De-stress Your Business

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 

E133: How to Be at Your Best When It Matters Most

Ever feel like your own mind is sabotaging your day? Whether it’s stressing about a big meeting or just feeling guilty for no good reason, anxiety can be crippling. 😩 
I’ve been there too – those spirals of overthinking can be exhausting.
It’s even tougher when you’re trying to juggle life and business at the same time. Fortunately, I’ve learned some strategies that help me get out of that anxious loop and show up as my best self, and I think they could help you too.
So in this episode, I’m opening up about how I managed to shift from anxious and drained to confident and energized in social situations. 
I share:
👉 How I used to spiral into stress before important events👉 The mindset shift I use to make better decisions, stay calm, sleep well, and handle anxiety👉 10 tactics you can use to improve mental energy using the mnemonic “CONFIDENCE”
If you’ve ever felt the weight of anxiety or overthinking dragging you down, this episode is for you. 
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Helpful resources:
- Dave Ramsey on removing stress: https://youtu.be/3QXqfo9lYsg?si=JJOr7atzo351pdzh- Positive Intelligence (not Positive Psychology as I said in the episode): https://www.positiveintelligence.com/- Emotional Vibration: https://www.google.com/search?q=emotional+vibration- Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710- 5am Miracle, by Jeff Sanders: https://www.jeffsanders.com/podcast/ - Tony Robbins- Brian Tracey- How will you measure your life? by Clayton M Christensen: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Will-Measure-Your-Life/dp/0007449151

E132: Automation Without Overwhelm, with Isaac Perdomo

Do you ever feel overwhelmed at the thought of automating your business? 
 
Often the idea of automating can feel way too big and complicated, which often leads to doing nothing at all.
 
But here’s the thing—automation doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. What if, instead of trying to automate everything, you started with just one task? One repetitive, manual task that drains your time and energy. Imagine the relief of getting that off your plate.
 
The truth is, automation isn’t about perfection or overhauling your entire business overnight. It’s about making progress, starting small, and tackling those tasks that cause the most pain.
 
That’s where Isaac Perdomo comes in. As the founder of Opzer, Isaac has saved businesses over 20,000 hours of manual work, helping them automate and scale without adding more staff. 
 
With over a decade of experience and more than 50 businesses transformed, Isaac is the go-to expert for automation that actually works. His strategies have helped companies not just save time, but unlock significant growth and profitability—all while avoiding the common pitfalls of automation. He’s the master at turning complex workflows into seamless systems that deliver real ROI.
 
In this episode, we cover: 
How to spot the best areas to automate for maximum impact 
The common mistakes that can derail your automation efforts 
How Isaac’s strategies have helped businesses scale
Practical steps to use the right automations for the right tasks
 
Ready to stop wasting time and automate for real results? Drop your questions in the comments!
 
#DeStressYourBusiness #Podcast #Automation #BusinessGrowth #IsaacPerdomo #Entrepreneurship #ROI #ScalingUp #BusinessOwners
 
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Helpful resources:
Isaac’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-perdomo/
Opzer’s Automation for Accountants YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@opzerco/featured
Website: https://opzer.co/
Isaac’s Newsletter: https://opzer.co/newsletter
Isaac’s article on the 9 areas to automate as an accounting firm: https://ramp.com/blog/9-key-areas-to-automate-as-an-accounting-firm

E131: How to Eliminate Crunch Time Stress, with Graeme Tennick

Are constant deadlines and stressed-out teams dragging your business down?
 
As a business leader, you know the toll that high-pressure periods, like tax season, can take on your team. The stress builds up, morale plummets, and soon you’re facing burnout, decreased productivity, and even the risk of losing your best talent. 
 
This relentless cycle not only affects your team but also spills over into client interactions, impacting the growth and success of your business.
 
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
 
That’s why I sat down with Graeme Tennick, the mastermind behind Tennick Accountants, who has cracked the code on turning stress into success. 
 
Graeme has transformed his firm by prioritizing team well-being, slashing stress during crunch times, and creating a happier, more productive work environment.
 
In this episode of De-stress Your Business, we dive into:
How Graeme eliminated crunch-time stress and improved team morale
The surprising strategies that turned deadlines from stressful to successful
Real-life examples of how a happier team led to better client interactions and business growth
Actionable tips for any business leader looking to reduce stress and retain top talent
 
Join us for an insightful conversation that will change the way you approach crunch times in your business. With Graeme’s proven tactics, you’ll learn how to create a work environment where your team thrives and your business flourishes.
 
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Helpful resources:
Website- https://tennick.co.uk/
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-tennick-xero-expert-virtual-finance-director/
Graeme’s book recommendation: Greg McKeown: Essentialism: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137382

E130: Elevate Yourself and Be a Bold Leader, with Dawn Marriott

In this episode of De-Stress Your Business, host Alexis Kingsbury is joined by Dawn Marriott, a business turnaround expert and partner at HG Capital. 
 
Dawn shares her strategies for optimizing leadership time, delegating tasks, and making tough decisions. She discusses her role as CEO of Azets, highlighting the challenges she faced with rapid growth, integration of multiple acquisitions, and the need for detailed planning and accountability. 
 
Dawn emphasizes the importance of building a strong team, managing time effectively, and making swift decisions to remove blockers. She also gives practical advice on achieving consistency in processes and the balance between centralized and localized decision-making. 
 
The episode concludes with a quick-fire round where Dawn shares her personal insights and recommendations for business leaders.
 
Tune in to learn how to take action and see the positive impact! 
 
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Links and Resources:
 
Dawn on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-marriott-6853701/
Book recommendation: The Ultra Processed People (Chris Van Tulleken) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultra-Processed-People-Stuff-That-Isnt/dp/1529900050

E129: What Happens When There Is No Process

How often do you find yourself overwhelmed because there’s no clear process in place?
 
Without well-documented processes, mistakes pile up, stress levels rise , and delegation feels impossible. But why do so many businesses miss the mark on this?
 
In this episode, Alexis uncovers the exact moment leaders should seize to document processes effectively and how that can transform your business.
 
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Resources
 
Website: www.airmanual.co