De-stress Your Business

E143: Cast the Net Wide to Get the Best Talent, with Chloe Britnell

Are you tired of sifting through candidate profiles only to find that they don’t live up to their resumes? 
Do traditional hiring methods seem to deliver professionals who lack creativity and the ability to drive real innovation in your business? 
If this sounds familiar, you’re certainly not alone. Many leaders are discovering that standard recruitment processes often fail to uncover the transformative talent that could significantly advance their organizations.
That’s why we invited Chloe Britnell, a revolutionary partner at PJCO who defies industry norms by successfully championing unconventional talent. With her audacious approach, Chloe not only fills positions but also cultivates potential leaders who bring fresh perspectives and drive innovation. Her strategies have consistently proven that great minds don’t always follow conventional paths.
In this episode of De-stress Your Business, Chloe shares:👉 Her transformative journey from arts to accounting and how it shapes her hiring philosophy👉 The undeniable benefits of embracing diverse backgrounds in a conventional sector👉 Real-life success stories of non-traditional hires who are now thriving👉 Essential advice for leaders ready to shake up their own hiring practices
Tune in to learn how breaking the rules with Chloe might just be the secret to discovering the leaders your business has been missing.
#DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #innovation #hiring #unconventionalTalent #ChloeBritnell #leadership #businessgrowth---
Helpful resources:
- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-britnell-acca-bb79b9160/- PJCO Chartered Accountants- https://peterjarman.com/

E142: Tapping into Emotions to Close More Sales, with Kelvin Gieck

Is every potential client hitting you with, “Let me think about it,” and never closing the deal? 🧐
You’ve crunched the numbers, presented the data, and crafted the perfect logical argument — but your prospects still aren’t buying. They’re dragging their feet, avoiding decisions, and your sales are grinding to a halt. 
Sound familiar? 
You’re frustrated, exhausted, and wondering why all the facts in the world aren’t moving the needle. Here’s the hard truth: logic doesn’t sell, emotions do.
That’s why we’re thrilled to have Kelvin Geick, co-founder of Twenty Eighty and Helm, on the podcast today. Kelvin is a master of turning emotions into action, cutting his sales cycle down by leading with emotional intelligence. 
He’s helped his businesses scale rapidly, turning hesitant prospects into fast “yeses” by focusing on what really moves people. 🌟 
With his innovative EQ strategies, Kelvin has transformed his team’s approach to sales — and the results are undeniable.
Our conversation covers:👉 A deep dive into using emotions to win clients quickly👉 How Kelvin trained his team to focus on EQ👉 Practical strategies you can use to bring emotions into your own sales process
Don’t miss this chance to learn from a leader who’s breaking all the rules and winning big!
#DeStressYourBusiness #SalesSuccess #KelvinGeick #EmotionalIntelligence #SalesGrowth #BusinessStrategy #Leadership---
Helpful resources:
- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kgieck/- Website- https://www.twentyeighty.co/- Recommended book: The e-Myth by Michael Gerber

E141: How to Win the Day, Every Day, with Baiju Solanki

Tired of feeling like every day is a losing battle?
 
You’re working harder than ever, but still, it feels like you’re failing to get ahead. 
 
What if the problem isn’t the hours you’re putting in, but the way you’re approaching your day?
 
In this week’s episode of De-stress Your Business, we’ve got Baiju Solanki, award-winning entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and CEO of EnSpirit Global, whose proven methods have transformed countless leaders into high performers.  
 
Baiju has helped business owners thrive, by showing them how to win the day—every single day.
 
Baiju’s game-changing insights include:
Why you’re losing the day and how to change it
How to work fast without the chaos
The exact steps to set yourself up for daily success
His proven strategies for breaking through internal barriers and unlocking your full potential
 
Baiju’s expertise has taken companies from struggling to succeeding, and his no-nonsense approach is exactly what you need to finally take control of your day.
 
If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start winning, this episode is a must-listen.
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #Leadership #BusinessSuccess #BaijuSolanki #WinTheDay #HighPerformance #Entrepreneurship
 
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Helpful resources:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/baijusolanki-performance-psychologist/?originalSubdomain=uk
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/baijusolanki/?hl=en
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@BaijuSolanki
Website- https://baijusolanki.com/
Change Your Game Scorecard: https://changeyourgamescorecard.com/
Baiju’s book: https://www.changeyourgamebook.com/
Book recommendation: Turning Pro, by Steven Pressfield

E140: Taming the Tech Tsunami to Find the Right Tools, with Abby Anderson

Tired of tech solutions that promise to simplify your operations but end up adding more chaos? 
 
It seems that every new tool pledges to boost efficiency but often leads to increased complexity, draining your resources, and frustrating your team.
 
That’s why we’re excited to have Abby Anderson, who’s legendary for seamlessly integrating the right tech into the operations in her bookkeeping practice. 
 
Her choices in tech have not just streamlined her firm; they’ve propelled it into rapid growth while freeing up Abby’s time.
 
So in this episode, Abby shares:
 
How she sorts through the tech noise to pinpoint solutions that truly deliver
Firsthand accounts of how the right tech has reshaped her business
Her strategy for keeping technology user-friendly and problem-focused
Practical advice for leaders overwhelmed by tech options
 
Got questions? Share them with us in the comments!
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #techintegration #AbbyAnderson #businessgrowth #efficiency #bookkeepingsoftware
 
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Helpful resources:
 
Abby’s links:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-anderson-rocksolid
Website- https://www.rocksolidacc.com/
Website: https://www.iaimee.io/
 
Recommended book: 
Minimal Viable Launch by Lee Russel: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Minimal-Viable-Launch-Creating-Software/dp/B0D27899T2
 
Alexis’s webinar with Amanda C Watts on how processes can be documented super fast: https://airmanual.link/simplescales
 
Software products and tools mentioned in the episode #notspon:
Practice Management SoftwareClient Engager
Senta (Now owned by IRIS)
Accountancy Manager (Now Bright Manager)
Accounting / bookkeeping softwareXero
Quickbooks
Sage
Advisory / reporting appsFathom HQ
Pulse
XBert
Clarity
Futrli (now part of Sage for Accountants)
Document capture and automationDEXT Prepare
HubDocs
iAimee
Payments softwareAdfin
Apron
Telleroo
Software comparison sitesCapterra
App Advisory Plus (Accounting & Bookkeeping specific)

E139: Make It Easy for Managers to Resolve Poor Performance

Struggling with underperforming employees? 😬
It can be tough when deadlines are missed, communication falters, and you're left unsure of how to tackle the issue effectively. 
Don't worry, you're not alone!
In episode 139 of the De-Stress Your Business podcast, I dive into how to make it easy for you and your managers to resolve poor performance, ensuring it doesn't burden you or your team. 😅
Discover clear steps to enhance your management skills, from setting expectations to creating a culture of growth and support. It's time to turn performance challenges into opportunities for success!
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Helpful resources:
- Want our best practice playbook and process templates to make performance management easy? Email alexis.kingsbury@airmanual.co

E138: Set up Your Team to Avoid Constant Distractions

Feeling overwhelmed by constant meetings and interruptions? 😟
It's time to set your team up for success with a solid structure and proactive issue tracking!
In this episode, Alexis dives into actionable strategies to enhance productivity and minimize distractions for managers and their teams. 🚀
Discover how setting clear meeting rhythms, centralizing process documentation, and encouraging focus time can transform your team's workflow and stop the derails! 
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Helpful resources:
- Want best practice process templates to make management easy? Email alexis.kingsbury@airmanual.co

E137: Get the Best out of Your Managers

Do you ever feel like your managers are doing a good job, but they could be doing so much more?
 
Perhaps they're handling the basic responsibilities, but they're not really stepping up in the way that you need them to. 
 
Or maybe you feel like you've got bad managers in your business, and you're worried about the impact on the rest of the team.
 
In this episode of the De stress Your Business podcast, Alexis will walk you through the key steps that can help your managers transform from just doing their job to really becoming leaders. From setting up the right meeting rhythms, to teaching them how to take full ownership, not just for their own area, but for the success of the business as a whole.
 
He’ll also get into how you can empower your managers to lead by example, raise risks, solve problems and coach their teams. 
 
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Helpful resources:
 
- Interested in getting best practice process templates to make management easy? Email alexis.kingsbury @ airmanual.co

E136: Empower Your Team to Solve Problems

Ever find yourself in a meeting where your team keeps going in circles, and you’re the one who ends up solving all the problems? 
It’s exhausting.
As a manager, it can feel like you’re carrying the weight of every decision, while your team waits for you to give them the answers.
But what if you could guide your team to make better decisions without having to do all the heavy lifting yourself?
Well, in episode 136 of the De-Stress Your Business podcast, I share how you can use facilitation skills to become a better manager — and how that can free up your time, empower your team, and help everyone achieve more.
I dive into practical strategies for leading discussions, avoiding decision paralysis, and using what I call the ‘bungee intervention’ — a way to provide just enough direction to keep your team on track without taking over. 
#LeadershipSkills #EffectiveMeetings #FacilitationTips #DeStressYourBusiness #ManagementHacks #DestressYourBusiness

E135: Scale Without Losing the Soul of Your Business, with Ernesto Mandowsky

Every entrepreneur grapples with the challenge of scaling efficiently. However, the fear of excessive automation can be paralyzing, potentially leading to impersonal customer interactions, demotivated teams, and rigid structures that hinder growth rather than support it. 
 
The key challenge is not just selecting the right areas to automate but also implementing systems that boost productivity while preserving the uniqueness that defines your brand.
 
Enter Ernesto Mandowsky, the genius behind the Million Dollar Machine, celebrated for enhancing business efficiencies and significantly boosting revenues. Ernesto has expertly guided numerous companies from cumbersome manual processes to streamlined, profitable operations, often tripling their market value and revenues in just a few years.
 
In this episode of De-stress Your Business, we delve deep with Ernesto to uncover:
 
His strategic approach to identifying high-impact areas for automation that prime businesses for scaling and eventual sale.
Tales of transformation from manual chaos to automated harmony, where companies see marked improvements in efficiency and market value. 
Practical tips for business leaders embarking on their automation journey, requiring no deep tech expertise. 
Ernesto's distinctive method of merging personal passion with professional pursuits to propel business success.
 
Join us for this critical conversation that could redefine how you perceive and implement automation in your operations. Tune in to transform your operational challenges into streamlined successes.
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #automation #businessscaling #ErnestoMandowsky #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #systemsefficiency
 
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Helpful resources:
 
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernestomandowsky/
Website- https://www.themilliondollarmachine.com/
Book: Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reinventing-Organizations-Creating-Inspired-Consciousness/dp/2960133501

E134: Using Org Structure to Make Scaling Easy, with Will Farnell

Is your business growth stalling because you’re the one holding it back? 😩 
Are you drowning in day-to-day tasks, making every decision, and feeling like nothing gets done unless it passes through you? 
Many business leaders hit a point where their success becomes their biggest obstacle — the more they grow, the more they’re trapped in the weeds. The pressure builds, productivity slows, and the dream of scaling feels more like a distant fantasy than a reality. 📉
That’s why we’re excited to have Will Farnell, founder of Farnell Clarke, on the De-stress Your Business podcast. 
Will didn’t just scale his firm — he revolutionized it. Growing Farnell Clarke by a staggering 30% year-on-year, Will pioneered the pod structure, a game-changing strategy that has allowed his firm to thrive while eliminating bottlenecks.
His firm is also one of the first in the UK to fully adopt cloud accounting, making Farnell Clarke a leader in the accounting industry and setting the standard for digital transformation. 
In this episode, we discuss:👉 How the pod structure works and why it’s a game changer for scaling businesses👉 Will's personal journey from overwhelmed business owner to scalable success👉 Real examples of how pods eliminated bottlenecks and created growth opportunities👉 Practical advice for business owners ready to scale without losing control
Tune in to hear how Will transformed his business and how you can do the same!
#destressyourbusiness #podcast #scaling #WillFarnell #businessgrowth #leadership #entrepreneurship
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Helpful resources:
- Will’s Website- https://www.willfarnell.com/- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/willfarnell/?originalSubdomain=uk- Book- The Human Firm- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Firm-Revolution-Scalable-Client-Centric-ebook/dp/B0C1F83HK4?ref_=ast_author_dp- The Digital Firm- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Firm-change-accounting-competitive-ebook/dp/B07D4R7M6H?ref_=ast_author_dp- Farnell Clarke: www.farnellclarke.co.uk