Grow A Small Business Podcast From Divorce & Health Struggles to Building a 12 Person Bookkeeping Firm, Sharon Francisco Reinvents Herself as a Global Coach – Helping Bookkeepers Win Clients, Gain Confidence & Create True Financial Freedom. (Episode 717 - Sharon Francisco)
In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Sharon Francisco, founder of SharonFrancisco.com, shares her inspiring journey from joining her sister-in-law's small bookkeeping business in 2013 and scaling it to a 12-person team within six years, to launching her own coaching business in 2019. Despite facing a divorce after 26 years of marriage and battling serious health issues, Sharon transformed her challenges into strength, now coaching bookkeepers and accountants worldwide. She emphasizes confidence, financial freedom for women, and the importance of building habits like a default diary. Sharon also highlights investing in mentors, creating authentic team culture, and balancing work with personal life. Her story is one of resilience, reinvention, and empowering others to achieve lasting success. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:
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What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Sharon Francisco, the hardest thing in growing a small business is not overthinking and trying to get everything perfect. She believes many owners get stuck in second-guessing, when the real key is to take action and keep moving forward.
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What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Sharon Francisco's favorite business book that has helped her the most is "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. She values it because it teaches the importance of narrowing focus, avoiding distractions, and going deep into one area to get real results.
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Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Sharon Francisco believes that one of the best ways to grow as a small business owner is through continuous learning, especially from books and structured programs. She personally prefers reading and listening to Audible, as she values the ability to access decades of someone's experience in just a few hours. Sharon has invested heavily in online business programs such as Thought Leaders Business School, Key Person of Influence, and Taki Moore's Black Belt, along with Tina Tower's Her Empire Builder. While she doesn't listen to many podcasts herself, she emphasizes that books and high-quality programs can transform your business mindset and skills. Her advice: keep investing in your personal and professional development – it pays off many times over.
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What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? According to Sharon Francisco, the most valuable "tool" for growing a small business is outsourcing. She recommends not wasting time trying to master tasks you're not good at, but instead focusing on your strengths and hiring experts for the rest. For example, she outsources her social media management for about $2,200 a month, which allows her to stay focused on coaching and client work. Sharon believes this mindset shift—treating outsourcing as a growth tool—helps business owners scale faster, avoid burnout, and concentrate on the areas where they add the most value.
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What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Sharon Francisco says that if she could give herself advice on day one of starting out in business, it would be to borrow the money to get a mentor and follow their guidance 100%. She believes investing in the right mentor early on saves years of trial and error, builds confidence faster, and provides the structure needed to grow with less stress.
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Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Success in business isn't about doing it all yourself—it's about knowing when to outsource – Sharon Francisco Investing in mentors will save you years of mistakes and fast-track your success – Sharon Francisco
True success is having the choice to create a life and business you love – Sharon Francisco