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://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.
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