De-stress Your Business

E120: Should You Video Processes or Capture Them as Text?

In this special episode of 'Destress Your Business,' Alexis Kingsbury, founder of AirManual, announces a hiatus of the podcast and shares insights on whether to use video or text for documenting business processes. 
He reflects on previous episodes with Marianne Page, Adi Clevitt, Adrienne Dorison, Mike Michalowicz, and Erin Mathie, and discusses the pros and cons of video versus text documentation. 
Alexis emphasizes the importance of, if starting with video, transitioning to detailed text for accuracy and continuous improvement. Using his extensive experience, he guides listeners on the best practices for efficient process documentation.
---- Want to see how we use AI to quickly document processes (instead of using video then turning this into a checklist)? Check out this video: https://youtu.be/nmH9tixe_PU

E119: Affordable Talent, Without Hunting Unicorns

Are you tired of chasing unicorns in your hiring process? It’s time to shift your strategy and discover a more effective way to build your team!
 
In episode 119 of the De-Stress Your Business podcast, we dive deep into the realities of finding affordable talent and why the hunt for the perfect "mini-me" is setting you up for failure. Join Alexis Kingsbury as he shares practical advice on attracting and retaining amazing team members without breaking the bank.
 
In this episode, we’ll cover:
 
Why hunting unicorns is a costly mistake
Breaking down roles and skills for better hiring decisions
Hiring for culture fit and skill match
Providing processes, guidance, and training to ensure success
 
Tune in to hear real-life examples of what works and what doesn't, and get actionable steps to transform your hiring process. Whether you’re a small business owner or a leader in a growing company, this episode is packed with insights to help you build a dynamic team without the mythical quest.
 
Listen now to episode 119 of the De-Stress Your Business podcast and start building a team of exceptional talent!
 
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Helpful resources:
Episode 117: Embedding Your Values and Brand into Your Business
AirManual: www.airmanual.co
#DeStressYourBusiness #HiringTips #BusinessGrowth #AffordableTalent #TeamBuilding #Podcast

E118: Why Your Work Ethic Is Killing Your Business, with Erin Mathie

Do you feel like your relentless work ethic is holding your business back? You're not alone. 
 
Many business owners find themselves trapped in a cycle of hard work that ultimately stunts their business growth. They become the bottleneck, trying to handle every task, from minor details to major decisions, which leaves them overwhelmed and their business stagnant. 
 
This constant hustle can lead to burnout, frustration, and the painful realization that their efforts are actually hindering their success.
 
That’s why in today's podcast, I'm speaking with Erin Mathie, a rockstar in business transformation. Erin is a fractional COO and Process Triage Certified Facilitator on a mission to end the small business time trap. With her expertise, she has transformed hundreds of businesses, teaching owners how to delegate effectively and focus on what truly drives growth. 
 
Erin's journey is inspirational: she turned her own tutoring company into a successful venture, working only a few hours a week, and now she's dedicated to helping others achieve the same freedom and success.
 
Our conversation covers:
Erin's journey from overworked business owner to strategic shareholder
How misdirected work ethic can be a business's biggest barrier
Practical steps to identify and delegate tasks to free up your time
The importance of documenting processes for better delegation
Inspiring success stories of business transformations
 
Drop your questions in the chat!
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Delegation #ProcessImprovement #ErinMathie
 
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Helpful resources:
 
Facebook- https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-mathie-36b2699/
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-mathie-36b2699/
Business Made Simple- https://make-business-simple.com/

E117: Keep the Magic as You Grow

Are you struggling to align your team with your business values and brand?
 
Hanging a poster of your values on the wall isn’t enough to transform your business culture.
 
Leaders often recognize the need to define core values and establish a strong brand identity. Yet, as teams grow, maintaining these standards can become a significant challenge. Without consistent reinforcement, your business may lose its unique edge, becoming less special, less profitable, and less appealing to both employees and customers.
 
So, what’s the solution?
 
In this episode, I’ll guide you through the essential steps to embed your values and brand into every part of your business. We’ll explore what this looks like in practice and highlight common mistakes to avoid.
 
Learn what values and brand really mean for your business
Hear inspiring success stories of businesses that effectively integrated their values
Get actionable tips to ensure your values and brand are reflected in all aspects of your operations
 
Let’s transform your business into something truly special!
 
Listen now to episode 117 of the De-Stress Your Business podcast and start making a lasting impact!
 
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Learn more about AirManual: www.airmanual.co

Episode 116: Embrace Your Inner Control Freak

Are you a bit of a control freak? (Like me!) 😬
Sometimes perfection and can be the enemy of greatness, particularly when it comes to delegation — holding us back from making progress because we need everything to be “just so”. 👌
However, sometimes leaders attempt to delegate, and find that the person they delegated to doesn’t do a good job.
🤦‍♂️ They make mistakes. 🤦‍♂️ They ask repeated questions. 🤦‍♂️ They completely miss the whole point! 
The leader ends up with the work back on their plate, and resolves that they are just too much of a control freak to hand the work over… they end up trapped!
So in this episode I go deep into this issue — how you can embrace just the right amount of your inner control freak to get amazing results when delegating… and the real life examples of it going well, and spectacularly wrong! 
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Helpful resources:
- Lear more about AirManual: https://www.airmanual.co

E115: How to Create a Positive Culture, With Sophie Theen

Many business leaders wrestle with getting their employees to work collaboratively.
Especially when it comes to finding the right balance between hitting day-to-day targets driving significant organizational changes.
Navigating the shift from individualism to collaboration in your team can feel like trying to solve an ever-changing puzzle. And understanding how one’s day-to-day tasks impact the organization’s mission adds another layer of complexity, yet is crucial for the company’s long-term success.
Today, we’re joined by someone truly exceptional – Sophie Theen. Not only is she a seasoned HR and operations executive, but she's also an award-winning author. Sophie's career spans from leading HR divisions and large teams to successfully running her own consultancy and mentoring women in technology.
She’s also the author of "The Soul of Startups: The Untold Stories of How Founders Affect Culture," exploring how founder personalities shape company culture—a pivotal read for founders, managers, and HR professionals. 
Today we cover :
🎯 Shifting from 'me' to 'we' in team culture🔄 Balancing company-wide goals and day-to-day tasks for success🌈 The impact of diversity and inclusion on effective team direction🚀 Nurturing the next generation of leaders.
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Helpful resources:
- Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophietheen/- Sophie Theen’s website: https://www.sophietheen.com/- Sophie’s book, The Soul of Startups: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soul-Startups-Stories-Founders-Culture/dp/1119885590

E114: How to Master Product Design From the Inventor of Trunki

Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of product design?
 
Every business owner knows the stakes are high when bringing a new product to market, but common design mistakes can turn an exciting process into a stressful nightmare. What if there was a way to simplify this process and reduce the anxiety it brings?
 
This week on De-stress Your Business, we're thrilled to host Rob Law, the mastermind behind Trunki, the beloved brand that revolutionized children's travel gear.
 
Rob's journey from a high-profile rejection on BBC's Dragon's Den to selling over 4 million suitcases worldwide is nothing short of inspiring. With over 120 awards and a personal endorsement in the form of an MBE for Services to Business, Rob's approach to product design not only avoids common pitfalls but also harnesses creativity to thrive in the global market.
 
Join us as we discuss:
Key strategies to avoid design mistakes that most business owners face.
Insights into turning design challenges into competitive advantages.
Real-life stories of overcoming adversity in product development.
Practical tips for streamlining your design process and reducing stress.
 
Tune in for an episode packed with actionable advice to help you navigate the product design journey with more confidence and less stress.
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #productdesign #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #RobLaw
 
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Helpful resources:
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/trunkidaddy/
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-law-mbe/
Website- https://www.roblaw.com/
Zeepy: https://zeepy.co/

E113: How to Empower Your Team to Solve Problems

In this episode of Destress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury discusses the importance of issue management in empowering teams to solve problems and freeing up leaders to focus on strategic growth. 
He introduces a three-component approach to issue management: the issue tracker, meeting rhythm, and empowering the team. Alexis emphasizes the need to avoid getting derailed by issues and instead give the team the opportunity to solve them. 
He provides examples of different types of issues and explains how a good approach to managing them can save time and prevent frustration. 
Alexis also shares the benefits of implementing an issue management system and empowering the team to own the process.
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Helpful resources:
- Series of videos from Alexis on how to solve common problems in your business around handing over tasks, onboarding team members, and keeping processes up-to-date https://airmanual.link/gettingstarted

E112: Scaling Your Business When You Are the Brand, with Chris Ducker

Struggling to scale your business when your face is the brand?
 
The journey from a personal brand to a thriving, scalable business can feel like navigating a complex labyrinth. 
 
That’s precisely why we invited Chris Ducker, the visionary behind transforming personal brands into prosperous enterprises, onto De-stress Your Business. 
 
Chris isn’t just a serial entrepreneur; he’s a guru in leveraging personal identity to build and scale businesses without losing the personal touch that made them special. With his strategies, entrepreneurs worldwide are breaking the chains of limitation, pushing their businesses into realms previously thought unattainable. 
 
This episode unpacks: 
The crucial pivot point in Chris's career from personal brand to business magnate
Effective tactics for expanding your brand’s influence without diluting your identity 
Secrets to keeping your brand's heart beating strong, even as it grows beyond you 
Transformative strategies that turned Chris's insights into a global business phenomenon 
How to cultivate a business legacy that echoes beyond the personal brand
 
Join us for an enlightening conversation with Chris Ducker and discover how to scale your personal brand into a legacy.
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #Podcast #ScalingUp #PersonalBrandPower #BusinessGrowth #ChrisDucker #EntrepreneurialJourney #BuildYourLegacy
 
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Helpful resources:
 
Chris’s Podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youpreneur-the-profitable-personal-brand-expert-business/id590043753
Website- https://chrisducker.com/
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisducker/?originalSubdomain=uk
Rise of the Yourpreneur (book): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Youpreneur-Definitive-Go-Future-Proof/dp/1999857941
Giftology (book): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Giftology-Increase-Referrals-Strengthen-Retention/dp/B01KVTL44U/

E111: How to Make Delegated Tasks Stay Delegated, with Adrienne Dorison

Tired of tasks bouncing back to you after you delegate them?
 
Feeling trapped in a cycle of micromanagement, despite having a capable team?
 
You're not alone. 
 
Every entrepreneur dreams of a business that runs smoothly without their constant oversight, but achieving this seems like a Herculean task. 
 
Enter Adrienne Dorison, the co-founder of Run Like Clockwork, and the wizard behind transforming businesses into self-sustaining entities. 
 
With a track record of liberating business owners from the trenches of day-to-day operations, Adrienne has mastered the art of making delegation irreversible. 
 
This episode of De-stress Your Business is a potential life-changer. We sit down with Adrienne to uncover: 
 
How to ensure tasks you delegate don't find their way back to you. 
Strategies to empower your team for ultimate independence. 
The journey from operational efficiency expert to helping entrepreneurs worldwide achieve freedom from their businesses. 
Exclusive insights into building a team that excels without your constant input.
 
Listen in for an eye-opening discussion that promises to end the delegation boomerang for good. 
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #entrepreneurship #delegation #teamempowerment #businessautonomy #operationalEfficiency
 
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Helpful resources:
 
Free Masterclass: Clunky to