Episodes

  • E164: I Built a 100% AI Accountancy Firm. It Nearly Put Me in Prison.

    E164: I Built a 100% AI Accountancy Firm. It Nearly Put Me in Prison.
    Feb 16 2026

    Alexis shares the full behind-the-scenes story of building Accrual Intentions — a 100% AI-powered accountancy firm with 11 AI team members. The AI team completed a 7-month roadmap of 91 tasks and 107 deliverables in just 4 hours, with only 7 requiring human decisions. But the experiment also revealed serious dangers: a £43,000 profit-and-loss error stated with total confidence, terms of business that would have constituted a criminal offence, and every client-facing document pointing to someone else's website. The episode explores what this means for the future of accounting and the emerging skill of managing AI teams rather than doing the work yourself.
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    20 mins
  • E163: Navigating Mergers Without the Headache, with Alex Black FCCA

    E163: Navigating Mergers Without the Headache, with Alex Black FCCA
    Nov 3 2025
    Mergers and acquisitions can spark exciting growth — but they also bring chaos, uncertainty, and a lot of stress. In this episode of De-stress Your Business, we’re joined by Alex Black, Director of Client Services and Innovation at Ad Valorem, a fast-growing accountancy firm now part of the ETL Group. Alex shares how he’s helped teams navigate the stress of change — from integrating cultures and standardising processes, to preparing teams for powerful innovations like AI. You’ll learn:
    • What causes stress during mergers — and how to ease it
    • How to overcome resistance when introducing change
    • Why standardising workflows is critical for innovation
    • What leaders often get wrong about growth and acquisitions
    This episode is packed with real-world lessons from someone who’s been at the frontline of fast change — and still kept the team engaged, productive, and open to the future. What’s your approach to handling stress during periods of change? Let us know in the comments! #DeStressYourBusiness #Leadership #MergersAndAcquisitions #ChangeManagement #TeamAlignment #AlexBlack #Innovation #AIAdoption Helpful resources: Ad Valorem: https://www.advaloremgroup.uk/ ETL Global: https://www.etl-global.com/ Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexblackacca/
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    44 mins
  • E162: Workplace Drama Without the Stress

    E162: Workplace Drama Without the Stress
    Oct 20 2025
    In this episode of De-Stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury delves into the often unexpected and challenging people problems every business leader faces. From marital disputes to sudden resignations, Alexis emphasizes the importance of strong line management in navigating these issues. He shares practical advice on building trustful, open relationships between managers and their teams, and highlights the significance of regular one-to-ones and creating a no-blame culture. Learn how to prepare for crises and support your employees effectively, ensuring your business remains resilient even when life throws curveballs. --- Helpful resources:
    • Playbook for Managing Employee Performance (including guidance on great 1-2-1 meetings): https://discover.airmanual.co/resources/unsatisfactory-performance-playbook
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    9 mins
  • E161: Why Money Stress Is Not About the Money, With Catherine Morgan

    E161: Why Money Stress Is Not About the Money, With Catherine Morgan
    Aug 18 2025
    Catherine Morgan was a financial adviser with all the right credentials. She had the qualifications, the clients, and years of experience helping others manage their money. But in her own life, money felt unsafe. She was stuck in cycles of overspending, shame, and fear. Not because she didn’t know how to manage money, but because her nervous system was reacting to something deeper. That’s when she realised the problem wasn’t knowledge. It was trauma. So she stepped away from the traditional finance world, retrained in trauma healing, money psychology, and coaching, and started doing the work that had been missing all along. Today, she’s an award-winning coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and host of the global top 0.5% podcast It’s Not About the Money, with more than 600,000 downloads and a mission to help one million women feel safe and empowered around money. In this episode of De-stress Your Business, Catherine shares: Why so many smart, successful people still sabotage themselves financially How money trauma hides in patterns like undercharging, overspending, and avoidance What it means to feel safe with money — especially for ADHD and neurodivergent minds The internal stories that keep us stuck, and how to rewrite them Real transformations Catherine has witnessed — including her own If money stress keeps showing up in your life or business, even when you’re doing everything “right,” this episode will give you a new way to understand it — and a path forward. #destressyourbusiness #CatherineMorgan #moneytrauma #financialstress #adhdawareness #neurodivergentleaders #emotionalresilience #businessgrowth #healingjourney #entrepreneurship --- Helpful resources:
    • Website- https://catherinemorgan.com/
    • LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-morgan/
    • Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/catherinemorganmoney/?hl=en
    • Book- “It’s not about the money”- https://catherinemorgan.com/free-book-its-not-about-the-money/
    • Podcast: It's Not About The Money: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/its-not-about-the-money/id1449065629
    • Money Quiz: https://catherinemorgan.com/quiz
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    54 mins
  • E160: The Mindset Shifts That Make Leaders Great, With William C. Davis

    E160: The Mindset Shifts That Make Leaders Great, With William C. Davis
    Aug 11 2025
    What separates good managers from truly great leaders? In this episode, Alexis Kingsbury sits down with leadership expert William C. Davis, who brings over 38 years of experience across corporate America, the military, and government. Together, they dive deep into the mindset shifts that transform leadership—from focusing on tasks to building genuine relationships and trust. William shares powerful stories and practical advice on:
    • The difference between managing, leading, and “being the boss”
    • Why self-awareness and emotional intelligence are essential for modern leaders
    • How to build a culture of trust and ownership in your team
    • The challenges and opportunities of leading new generations, including Gen Z
    • Real-life examples of leadership failures and how to fix them
    • The keys to retaining top talent and reducing stress for everyone
    Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an aspiring leader, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you lead with confidence, empathy, and impact. If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe, and share! Leave a comment with your favorite takeaway or question for William. #Leadership #Mindset #Teamwork #DeStressYourBusiness #podcast #LeadershipDevelopment --- Helpful resources:
    • Website: https://www.williamcdavis.net/
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573023334183
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamcharlesdavis64/
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamcharlesdavis/
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    48 mins
  • E159: Turn New Hires Into Raving Fans in Their First Week

    E159: Turn New Hires Into Raving Fans in Their First Week
    May 26 2025
    In Episode 159 of De-Stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury shares simple yet impactful ways to enhance your employee onboarding process. He emphasizes the significance of first impressions, providing actionable advice on how to make new hires feel excited, valued, and ready to contribute. From pre-start communication to thoughtful touches on the first day, Alexis highlights the importance of making new employees feel welcome. This episode is packed with practical tips, including setting up tools, personalizing the experience, and fostering early connections. Learn how to turn your onboarding process into a memorable and efficient experience, ultimately improving retention and creating brand ambassadors. Access the full employee onboarding playbook at airmanual.link/playbooks for more detailed templates and checklists. --- Helpful resources:
    • Playbook on how to Onboard a New Employee: https://discover.airmanual.co/resources/onboard-a-new-employee-playbook (it is tailored to Accountancy firms, but the principles apply to all businesses)
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    15 mins
  • E158: Create Awesome Case Studies Even If You Hate Writing

    E158: Create Awesome Case Studies Even If You Hate Writing
    May 5 2025
    In this episode of De-Stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury explores how professional services firms can easily create compelling case studies using AI. Despite the value of case studies, firms often avoid them due to the time and effort required. Alexis introduces a streamlined approach using a simple checklist and AI prompts to convert rough notes into polished case studies. Learn the steps to gather essential information, prompt AI for drafting, and finalize case studies efficiently, enabling even junior staff to handle the task. --- Helpful resources:
    • Accountancy Playbook - Win More Ideal Clients: https://discover.airmanual.co/resources/win-more-ideal-clients
    • Alexis speaking at Accountex 2025: https://www.accountex.co.uk/london/event/how-to-get-the-best-out-of-your-people-even-if-theyre-terrible/
    • Example of a case study created using this approach: https://airmanual.link/case-study/tennick
    • More Playbooks: https://www.airmanual.co/resources
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    13 mins
  • E157: How to Make Technology Actually Work in Your Firm

    E157: How to Make Technology Actually Work in Your Firm
    Apr 28 2025
    In this episode of De-Stress Your Business, Alexis Kingsbury explores why great technology often fails in businesses despite its potential for significant impact. He breaks down common myths and excuses for tech adoption failures and introduces a seven-step tech adoption process designed to ensure your team not only has the tools but uses them effectively to solve real business problems. Alexis also shares insights on how to align processes with technology, obtain cross-business buy-in, and provide structured training to achieve long-term success. --- Helpful resources: - Get the playbook and interactive checklist at airmanual.link/das25 for step-by-step guidance.
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    18 mins