The Sharon Francisco Show

I read something recently that didn’t give me a big breakthrough… it made me uncomfortable. And sometimes that’s the stuff that actually changes things. In this episode, we unpack a powerful idea from Napoleon Hill’s Outwitting the Devil and how it shows up in business in a way most people don’t realise. Because the issue usually isn’t that you don’t know what to do. It’s that you’re not doing what you already know. This is a deeper look at why nothing seems to shift… even when yo...

Today Sharon is joined by Alex Alexandrou, General Manager of Reckon. Alex has been with Reckon for more than two decades, which means he’s seen the accounting and payroll software space evolve from desktop to cloud to AI — while staying close to the real-world challenges small business owners, bookkeepers, and accountants face every day. This conversation goes beyond software. It’s about leadership, culture, support, industry pressure, and what it really takes to build a more sustainable bus...

We spend so much of our lives trying to do things properly. Build the business. Stay organised. Be responsible. Keep everything moving. And somewhere in the middle of all of that… we forget to actually enjoy being alive. This episode was sparked by a book that stopped Sharon in her tracks and brought her back to something we don’t talk about enough: life is finite. Not in a heavy way. In a way that sharpens what actually matters. Because when you really sit with that idea, a lot of the n...

What happens when a bookkeeper stops tolerating chaos… and starts backing herself? In this episode, Sharon sits down with Natasha Stadnikoff for a real conversation about growth, systems, confidence, client boundaries, and the mindset shift that changes everything. Natasha shares what was happening in her business before things started to shift, how reactive work was keeping her stuck, and what changed when she decided she needed a better way — not just for her clients, but for herself. ...

This one might hit a little deeper. Because when things tighten… when clients slow down… when pressure builds… It’s easy to point to the economy. But what if the economy isn’t the problem? What if it’s simply showing you what was already there? In this episode, Sharon unpacks a powerful insight from The Road Less Stupid — and why pressure doesn’t break your business… it exposes it. Structure. Money. Leadership. Time. Confidence. The cracks don’t suddenly appear. They w...

Nearly 30 years ago I read a book that I still think about today: Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart by Dr Gordon Livingston. One truth from that book has stayed with me ever since: “The person who cares least in a relationship holds the power.” At first that can sound cold… but it isn’t about not caring. It’s about needing. Because the moment you need an outcome too badly — in sales, business, or relationships — something shifts. You start explaining instead of stating. You justify the price...

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 Beyo...

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 jo...

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 st...

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 m...

We all say we want change. More money. More time. More freedom. Better health. Holidays that actually happen. A business that doesn’t rely on us being “on” all the time. And yet… year after year, nothing really shifts. In this episode, we unpack why — and it has nothing to do with laziness, lack of discipline, or motivation. Instead, we dive into a simple but powerful framework that has shaped change theory for decades: The Formula for Change. Once you understand it, you’ll stop beating yours...

So many bookkeepers and accountants say they’re “taking a break”… but the laptop comes with them. The emails still get checked. Payroll still gets done. And that’s not a holiday. In this episode, we unpack why stepping away feels so hard — even when you’re exhausted — and why this isn’t a discipline or mindset problem at all. It’s biology, psychology, and identity quietly running the show. We explore what’s actually happening beneath the surface when rest feels uncomfortable, guilt-inducing...

Most of us never learnt how to have a healthy relationship with money — especially women who built their business alongside raising families. For many bookkeepers, the partner became the “financial safety net,” and without realising it, the business was built on the idea of supporting, not leading. This episode explores the identity shift required to step into financial independence, confidence, and self-trust. In this episode we cover: How the “supported partner” mindset keeps women under-ea...