In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Doug D’Aubrey is joined by David Hyner, a researcher and professional speaker who has spent nearly three decades interviewing high achievers to understand how they think and behave.

The conversation explores what truly drives success - from having a powerful reason why, to setting meaningful goals and, crucially, taking consistent action. David breaks down the simple but often overlooked principles used by top performers, showing how anyone can apply them to achieve better results in business and life.

Key Takeaways

Most people don’t know how to set goals

Goal setting is widely talked about but rarely taught properly, leaving many people unclear on how to actually achieve what they want.

Success is built on simple, consistent actions

The fundamentals are not complicated - but top performers execute them relentlessly, while others give up too early.

Prioritise the hard things first

Focusing on the most important and challenging tasks early creates momentum and makes everything else easier.

Big goals need small, consistent steps

Massive goals provide motivation, but it’s the daily “smart steps” that drive real progress and results.

Key Moments

“You’re looking at someone who strived for and achieved mediocrity.”

“Over my dead body am I going to fail.”

“Most failure isn’t lack of skill - it’s lack of graft.”

“The massive goal is motivating, but doing the small stuff is inspiring.”

About the guest

David Hyner is a researcher and professional speaker who has spent over 28 years interviewing successful individuals from all walks of life. He distils their thinking and behaviours into practical models that can be applied by others to improve performance and achieve meaningful goals.

About Business Made Smarter

Business Made Smarter is a podcast focused on helping business owners improve performance, productivity and profitability through practical advice and real-world insights.

Hosted by Doug D’Aubrey of Executive Training and Consultancy, each episode explores key areas of business growth with actionable takeaways.

Take the Next Step

If you’re looking to improve performance and achieve more consistent results in your business, you can book a FREE 2-hour Business Review with Executive Training and Consultancy.

Visit: https://exec-tc.com/ to find out more.

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In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Ed Nell is joined by Doug D’Aubrey, Founder and Managing Director of Executive Training and Consultancy, to explore one of the most important (and often misunderstood) aspects of running a business: people management.

Doug explains why people management is both an art and a science, highlighting the importance of understanding individual motivations, adapting your approach and creating a culture that drives performance.

From hiring the right people to handling difficult conversations and building long-term loyalty, this episode offers practical, no-nonsense advice for business owners looking to improve team performance and avoid common management pitfalls.

Key Takeaways

People management is both an art and a science.

The science lies in understanding that everyone is different, while the art is in adapting your approach to motivate and manage each individual effectively.

Hire for fit, not just skill.

Even highly skilled individuals can damage a business if they don’t align with its culture, values or ways of working.

Culture starts at the top.

The business owner defines the culture. Your behaviour, standards and expectations shape how the entire organisation operates.

Don’t avoid difficult decisions.

Keeping the wrong person for too long can disrupt the business. Address issues early rather than adapting the business around them.

Develop people continuously.

People management doesn’t stop once someone is settled. Ongoing feedback, support and development are key to long-term success.

Key Moments

“One size does not fit all when it comes to people.”

“If they don’t fit the culture, you have to let them go - no matter how skilled they are.”

“Maybe you need to look at yourself as the business owner.”

“Culture is set at the top - it flows down through the business.”

“Your biggest job as a manager is people management.”

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, 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.

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey kick off the 2026 series by shifting focus from marketing to small business management. They explore why many great tradespeople and specialists accidentally build “a job” rather than a profitable business, and why management is really about managing activities (not just managing people). Doug outlines the key themes they’ll deep-dive across the series, from organisational structure and people management through to change, projects and financial control.

Key Takeaways

Doug’s core point is that “management” isn’t only about handling staff issues, it’s about organising and controlling the activities that make the business function and produce profit.

Even as a “sole trader”, you already have a structure, because you’re still relying on others (accountant, IT support, freelancers, subcontractors). The key is to identify the activities the business needs, then decide who does them and how.

If someone is doing work for your business (marketing agency, editor, plasterer, IT support), they’re effectively part of your organisation. You still need clear expectations, check-ins, and accountability; you may be paying for an activity with no measurable outcome.

As the business grows, delegation becomes essential, but it only works if you genuinely give people the authority to make decisions and deliver outcomes. Doug also suggests “virtual” management teams (peer groups or trusted advisors) for owners who don’t yet have managers in-house.

Doug warns against meetings for the sake of meetings. Effective meetings coordinate activity, assign actions, and include follow-up, because if you never follow up, people learn they can safely ignore priorities.

Tracking numbers (like lead conversion rate) turns guesswork into management. Doug shares two striking examples: owners who think they close 80% but don’t measure it, and owners who close 100%, which can be a sign they’re too cheap and should raise prices to improve profit and reduce overload.

People resist change when they don’t understand the benefit. When they can see what’s in it for them (or why it matters), they’re far more likely to support it.

Accountants often tell you what happened historically (sometimes many months later). Business owners need to know what’s happening now: what’s coming in, what’s going out, and what’s left, monthly (or weekly in some sectors), so problems don’t creep up unnoticed.

Best Moments

“Management is not about managing people… it’s about managing the activity necessary for the business to be successful.”

“Your subcontractors are employees, just in a different format.”

“If you’re closing 100%… you’re too cheap.”

“How can you manage something if you don’t know what’s going on?”

“Financial management is down to the business owner, not the accountant.”

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 look back over a tough year for small businesses and the core marketing themes they’ve covered on the podcast. They talk about the real impact of higher employment costs, why some businesses chose to close rather than adapt, and how others used planning, pricing and better marketing to have their best year ever.

Key Takeaways

It’s been a brutal year for small businesses. Increases in minimum wage and national insurance have forced owners to review viability; some have closed, others have had to find tens of thousands just to stand still.

Don’t cut marketing, make it work harder. Slashing marketing is a short-term saving that usually hurts long-term survival. The answer is not “spend nothing” but “spend only on what clearly works”.

Measure and monitor every channel. Track where every enquiry comes from and review monthly. If a channel delivers no leads (like the Yellow Pages example), stop it and redeploy the spend.

Scale with a plan, not blind hope. In a tougher economy you still need to grow, but you must plan it: budgets, marketing, pricing and capacity. Done well, you can cover rising costs and still have your best year.

Organise and re-engage your database. Tag customers in your CRM (by region, status, recency, etc.) and create offers for existing, lapsed and cold contacts. A well-organised database plus smart automation can revive thousands of “cold” leads.

Plan your marketing quarter by quarter. A simple quarterly plan (socials, networking, email, trade shows, seasonal pushes) keeps activity consistent and aligned to when your market actually buys, not when you happen to think of it.

Next year’s focus: small business management and productivity. With people more expensive than ever, 2026’s series will dig into systems, efficiency and getting maximum performance and profit from the team you have.

Best Moments

“You’ve got to find that extra £74,000 just to stand still, so we asked, how are we going to grow as well?”

“Don’t just stop the marketing. Cut the waste, measure the results, and double down on what’s actually working.”

“Your target market isn’t ‘everyone’ – you’re looking for the one spot on the wall where the mud sticks.”

“Next year is all about maximising performance in the business: productivity, efficiency, and, ultimately, profitability.”

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 get practical about trade shows and business expos, how to pick the right ones, show up well, and turn footfall into real pipeline. They cover researching organisers and expected attendance, the pros and cons of giant multi-day shows (NEC/Olympia) versus half-day local expos, and why “looking busy” isn’t the goal, booking follow-ups is. From stand design and messaging to on-the-day behaviour and rigorous ROI targets, this is a field guide to exhibiting without wasting time or money.

Key Takeaways

Do your homework first. Check who runs the event, their track record, and ask for expected attendance. Use last year’s figures as a sense-check; as a rule of thumb, expect roughly half of “registered” delegates to actually turn up.

Pick the right scale for your resources. Big national shows (e.g., multi-day NEC/Olympia events) demand bigger budgets and staffing; local B2B expos (often £200–£500 for a half-day) can be ideal for micros and SMEs.

Qualify, don’t collect. Skip the “business-card in a bowl” gimmicks unless your product truly suits everyone. Use a short sign-up form for genuine enquiries; if they won’t fill it in, they’re not interested.

Set hard ROI targets. Total your true cost (stand, travel, staff time) and aim for ~3× return. Example: if the all-in cost is ~£7.5k, target ~£25k in revenue; if an average client is £10k, you need three wins so aim for five solid leads/appointments.

Don’t try to sell on the stand. The goal is to book the next step, get permission to follow up and, ideally, schedule appointments on the spot from your phone.

Best Moments

“You’re paying for a space someone else has marketed hard; make it work for you.”

“If 800 register, expect about 400 to show.”

“Don’t gather cards for the sake of it, get details only from people who care.”

“Put the chairs away, stand out front, read the badge: ‘Hi Peter, what brings you here today?’”

“Don’t sell on the stand; book the appointment and move on.”

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.

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