What If Your Business Needs A Nervous System Reset

We’re Shireen and Tanya, and we start by challenging the old assumption that bookkeeping has to be local to be legitimate. Secure remote access, US-based training, and tight processes can deliver the same precision while giving business owners a more flexible, modern partner. If you’re searching for QuickBooks support, virtual bookkeeping, or a practical way to get your monthly close under control, you’ll feel seen.

Allison Coleman

• Website: http://www.acespayments.com/
• Email: hello@northstarsanctuary.net
• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncoleman1

Then we bring on Allison Coleman, a senior payments advisor with ACES Payments, to talk about the systems behind how money moves. We dig into the real-world friction points that drain time and margin: payment processing, merchant services, payroll, operational workflow, and even access to capital. Allison’s approach is simple but powerful: reduce complexity, cut unnecessary costs, and build a finance stack that supports growth instead of creating daily stress.

Join us as we support the Mallory Gaston Foundation this month!

If this conversation gives you a new lens on business systems and human sustainability, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC
Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Transcript

Show Intro And Mission

Voiceover 0:03

Tales from the Wild. Stories from the Heart. A journey into the mind and soul of FIDE business professionals where they share their vision for the future. And hear from a different nonprofit organization every month as they create awareness of their goals and their needs. Dive into a world of untamed passion. As we join our host, Shireen Buerta, for this month's episode of Friends from Wild Places.

Shireen’s Remote Bookkeeping Pitch

Shireen Botha 0:34

Alright, Shireen here. Welcome. I am your virtual boutique bookkeeper and QuickBooks Pro Advisor. Running a business is a non-stop job. But who says your bookkeeper has to be stuck in a rigid office down the street? I'm the founder of Shireen's Bookkeeping Services, and yes, I am also a digital nomad traveling the world. But my education, my training, and my financial expertise are entirely US-based. Distance doesn't change data. Just because I work securely from a laptop abroad doesn't make me any less qualified than a bookkeeper living just on your street. I manage your US-based books with the exact same precision and local compliance. You get world-class US education, bookkeeping expertise combined with the flexibility and agility of a modern digital partner. Ready for seamless expert bookkeeping no matter the miles? Well, please contact Shireen's Bookkeeping Services today and let's get your financial books perfectly in order. Also, go and check out Shireensbookkeeping.com to book your free consultation.

Membership Paywall And Bonus Content

Shireen Botha 1:44

Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Friends from Wild Places with myself Shireen and my wonderful co-host Tanya. Good morning, Tanya. Nice to see you. Oh, here you are.

Tanya Scotece 2:01

Always uh pleasant time in Miami, Florida. Always uh sunny, but we are experiencing some fires at the moment. So they've had some uh the wildfires, some have gone beyond being wild, so it's uh pretty smoky over here in Miami. Thanks, Tanya.

Allison Coleman 2:18

That's nice to meet you.

Shireen Botha 2:21

Um okay, well, more on that later, Tanya. Would you mind listen just checking in with the listeners and letting them know about the extra content we have behind our paywall?

Tanya Scotece 2:31

So for our listeners, we have here at Friends from Wild Places, you can get our featured guests monthly and listen to them. But we also have a paid subscription wall, which for as little as five dollars a month, you can get unedited raw content where we can dive deeper onto subjects that you, as our listeners, may enhance and may want to be part of. So if you have a topic that you would like more juicy details on, feel free to drop us a line so we can cover your topic. And again, as little as five dollars a month can support our friends from wild places. We do have subscribers that pay more, so whatever you feel compelled to do, our goal is to have your voice heard. Back to you, Shireen.

Shireen Botha 3:14

Thank you, Tanya. Now, next, let's introduce our guest for the

Meet Allison And Her Work

Shireen Botha 3:19

month. Um, Allison Coleman. She's a Toronto native who settled in the Bay Area, California in late 2010 after living in New Jersey, New York, and Chicago. Yes, that does mean she'll be chairing the Canadian World Cup soccer team uh today, which I think is the matches versus Switzerland. That's very exciting. Um, she's a senior payments advisor with ACES Payments, working independently with small to mid-size business across California and the US. She helps business owners simplify and optimize the systems behind how money moves through their business. Things like payment processing, merchant services, payroll, operations, and access to capital so they can reduce costs, save time, and focus on growth, which is super important. Alongside that, she's also in the early stages of building a wellness practice called North Star Sanctuary, focused on nervous system reset and embodied practices, especially for women navigating transition or even burnout. So, her work really sits at the intersection of business systems and human sustainability, helping people create more clarity and less complexity in both areas. Welcome, Allison. It's so good to have you on the show.

Allison Coleman 4:47

I'm thrilled to meet Tanya virtually and to see you again, Shireen.

Tanya Scotece 4:52

Yes, super excited for this podcast. We've been uh anxiously awaiting and uh super excited to get to know you and hear more about your journey. Thank you. Likewise.

Shireen Botha 5:03

Absolutely.

True Crime Case And Empathy Debate

Shireen Botha 5:04

Uh, first listeners, you know it is that part of the podcast where we get into a little bit of an icebreaker, or should we say, a true crime case that's going on? Uh, you know, Tanya and I absolutely love the true crime cases going on, and this particular one is absolutely super scary. Um, and what nightmares are made of, if you're asking me personally. Uh, we're gonna talk about a little bit of the gripping case, a very trilling story that happened in Fairfax, Ohio. And February the 2nd, 2025, 64-year-old Sheila Denise Tenpenny was found brutally murdered inside her home. What makes this tragic case so shocking is the killer. In November 2025, her 13-year-old next-door neighbor pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, burglary, and strangulation. Investigators revealed that the teenager had spent months online researching how to strangle someone and how to find the perfect victim. He slipped into a house in the dead of the night, but Denise bravely fought back, leaving the DNA evidence that ultimately led police straight to him. Because of his age, Ohio law dictates he will remain in a juvenile detention facility only until his 21st birthday, a plea deal had that has left Denise's family feeling like true justice wasn't served. It's a terrifying look at a calculated crime committed by someone incredibly young. Um, crazy trial, crazy case. Uh, ladies, I just basically want to go um back to the actual police investigation. If you were watching the recording, uh, when they were interrogating this 13-year-old, uh, he actually asked them, well, if it's a murder, then it's a monster, right? When the police were asking him what he thinks um this person that killed this lady should be considered, you know? Um, and looking at the intense months-long planning that went into this, do you think some people are just born missing empathy? Or can a 13-year-old genuinely not comprehend the finality and gravity of what they are researching online? Quite a question, huh? What about who wants to go first? Tanya, do you wanna what do you think? Sure.

Tanya Scotece 7:44

Yeah, so I don't know, like society nowadays, um, you know, being in funeral service, right? I see there there's sometimes a disconnect with what we would assume as like normal emotions or having empathy, having sympathy, knowing right from wrong, morals, ethics. Unfortunately, I mean, I'm not a uh therapist or psychologist or attorney for that matter. However, I do see it lacking in our society, and I see it specifically more so with younger generations, and I'm gonna bring in video games to this conversation. I see a lot of younger folks, and I'm just let's just go with the age of like 17 and under, utilizing video games like obsessively to where you know that's their main takeaway if something goes wrong. If they get grounded by their parents, the the first thing to go is usually their iPad or iPhone. And in my opinion, it's like a lot of violence as far as killing what they have in their mind, either you know, monsters or killing objects, killing quote unquote people virtually, becomes norm. Like they wake up first thing in the morning, they're on their kill killing. So I don't know. I would love to know more research-wise, if there's any correlation between that kind of violence that folks are just becoming so norm to. Now, back in my day, I come from the Pong era, okay? That was like the first, I think it was the first pre-game. Um, it was like two things that was Pong, and then we went into um asteroids and space invaders and Pac-Man, but it wasn't quote-unquote killing. Nowadays, I think the virtual reality has taken it to beyond. And I remember even back in the day with Dungeons and Dragons, which was a board game back when I was growing up, that also had major um uh like issues with it. Like some people were going down the dark side of things, so that's my take as far as the reason why. Now, is it biology too? For example, you know, can somebody just be born lacking empathy? Um, my background in forensics, you know, as far as studying it, yeah, people are born lacking to where they, you know, you have signs that can um preclude and prelude being a serial killer, like animal abuse, um, things that are just not quote unquote, what would we say under the normal umbrella? So that's my two cents as far as you know, where um I think that this potential, you know, situation has arisen, especially with somebody so young. So how about you, Allison? What's your take on it?

Allison Coleman 10:38

Yeah, I that's great insight. Um, I'm not a mom, but I would say I'm I've been a surrogate mom or aunt or teacher or coach to many. I used to work with uh I was a high school teacher and got my principal papers in Toronto. So I did a lot of coaching, teaching. Um and I worked with some of the most at-risk kids in that, you know, it could be uh a product of their family circumstances, right? It may have been a learning gap that wasn't identified. But many of these kids were brilliant, very gifted, um, but they lack some of the tools in my mind. So they struggled in the system. And I do think that there's so much emphasis on some of these games and other ways that they distract themselves, right? That um I think think they can get a little lost. Um, in some cases, they just I don't think have good guidance or they haven't found something that I think really gives them passion that they're passionate about, right? That could be running track and field. It could be that they love building something, right? Maybe, you know, whatever it is. But um in this case with her neighbor, I didn't see the entire story. Uh but obviously he I think he got deep and probably was pretty naive and on some level didn't totally understand you know the depth of of of the crime of what he was you know, what he was planning and um the consequences. Uh but it it's tragic because again, 13 and you watch those interviews and I remember teaching students that you know could just get caught in the wrong crowd one semester and then the next thing their whole life is flipped side inside and out, and they're really good, really good youth, good kids, young adults. But it can be some of these decisions that happen in hours, days, months that can be life-changing. So I feel I feel torn because I think even with the best parents, the best home value system, that kids can get lost and make poor decisions. And in this case, it was obviously premeditated. Um anyway, but my heart breaks a little um for both families, for both the entire community that was obviously rocked by this.

Shireen Botha 13:09

It is crazy, you know, anyway. Yeah. It's what what is interesting to me is that he has a twin brother. And when they were interviewing both of them, they were both very much so addicted to Dexter, the series, you know, the the um serial killer Dexter. And they are and because of watching the series non-stop, they knew a lot about you know how serial killers go around and their methods and how they use certain processes to um kill uh without being found out, and this uh young man, I mean, they both sound very intelligent for 13-year-olds, but this young man, which I thought was so interesting, absolutely sounded so confident like he was gonna get away with this when they were interrogating him, you know? And I was quite shocked, this little boy thought he had it in the bag. And so eventually he realized he was actually getting found out in court, and then you know, he you could see he was cracking a bit at the end. But what I'm trying to get to is I really believe in the saying, you are what you eat, you are what you listen to, you are um what you watch, and it's really important to watch what you allow through your eyes and your ears, and especially at that age. Now, granted, you can't pr you know overprotect your child, they have to know um the ways of the world and make their own decisions at the end of the day. You know what I mean? They they have to be responsible for their own decisions, but uh even in your adulthood um just to watch what you listen to and what you hear, because before you know it, you start thinking a lot about those series that you're watching. And um I wonder to what percentage that took a toll on the young boys um that made them so convinced that well, him so convinced that he could do this with and get away with it. Um but I also think maybe I don't know, they haven't actually found any uh definite results that maybe there could be some kind of a mental issue there. I don't know. Not everything g you know ends up being that, but it could be. Um but we have no facts regarding that. But yeah, that's what I have to say regarding that. But it's quite an interesting trial, isn't it? Um so listeners, you can go and check that trial out. Uh you can Google it, it's quite interesting. Um but we need to move

Quote Of The Day On Fear

Shireen Botha 16:15

on. So quote of the day. This is a really nice one. Thanks to uh Alison just bringing it to us. Uh it's do one thing every day that scares you. And Eleanor Roosenwald actually said that. It's do one thing every day that scares you. And I really want to hear from you, Alison. What does that quote mean to you? And um and why?

Allison Coleman 16:42

Yes, um, as you've called it out, and with the World Cup game hours away, uh, I am Canadian, but Eleanor Roosevelt was married to one of the great American presidents, or a beloved one for many. Everyone has different opinions. Uh but I did read her, you know, I did read some works about her and her autobiography years ago. And many of her quotes I just find very inspiring. This one, it's bold, it's to the point. And I think it's kind of like Joseph Campbell jump, you know, in the net, you know, the support net will appear. And it's this idea that I think it's very easy, no matter what our calling is, what our lives look like, that it's easy to just get complacent, right? We're on autopilot, you know, we have our routines, we have our circles, and maybe we're comfortable and we think, okay, we're grateful that we have the life that we have. But I love this quote because it kind of gives you this gentle nudge, or maybe it's like someone, you know, literally dropkicking you into the water and saying, like, you know, wake up, like just the preciousness of life. And I grew up in a family, my dad was a coach of hockey and baseball. Um, he got chronically ill in his early 30s and spent about two, three decades really being impacted by his illnesses. And I think that just taught me like there's no dress rehearsal, right? It's like it's go time. It's like get on the mat. Um, I look at you guys digital, you know, being digital nomads and and your passion for what you're discovering in your walks. And I think that's I think that's one of the longevity hacks, right? If we can keep that curiosity and that mindset to keep challenging ourselves and do the things, right? Kind of put us over the edge. Maybe we've got a boogeyman on our shoulder where we're nervous, whether it be public speaking or maybe skydiving, or you know, we're afraid of something. Usually when we stand up to it, there's nothing there, right? It's just a story in our head. So I love this quote for that reason. For us to stay young, hopefully, in our spirit and keep growing and challenging ourselves daily.

Shireen Botha 19:05

Yes.

Tanya Scotece 19:06

Yeah, it's beautiful, beautiful, Alison. Isn't it?

Shireen Botha 19:08

Yeah, isn't it just it's so true? You know, you can't say to yourself, Oh, I'm too old. You know what I mean? You are as young as your heart allows yourself to be, and just never stop growing. You can't, you're not too old to keep growing and transforming and um learning and being better as a human being. And I love what Alison said there because that is so important to remember, no matter what your age, and no matter where you are in life. I think that's great. Thank you, Allie. Well, since we're on you, why don't you give us and the listeners a little background about who you are?

Alison’s Background And Growth Mindset

Allison Coleman 19:51

Well, I'm a proud Canadian. I've been living in the US since 04, uh in Northern California in the Bay Area since late 2010. Um, but I'm a Canadian girl that grew up in the west end of Toronto. Uh very humble start. I have two brothers um who I'm close to and was just really raised, you know, in a home where uh as the only daughter, there were serious expectations to, you know, take a serious act academic path. And I pretty well did all the sports and public speaking and everything you could think of and kept really busy. And I think that that growth mindset is really who I am today, decades later, right? It's somehow I still have this curiosity to learn and to grow, and I find it hard to say no to things, hence I'm up early on this podcast. But I think it's this insatiable curiosity and searching for truth and just wanting to stay in line, you know, alive and in some case, you know, in that looking for that awe, right? Looking for those miracles. And that can be professionally, personally. So um, and I think my dad's influence on me, my mom's influence was to go after multiple degrees and you know, take my career path seriously. And my dad's influence, I think, was really being active and a love of sports and team and individual play. And um again, I think the preciousness that sometimes we take it for granted, our bodies and how they support us daily. And I think I learned very early not to take that for granted. And I plan on taking that into my triple digits, even though age is just a number.

Fintech Career Meets Yoga And Wellness

Shireen Botha 21:38

Yes, it is just a number. I agree. But I mean, you have spent nearly two decades navigating the fast paced world of fintech and global payment strategy. I mean, what inspired you to branch out and start building a yoga business alongside that intense corporate career? You know?

Allison Coleman 22:01

Uh well, I think I may have mentioned when you were here with North and I that I I my early brutes out of university, I was a high school department head for social sciences and coached and taught things. And I think at heart, I'm very motivated to make a difference. Um I hit a bit of a wall in the educational system and went into the private sector instead of pursuing leadership. But in the private sector, um, I think it's still this desire to make a difference. And so to your point, I've had many very challenging roles in the heart of global commerce, right? Where the pace of change and innovation literally by the hour in the day, in terms of staying on top of it. But at heart, in my own time, I'm always in nature, I'm always doing active things. And I fell in love with the practice of yoga when I moved to California. Um, one of my very first teachers on Divisadero, right close to the marina. You may have spent some time there, Shireen. It was at a yoga works on Divisadero, and he said, basically, you know, you take it to the mat, you lay, you lay your day down, your challenges, everything, and you just put it on the mat. You show up. And there's a Sanskrit term. It's like you literally like wax on, wax off. You get onto the mat and the practice begins. Like you show up, right? And I think it was a love. It became a bit of a compass. I like to say that my yoga mat and my dog North, who fell in love with Shereen, I've got some great photos, Tanya, that you'll find. But it's it just became a practice that has been non-negotiable in my life. And no matter whatever ebbs and flows, changes in the workplace, you know, um, highs and lows personally, that it just became a part of my part of my day. And I've tended to um I focused on a lot of different types of yoga, um, but I realized it really brings me joy. And so I kind of silenced that monster that probably told me I was too old to teach and pursued that. And I'm blessed that I've been on the meta yoga teaching team for a number of years now, and I teach a three or four classes a week. Um, and my students are all ranges. I have a rower that's off at Stanford in her early 20s to people, you know, in their mid and later chapters who understand the importance of the practice and it keeps them love young and it gives them a sense of community. And I think when I came up with this idea that I really want to do a bit of a pivot and focus more on the wellness, it it really came from looking at my own life, the difference it's made, and knowing, you know, uh both of you talked about that data and that that early murder case we were talking about. Like I feel that everyone needs something. We're so inundated with data that we need a reset. And so I feel it it's across the ages that we need something to ground us daily, and so that's kind of it just became such a passion that um I don't know, it was a wake-up call to really follow my heart and to focus more intensely on that.

Part Two Tease And Closing

Tanya Scotece 25:37

Tune in next week for part two from Friends from Wild Places.

Voiceover 25:42

You've been listening to Friends from Wild Places with Shireen Botha. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast from the links to catch every episode and unleash your passion.