The Capable Collective

The Capable Collective

By Ellie McBrideBusinessEntrepreneurship
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The Capable Collective episodes

  • Hustle-Free Business? Here’s What I Say No To (and Why)

    I’m breaking down all the things I don’t do in my business and why I’m so glad I’ve learned to say no to them. From ditching hustle culture (no working weekends here!) to ditching outdated definitions of “professionalism,” I’m sharing the boundaries, systems, and choices that have made my business simpler, more flexible, and honestly, way more fun.

    Whether it’s turning off notifications, outsourcing what drains me, or working from my sofa with dry shampoo in my hair. These no’s have made space for bigger, better yeses. I’d love to know: what’s something you’ve stopped doing in your business?

    11 min
  • My Childhood Love of Organizing (Matchbox Cars!) Turned Into a Career

    What do Matchbox cars, a racetrack rug, and an alphabetized movie collection have to do with running a business? In this video, I’m sharing the childhood quirks that became the foundation of my career — and how my love of tidying, organizing, and creating systems became the heart of Calibrated Concepts.


    From lining up toy cars to designing streamlined onboarding systems, I’ve always found comfort in bringing order to chaos. And as it turns out, that coping mechanism (hello, undiagnosed anxiety!) turned into my superpower as a systems strategist for small businesses.


    This video is for anyone who’s ever wondered how their weird little habits might actually be a gift — and a reminder that the things we loved (or needed) as kids often point us toward the work we're meant to do.


    💡 If your business backend feels more like a racetrack than a library, I’d love to help. Check out the links below to work together or connect.

    6 min
  • What I’d Tell Myself If I Were Starting My Business All Over Again

    What would I tell myself if I were starting my business from scratch? After nearly 8 years in business (and a whole lot of trial and error), I’ve learned a thing or two about what actually makes a business sustainable... and what doesn’t.


    In this video, I’m sharing the lessons I wish I’d known earlier, from setting boundaries to building the right systems, to learning to let your business evolve with you. If you’re in the early stages of your business or going through a season of change, I hope this offers you some clarity and encouragement.


    🔗 Grab my free tools + templates over at https://calibratedconcepts.com

    📩 Join my behind-the-scenes email list: https://calibratedconcepts.myflodesk.com/db2d8ed7-f554-435a-94af-1431d94534d6


    Let me know in the comments: What’s your biggest lesson so far?

    13 min
  • From Burnout to Business Wins: My Quarterly Check-In

    In this quarterly update, I’m sharing the latest happenings in my life and business, including the launch of my newly updated website with exciting new services and ongoing experiments with a quiz freebie.

    I'm also battling some burnout while trying to maintain balance and prepare for my annual birthday sale in August. I’m also discussing my efforts to build a local entrepreneurial community and my personal adventures with my new puppy, Guinness.

    Stay tuned for more updates and feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions!


    14 min
  • What To Do If Your To-Do List Makes You Want to Scream!

    In this episode, I share my personal strategies for tackling overwhelm when your to-do list feels unmanageable. I discuss the importance of journaling, tracking your time, and allowing flexibility in deadlines to maintain sanity. I also emphasize the need for self-kindness and the power of saying no to tasks that aren't priorities. If you find these tips helpful, please consider subscribing for more insights!

    9 min
  • Business overwhelm? What to automate first!

    I'm sharing my top three tips for automating and simplifying your business processes to help you regain control over your time and energy. I'm also covering the importance of tracking where you lose time and my favorite tools, like scheduling software and client relationship management systems to streamline your operations.

    15 min
  • How to Prep for a Brand Shoot Without Losing Your Mind or Your Style

    If you've been putting off a brand photo shoot (because posing awkwardly in front of a camera sounds like actual torture), this one's for you.

    In this episode, I’m breaking down everything I’ve learned from doing three very different brand photo shoots for my business. From choosing the right photographer and prepping props to nailing the outfits and planning a shot list, I’m walking you through what worked, what I’d do differently, and how to make your next shoot feel fun, intentional, and totally you.

    Plus, I’ll show you the behind-the-scenes setup and talk through the difference each shoot made for my confidence and marketing!


    • Shout out to Gillian https://gillianrobbphotography.co.uk/
    • My personal photoshoot Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/hmmm_i_wish/branding-photoshoots/
    11 min
  • Catching You Up! Behind-the-Scenes in Life & Business

    Some exciting updates about my life and business since moving back to the States at the end of August. I've been appointed as the city councillor for Ward 2, and I'm really passionate about investing in my community. I also discuss my pivot towards creating more evergreen content and the upcoming launch of ads for my quiz lead magnet.

    16 min
  • Feeling Lost in Your Business? Here's How to Organize Your Digital Life

    These are my top tips for decluttering and streamlining your digital workspace, focusing on effective email management, file organization, and project management systems. I'm also talking about the importance of using templates and automation to save time and enhance productivity as well as setting boundaries to protect your focus while working.


    Let me know if these tips are helpful!

    14 min
  • What I didn’t Know When I Moved my Business (from Northern Ireland to the US)

    I'm sharing my experience of moving my business from Northern Ireland back to Oregon, US after seven years. The transition over the last few months has been more complicated than I anticipated, especially with banking and tax regulations. I'm sharing the challenges I've faced, including setting up my software and managing my business license here in the US. I also touch on how this move has impacted my work-life balance and my efforts to rebuild my professional network.Let me know if you have any questions or if you've gone through a similar process!

    18 min

About The Capable Collective

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