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 Takeaways

Business 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 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.

Subscribe, share, and leave a review to stay connected and keep your business journey moving forward