In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Doug D’Aubrey is joined by Michele Ibbs, Director of I’m Your PA, to explore what it really takes to scale a business effectively. Following her previous appearance, Michele shares how the business has expanded into three distinct service areas — and the practical decisions behind that growth.

The conversation focuses on building the right structure for scale, from hiring the right people and implementing automation, to managing risk and planning for the unexpected. Michelle offers honest, experience-led insights into what business owners need to prioritise if they want to grow sustainably.

Key Takeaways

Build solutions around constraints

Growth often creates challenges like space or capacity limits. Instead of stalling, find practical ways to work around them — such as remote teams or new service lines.

Hire the right people for the role

Different roles require different personalities and skillsets. Matching the right person to the right job is key to maintaining productivity and quality.

Automation drives efficiency

Automating repetitive tasks saves time, improves consistency and frees up capacity to focus on revenue-generating work.

Plan for risk and continuity

From backup systems to contingency planning, businesses must prepare for worst-case scenarios to ensure they can continue operating.

Invest in everything that matters

Sustainable growth comes from ongoing investment in people, systems, knowledge and the business itself.

Key Moments

“Automation saves time to do the things that actually earn you money.”

“If you’re not prepared to invest, don’t bother running a business.”

“Where’s your backup plan?”

“Running a business is about people development.”

About the guest

Michele Ibbs is the Director of I’m Your PA, alongside its sister services Truly Yours Agency and I’m Your VA. With a focus on call handling, automation and administrative support, Michelle has built a growing business centred around efficiency, structure and people development.

https://imyourpa.co.uk/

https://www.trulyyours.agency/

About the host

Doug 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, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey discuss one of the biggest steps in growing a small business: building a management team.

Many business owners start as solo operators and eventually reach a point where growth becomes impossible without delegation. Doug explains why productivity is closely linked to management structure, how to recognise when it’s time to build a team around you, and the challenges that come with letting go of control.

Key Takeaways

Productivity starts with management.

Being busy isn’t the same as being productive. A well-structured management team helps ensure responsibilities are shared and the business can grow beyond a single decision-maker.

Know when it’s time to build a team.

If you’re overwhelmed, turning down work or struggling to manage multiple staff members yourself, it’s usually a sign that a management structure is needed.

Hire for culture as well as capability.

Skills are important, but shared values and alignment with the company’s culture are critical for long-term success within a management team.

Don’t delay difficult decisions.

Holding on to the wrong hire for too long can damage team morale and business performance. If it isn’t working, address it quickly.

Remember: it’s your business.

Employees will never think about the business in quite the same way an owner does — and that’s normal. The focus should remain on results and customer satisfaction.

Key Moments

“Without delegation, the business becomes bottlenecked around one person.”

“If you’re overwhelmed and can’t take on any more work, it’s time to start building a team.”

“The hiring isn’t as difficult as the firing.”

“Hire slowly, fire quickly.”

“Loyalty isn’t demanded - it’s earned.”

About the host

Doug 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 February episode of Business Made Smarter, host Ed Nell is joined by Doug D’Aubrey to kick off the year’s deep dive into small business management with a focus on organisational structure. Rather than legal company structures, Doug explains the practical framework of activities that allow a business to function, grow and remain profitable.

The conversation explores how clearly defining responsibilities, workflows and accountability transforms efficiency, culture and decision-making. Through real-world examples, Doug demonstrates how even small businesses benefit from understanding how work flows through the organisation - and why structure is the foundation for sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways

Organisational structure is about activity, not job titles.

The focus is on mapping what actually happens inside the business - the tasks that generate revenue, win customers and support operations - rather than assigning impressive titles.

Every business has three core drivers.

Operations, sales and marketing and support services (admin, finance, HR, logistics) form the backbone of organisational clarity.

Structure improves accountability and culture.

When people understand their responsibilities and how their work connects to others, confusion and overlap reduce, creating a more productive and positive working environment.

Flowcharts reveal gaps and inefficiencies.

Mapping how work moves through the business highlights missing roles, duplicated effort and bottlenecks - often uncovering hidden problems that limit growth.

Delegation becomes easier with clarity.

A defined structure allows business owners to assign responsibility confidently, whether to employees or subcontractors, freeing time for strategic priorities.

Organisational structure is a living system.

As businesses evolve, their structure must evolve too. Regular reviews ensure it remains aligned with growth, new services and operational demands.

Small businesses benefit most from structure.

Even lean teams perform better when responsibilities are clear, reducing wasted effort and allowing focus on the activities that drive profitability.

Best Moments

“An organisational structure gives you a picture of what you’re actually managing.”

“If everyone’s doing everything, nobody’s truly responsible.”

“Activity flows through the business - structure makes that flow visible.”

“You don’t build growth on guesswork; you build it on foundations.”

“Your organisational structure should grow as your business grows.”

About the Host

Doug D’Aubrey, founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy (ETC), brings decades of senior management experience helping businesses across the UK and Europe improve performance through structured systems and practical leadership strategies. Doug works closely with business owners to clarify operations, strengthen management capability and deliver measurable results.

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.