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

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👉 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

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 year
• The best part of ageing: caring less what people think and living more authentically
• How to gamify the boring stuff so life feels more fun and alive
• Why movement, play, and new experiences keep your world expanding
• How to stop photocopying the same year over and over

Key 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 life
• Preloading the year with fun, trips, and things to look forward to
• Trying new movement each quarter
• The Blue Zones idea of staying active through daily life
• Building energy through small habits like water, walking, and community

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

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👉 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

Michelle Hume spent years telling people she was “just a bookkeeper”… even while quietly carrying big responsibility, serving clients she genuinely loves, and running at full capacity.

Then something shifted.

After 12 months working together, Michelle has hired (and is hiring) team members, is systemising her business, and is stepping into a bigger identity — one where she isn’t the bottleneck, and her business doesn’t rely on her being “on” all the time.

This conversation is honest, warm, and refreshingly real — about confidence, growth, and what it looks like when a great bookkeeper starts acting like a business owner.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why so many bookkeepers downplay what they do (and how confidence plays into it)
• The pivotal “before and after” moments that shape how we work and lead
• What changed for Michelle when she hit capacity and had to choose a new path
• The real combo behind growth: practical action plus mindset catching up
• Hiring, delegating, and building a business that creates freedom (not more pressure)
• The habit that keeps Michelle grounded: training, stress management, and “time that’s just for me”
• A powerful approach to boundaries: “If it’s not for me, it goes”
• The reality of ageing, energy, and why health becomes non-negotiable
• How Michelle resets when things feel too much (including her very clear “tantrum time limit”)

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the “I’m just a bookkeeper” identity… or you know you’re capable of more but feel unsure how to step into it — this episode will hit home.

Michelle’s story is proof that the next level doesn’t come from working harder.

It comes from deciding you’re allowed to build something bigger.

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👉 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