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Published by Sharon Francisco
I’ve been thinking about starting a podcast for years. To share the good, the bad, and the ugly that I’ve experienced in business. I feel like it's time to share some of the lessons, and I hope that it will resonate with you, and that you actually take action so that you and your business keeps growing. I’m Sharon Francisco, a business coach for bookkeepers, but what I talk about here on the podcast will help all sorts of businesses and business owners. I hope you enjoy it!
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What looks fine on the outside can still be quietly costing you underneath. In this episode, Sharon shares one of the most confronting experiences of her life as a property owner — discovering that an investment property she believed was protected had been heavily contaminated with methamphetamine. She had a property manager. She had landlord insurance. She followed the process. And she still ended up around $40,000 out of pocket . The lesson for business? Problems rarely begin as $40,000 problems. They start as small warning signs we explain away, tolerate, or fail to investigate. In this episode we cover: • How the meth contamination was discovered • Why the property looked fine while a serious problem was developing underneath • What landlord insurance did — and didn’t — cover • Why “I thought I was protected” can be a dangerous assumption • How the same pattern shows up in business • Why growing revenue does not automatically mean growing profit • How team growth can increase pressure instead of reducing it • Why busy does not mean profitable • The danger of A-grade clients quietly funding D-grade clients • Why every business owner needs to know their true monthly costs and break-even • The questions to ask before a small issue becomes an expensive one Key insights: • What looks healthy from the outside may not be healthy underneath • Protection on paper does not replace clear information • Small warning signs deserve attention • Revenue, team size and busyness are not measures of profit • Know your numbers, ask better questions, and act when something feels off What you uncover early can be fixed. What you ignore can become very expensive. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions? sharon@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What if the biggest influence on your business isn’t your qualifications, strategy or experience? What if it’s the relationship you have with yourself? In this episode, Sharon explores the small decisions that either strengthen or weaken self-trust — and why confidence isn’t something you wait to feel. It’s something you build. Through the promises you keep. The way you speak to yourself. The people you surround yourself with. And the uncomfortable things you choose to do anyway. Sharon also shares a very personal story from life after her separation — standing in a crowded Aldi trying to recover a missing iPhone she simply couldn’t afford to replace. She was shaking. She was embarrassed. But she found her voice. And that moment became a lesson in what confidence actually looks like. In this episode we cover: • Why self-trust matters in business • The difference between confidence and having all the answers • Why keeping promises to yourself builds belief • How sleep, movement, food and relationships affect how you show up • Why the way you speak to yourself matters • Sharon’s Aldi story and what it taught her about courage • Why confidence is built through action • How uncomfortable experiences become evidence that you can cope • What happens when you’ve reached a comfortable level of success • Why growth and contribution don’t need to stop Key insights: • Confidence is not the absence of fear • Self-trust grows when you prove you can handle hard things • You don’t need to wait until life forces you to be courageous • Your next level may require becoming someone new Mentioned: Self-Compassion — Kristin Neff The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown The Good Life — Robert Waldinger & Mark Schultz Mindset — Dr Carol Dweck 🎧 Listen now https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What if the thing making you uncomfortable in front of the camera is exactly what your business needs more of? In this episode, Sharon sits down with Shae Giles Bruton , the creative force behind Shae Style Photography . With almost 30 years behind the camera, Shae has an incredible ability to help business owners move past the awkwardness, insecurity and overthinking — and show up as themselves. Because a great brand shoot isn’t simply about looking good. It’s about letting people see who they’re actually doing business with . And in a world increasingly filled with AI-generated content, that human connection may matter more than ever. In this episode we cover: • Why even confident women can freeze in front of a camera • The insecurities almost every woman brings into a photoshoot • Why authenticity matters more than looking perfect • How the right photographer brings your personality and energy to life • Why AI may actually make real photography and human connection more valuable • How professional imagery builds trust before someone ever speaks to you • Why your photoshoot can create clarity around your personal brand • The role of clothing, colour, hair, makeup and styling • Shae’s simple “emu” posing trick for a stronger photo • Why old photos can quietly hold your brand back • How to show your personality even if you’re naturally quieter or more introverted Key insights: • People want to know the human behind the business • Your energy matters more than perfection • Confidence often comes through the experience of being seen • You don’t need to become someone else for the camera • As AI grows, authenticity and trust become even more valuable Your brand doesn’t need a more polished version of you. It needs you . 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Guest: Shae Giles Bruton — Shae Style Photography shaestylephotography.com.au Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Why can one bookkeeper charge $70 an hour while another confidently charges $120 or more for similar work? It is not always qualifications. It is not always experience. It is not the fanciest website, podcast, or social media page. So what is it? In this episode, Sharon unpacks why clients are not just buying your service. They are buying the experience of being with you. They are buying how safe they feel. How understood they feel. How confident they feel that you will handle things well. And whether they feel comfortable enough to tell you the truth. This is where your personal brand becomes powerful. Not the polished version of you. The clearest version of you. In this episode we cover: • Why people choose one provider over another • Why clients do not always choose the cheapest option • How trust, safety, and connection influence buying decisions • Why over-explaining your value can communicate uncertainty • The link between personal brand and pricing confidence • Sharon’s beauty appointment story and what it revealed about client experience • Why certainty is built through action, not waiting until you feel ready • How Dolly Parton, Oprah, and Taylor Swift show the power of being unmistakably yourself • Why your individuality helps attract the right clients • How Sharon’s early business experience showed her that people buy how you make them feel Key insights: • Clients are buying more than the service • Your pricing tells people what to believe about your value • Connection can create more trust than credentials alone • Your personal brand is not about being polished — it is about being clear • The right clients are looking for someone who sounds like you Mentioned in this episode: • Start With Why by Simon Sinek • Known by Mark Schaefer • The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What if the thing your business needs most… is for you to step away from it? In this episode, Sharon shakes things up with a very direct reminder: Take the break. Get away from your office. Get away from the familiar. Get away from the same desk, same routine, same thinking. Because rest is not indulgent. It is often where fresh ideas, clearer thinking, creativity, and better decisions finally have room to show up. Sharon shares the story of a recent weekend away to Eumundi — the lovely parts, the funny imperfect parts, the over-attentive Airbnb host, the cold cabin, the markets, the wine, the dog, and the unexpected business idea that came through when she finally had space to think differently. In this episode we cover: • Why so many business owners struggle to take proper breaks • Why self-care is not separate from business growth • How Sharon preloads her year with weekends away and holidays • Why getting away from your normal environment matters • The truth about breaks that do not go perfectly to plan • How imperfect trips can still leave you feeling refreshed • Why new places, new food, and new routines can shift your thinking • How creativity can appear when you stop forcing business planning • Why rest supports problem-solving, focus, and better ideas • Why taking a break before you are forced to is essential Key insights: • You cannot pour from an empty cup • Breaks do not have to be perfect to be powerful • A different environment can create different thinking • Rest is not the opposite of productive work — it supports it • Creativity often arrives when you stop sitting at your desk trying to force it • Your business benefits when you come back refreshed, not depleted So here’s the reminder: Take the darn break. Your business will still be there. But you might come back with the clarity, energy, and ideas you couldn’t access while you were stuck inside the routine. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? sharon@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What if life does not need to feel as hard as we make it? In this episode, Sharon talks about one of her favourite practical life shifts: deciding to make things easier. Not perfect. Not impressive. Not “I can do it all.” Easier. From cleaners and mowers to simpler dinners, lower household standards, adult children learning independence, and no longer being everyone’s go-to person, this episode is a direct and refreshing conversation about the mental load so many women carry. Because sometimes freedom does not come from doing more. It comes from asking: Why am I still doing this? Does it actually need to be me? What could I stop carrying? 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿: • Why so many women feel stuck in Groundhog Day routines • How to make practical decisions that free up your time and energy • Why hiring help is not indulgent when you own a business • The real cost of being the go-to person for everything • Why lowering your household standards can create more freedom • How home patterns often spill into business boundaries • Why adult children sometimes need the gift of independence • The link between always being available at home and always being available in business • Why saying no can make you lighter, calmer, and more fun • How to stop keeping all the balls in the air alone 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • You do not have to be everyone’s go-to person • Making life easier is a decision, not a luxury • Lower standards can sometimes create higher freedom • A cleaner, mower, or simpler food option can buy back energy • The way you run your home often reflects in how you run your business • “No” is a full sentence Mentioned in this episode: • The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi 🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What does it really take to go from feeling stuck and ready to walk away… to building a bookkeeping business with 18 team members and $1.5M in revenue? In this episode, Sharon sits down with Olivia Story , founder of Gecko Cloud Solutions , for a powerful conversation about growth, leadership, mindset, systems, AI, pricing, and the future of bookkeeping. Olivia shares how she went from a team of 5 to 18 team members, rebuilt her confidence, strengthened her leadership, and created a business that now supports more clients, more team members, and a much bigger vision. In this episode we cover: • What brought Olivia to the point of nearly walking away • The mindset shift that helped her grow again • How she went from 5 to 18 team members • Hitting $1.5M in revenue and what helped that growth compound • Why leadership can look nurturing, not loud • How Olivia structures her team with BAS agents and team leaders • Why systems and checklists are essential for scaling • The role of apps, automation, and strong processes • Why AI will change bookkeeping, but not remove the need for trusted advisors • The future opportunity for bookkeepers who build advisory and relationship skills • Why undercharging the industry has to stop • Olivia’s advice for bookkeepers who feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or ready to give up Key insights: • Growth starts with mindset, but it needs structure behind it • You do not need to be a “traditional” leader to lead well • Systems create freedom for both the owner and the team • Bookkeepers are already leaders to their clients • AI will remove some of the manual work, but human review, trust, and advisory still matter • Pricing needs to reflect the professional value bookkeepers bring • You are not alone in this industry, and you do not have to grow alone 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
When you’ve built a business from the ground up, of course it feels personal. You found the clients. You did the work. You took the risks. You paid the wages. You carried the responsibility. So when someone says, “Don’t take it personally,” that advice can feel almost impossible to follow. In this episode, Sharon explores why business decisions are rarely just practical. A price increase can bring up fear of rejection. A marketing post can trigger fear of judgment. A boundary can feel like risking approval. Delegating can challenge trust and control. The numbers may be clear, but the woman behind them still has to find the courage to act. In this episode we cover: • Why business feels so deeply personal • What really sits underneath pricing decisions • Why visibility can feel uncomfortable, even when you have something valuable to say • How people-pleasing shows up through overdelivering and weak boundaries • Why being helpful can become tied to feeling safe, liked, and needed • The role emotions play in judgment and decision-making • Why psychological safety matters in leadership • The four areas your business reflects back to you • Your relationship with money, visibility, boundaries, and leadership • How to use emotional reactions as information rather than evidence that something is wrong Key insights: • The practical decision is often not the real challenge • Your business reveals where you feel solid and where you still feel wobbly • Boundaries are about more than saying no • Pricing confidence begins with self-trust • Business does not only grow your income — it grows you Where is your business feeling more personal than practical right now? And what might it be trying to show you? 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What is the woman behind the business carrying that no one else can see? Not the brand. Not the polished website. Not the smiling photo. The actual woman making the decisions, holding the money stress, supporting the team, managing the clients, remembering the appointments, organising the family, and trying to keep everything moving. From the outside, she may look completely capable. But there is a difference between functioning and feeling free. In this episode, Sharon unpacks the invisible weight so many successful women carry — and why better time management is not always the answer. Sometimes the problem is not the diary. It is the weight of the bag. In this episode we cover: • Why successful women can look fine while feeling completely exhausted • The difference between functioning and feeling free • Why rest does not always fix the deeper kind of tiredness • The unpaid and invisible work women often carry • The four loads behind the successful woman • The practical load everyone can see • The mental load of remembering, anticipating, and following up • The emotional load of keeping everyone calm and supported • The identity load behind pricing, boundaries, hiring, and saying no • Why overwhelm is often too many loads sitting in one nervous system • How to identify what should be shared, systemised, or put down Key insights: • Being capable does not mean you should carry everything • Your business should support you, not swallow you up • What stays invisible stays heavy • Boundaries are often about identity, not just behaviour • The next level may not require more effort — it may require less carrying What are you carrying that no one else can see? And what are you finally ready to stop carrying alone? 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Why do humans stay so busy instead of facing what’s actually wrong? In this episode of The Human Experiment , Sharon unpacks one of the biggest contradictions of modern life: we have more tools, technology, automation, AI, apps, and systems than ever before… yet so many people feel more exhausted, overstimulated, and overwhelmed than ever. This episode is about the hidden role busyness plays in our lives and businesses. Because sometimes busyness is not about productivity. Sometimes it is protection. A way to avoid stillness. A way to avoid hard truths. A way to avoid asking, am I actually happy? Sharon explores how business owners can hide inside admin, emails, client work, checking, fixing, and overdelivering while the real issues stay untouched: pricing, confidence, boundaries, self-worth, leadership, and difficult conversations. In this episode we cover: • Why humans stay busy instead of facing what feels uncomfortable • How modern life rewards exhaustion and overcommitment • Why busyness can become part of your identity • The difference between productive action and emotional avoidance • How business owners hide inside admin, emails, and client work • Why knowing the problem intellectually is not the same as facing it emotionally • How pricing, boundaries, confidence, and leadership often sit underneath “busy” • Why stillness can feel confronting when you’re used to proving your worth through doing • The role of alignment and the 20% that actually creates meaning, growth, and energy • Sharon’s practical Human Experiment for noticing what busyness may be helping you avoid Key insights: • Busyness can look responsible while quietly hiding what needs attention. • Productivity and avoidance can look exactly the same from the outside. • Stillness creates awareness, and awareness can feel confronting. • Your worth is not measured by how exhausted you are. • Sometimes the answer is not doing more — it is getting honest about what actually matters. Mentioned in this episode: • Vipassana meditation 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What if getting older wasn’t something to fear… but something to design for? In this episode, Sharon sits down with Marcus Pearce — author, speaker, mentor, former journalist, and host of 100 Not Out — for a powerful conversation about longevity, purpose, courage, and creating an exceptional life at every age. Marcus shares why so many people quietly accept the belief that their best years are behind them, and what changes when you start seeing ageing as a privilege rather than a decline. In this episode we cover: • What an exceptional life really means • Why ageing well is about more than living longer • The eight areas that shape a fulfilling life • What the Blue Zones teach us about health, purpose, and connection • Why movement, friendship, family, and meaningful work matter • How your calendar reflects the life you are actually living • Why challenge and discomfort help us grow • The courage required to design life on your own terms • Why people who age well stay physically, socially, and purposefully engaged • Marcus’s longevity experiences in Ikaria, Sardinia, and Okinawa Key insights: • Getting older is a privilege • Longevity without quality of life is not the goal • Your calendar reveals what you truly value • Courage is often the difference between tolerating life and creating it • The lowest-scoring area of your life may need the most attention Links from this episode: 100 Not Out podcast and longevity experiences: 100notout.com Exceptional Life Quiz: marcuspearce.com.au 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Why do humans care so much about what other people think? In this episode of The Human Experiment , Sharon unpacks one of the most human patterns of all: the way outside opinions can shape our confidence, choices, visibility, and self-expression. Even when we logically know we should back ourselves, something inside us still reacts to judgment, criticism, silence, or feeling left out. And there’s a reason for that. Humans are wired for belonging. We are wired to notice approval. We are wired to care about social safety. But when that wiring starts running the show, we can begin to dim ourselves, soften our opinions, hide our ambition, and wait for permission to fully be who we are. This episode is a grounded look at belonging, visibility, school conditioning, social media, approval, and the quiet ways we abandon ourselves just to feel accepted. In this episode we cover: • Why humans care so much about other people’s opinions • The deep wiring humans have for belonging and social safety • Why rejection can still hit the nervous system so hard • How social media amplifies comparison and self-doubt • Why humans often dim themselves to stay accepted • The school conditioning many adults still carry unconsciously • Why visibility naturally creates opinions and projection • The difference between approval and actual safety • How people-pleasing quietly shapes identity • Why confidence is not about never caring — it’s about building self-trust • What full self-expression really asks of us • Sharon’s practical Human Experiment for this week Key insights: • Humans are deeply wired for belonging, but that wiring can keep us small • Social media is performance, not reality • External validation is unstable and cannot hold your identity together • Confidence is built through repeated moments of self-expression • The more you trust yourself, the less outside opinions control you • You do not need permission to become more fully expressed 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Why do humans hate the way they look on camera so much? In this episode of The Human Experiment , Sharon unpacks one of the strangest contradictions of modern life: we want growth, visibility, influence, and connection… but we often want all of it without the discomfort of being seen. This is not really about cameras. It is about identity, self-worth, fear of judgment, belonging, and the strange psychological mismatch between how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. Sharon explores why humans freeze, overanalyse, re-record, and criticise themselves so harshly on camera — and why women, especially over 40, often carry an even deeper discomfort around visibility. Blending personal insight, psychology, behavioural patterns, and practical encouragement, this episode is a warm, honest reminder that confidence usually comes after action, not before. In this episode we cover: • Why humans hate the way they look and sound on camera • The psychology behind why video can feel emotionally “wrong” • The mere exposure effect and why unfamiliar versions of ourselves feel uncomfortable • Why women over 40 often carry deeper discontent around visibility • The contradiction between wanting growth and avoiding cringe • How being on camera activates deeper fears around worth, judgment, and belonging • Why humans were never designed to watch themselves this much • The subtle ways women apologise for existing before they even speak • The role of social rejection, tribal wiring, and nervous system fear • Why authenticity matters more than polish • The line between helpful AI polish and losing yourself completely • Why confidence is built through exposure, not perfection • Sharon’s practical experiment to help you feel better on camera Key insights: • Humans prefer what feels familiar, not necessarily what is true • Camera discomfort is often about identity and self-worth, not appearance • Perfectionism quietly kills growth • People connect more deeply with humanity than polish • Confidence comes from doing the thing enough times to realise you can survive it • You do not need to feel ready before you begin Mentioned in this episode: • Tribes by Seth Godin • Faada Freddy - Senegalese singer 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Why Women Second Guess Themselves Even When They’re Brilliant Why do so many capable women still question themselves… even when they’re great at what they do? In this episode, Sharon unpacks something subtle but powerful: the way conditioning, culture, and long-held expectations shape how women show up in business. From meetings where a woman’s idea lands lightly until someone else repeats it, to the deeper patterns that teach women to be helpful instead of powerful, this conversation explores why second-guessing doesn’t come from lack of skill — it comes from what we’ve learned to believe about our place, our voice, and our value. This is not about blame. It’s about noticing what has quietly been shaping us, so we can stop carrying it unconsciously. In this episode we cover: • Why women second guess themselves even when they know what they’re doing • The subtle moments that make women shrink, soften, or hold back • How repeated cultural patterns stop feeling like choices and start feeling “normal” • Why conditioning often teaches women to be helpful, not powerful • The difference between being liked and being respected • How undercharging, overdelivering, and staying invisible are often connected • Why this isn’t about capability — it’s about what has been reinforced over time • The cost of holding back in meetings, conversations, and leadership • Why noticing these patterns is the first step to changing them Key insights: • Second-guessing is often learned, not earned. • What gets repeated enough starts to feel true, even when it isn’t. • Many women have been conditioned to be reliable, but not visible. • Undercharging and overdelivering are often signs of deeper self-doubt, not lack of skill. • Once you see the pattern, you can stop living inside it. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
What happens when life gives you a moment so powerful… you can’t go back to who you were before? In this deeply moving episode, Sharon sits down with Jessica Ritchie — award-winning brand strategist, keynote speaker, founder of the Transformational Brand Lab , seven-times internationally awarded author, and creator of the MARK methodology : Mindset, Authenticity, Resilience, and Kindness. This conversation goes far beyond branding. It’s about identity, intuition, authenticity, courage, and the life-changing moments that force us to stop hiding and start living in alignment with who we really are. Jessica shares the pivotal story that changed everything for her, how it led her to integrate deeper healing work into her business, and why so many women stay stuck trying to look successful on the outside while quietly feeling disconnected on the inside. In this episode we cover: • What Jessica really does and why her work goes far beyond traditional branding • The gap she saw in women’s business growth that had nothing to do with websites or logos • How she helps women uncover clarity, confidence, and vision from the inside out • The life-changing moment that became a line in the sand for her • How intuition, healing, and identity work became part of her business • Why authenticity can feel scary — and why it changes everything • The connection between energy, alignment, and being truly seen • Why women often wait for a major life event before they change • How the MARK methodology was born • What confidence really starts with • Why living true to yourself matters more than what others expect of you • How to begin if you know something needs to shift in your life or business Key insights: • Real brand clarity starts with identity, not image. • Big life moments can become catalysts for deep transformation. • Authenticity is not a branding tactic — it is an energetic alignment. • Confidence grows when you know who you are at your core. • You do not need to wait for a boulder when life is already giving you nudges. Jessica’s details: • Website: www.transformationalbrandlab.com • Book: Clarity to Make Your Mark • Jessica also mentioned that if listeners would like a signed copy , they can reach out to her through the website. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Let’s talk about fear. Not the big, obvious kind. The quiet kind. The kind that sounds like “I’ll do it later” “I just need to think about it a bit more” “Now’s probably not the right time” And it feels reasonable. In this episode, we unpack how fear doesn’t stop you in obvious ways. It shows up in small, everyday decisions and over time, those decisions shape your results more than anything else. This is a grounded look at avoidance, growth, and how to start taking back control without trying to become someone else overnight. In this episode we cover: • Why fear rarely shows up in obvious ways • How avoidance disguises itself as logic and timing • The subtle decisions that are actually driven by fear • Why staying where you are can feel like a choice but isn’t • How avoidance behaviour makes things feel bigger over time • The difference between something being unsafe and just uncomfortable • Why growth and fear often sit side by side • How fear starts shaping your identity and decision making • The reason confidence never comes before action • How to start moving without overwhelming yourself Key insights: • What you avoid doesn’t disappear, it grows • Fear often sounds logical, not emotional • Small decisions driven by fear compound over time • You don’t need to go big, you just need to move • Confidence is built after action, not before it 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
I read something recently that didn’t give me a big breakthrough… it made me uncomfortable. And sometimes that’s the stuff that actually changes things. In this episode, we unpack a powerful idea from Napoleon Hill’s Outwitting the Devil and how it shows up in business in a way most people don’t realise. Because the issue usually isn’t that you don’t know what to do. It’s that you’re not doing what you already know. This is a deeper look at why nothing seems to shift… even when you’re capable, experienced, and trying. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿: • The concept of “drifting” and how it shows up in everyday decisions • Why not deciding is still a decision • The hidden cost of delay, avoidance, and staying busy • How small choices quietly shape your business outcomes • Why most people already know what they need to do • The gap between knowing and actually doing • How we justify inaction in ways that sound reasonable • The role of habits, thinking, and reactions in holding you back • Why growth rarely comes from big moments but from consistent small decisions • The question that shifts everything about how you show up 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • Not deciding is still shaping your results • Most people are not stuck because they lack knowledge • Avoidance often disguises itself as preparation or timing • Small decisions compound into confidence, income, and growth • The real shift happens when you consciously decide how you show up 🎧𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Let’s talk about video. Because the second someone says “you should be doing more video” something happens. You avoid it. You overthink it. Or you tell yourself you’ll get to it later… and don’t. In this episode, we unpack what’s actually going on underneath that resistance and why it has nothing to do with your ability and everything to do with how aware you suddenly become of yourself. Using real stories, behavioural research, and practical experience, this is a grounded look at why video feels uncomfortable and how to move through it without trying to become someone else. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿: • Why video triggers overthinking and avoidance • The spotlight effect and why you feel like everyone is watching • The real reason you become hyper aware on camera • The identity fears that show up when you try to be visible • Why “being yourself” can still feel uncomfortable • How early beliefs about being too much or not enough show up • The moment that normalises the struggle and changes everything • Why confidence on video is built through repetition, not talent • The difference between practising and performing • How to make video feel natural instead of forced 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • You are not bad on video, you are under practised • People are thinking about themselves far more than they are thinking about you • Confidence is built through action, not preparation • Authenticity is not something you master, it is something you practise • Repetition creates comfort and comfort creates confidence 🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Today Sharon is joined by Alex Alexandrou , General Manager of Reckon . Alex has been with Reckon for more than two decades, which means he’s seen the accounting and payroll software space evolve from desktop to cloud to AI — while staying close to the real-world challenges small business owners, bookkeepers, and accountants face every day. This conversation goes beyond software. It’s about leadership, culture, support, industry pressure, and what it really takes to build a more sustainable business in a world that keeps changing. In this episode we cover: • Alex’s journey into Reckon and the founder story behind the business • What strong leadership looks like in real life • Why authenticity in leadership matters more than ever • The silent pressure bookkeepers and accountants are carrying right now • Why compliance is still heavy, even while everyone talks about advisory • Where bookkeepers and accountants may be underestimating their value • What Alex has learned about leadership, patience, listening, and energy • What excites him most about the future of the profession • How AI and automation may create more space for better client conversations • How Reckon approaches the market differently from the bigger players • Why affordability, support, and real relationships still matter • The power of staying connected through industry communities and partnerships Key insights: • Great leadership is clear, honest, and grounded. • People want to do business with people they genuinely trust. • Support matters most when pressure is high. • The future of the profession is not just about tools — it’s about confidence, connection, and better conversations. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
Sales is happening all day, every day… whether you like it or not. Getting your partner on board. Getting your kids to listen. Asking for your money back on something you forgot to cancel. And then… you go to talk about your own services and suddenly it feels awkward. In this episode, we unpack why sales conversations can feel uncomfortable even when you know you’re good at what you do and how that awkwardness has very little to do with your ability and everything to do with what’s happening underneath. Using a real life story, grounded insights from behavioural psychology, and ideas from Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, this is a powerful reframe of what’s really going on in those moments and how to shift it. In this episode we cover: • Why sales conversations feel awkward even for capable professionals • The moment your energy shifts and what’s actually happening there • Why over explaining, rushing, or softening your price isn’t random • The real role of emotion in decision making • Why connection matters more than information in sales • How self protection shows up in conversations without you realising • The link between visibility, rejection, and discomfort • Why silence in a conversation can feel so hard to hold • The difference between performing and leading in sales • How confidence in sales is built over time, not overnight Key insights: • People make emotional decisions first and justify them logically • Awkwardness often comes from self protection, not lack of skill • Connection creates safety and safety drives decisions • Over talking and under pricing are often signs of discomfort • Sales becomes easier when you see it as leadership, not pressure 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com --- 👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program Connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook . Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com
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Observed September 11, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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