De-stress Your Business

E154: Talking to Employees About Poor Performance, Without the Stress

In this episode of De-stress Your Business, host Alexis Kingsbury discusses how to effectively manage conversations about employee performance issues. 
 
He outlines a three-step framework to address underperformance without causing stress, awkwardness, or defensive reactions. Through specific feedback, clarifying the impact of mistakes, and setting clear expectations for improvement, Alexis provides actionable steps to enhance employee performance and maintain team morale. 
 
01:08 Why Leaders Avoid Performance Conversations
01:29 The Consequences of Avoidance
02:17 Setting Clear Expectations
02:59 Giving Specific Feedback
04:07 Focusing on the Impact
04:58 Setting Clear Expectations for Improvement
06:01 Handling Pushback Calmly
07:24 Reinforcing Accountability
08:00 Conclusion and Next Steps
 
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Helpful resources:
 
- Get a playbook for resolving unsatisfactory performance available at www.airmanual.co/resources

E153: Should I Fire Them or Give Them Another Chance?

In this episode of De-stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury dives into assessing and resolving employee underperformance. 
 
He discusses the importance of using performance data over gut instinct, signs that indicate potential improvement, and when to consider firing an employee. 
 
Alexis also covers the significant costs of keeping underperformers, creating structured improvement plans, and the consequences of inaction. Tune in for practical advice on maintaining high team morale and productivity.
 
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Helpful resources:
 
- Get the playbook for resolving unsatisfactory employee performance at https://www.airmanual.co/resources 

E152: Why HMRC and Tax Causes So Much Stress and How to Tackle It, with Paul Aplin OBE

For many business owners, dealing with HMRC and tax compliance is one of the most stressful parts of running a business. The fear of making mistakes, the pressure of deadlines, and the complexity of the system can feel overwhelming.
In this episode, we’re joined by Paul Aplin OBE, a trailblazer in tax and business strategy. With decades of experience and a leading role in the Making Tax Digital initiative, Paul shares practical advice for reducing tax-related stress and avoiding common pitfalls.
We cover:👉 How to simplify your tax processes and save time.👉 Practical tips for confident communication with HMRC.👉 Tools and strategies to reduce the anxiety of compliance.
Whether you dread tax deadlines or want to feel more in control of your business finances, this episode is packed with actionable insights you won’t want to miss!
What’s your approach to managing tax stress in your business? Let us know in the comments!
#DeStressYourBusiness #Leadership #TaxCompliance #BusinessStrategy #HMRC
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Helpful resources:
- Paul Aplin OBE on Twitter / X: https://x.com/PaulAplinOnTax- Paul Aplin OBE on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/paulaplinontax.bsky.social- Paul Aplin OBE on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-aplin-obe-a799bb13/- Resources on how to get your processes sorted: https://www.airmanual.co/resources

E151: How to Handle Customer Feedback Without the Stress, With Rachel Harris

Customer feedback can be a gift—or a challenge. For service businesses, mastering how to handle it is key to improving your offering and keeping clients happy. But what’s the best way to respond to tough criticism without defensiveness or ensure glowing praise doesn’t go unnoticed?
 
In this episode of De-stress Your Business, Rachel Harris, aka “accountant_she,” shares her proven process for handling customer feedback in a way that fuels growth and reduces stress. Rachel, an award-winning accountant and advocate for small businesses, reveals how to:
Respond to negative feedback with professionalism and composure
Amplify positive feedback to boost morale and attract new clients
Build a culture of continuous improvement through actionable insights
 
Whether feedback stresses you out or gets lost in the day-to-day, this episode will give you practical strategies to make it work for your business—not against it.
 
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Helpful Resources:
Accountant_She on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accountant_she/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@accountant_she
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/accountantshe
Rachel’s Website: https://www.accountantshe.com/

E150: Supporting Teams Through Mergers and Other Changes, With Nikki Adams

Mergers can tear teams apart… when they are trying to bring teams together!
 
Uncertainty spreads like wildfire, leaving employees anxious about their jobs and leaders scrambling to restore focus. Productivity plummets as confusion and fear take hold. 
 
The best talent starts eyeing the exit, while the rest are stuck wondering if their contributions even matter. For leaders, it’s a nightmare—morale crumbles, resistance grows, and the stress of trying to hold it all together feels insurmountable.
 
That’s why we’re talking to Nikki Adams, the Joint Managing Director of Ad Valorem Group and a leader who’s been in the trenches of business transformation for over two decades. Nikki has built award-winning teams, steered organizations through complex mergers, and implemented strategies that turn chaos into collaboration. 
 
Recognized as a Xero Mid-Size Firm of the Year winner and one of Practice Ignition’s Top 50 Women in Accounting, Nikki is known for her ability to unite teams, reduce stress, and make even the most daunting transitions a success.
 
In this episode of De-stress Your Business, we dive into:
The first steps leaders must take to calm employees and regain control during a merger
How to avoid the classic mistakes that stress employees and kill morale
Strategies Nikki uses to turn resistant teams into unified powerhouses
Real-life examples of mergers that went from disaster to triumph under Nikki’s guidance
 
If you’ve ever wondered how to manage a merger without losing your team—or your sanity—this episode is for you.
 
Don’t miss this game-changing conversation on De-stress Your Business!
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #Leadership #MergersAndAcquisitions #ChangeManagement #NikkiAdams #TeamSuccess #EmployeeEngagement
 
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Helpful resources:
Nikki on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkiadamsadvalorem/?originalSubdomain=uk
Ad Valorem: https://www.advaloremgroup.uk/
ETL Global: https://www.etl-global.com/

E149: End Financial Stress Forever, With Mike Michalowicz

Worried about your business running out of money?
 
This common fear among entrepreneurs goes beyond mere inconvenience; it strikes at the heart of your ability to operate and grow. Imagine the stress of looking at your financial statements, realizing there isn’t enough to cover next month’s bills, let alone unexpected expenses. 
 
Whether it’s missing payroll, delaying crucial inventory purchases, or facing hefty tax bills unprepared, these scenarios can shake even the most seasoned business owner. It’s not just about managing finances; it’s about securing peace of mind in a world where cash flow is king.
 
This week on “De-stress Your Business,” we’re joined by Mike Michalowicz, a titan in the entrepreneurial community and the creator of the Profit First formula. With a track record of founding and selling multiple multi-million dollar businesses before his 35th birthday, Mike has dedicated his career to teaching other entrepreneurs how to achieve the same success. 
 
His Profit First system has been applied by hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide, radically improving their cash management and ensuring their financial health.
 
In this episode, Mike shares:
Effective strategies to prevent financial panic at the end of each financial period,
Real-world success stories of businesses that implemented Profit First and transformed their financial health,
Step-by-step actions you can take immediately to start building financial security in your business.
 
Tune in to episode 149 with Mike Michalowicz to learn how to turn your financial anxiety into a story of success.
 
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Helpful resources:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemichalowicz/
Website- https://mikemichalowicz.com/ /  https://www.mikemotorbike.com 
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/mikemichalowicz/?hl=en
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/MikeMichalowiczFanPage/
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/MikeMichalowicz
X- https://twitter.com/mikemichalowicz?lang=en
Mike’s Books- https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mike-Michalowicz/author/B002E4G0CC?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Profit First UK: https://profitfirstuk.co.uk/
Recommended book: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie

E148: How to Respond When Your Entire Team Walks Out, With Eriona Bajrakurtaj

What do you do when everything is falling apart? 
 
Your entire team walks out, leaving you with no one to lean on and years of expertise wiped out overnight. Clients are questioning your ability to deliver, peers are skeptical of your vision, and the sheer weight of rebuilding feels impossible. 
 
Worse yet, you can’t help but wonder—was it all your fault? Did you push too hard, fail to communicate, or simply choose the wrong people?
 
That’s exactly what Eriona Bajrakurtaj faced—and conquered. As CEO of Major’s Accounts and founder of Volt Digital Transformation, Eriona didn’t just survive the collapse of her team—she turned it into the foundation for a thriving digital empire. 
 
Today, she leads a fully digital accounting practice serving over 1,600 clients, has pioneered cutting-edge systems that future-proof businesses, and is recognized as a trailblazer in digital transformation. 
 
Her story is one of resilience, bold decisions, and proving skeptics wrong at every turn.
 
In this episode of De-stress Your Business, Eriona shares:
How she bounced back after losing her team during a digital transformation
The bold moves she made to build a more agile and aligned workforce
Her strategies for navigating skepticism from industry peers
Why embracing challenges can lead to your biggest breakthroughs.
 
If you’ve ever felt like your business was on the brink, this episode will inspire you to rethink setbacks and come back stronger.
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Helpful resources:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/eriona-bajrakurtaj-19922006/?originalSubdomain=uk
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/eriona_bajrakurtaj/
Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@eriona_majors_accounts
Major’s Accounts- https://majorsaccounts.com/
Volt Digital Transformation: https://www.voltdigital.ai/
Recommended book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Guy Kawasaki

E147: Taking the Stress Out of Annual Planning

In this episode of De-stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury tackles the often stressful end-of-year annual planning process. 
 
He provides practical tips for simplifying the process, aligning your team around shared goals, and creating an actionable plan for 2025. 
 
Alexis highlights the importance of using quarterly reviews, effective tools like SWOT analysis and OKRs, and obtaining structured input from your team. 
 
He also shares strategies to keep your planning flexible and focused, ensuring continuous progress and engagement throughout the year.
 
00:00 Introduction: De-stress Your Annual Planning
01:46 Why Annual Planning Feels Stressful
02:50 Preparing for Annual Planning Throughout the Year
04:21 Tools and Templates for Effective Planning
07:55 Aligning Your Team and Gathering Input
09:45 Structuring Your Annual Planning Meeting
12:17 Creating an Action Plan
14:09 Communicating and Adapting Your Plan
15:45 Conclusion and Resources
 
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Helpful resources:
 
- Template for your annual planning meeting: https://airmanual.link/annual-planning-agenda

E46: Thanks for 2024! A Special Rhyming Holiday Episode

In this special rhyming episode of De-Stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury reflects on a whirlwind year, expressing gratitude for listeners and guests. 
 
He gives you a whistle stop tour through ALL the interviews in 2024, grouped into topics like pricing models, marketing, sales strategies, and tech automation. 
 
The episode also teases a comedy song, 'Be Kind to Your Accountant This Christmas,' available at: https://youtu.be/nDJmcQ2wx6Q
 
P.S. Alexis wrote the poem. It was NOT created by AI or by the team. So any complaints on poor rhymes can be blamed squarely on him.

E145: How to Overcome Resistance to Adopting New Technology, with David Kime

Are your outdated accounting practices costing you clients and damaging your business reputation? 
In a world where speed, efficiency, and precision drive client decisions, clinging to traditional methods is not just inefficient—it’s business suicide. Clients today expect real-time insights and seamless service; failing to provide these can lead them straight to your savvier competitors. 
The gap between what you offer and what your clients demand is widening, and without a shift, your firm could be left irreversibly behind.
This week on ‘De-stress Your Business,’ we confront this urgent issue with David Kime, a visionary who’s revolutionizing the accounting landscape by defying conventional practices. Known for his bold approach and technological prowess, David has not only anticipated the future needs of the industry but has actively shaped them.
He’s successfully turned traditional accounting on its head by integrating innovative technologies like DEXT, making businesses not just survive but thrive in the digital age. His expertise has transformed struggling firms into market leaders, setting new standards in client satisfaction and retention.
Join us as David shares:👉 How sticking to traditional accounting is pushing clients away.👉 Transformative stories from businesses that have adopted new technologies.👉 The must-have tech tools that are reshaping client relationships.
Don’t miss this crucial conversation with David Kime—it might just be the wake-up call your practice needs to stay relevant and competitive. 🎧🚀
#DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #innovation #accounting #technology #clientretention #DavidKime
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Helpful resources:
- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkime/?originalSubdomain=uk- Kime Consultancy- https://www.kimeconsultancy.com/