The Sharon Francisco Show

Sharon Francisco
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 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!

  1. 6D AGO

    Tools Down: Success Without Self Sacrifice with Solicitor Midja Fisher

    What if success didn’t require you to be “on” all the time? In this episode, Sharon sits down with solicitor, author, and leadership mentor Midja Fisher for a big conversation about boundaries, energy, and building a life that actually feels good — while still doing exceptional work. Midja is the founder of the Legal Leadership Project, author of Unshakeable Confidence, Great Lawyer to Great Leader, and Take Off The Cape, and host of Mondays with Midja (returning soon). She’s also a living example of “tools down” leadership — finishing Fridays early, protecting weekends, and showing up with real presence because rest is part of the strategy. In this episode we cover: • What “tools down” looks like in real life (and why it works) • Why boundaries aren’t a luxury — they’re a performance tool • How energy, fun, and recovery make you more valuable at work • The mindset shift: rest as part of your business plan • Why so many business owners lose the freedom they built the business for • Values-based leadership and “tent peg” principles that hold you steady • Fixed vs growth mindset (Dr Carol Dweck) and giving yourself permission to experiment • Navigating change: AI, tech, and why we still need to keep thinking • Building connection and community (especially for introverts) • Why younger leaders are raising the standard — and it’s a good thing • The difference between urgent, reactive work and intentional leadership Key insights: • You do better work when your boundaries are sacred. • The evidence is in how you show up — not how long you stay online. • Values create stability when the world is changing fast. • You get to choose: build a business that supports your life, not consumes it. Mentioned in this episode: • Dr Carol Dweck — Mindset • Stephen Covey  — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People • Joseph Campbell — The Hero’s Journey • “Tools down” as a leadership and wellbeing strategy 🎧 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

    54 min

  2. MAR 5

    Dunbar’s Number, Belonging, and Why Growth Can Feel Lonely

    Have you ever noticed that as your business grows… things can start to feel lonelier? Not because you’re doing it wrong.  But because you’re wired a certain way. In this episode, Sharon explores Dunbar’s Number — the research by British anthropologist Robin Dunbar showing that humans can comfortably maintain around 150 meaningful relationships. Within that are layers: • 5 deeply bonded relationships • 15 trusted confidants • 50 active social connections • 150 meaningful contacts Beyond that? Trust, energy, and connection begin to thin out. In this episode we cover: • What Dunbar’s Number actually means • Why growth can feel isolating as circles expand • The neuroscience of belonging and social safety • Why your brain treats connection like food and security • Why leaders feel anxious as teams and communities grow • The hidden burnout of trying to stay equally connected to everyone • Why boundaries preserve intimacy (not reject people) • How high-performing groups create smaller pods for belonging • Why friendships naturally reorganise as you evolve • Why depth always beats width • A powerful shift: designing for intentional connection, not endless availability As roles change, circles change.  That isn’t betrayal. It’s evolution. You are not designed for unlimited access.  You are designed for meaningful connection. Dunbar’s Number isn’t a limitation.  It’s permission — to choose depth, to protect capacity, and to stop apologising for not belonging everywhere. Because you’re not meant to belong everywhere.  You’re meant to belong somewhere that matters. 🎧 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

    8 min

  3. FEB 26

    Your Workspace Is Quietly Shaping You

    Your workspace isn’t neutral. It’s quietly influencing how you think, how you feel, and the version of yourself that shows up to make decisions every day. In this episode, Sharon unpacks why your environment — your office, home, and the spaces you spend time in — has a powerful impact on your nervous system, focus, confidence, and leadership. This isn’t mindset talk. It’s neuroscience and environmental psychology. In this episode we cover: • Why your workspace shapes your thinking before you even realise it • How the brain scans your environment for safety, calm, control, and value • The impact of clutter on cortisol, focus, and cognitive load • Why visual “noise” drains energy and decision-making • How beauty, order, and meaning improve clarity and creativity • Why personal objects matter more than generic décor • The role of touch and texture in calming the nervous system • Why physical books, journals, and grounding objects slow thinking in a good way • How scent bypasses logic and directly influences emotion and memory • How to intentionally anchor confidence and success through smell • The effect of sound, music, and silence on mood and cognition • Why designing your space isn’t indulgent — it’s leadership • A powerful question: does your space support who you’re becoming? Key insights: • Your environment answers “Am I safe?” before your mind does. • Clarity improves when your space reduces friction. • Intentional spaces support better thinking, not just better aesthetics. • Your workspace should match the level of responsibility you carry. 🎧 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

    15 min

  4. FEB 19

    The E Myth and Why So Many Smart Business Owners Stay Stuck

    So many smart, capable, hardworking people build businesses…  and still feel exhausted, trapped, and way too dependent on themselves. In this episode, Sharon revisits one of the most influential business books of all time — The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber — and unpacks why being good at your craft does not automatically mean you’ll build a business that supports your life. This conversation explains, simply and honestly, why so many business owners end up buying themselves a job — and what needs to shift if you want freedom, sustainability, and growth without burnout. In this episode we cover: • What the “E-Myth” actually is — and why it keeps business owners stuck • The three personalities inside every business owner: – The Technician – The Manager – The Entrepreneur • Why the Technician often runs the whole show • How businesses become exhausting when systems are missing • The difference between working in the business vs working on it • Why systems don’t remove your personality — they protect it • Why so many owners feel guilty letting go of being “the hero” • The identity shift required to grow without burning out • A powerful reflection: what would break if you stepped away for 30 days? • Why feedback isn’t failure — it’s a roadmap for where to build next Key insights: • Being great at the work doesn’t mean you’ll build a great business. • Most business owners don’t fail — they just start from the wrong point. • Freedom comes from design, not doing everything yourself. • You don’t need a big team — you need the right structure. 🎧 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

    10 min

  5. FEB 12

    The GROW Model and why clarity changes everything

    Most people aren’t stuck because they lack intelligence, motivation, or capability.  They’re stuck because their thinking is noisy, emotional, and circular. In this episode, Sharon breaks down one of the most widely used coaching frameworks in the world — the GROW Model — and shows why clarity is often the missing piece between good intentions and real follow-through. Introduced by Sir John Whitmore in Coaching for Performance, this deceptively simple framework has shaped Sharon’s work for decades — and it works in business, leadership, health, and everyday life. In this episode we cover: • What the GROW Model is and why it creates momentum fast • Why people procrastinate, avoid, or feel “stuck” without realising it • G is for Goal — how to move beyond vague wishes into real direction • Why “I want less stress” isn’t a goal (and what is) • How curiosity helps you clarify what you actually want • R is for Reality — telling the truth without judgment or drama • Why plans fail when reality is skipped • O is for Options — how choice restores energy and possibility • Why you’re not trapped — you’re choosing • W is for Will — where commitment, belief, and action live • Why clarity without action changes nothing • How confidence is built by follow-through, not thinking • A simple way to apply GROW immediately in your business or life Key insights: • Most people don’t need more motivation — they need clearer thinking. • Direction calms the brain and unlocks momentum. • Options create energy. Commitment creates change. • Leadership starts with choosing to act. 🎧 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

    15 min

  6. FEB 5

    Why Discomfort is the Gateway to Growth

    𝗪𝗲’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁. To see it as a warning sign. A signal something’s wrong. But the truth is… 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄. In this episode, Sharon unpacks the difference between discomfort and trauma, why your brain clings to the familiar, and how small, deliberate discomforts build confidence, resilience, and momentum — without burnout. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿: • Why comfort feels “safe” to the brain — and why it keeps you stuck • The neuroscience of growth and neuroplasticity • Why efficiency and growth don’t coexist • Why you can’t create a new future while rehearsing the same past • Distress vs eustress (positive growth stress) • How reference points shape confidence and perspective • Why modern life removes discomfort — and why we recreate it • Why comfort stops delivering joy • How confidence is built through evidence, not affirmations • Micro-discomforts that expand you without breaking you • The one question to ask daily if you want real growth in 2026 🎧 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

    15 min

  7. JAN 29

    Turn Around and Lift Her Up

    Belonging is a basic human need, yet so many women quietly armour up when they feel out of place. In this episode, Sharon shares personal experiences of not fitting in, what that taught her about self protection, and why the need to belong follows us everywhere, no matter our age, confidence, or success. In this episode we cover: • What really happens when women feel like they do not belong • Why quietness, distance, and independence are often protection • How early experiences shape how we show up in rooms • Why no one actually knows what they are doing anywhere • The neuroscience of belonging and why inclusion creates safety • How scarcity thinking plays out in behaviour and connection • Small moments of inclusion that can change someone’s entire experience Key insights: • Belonging is wired into the nervous system. • Feeling included creates safety, openness, and growth. • Confidence expands when we believe there is space for us. • Inclusion is leadership. Mentioned in this episode: • Nervous system safety and belonging • Scarcity versus abundance thinking • Social learning and modelling what is possible • The work of Dr Joe Dispenza on thoughts and emotional states • Lisa Curry Kenny and the power of seeing what is possible --- 👉 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

    10 min

  8. JAN 22

    Why Birthdays and Ageing Are the Best Thing Ever

    Most people dread birthdays or quietly tolerate them. In this episode, we flip ageing on its head and talk about why getting older is a privilege, how perspective changes with age, and why staying engaged with life is a choice you get to make every year. In this episode we cover: Why birthdays are worth celebrating properly, every single yearThe best part of ageing: caring less what people think and living more authenticallyHow to gamify the boring stuff so life feels more fun and aliveWhy movement, play, and new experiences keep your world expandingHow to stop photocopying the same year over and overKey insights: Ageing is not the problem. Disengaging from life is.Fun is not indulgent. It is preventative.You do not need a dramatic life overhaul. One intentional choice changes the whole year.Mentioned in this episode: Gamifying everyday lifePreloading the year with fun, trips, and things to look forward toTrying new movement each quarterThe Blue Zones idea of staying active through daily lifeBuilding energy through small habits like water, walking, and community🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. --- 👉 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

    27 min
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About

 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!

Information

  • Creator
    Sharon Francisco
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Sharon Francisco Show
  • Show Website
    The Sharon Francisco Show