what kind of content will actually engage the right people.Podcasting is a marketing tool - even if most business owners do not think of it that way.Building credibility, increasing visibility and giving potential clients a genuine feel for who you are and how you think is exactly what good marketing does. Podcasting just happens to do it particularly well.Try things quickly, notice quickly when they are not working and adjust.Solopreneurs did not have the budget. Schools did not have the budget. Both times, Ed spotted the ceiling fast and moved on rather than grinding away hoping things would change.Wearing every hat in the business is unavoidable at the start - but it has a shelf life.Farming out audio editing alone gave Ed twenty hours a month back. That time goes straight into client development and creative work, which is where his real value sits.Key Moments"I've played songs and talked for 20 years. What am I going to do now?""I want to work on my terms. Although I still have to crawl to the boss - which is me.""Try things but notice quite quickly when it doesn't work.""You could be the smartest person in the room - but if you can't get your ideas across, nobody knows about it."About Business Made SmarterBusiness Made Smarter is the podcast from Executive Training Consultancy, bringing no-nonsense practical advice to help businesses of all sizes grow and thrive.Hosted by Doug D'Aubrey and featuring regular guest Ed Nell, Founder of The Media Insiders, each episode draws on real-world business experience to give listeners strategies and insights they can start putting to use straight away.How to Get in TouchTo find out more about Executive Training Consultancy or to book a free two-hour business review:Website: www.exec-tc.comTo get in touch with Ed Nell and The Media Insiders:Website: www.themediainsiders.co.ukIf you found this episode useful, subscribe, share it with your network and leave a review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Ed Nell is joined by Doug D'Aubrey, Founder and Managing Director of Executive Training Consultancy, to talk through a topic that trips up small businesses time and again - project management.Whether it is launching a new product, switching software or building out a new service, many small business owners dive in without the structure to see it through. Doug breaks down why projects drift, what good project planning actually looks like and how even the smallest team can use simple tools and clear communication to get from idea to outcome without the chaos.Key TakeawaysAlways start from the end.The first question on any project should be what does success look like? Knowing the outcome tells you whether the project is worth doing, gives everyone a shared goal to work toward and allows you to build your timeline backwards from the finish line rather than guessing your way forward.Every task needs a named owner and a deadline.If nobody is specifically responsible for a task, it will not get done. This applies whether there are two people in the business or twenty. Assigning tasks and agreeing realistic timeframes - by asking, not telling - means problems surface early when they can still be fixed.Simple tools work just as well as complicated ones.A shared spreadsheet, a WhatsApp group or a basic Gantt chart can be enough to keep a small business project on track. The goal is visibility - everyone being able to see what has been done, what is next and where things stand. Complexity for its own sake does not help.Review every project - and celebrate what went well.Once a project is complete, taking time to look back at what worked and what could be done better is what makes the next one go more smoothly. Equally important is acknowledging the people who made it happen. Teams that feel recognised are teams that stay engaged.Key Moments"You only have one captain on a ship. When you're running a project, you have one person who is responsible for the outcome.""If you haven't analysed it properly in the first place, you might start a venture that actually isn't very profitable - because somebody thought it was a good idea.""You can't solve the problem if you don't know it is a problem. So you have to communicate."About the hostDoug D’Aubrey, founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy (ETC), leverages extensive senior management experience to help businesses across the UK and Europe. With tailored consultancy packages ranging from short-term projects to 3-year growth programs, Doug aids companies in improving operations and achieving results. Doug’s success lies in his honest communication with leaders, identifying strategies to enhance management skills and optimise service delivery for measurable outcomes.Take advantage of a FREE 2-hour Business Review with ETC’s expert consultants to identify goals, tackle challenges, and create a clear plan for growth. Visit https://exec-tc.com/ to book your review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Doug D'Aubrey is joined by Jo and Wayne Pearce, founders of Eaglet Business Systems, for a conversation that bridges ISO standards, AI compliance and the very human challenge of running a business with your spouse.With over 3,120 successful certifications behind them and 29 years in business, Jo and Wayne bring a wealth of hard-won experience to the table. They also deliver a timely and practical warning about AI tools and GDPR that every business owner should hear.Key TakeawaysISO certification is an external stamp on internal quality - not just a box to tick.Like an MOT for your car, it is a third party confirming that what a business says it does is what it actually does. The right reason to pursue it is to become more efficient and effective, not just to win a tender.Written communication is non-negotiable when you work with a partner or spouse.It’s in their own communications procedure - verbal communication (particularly at bedtime) is only recognised once followed up in writing. The result is fewer things falling through the cracks.A plan does not have to be a straight line - it just has to point somewhere.Jo describes it as a squiggle that still moves forward. Having that direction keeps you from wasting time and resources going in circles, even when the path is messier than you expected.Getting out of your own way is the hardest and most important thing a business owner can do.Wayne says surrounding himself with the right people - masterminds, consultants, accountability partners was what changed that. You can’t know what you don’t know and nobody grows without support.Key Moments"The reason to get ISO is to improve your effectiveness, efficiency and become better at what you do.""If you plan it, you are not going to waste time and a load of money realising something's not right.""I asked Claude: are you compliant with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR? It said no."About the GuestsEaglet Business Systems Ltd helps organisations achieve and maintain ISO standards through practical support, auditing and consultancy. Founded in 1997 by Wayne Pearce, the business brings specialist knowledge across ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO22301, ISO27001 and ISO45001. Wayne is an experienced ISO specialist and lead auditor, while Jo Pearce, who joined in 2004, oversees client care, daily operations and business growth. Together, Jo and Wayne provide a hands-on, approachable service that helps clients build better systems with confidence.Eaglet Business Systems: https://ebs4iso.co.uk/About the hostDoug D’Aubrey, founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy (ETC), leverages extensive senior management experience to help businesses across the UK and Europe. With tailored consultancy packages ranging from short-term projects to 3-year growth programs, Doug aids companies in improving operations and achieving results. Doug’s success lies in his honest communication with leaders, identifying strategies to enhance management skills and optimise service delivery for measurable outcomes.Take advantage of a FREE 2-hour Business Review with ETC’s expert consultants to identify goals, tackle challenges, and create a clear plan for growth. Visit https://exec-tc.com/ to book your review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.