Business Made Smarter

In this episode of Business Made Smarter , host Ed Nell sits down with Doug D’Aubrey to explore how business owners can increase productivity without working longer hours. Doug challenges the idea that working evenings, weekends and pulling all-nighters is something to be proud of, explaining why excessive hours can actually damage performance, decision-making and ultimately business success. Draw...

Doug D’Aubrey is joined by ETC business consultant Rob to explore how experience, coaching and networking can help business owners achieve sustainable growth. Rob shares his career journey, from working with Microsoft technology and managing large teams at Pepsi to travelling the world helping businesses improve their sales processes and performance. Rob explains how his experience in corporate le...

Stop Doing Everything: Delegate to Grow Your Business In this episode of Business Made Smarter , Ed Nell sits down with Doug D’Aubrey to explore how delegation can improve productivity and help business owners focus their time on the work that really matters. Doug explains how many small business owners start out wearing every hat, from sales and marketing to bookkeeping and administration, but co...

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...

What Gets Measured Gets Managed - Using KPIs and Data to Run a Smarter Business 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 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 m...

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 part...

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 thro...

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...

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 dig into one of the most challenging aspects of running a business - managing change. Whether it is a new piece of technology, a shift in internal processes or a change that will affect customers directly, Doug breaks down why so many change initiat...

Episode - From £47K to £2.6M: How to Scale a Creative Business the Right Way In this episode of Business Made Smarter , host Doug D’Aubrey is joined by Scott Clarke, co-founder of Kensa Creative, to unpack the journey from a £47,000 turnover startup to a £2.6 million business over the past decade. The conversation explores what it really takes to scale - from learning to delegate and building a ma...

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 tackle one of the most overlooked habits in small business management - the regular meeting. Far from the dull, overlong affairs many business owners dread, Doug explains that the right meetings, run well and held consistently, are the single most e...

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 break...

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,...

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...

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...

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 re...

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-...

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...

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-u...

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey unpack what “networking” really is and why it’s far broader (and more useful) than awkward breakfasts and business-card bingo. They redefine networking as the everyday act of building relationships and creating opportunities, whether that’s at a formal event, on the golf course, at church, or even during a speed awareness course....

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey cut through the jargon to show exactly how to judge whether your marketing is working. The golden rule: measure marketing on the enquiries it generates, not on closed sales, because conversion is the job of your sales process. Doug walks through practical ways to track sources (“How did you hear about us?”), keep a simple but cons...

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey explore the importance of building customer loyalty, a vital but often overlooked part of long-term business success. Doug outlines why keeping existing customers is just as crucial as attracting new ones. He introduces the concept of the Customer Loyalty Ladder, which moves from satisfied customers to repeat customers, advocates,...

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, Ed Nell and Doug D’Aubrey discuss the value of creating and maintaining a marketing database for small businesses. Doug explains why a database is far more than a contact list; it's a powerful tool that helps you get your message in front of the right audience. They break down the steps to building a useful database, choosing the right CRM system, segmenti...

In this episode of Business Made Smarter, host Doug D’Aubrey is joined by ETC’s Director of Consultancy, Phil Edwards to explore the power of scaling up your business. Together, they talk about what scaling really means, how it differs from traditional business growth, and how small businesses can increase turnover without drastically increasing overheads. With real-world examples from tech startu...

In this episode of Business Made Simple, host Ed Nell is joined by Doug D’Aubrey to explore the essentials of creating a successful marketing plan for small businesses. With Doug’s no-nonsense approach, they break down the barriers and myths around marketing strategies, showing that you don’t need a large team or months of prep to start planning effectively. Together, they highlight the importance...