My thing? Creating order from chaos
I transform messy, manual systems into streamlined, automated processes that give you back your time and headspace.
Heya! I'm Ellie McBride, founder of Calibrated Concepts.
I help established women entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses but now feel overwhelmed by all the moving parts.
Whether you need a complete systems overhaul or ongoing support as your right-hand "COO," I'm here to set up the tech, create the templates, and build the structure your business needs to run smoothly—even when you're not at your desk.
I do this work because I believe women shouldn't have to sacrifice their wellbeing on the altar of hustle culture. Your business should support your life, not consume it.
Just a Chaos Coordinator with a love of slow living
I started Calibrated Concepts after moving to Northern Ireland and discovering I craved the freedom to work from either home country or anywhere else I wanted to.
-
Behind the scenes I…
- am persnickety about my coffee and am perpetually streaming Gilmore Girls
- am known to wear the same outfit three days straight (no shame!)
- walk my talk. I’ve built my business to work in part time hours so I can do things like be a City Councillor and errands in the middle of a week day
-
What keeps me up at night…
- a fear of being "too much"
- worrying about not leaving the world better than I found it
- my absolutely terrible sinuses 🤣
-
My big dreams:
- A lake or beach house where friends and family gather habitually
- Creating a home and a community that is resilient and thriving
- Building a business that proves you can define success on your own terms
I'll be the one constantly shouting about systemic issues and reminding women entrepreneurs that they don't have to do it all (or do it alone).
What I Bring to the Table
I thrive in the spaces most business owners dread—the behind-the-scenes chaos, the tech tangles, the processes that need streamlining.
My not-so-secret strengths:
Creating order from chaos (I wore a burgundy "Chaos Coordinator" t-shirt until it fell apart)
Making your big picture possible, by obsessing over the details for you
Building communities that feel like home
The ability to see elegant solutions where others see messy problems
A knack for making complex tech feel simple and approachable
My very favorite thing about being in business (aside from all that flexibility) is proving that growing with simplicity can be fun and far less painful with help!
Take it from them…
-
![Mel Wiggins - Portrait]()
Mel Wiggins
“Ellie looked at all the processes I was using in my business as it was and without judgement, came up with ways that I could simplify, streamline and automate key areas of my business that were eating my time; stuff I had no idea was possible. It was unbelievable to me the wizardy ways that she implemented so all my systems and tech talked to each other. She took me off manual mode and I’ve never looked back.”
-
![Wivi-Anne - Portrait]()
Wivi-Anne Nyberg
"Working with Ellie has been invaluable to me, since she really puts her energy into digging into my wishes and needs first, as a business owner.
She is an amazing pro at finding solutions to simplify my way of working online. Ellie’s efficient and highly skilled in what she is offering, and important enough really good at responding and explaining processes in a simple and understandable way."
-
![Aaron Henshaw wearing a cowboy hat, sunglasses, and a white shirt stands behind a DJ booth with thumbs up, framed by sheer curtains and natural light.]()
Aaron Henshaw
"Ellie's truly a lifesaver, she has transformed my business from chaos to automatic success. Not only that she's very personable, nice and accommodating. She teaches you how to get up and running with your website and systems with a cool video that you can always go back and watch at anytime if you have problems which to me is very very helpful.”
-
![Sara Slattery smiling with glasses and a patterned blouse sits casually on a white couch in a bright, airy room with natural light and wooden furniture.]()
Sara Slattery
“Ellie provides a lot of support, understands the needs of your business and takes all the tech stress off your shoulders in simple and quick ways. Would definitely recommend!”
-
![Cara Bendon smiling with wavy hair and glasses sits with hands clasped, wearing a white blouse and blue pants, in front of colorful abstract art on a white wall.]()
Cara Bendon
“Organization isn’t my strongest point, and after speaking briefly to Ellie, it was clear she was exactly the right person to come and sort things out for me. She was very thorough about understanding my business… I now have a new system in place, and feel much more confident that the tools I pay for are the things I really need.”
-
![Phoebe Swan in a green coat with a patterned scarf and red headband smiles in front of a colorful mural with pink, red, and green elements.]()
Phoebe Swan
“Ellie was a joy to work with. She was able to achieve a lot in a short space of time. I feel more confident and clearer about how to run my business going forward and she has set me up with several new software systems that are already making my day to day operations smoother.”
Working With Me
My favorite thing about my business is seeing the weight lift off your shoulders when you finally have the systems you need to thrive.
Here's what transformation looks like:
From running out of capacity to having your business run on autopilot
From feeling bogged down to focusing on what you love and are good at
From overwhelmed to organized, with everything in its place
From manual mode to automation that works even when you're offline
These days I don’t work alone…
I have a badass team behind me
Helena Bradbury
Content & Systems Assistant
A lover of SOPs and color coding, Helena takes care of the processes and systems for us and our clients. In her spare time, Helena’s also a travel blogger and is enthusiastic about building businesses that can work from anywhere.
Heidi Levy
Website & Admin Assistant
Heidi makes sure all of our websites have gone through a rigorous checklist before launch and she’s also the person behind many of the company’s admin tasks!
The result is simple: More headspace. More flexibility.
And the freedom to step away knowing everything is handled.
The real impact in clients' words:
You'll stop "faffing about with admin" and instead deliver real value to the people you serve. Your systems will be set up to be "easy to navigate" with a professional touch that impresses your clients.
You'll know "exactly what to focus on every day" because your business will be organized into "areas with recurring tasks for things that need to be looked at regularly."
Best of all? You'll feel like "a badass in terms of being organized and saving time" and when potential clients and customers reach out, they'll receive the right welcome, perfectly branded and warm, as if you were right there at your desk.
Ready to Transform Your Business Systems and Feel Like a Badass?
Imagine waking up to a business that practically runs itself, giving you the freedom to focus on what you actually love.
The Systems Revolution
I've got a ‘wild’ theory that's shaped everything I do: women entrepreneurs don't need to hustle harder. We need smarter systems.
In a world that expects women to do it all (career, family, self-care, community work... the list never ends), we've been conditioned to think working ourselves to exhaustion is somehow virtuous. So the struggle isn’t just our mindset, it's the water we're swimming in.
My mission is to help you build a business that actively resists these unfair expectations. Because the right tech and automations = beautiful boundaries!
10 years ago I’d never have believed…
that I'd build an international business helping women entrepreneurs reclaim their time and sanity. But here we are!
The cool stuff:
Recognized in Belfast Telegraph's 30 Under 30 (2022)
Named as a SmallBiz100 (2023) and iAlso100 Female Entrepreneurs (2022)
Helped 200+ businesses streamline their operations & websites
Squarespace Circle Member, Shopify Partner & Asana Ambassador
Appointed to Pendleton City Council (2025)
I've built systems for coaches, consultants, yoga instructors, and creative service-providers of all types who were drowning in admin and constantly dropping balls.
I'm obsessed with helping women step into the visionary role they deserve! The one where your business runs smoothly even when you're offline and you can focus on the parts you actually love.
And yes, I still get teary-eyed when clients tell me how much time and headspace they've reclaimed. That's the real flex.
If we're going to work together, there are a few things you should probably know about me:
🧠 I'm the weirdo who gets ridiculously excited about color-coding and creating templates. Where you see tedious admin, I see a puzzle waiting to be solved!
✨ I'm obsessed with karaoke, sewing projects, and thrifting. My perfect day includes all three, plus a good locally made drink
🌞 Sunshine charges my batteries. After years in Northern Ireland's constant drizzle (hey, it’s called the Emerald Isle for a reason!), I've come to worship sunny days like the precious gifts they are
🙅♀️ Things that make me clench my jaw: people who aren't willing to try new approaches, the myth that ‘this is how it's always been done,’ and watching entrepreneurs struggle with problems that smart tech could easily solve.
🌈 I believe in rest, boundaries, and stepping away from your laptop regularly. If you're looking for someone to validate your 24/7 hustle mentality, I'm not your gal.
🗣️ I'm the loud one who gives quiet people permission to take up space. And I'll be over here cheering madly when you finally take that vacation without checking your email once.
We might be friends if you're ready to question the status quo, create your own rulebook for business, and believe that success shouldn't come at the cost of your wellbeing.
Let's Keep This Conversation Going!
I'd love to connect with you beyond this page and show you exactly how systems simplification can transform your business (and sanity levels!).
Where to find more of my systems magic:
📧Join my newsletter for monthly simplicity tips and behind-the-scenes peeks at how I run my own streamlined business
📺Check out my YouTube channel for tutorials and systems walkthroughs that'll make you say "I didn't know that was possible!"
🎙️Listen to the podcast where I chat all things systems, automation, and creating a business that doesn't eat your life
📱Follow me on Instagram for frequent doses of systems wisdom and the occasional glimpse of Guinness, the cocker spaniel
💡 Curious about which area of your business needs simplification most? Take my free quiz to find out!
Ready for a real conversation about your business systems? Let's chat! Book a free 20-minute call and let's explore how we might work together.