Guest: Anastasia Ristovska
How Letting Go of Control Can Turn You Into a Better Leader
If you’ve ever thought “it’s quicker if I do it myself,” you’re not alone. Most founders and leaders start their journey as doers—people who build with their own hands, fix problems themselves, and rely on their own standards to keep things running.
But what happens when that mindset becomes the bottleneck?
In a recent episode of Conversations That Grow, I sat down with Anastasia Ristovska, co-founder of two growing businesses. And her story is a powerful reminder that the shift from doing to leading doesn’t begin with a strategy. It begins with a conversation.
The First Conversation: “Stop Thinking Like an Employee.”
Early in the business, Anastasia’s husband said something that hit her harder than she expected:
“Can you please stop thinking like the greatest finance director in the world—and start thinking like a business owner?”
It was a confronting moment. But it was also the moment everything changed.
Until then, she’d carried her corporate habits into entrepreneurship: executing, delivering, pleasing, meeting deadlines, keeping everything under control. But running a business requires a different mindset: stepping back, seeing the bigger picture, and creating the conditions where others can thrive.
That conversation began her shift from being the person who does everything to the person who builds the business.
The Second Conversation: “You Need to Trust Me More.”
A short time later, one of her team members looked her in the eye and simply said:
“You need to trust me more.”
It wasn’t said with frustration. It wasn’t said with arrogance. It was said with honesty.
And it made her realise that her fear of letting go—fear of losing quality, fear of losing control—was robbing her team of the chance to grow. It was also robbing her of the space to lead.
The Turning Point: Training Instead of Clinging
Instead of holding on tighter, Anastasia made a decision:
If she wanted her team to work at the level she expected, she needed to teach them.
Not once. Not casually. Systematically.
She built a training programme that turned new hires into independent contributors within 60 days—through clear SOPs, video walkthroughs, weekly check-ins, and a culture of safety and support.
The result?
She’s no longer the bottleneck.
Her team works confidently and autonomously.
And she has space to lead, not just do.
Why This Matters for Every Leader
Leadership isn’t about knowing everything.
It isn’t about having all the answers.
And it definitely isn’t about doing everything yourself.
It’s about asking the right questions.
It’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to learn.
And it’s about trusting your team enough to grow with you.
One Line Every Team Member Receives
At the end of our conversation, I asked Anastasia for the one sentence she’d give every new team member.
Her answer:
“Embrace this journey, stay open to challenges, and grow yourself—because the better you become, the happier I’ll be.”
Leadership isn’t a destination. It’s a daily practice.
And often, the biggest growth happens in the conversations we’re willing to have.
Links for Anastasia
Sponsor for this episode
At Podjunction, we're committed to helping you set up and run your own successful podcast to grow your business and impact.
"You know what? I have found running my own podcast to be really rewarding. It opens doors to amazing people like nothing else I have seen. I have built networks, made friends, and had a platform to champion my customers, my team and my suppliers. I think just about any entrepreneur, or business leader should have a podcast because it has had a huge impact on my own businesses." - Matt Edmundson.
Is Podcasting Right For Your Business?
This is a great question and one we think you should really think about. Podcasting is proving to be a great tool to open doors to dream clients, network and build phenomenal customer relationships. But we know that podcasting might not be right for everyone. That's why we have put together a free guide and checklist to help you decide if Podcasting is right for you and your business as well as to understand what is involved for you.
Is Podcasting hard?
It certainly doesn't have to be. The technology has got easier and cheaper, so the trick is making sure your strategy is right from the start. Most podcasts end because it was started on a whim or even a good that just wasn't thought through or planned. Once you've got that in place, it's then about the right guests and consistency which all comes down to the team that you have around you that can help with this. No worries if you don't have a team ... Podjunction has a series of done-for-you services that can help you get the right strategy and bring the consistency you need to have real impact on your business.
Want to know more?
Visit our website www.podjunction.com for more info. We'd love to help!