Podcast appearances and mentions of cameron herold

Ever wonder what happens when the COO who scaled a company to $100 million realizes he was the problem?In this episode, Cameron sits down with Mike Wood, COO of Jarrett Companies, who joined a $2 million Nashville construction firm and helped grow it into seven companies doing over $100 million.They get into the machinery behind that growth: meetings from 6 to 9 a.m., five days a week, a double check on everybody in the building, and profit sharing that turns leaders into owners. Then it goes deeper. Mike opens up about learning to read at 25, the misery that followed his biggest turnaround, and the million-dollar flood where taking full ownership changed his entire team.If the noise in your head is louder than the problems on your desk, this conversation is your way out. Listen now.Sponsored by:STS Capital – A global M&A advisory firm helping entrepreneurs achieve maximum value when selling their business, with a focus on strategic buyers and life-changing exits.Learn more: https://stscapital.comTimestamped Highlights05:30 - Two million to one hundred million: why Mike had to keep replacing himself, over and over07:38 - Meetings from 6 to 9 a.m., five days a week: the double check habit that ended repeat mistakes13:16 - The six out of ten rule: why waiting two months on a problem employee costs you everything15:51 - How to create safety before a hard conversation, so people can actually hear you18:41 - The science of angry leadership: cortisol, the default mode network, and why exploding makes you dumber23:26 - More money, happy family, great job, and the most miserable he had ever been: the fish tank moment24:30 - Learning to read at 25: how a rare form of dyslexia wrote the negative script in Mike's head30:28 - "This flood is my fault": the $1 million claim that became a masterclass in taking ownership34:32 - What owners do when nobody is watching, and why every person in the building needs a double check42:10 - Inside Learn to Love Being You: removing identities, forgiveness, and rewriting the stories that haunt usAbout the GuestMike Wood is the COO of Jarrett Companies, a Nashville-based commercial construction group spanning site work, paving, concrete, fire protection, and mechanical services. Since joining as an estimator and project manager, he has helped grow the business from $2 million to more than $100 million in revenue across seven companies, including a fire protection company later sold to a private equity firm. Mike is also the founder of Learn to Love Being You, a 10-week program that helps people quiet anxiety and self-doubt through the same inner work that transformed his own leadership.

What if the smartest move you can make is to disrupt your own company before a competitor does?In this episode, Lindsay Smith sits down with John Durocher, the self-described accidental COO of Calix. John never set out to run operations. He came up through consulting and customer success, never managed a supply chain or an IT org, and that is exactly why his CEO wanted him in the seat. His mandate: question everything.John and Lindsay get into how to lead change when everyone is comfortable, build a leadership team that actually trusts each other, give feedback in the moment rather than at review season, and use AI to take drudgery off people rather than cut headcount. He also shares the directive that shaped his role: go build the company that would beat us.For any second-in-command driving transformation without breaking their people, this is a playbook. Listen now.This episode is brought to you by our Silver Sponsor, Next Level Growth.They help COOs and leadership teams build Elite Organizations through a proven, customizable framework built around the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.If you and your leadership team are ready to operate at the next level, take the Elite Organizations Assessment and receive a free 20-page customized report based on your answers, plus a complimentary one-hour coaching session with a Next Level Growth Partner and Business Guide to begin implementing tools that will help you build an even more elite business.Complete the assessment here to get started - nextlevelgrowth.com/cooassessmentTimestamped Highlights[00:01:32] The accidental COO: how a late-night phone call rewrote John's career[00:08:46] Why the people who succeeded longest have the hardest time changing[00:10:05] Disrupt yourself, or wait to be disrupted... the directive that built his role[00:10:59] When your CEO used to work for you: inside an unusually honest relationship[00:16:11] Why John never waits for a formal review to give hard feedback[00:18:22] The courageous conversation with his boss that became a breakthrough[00:21:03] The team reset that exposes how little colleagues really know each other[00:27:26] Seeing the seams: the bird's eye view nobody else in the company has[00:29:28] “Staple yourself to the order form” and other ways to fix the customer experience[00:33:46] Fast isn't always good... what moving too quickly does to an organization[00:36:08] Stop telling your boss why it won't work. Do this instead.[00:37:25] The COO's job is to slow down the CEO, not slam on the brakes[00:42:43] Does remote work actually work? John's rebuttal to the water-cooler myth[00:46:41] What's next for Calix: AI agents and the smart apartmentAbout the GuestJohn Durocher is the Chief Operations Officer at Calix, where he leads operations across the company, from customer success and commercial operations to supply chain and IT. He joined Calix in 2023 as Chief Customer Officer and stepped into the COO role about a year ago. Before Calix, John spent 17 years at Salesforce leading customer success, where he watched the company grow from $250M to $30B in revenue. He began his career in consulting, including time at Accenture and Arthur Andersen, and describes himself as an accidental COO who treats the job like one long consulting project.

While successful entrepreneurs love to celebrate wins and share their lifestyle on social media, the failures and setbacks that come before the victories rarely ever see the spotlight online. The reality is that those difficult moments often contain the most valuable insights about leadership, investing, relationships, and life. And that's the goal for today's podcast.I'm thrilled to welcome my friend Cameron Herold back on the podcast. Cameron is the founder of COO Alliance, a world-renowned business growth coach, and the former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, where he helped scale the company from $2 million to over $100 million in revenue. In this conversation, Cameron pulls back the curtain on some of the biggest failures and challenges of his entrepreneurial journey. From nearly bankrupting 1-800-GOT-JUNK and suffering a nervous breakdown during the dot-com crash to losing friendships by being hyper-focused on business growth and nothing else, Cameron shares the lessons that transformed how he approaches business and life.We also discuss the dangers of taking yourself too seriously as a leader, why entrepreneurs need hobbies and interests outside of work, how to teach the next generation about investing, and the simple financial principles Cameron uses to build long-term wealth.In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ Why Cameron believes entrepreneurs need to share failures more openly and how some of his biggest mistakes became the foundation for future success.✅ What happened when Cameron's doctor told him he was clinically redlining with a 95% chance of a heart attack and the wake-up call that completely changed how he approaches work, health, and life. ✅ The realization that Cameron's entire identity was about work and how that insight reshaped the way he spends his time and measures true wealth today. Show Notes: LifestyleInvestor.com/300Tax Strategy MasterclassIf you're interested in learning more about Tax Strategy and how YOU can apply 28 of the best, most effective strategies right away, check out our BRAND NEW Tax Strategy Masterclass: www.lifestyleinvestor.com/taxStrategy Session For a limited time, my team is hosting free, personalized consultation calls to learn more about your goals and determine which of our courses or masterminds will get you to the next level. To book your free session, visit LifestyleInvestor.com/consultationThe Lifestyle Investor InsiderJoin The Lifestyle Investor Insider, our brand new AI - curated newsletter - FREE for all podcast listeners for a limited time: www.lifestyleinvestor.com/insiderRate & ReviewIf you enjoyed today's episode of The Lifestyle Investor, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device. You can also help by providing an honest rating & review.Connect with Justin DonaldFacebookYouTubeInstagramLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is a COO actually for, and why do so many CEOs never figure it out?In this solo episode, Cameron Herold tackles a question most CEOs never answer clearly: What is the point of a COO? Working through Chapter 2 of his book Second in Command, he makes the case that there is no single template. The right COO is the one who fits the CEO.Cameron breaks down the traits that set strong seconds-in-command apart. Inward versus outward-facing roles. Translating between departments without being the expert. Finding shortcuts and building systems, the worst employee on the worst day can still run. He shares hard-won lessons from his years as COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, including the blowup that spread bad energy through the company for a month.Get the fit wrong, and you get a swamped firefighter. Get it right, and you get real leverage. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:36] – Why there's no single template for a great COO, only fit[02:16] – Inward or outward facing: which COO does your CEO actually need[04:52] – The role a COO almost always plays, even when nobody sees them[06:05] – Why being a chameleon beats being the smartest expert in the room[08:29] – Empowerment over rescue: the parenting rule that reframes the job[10:36] – The department feud Cameron refereed without taking over the work[11:29] – The burned-out Starbucks sign that exposes a leadership question[13:07] – The currency bet that saved $100,000 a year for every penny[14:13] – The Buffalo snowstorm test for whether a system truly works[15:20] – Strategy or tactics: the Sun Tzu line every COO should sit with[19:07] – The blowup that spread bad energy through the company for a month[19:50] – Why the best COO might be 27, not 57Mentioned ResourcesFree PR by Cameron Herold and Adrian SalamunovicThe E-Myth by Michael GerberGood to Great by Jim CollinsThe Art of War by Sun TzuShopify (Harley Finkelstein, Tobias Lütke)1-800-GOT-JUNK and O2E Brands (Erik Church)Apple (Steve Jobs)Tesla (Elon Musk)Ben & Jerry's (Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield)Starbucks (Greg Johnson)Dell (Michael Dell)Meta (Facebook) (Sheryl Sandberg)Important LinksConnect with Cameron: Website | LinkedInClaim your FREE copy: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookExplore the COO Alliance - The World's Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron's book: Second in Command, Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via DelphiThe Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What if walking away from the CEO seat was the smartest career move you could make in AI right now?Cameron Herold sits down with Alex Triplett, COO of you.com, the company quietly powering web search for AI agents behind brands like Salesforce, Anthropic, and Harvey. Alex turned down the chance to be a CEO to take the second-in-command seat at a fast-moving AI startup, and he explains exactly why.They get into the operator work most leaders avoid: walking into a 135-person company, making a brutal focus call, and rebuilding the team around a single mission. Alex breaks down his first 90 days, the listening tour that validated his biggest decision, how he sells to enterprise without getting strung along, and the system that keeps him out of the minutiae.Skip this one, and you risk what most new executives do: the right idea at the wrong time, and broken trust. Listen now for the unfiltered COO playbook on focus and timing.Sponsored byGenius Network - An exclusive community for highly successful entrepreneurs, connecting you with top-tier leaders, strategic insights, and powerful relationships to help you grow your business faster and smarter.Learn more: https://www.geniusnetwork.com/Timestamped Highlights10:16 – “Google for AI agents,” explained: the invisible layer your favorite LLM cannot work without13:18 – You might be using you.com right now without knowing it. Here is where it hides in the AI stack15:08 – How to tell a real enterprise deal from a buyer who is just keeping you busy19:56 – The COO superpower hiding in plain sight, and why it gets you a seat at the C-suite table23:08 – Chief of staff or glorified executive assistant? The title too many companies get wrong25:24 – Three companies, one founder: how Richard runs you.com while raising $650M for a frontier lab33:34 – 135 people on day one: the focus call that cut the team to 110, then built it back stronger38:01 – One mission, one North Star, and the moment focus “just exploded” the company39:23 – The first 90 days that make or break a COO: the listening tour that validated everything47:23 – Why this COO leaves messages unread on purpose, and what it taught him about good decisions50:09 – The one-sentence piece of advice he would give his 22-year-old selfAbout the GuestAlex Triplett is the Chief Operating Officer of you.com, the leading web search API for AI agents, serving customers like Salesforce, Anthropic, and Harvey. An investor turned operator, Alex spent the first decade of his career in private equity before moving to the operating side. He served as Global Head of Corporate Development at ION Group, where he helped grow the business from $150 million to $3 billion in revenue, and later as CFO and COO of Appfire. He also chairs the board of the travel app Pangea and holds a degree from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.

Cameron Herold sold everything he owned and has visited 54 countries in 39 months. The biggest lesson he brought back? None of it really matters. We're all just walking each other home. Cameron is the operator who scaled 1-800-GOT-JUNK to $100 million, founded the COO Alliance, and wrote the book on Vivid Vision. In this episode, he sits down with me to talk about what actually moves the needle in business and in life. In this Get Yourself Optimized episode, Cameron breaks down: ✅ Vivid Vision: how a four- or five-page description of your future gets your whole team, and your whole life, aligned ✅ The flywheel: how obsessing over one or two things built a company people called a cult ✅ R&D, or rip-off and duplicate, and why you never have to be the smartest person in the room ✅ Why the only people who should fear AI are those not using it, and how to get your team playing with it weekly ✅ The stop-doing list, and why killing off half-finished projects can free up more energy than finishing them He also gets personal about refocusing on his marriage, raising two grounded sons, and becoming the chief energizing officer in every role of his life. Tune in! The show notes, including the transcript and checklist to this episode, are at getyourselfoptimized.com/567

What if the most misunderstood role in business is also the one deciding whether your company scales?In this solo episode, Cameron Herold, founder of the COO Alliance and author of Second in Command, tackles the question every growth-minded CEO eventually faces: what exactly is a COO? Drawing on Bennett and Miles' research and his own years as second in command at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, Cameron explains why no two COOs on the planet have the same job, and why the search for a great one starts with the CEO's own strengths and gaps.He walks through the seven types of COO: Executor, Change Agent, Mentor, Other Half, Partner, Heir Apparent, and MVP, with stories from Shopify, Oracle, Dell, and Facebook, plus the common roles a COO plays as adult in the room, integrator, and moderator.Get this hire wrong, and the person meant to fix the chaos only adds to it. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The question-asking habit that separates growing companies from stuck ones[00:52] – Why most CMOs are interchangeable, but no two COOs share the same job[01:40] – The only non-negotiable requirement for any COO[02:31] – The research that uncovered the seven main categories of COO[04:30] – When a change agent should come from outside the company[05:34] – Why changing a company's culture is like dealing with teenagers[07:30] – The mentor move that shaped Facebook's earliest years[08:30] – The marriage test every CEO-COO pairing has to pass[13:18] – The leadership meeting comment that earned Cameron the COO title[18:57] – The homeowner and contractor rule for splitting the what from the how[23:20] – Why the CEO, not the COO, should be the tiebreakerMentioned ResourcesRiding Shotgun: The Role of the COO by Nate Bennett and Stephen A. MilesSecond in Command: The Misunderstood Role of the Chief Operating Officer by Nate Bennett and Stephen A. Miles (Harvard Business Review)Double Double by Cameron HeroldHigh Growth Handbook by Elad GilRocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. WintersTraction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino WickmanImportant LinksConnect with Cameron: Website | LinkedInExplore the COO Alliance - The World's Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron's book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookClaim your FREE* copy: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi*Valid only for CEOs or COO/Second in Command based in the US or Canada at companies wih $2M + revenue.The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What does it take to keep a brilliant, unpredictable founder from burning down the very thing he built?In this episode, Cameron Herold sits down with Dr. Jeff McNairy, Chief Medical Officer and second in command at Rythmia, the only medically licensed ayahuasca facility in the world. Jeff gave up his psychology license to help build something the medical world said could not exist.He and founder Jerry Powell turned a jungle dive into a 245-person operation that has guided roughly 23,000 guests through a seven-day program. Jeff gets into the two-year fight for a medical license, the indigenous partnership, and the daily work of bridging a medical team with a shamanic one.Most of all, he explains the real job of a second-in-command to a wild founder: not running the strategy, but keeping the person steady enough to keep the company alive. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:07:09] – What Rythmia actually is, and why it calls itself the only one of its kind in the world.[00:08:31] – How many guests have come through the doors, and what the week demands of you before you ever arrive.[00:10:36] – The medical reason a single “healthy” supplement can turn dangerous with ayahuasca.[00:12:42] – Where ayahuasca comes from, and the two plants that have to be combined to make it work.[00:13:56] – The three moments in life your body floods with DMT all on its own.[00:17:02] – How a rehab patient ended up becoming the founder of a company.[00:19:14] – The flaw Jeff kept seeing in Western medicine that sent him looking for something else.[00:21:10] – The addiction that nearly ended Jerry Powell before Rythmia ever existed.[00:24:37] – The decision to build something safer and cleaner than what they first found.[00:31:18] – The license Jeff knew he would have to surrender to go all in.[00:33:44] – How he convinced a conservative government to allow this on the books.[00:36:14] – The hunt for an indigenous lineage still living in the mountains.[00:40:53] – The hardest balancing act in running Rythmia today.[00:43:51] – Why the body absorbs stem cells differently after a week of ceremony.[00:44:37] – The community Jeff and Jerry are building beyond the resort walls.[00:47:37] – How to lead a visionary founder without choking the dragon.[00:51:52] – The advice Jeff would give his 21-year-old self.About the GuestDr. Jeff McNairy is a doctorate-level psychologist (Psy.D., M.P.H.) and the Chief Medical Officer and second-in-command at Rythmia, the only medically licensed ayahuasca facility in the world, located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. He spent decades in clinical care, from training at UCLA Medical Center to running a drug and alcohol rehab in Malibu, before co-building Rythmia with founder Jerry Powell. Jeff led the two-year effort to secure Rythmia's medical license with the Costa Rican Ministry of Health and now oversees its medical team of doctors, nurses, and a paramedic alongside the center's shamanic team, guiding the safety and clinical side of a program that has served guests from all over the world.

What if the parts of building a $100 million company nobody posts about are the ones you most need to hear?In this recast episode, Cameron Herold drops the highlight reel and tells the truth about scaling. The near-bankruptcy at $100 million. The $9 million fraud. The nervous breakdown on an elevator floor. The stuff entrepreneurs never post about until years later, if ever.Cameron walks through the crises that actually shaped him, why cash is oxygen, why he stopped chasing balance, and how losing his identity to a logo nearly cost him his health, his marriage, and his closest friendships.It is raw, funny, and uncomfortably honest, and it is the conversation most founders are too scared to have. Revisit it or hear it for the first time. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:01:02] The crises Cameron lived through in 40 years of building companies, and why he never talks about them[00:04:06] The pizza-and-beer night that flipped 12 employees from jealous to terrified[00:05:32] How $5 million in cash drained to zero in nine weeks at 1-800-GOT-JUNK[00:07:15] The bank meeting that exposed how little they understood their own business[00:11:53] A $9 million fraud hidden inside a company everyone loved working for[00:17:00] The elevator floor, the sobbing, and the breakdown nobody saw coming[00:18:26] The doctor's test that put Cameron at a 90%-plus heart attack risk[00:20:51] The podcast invite that turned into an elaborate account takeover[00:27:24] The four words from an employee that changed how Cameron lived[00:30:46] The 17-hour-day math behind the biggest lie Cameron told himself[00:36:12] Why 60% and 57.6% are not the same thing, and what it quietly costs you[00:39:42] The grapefruit at breakfast that signaled Cameron was about to be fired[00:46:27] What a rich life actually looks like to Cameron now[01:11:00] The vacation rule Cameron will fire an employee for ignoringMentioned ResourcesDouble Double by Cameron HeroldVivid Vision by Cameron HeroldWho Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin HardyThe Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin HardyWTF?! (Willing to Fail) by Brian ScudamoreThe Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)Dan Pink's TED talk on the science of motivationImportant LinksConnect with Cameron. Website and LinkedInExplore the COO Alliance - The World's Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron's book: Second in Command, Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via DelphiThe Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What would you risk to build something that's never been done, like beaming energy from orbit or launching football-field-sized data centers into space?In this raw conversation, Cameron Herold sits down with Joe Yaffe, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer of Cowboy Space Corporation. They dig into the grit, tension, and daily chaos of scaling a $2 billion startup that's disrupting the commercial space sector. Joe shares his path from buttoned-down law firm partner to space industry executive, revealing the secret levers behind talent acquisition, relentless execution, and leadership in a market obsessed with moonshots.Skip this episode and you may miss the playbook for outpacing ten times bigger rivals. Listen now for a rare, inside-out look at operational leadership under real pressure. This is not the usual founder hype.This episode is brought to you by our Silver Sponsor, Next Level Growth.They help COOs and leadership teams build Elite Organizations through a proven, customizable framework built around the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.If you and your leadership team are ready to operate at the next level, take the Elite Organizations Assessment and receive a free 20-page customized report based on your answers, plus a complimentary one-hour coaching session with a Next Level Growth Partner and Business Guide to begin implementing tools that will help you build an even more elite business.Complete the assessment here to get started - nextlevelgrowth.com/cooassessmentTimestamped Highlights00:47 – Why Cowboy Space Corporation had to kill its first name04:51 – The phone call that forced a total company rebrand08:44 – Turning sci-fi into reality with orbital energy grids13:04 – Football-field-sized data centers…the inside story18:27 – How a lawyer actually becomes a high-performing COO20:59 – Why top-tier talent flocks to Cowboy despite fierce competition27:58 – The unspoken rules for hiring (and keeping) world-class engineers34:40 – The real cost of prioritizing in chaos as a second-in-command49:17 – The advice Joe Yaffe would give his 21-year-old selfAbout the GuestJoe Yaffe is the COO & CLO of Cowboy Space Corporation, a $2B commercial space startup building orbital energy grids and advanced data centers. Previously, Joe spent 31 years as an M&A and founders' counsel at top law firms, advising Silicon Valley's elite. Now he's translating legal precision into operational strategy at one of the West Coast's boldest tech companies.

Are you really wired to scale, or just bracing for endless chaos?Cameron Herold, the relentless "Business Growth Guru," rips open the playbook on what actually drives proven, sustainable hypergrowth in today's world. With stories from building global brands like 1-800-GOT-JUNK and years in the trenches with top COOs, Cameron refuses to let leaders settle for mediocrity. He dives brutally deep into the operational and psychological traps choking your ambitions, then hands you a clear, actionable path out.Miss this episode, and you risk falling behind a tidal wave of companies finally nailing what you keep saying is “impossible.” Listen now if you're done with excuses and ready for the real, unfiltered edge on systems, talent, and culture. Nobody else is mapping the way out of the chaos like this.Timestamped Highlights00:59 – The poll that instantly exposes entrepreneurial wiring03:14 – The $100M leap: inside systems that really scale09:04 – The Vivid Vision rewiring that most leaders get wrong17:12 – Why your vision should repel, not just attract22:01 – The underused firing muscle that speeds up growth25:57 – The “A Player” myth that's costing you millions39:01 – Brutal truth: why you're investing all your energy in the wrong people51:01 – Delegation, coaching, AI… why you won't survive unless you develop these nowMentioned ResourcesCollege Pro PaintersBoyd Autobody & GlassEOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)“Good to Great” by Jim Collins The Secret (movie)Simon Sinek (Start With Why)Important LinksConnect with Cameron: Website | LinkedInExplore the COO Alliance - The World's Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron's book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via DelphiThe Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@mreapodcastToday, we are joined by Cameron Herold, a serial entrepreneur, coach, speaker, and author who knows how to grow a business with speed and purpose. Cameron helped take 1-800-GOT-JUNK? from $2 million to $106 million in revenue, and he has spent decades helping leaders build companies that can grow without chaos.In this episode, Cameron teaches us how to create a vivid vision, a clear three-year picture of what your business looks like, acts like, and feels like. This isn't a list of goals. It's not the plan. It's the picture that helps your team see what you see, so they can help you build it.We also dig into the real power of masterminds, why entrepreneurs need people outside their own industry, and how to show up with purpose at every event. Then Cameron gives us his success formula: focus x faith x effort. When one of those drops, your odds of success fall fast.If we want a bigger business, a better life, and a clearer path forward, this episode gives you the model. Write the vision. Share it. Protect your focus. Build your faith. Bring the effort. Then go make it real.Resources:Visit Cameron Herold's website: CameronHerold.com Read Vivid Vision by Cameron HeroldOrder the Millionaire Real Estate Agent Playbook | Volume 3Connect with Jason:LinkedinProduced by NOVAThis podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not  Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.WARNING! You must comply with the TCPA and any other federal, state or local laws, including for B2B calls and texts. Never call or text a number on any Do Not Call list, and do not use an autodialer or artificial voice or prerecorded messages without proper consent. Contact your attorney to ensure your compliance.

How do you actually scale without losing yourself or your team in the chaos?In this conversation, Sivana Brewer sits down with Mara Castro, COO at Twentyeight Health and former Warby Parker trailblazer, to dissect what it takes to build, lead, and sustain high-performing teams in brutally demanding, mission-driven environments. Expect raw takes on leadership, the dangerous myth of “just do more,” and what it really means to earn trust as a COO.If you've ever wondered why some leaders quietly burn out while others keep their team charging ahead, you cannot afford to miss this episode. Hear exclusive, battle-tested insights you won't find in any COO playbook. Don't settle for “what everyone does” and listen now before these lessons become your competitors' next unfair advantage.Sponsored byGenius Network - An exclusive community for highly successful entrepreneurs, connecting you with top-tier leaders, strategic insights, and powerful relationships to help you grow your business faster and smarter.Learn more: https://www.geniusnetwork.com/Timestamped Highlights00:22 – The unexpected journey from nonprofit roots to COO02:37 – Why a career break fueled a powerhouse comeback05:34 – The untold value of prior relationships for landing big roles09:14 – Networking for introverts: How authentic connections really win10:15 – The counterintuitive 90-day blueprint every new COO must follow13:06 – The art of KPI clarity and not getting sucked into the weeds17:50 – The hidden trap of too much complexity in health tech33:23 – Why guiding, not micromanaging, unlocks leadership at scale39:30 – The radical power of raising the white flag earlyAbout the GuestMara Castro is the COO at Twentyeight Health, where she leads product, engineering, clinical operations, and pharmacy for a fast-scaling women's telehealth platform. Previously, the first employee at Warby Parker, she helped build and scale one of the most celebrated brands in DTC history, before driving expansion at Evolve in hospitality tech. Her results-driven, human-focused approach makes her a standout leader in growth and transformation.

Today, Cameron Herold (Founder of COO Alliance) is back on the podcast to talk about one of the biggest reasons companies stop scaling: bad hiring. We get into why impressive resumes can be misleading, how to tell if someone has actually done the work, and the hiring mistakes that quietly cost companies years of progress. Cameron also breaks down why most entrepreneurs are never properly trained to interview, how he thinks about screening for culture, and what founders miss when they rely too heavily on resumes, references, and gut feel. We also talk about the side of entrepreneurship people rarely admit in real time: burnout, loneliness, identity, alcohol, retirement, and what happens when the business stops giving you the same hit it used to.   Watch on YouTube:      Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

Cameron Herold is the mastermind behind the exponential growth of hundreds of companies globally. Founder of the COO Alliance, and Invest In Your Leaders training. Known as the "CEO Whisperer", and former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, where he helped grow the company from $2 million to $106 million in revenue within six years.     Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show - Become an Ultra-Performer. Now 3X week M / W / F   Are you an Entrepreneur, Founder, or CEO? Revenues $250K to $5M? Sign up for your Breakout Session...get custom steps to build a fast-growing, highly profitable business that makes an impact.     BREAKOUT SESSION - Book it Now     Join Host JV Crum III, with 2 exits and over 75M revenues in his companies, he is the Ultra-Performer Advisor for Founders, Entrepreneurs and CEOs ready to achieve at your the top 1%.     SUBSCRIBE to Conscious Millionaire Show     Season 12 of the award-winning Conscious Millionaire Show. The World's #1 Ultra-Performance podcast. Millions of Listeners. 190 countries -- Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts" with 12 seasons and 3,200+ episodes.

Cameron Herold is the mastermind behind the exponential growth of hundreds of companies globally. Founder of the COO Alliance, and Invest In Your Leaders training. Known as the "CEO Whisperer", and former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, where he helped grow the company from $2 million to $106 million in revenue within six years.     Welcome to the Conscious Millionaire Show - Become an Ultra-Performer. Now 3X week M / W / F   Are you an Entrepreneur, Founder, or CEO? Revenues $250K to $5M? Sign up for your Breakout Session...get custom steps to build a fast-growing, highly profitable business that makes an impact.     BREAKOUT SESSION - Book it Now     Join Host JV Crum III, with 2 exits and over 75M revenues in his companies, he is the Ultra-Performer Advisor for Founders, Entrepreneurs and CEOs ready to achieve at your the top 1%.     SUBSCRIBE to Conscious Millionaire Show     Season 12 of the award-winning Conscious Millionaire Show. The World's #1 Ultra-Performance podcast. Millions of Listeners. 190 countries -- Inc Magazine "Top 13 Business Podcasts" with 12 seasons and 3,200+ episodes.

What does it truly take to lead five powerhouse brands… and keep every single customer and franchisee loyal? In this candid conversation, Ankin Laysha, COO of Wellbiz Brands, reveals what most COOs miss about operational scale, brand integrity, and building elite franchise teams that actually deliver.If you think brand consistency is just a checklist and that operations is paperwork, think again. From the brutal realities of breaking into the executive suite as a female leader to the battle of standardization versus brand magic, Ankin cuts through the noise on what works now.Tune in or miss the proven moves that keep 700+ franchises competitive. If you want to avoid getting left behind and hear the realities other execs won't share, this episode is your advanced playbook. Listen today and don't settle for surface-level leadership.Timestamped Highlights00:58 – Why female leadership is finally taking over the executive suite03:01 – The unexpected advantage of running five brands at once06:23 – The overlooked tools behind flawless brand consistency09:53 – Brutal truth: franchisee complaints vs. customer reality13:59 – The hard lesson on platform thinking and brand magic17:00 – The moment in-the-field leadership unlocked real innovation20:36 – What working front desk taught her about operational blind spots30:10 – How surprise and delight moments quietly crush the competition40:08 – The fast-track strategy for building trust with frontline teams53:04 – AI's real role in service businesses (and where human connection wins)About the GuestAnkin Laysha is the Chief Operating Officer of Wellbiz Brands, overseeing 700+ franchise locations across Drybar, Elements Massage, Amazing Lash Studio, Radiant Waxing, and Fitness Together. With a track record in multi-unit retail, franchise scale, and innovation, Ankin is recognized for operational rigor, brand growth, and building high-performance executive teams.

Ever felt the raw pressure of holding a company's fate and the founder's trust in your hands?Lindsay Smith drills into the no-filter reality of the “second in command” role, sitting down with Aaron Getty, President of Joe Taylor Restoration. This is not your average COO conversation.Aaron Getty lifts the curtain on his wild ride from sales rep to running every part of a rapidly scaling restoration business. He exposes the brutally honest partnership between visionary founders and operators, the loneliness most COOs quietly endure, and why clear vision beats perfection every day. You'll hear why most leadership “rules” are outdated, how to nurture real growth (not just bigger headcount), and what separates those who thrive from those who buckle under pressure.Listen now, or risk missing the exact frameworks and mindsets that separate average executives from legends. This is an insider's playbook you won't hear anywhere else and the shifts revealed here will shape your next leadership move.Timestamped Highlights00:00 – The vivid vision move that erased all guesswork overnight03:06 – Thriving with a founder who never stops—how to lead without being the brakes06:19 – The “loneliest seat” in the company and the hidden weights of the COO08:51 – How Aaron built an unstoppable leadership team from scratch12:47 – The slow, relentless sales approach that future-proofs your business15:01 – When leaders outgrow their teams: What happens next19:21 – The one training that finally unified frontline and executive growth30:06 – The vivid vision launch party and what it did for company velocity33:57 – Letting go: Why Aaron wants less decision-making power, not moreAbout the GuestAaron Getty is President of Joe Taylor Restoration, a powerhouse in Florida's emergency mitigation industry. With over a decade earned in the trenches, he's scaled the company from a seven-person shop to a 100+ member, seven-location force—setting a new standard for operational leadership in the high-stakes restoration sector.

What if your next big business breakthrough started with owning your own blind spots?This Fan Favorite episode throws you in the trenches with Cameron Herold and SaaS Academy's former COO and current CEO Matt Verlachi, as they go far beyond surface-level business banter. From surviving firefighting chaos to building, selling, and now scaling SaaS Academy, Matt Verlachi exposes the real skills that make or break Second in Commands. They unpack why customer obsession cures more growth headaches than any software, how to weaponize one-on-ones for radical team development, and what most COOs get dead wrong about CEO dynamics.Miss this? You risk coasting on old habits while others engineer unfair advantages. Listen now for hard-won tactics you won't find in any business course from the world's largest SaaS coaching engine. Timestamped Highlights00:45 – The firefighting mindset that built decisive business instincts05:56 – The overlooked power of “small unit” teams to unlock real growth09:44 – Are you a COO trapped in a CEO's title? The unexpected identity test13:43 – Brutal truths about customer obsession and why most leaders fail here16:18 – The lesson no founder learns soon enough when selling their company18:22 – The surprising reason joining SaaS Academy changed his life21:31 – The founder's hidden block: How self-worth destroys pricing27:31 – The counterintuitive leadership split that 10x'd their decision speed41:07 – How his “full-person” one-on-ones rip open performance breakthroughs About the GuestMatt Verlaque was the former COO of SaaS Academy (now Precision), steering operational strategy for the largest coaching platform serving B2B SaaS entrepreneurs. With first-hand experience ranging from firefighting to founding and selling a SaaS startup, he delivers operating wisdom forged under real pressure. He is currently serving as the CEO at Precision, where they help growth-minded founders understand how their business actually works so they can scale with clarity, not chaos.

There's a version of success that looks great on a highlight reel and completely hollows you out from the inside. I've seen it. I've felt it. And in this episode, I sat down with a man who lived it hard, nearly paid for it with his life, and came out the other side with a completely different playbook. In this episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I get to rock the mic with Cameron Herold, one of the most legendary operators in the entrepreneurial world. Cameron is the founder of the COO Alliance and the man known globally as the CEO Whisperer. He's the former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, where he helped engineer the company's growth from 2 million dollars to 106 million dollars in revenue in just six years. He's a six-time bestselling author, an international speaker, and a guy who's been to 80 countries across all seven continents with his wife, living out their bucket list in real time. Cameron is the real deal, and this conversation goes deep. If you're a CEO, founder, or entrepreneur who's ever felt like you're the bottleneck in your own business, this episode is for you. If you've been grinding yourself into the ground and wondering why the life you're building doesn't feel as good as it looks from the outside, this one's for you too. Cameron doesn't sugarcoat a thing. He shares his burnout story with raw honesty, walks through the systems that have helped hundreds of companies scale with soul, and drops frameworks that you can use right now to grow your people, protect your time, and build a company that actually supports the life you want. One of the biggest things Cameron and I dig into is the COO relationship and why getting it wrong can absolutely derail your company. He breaks it down like a marriage. You have to understand yourself first, know what you're great at, know what drains you, and then find someone who fills in the gaps without trying to compete with your strengths. The COO is meant to be the brakes to your gas, not the parking brake. They're the leash on the dragon, not the choke chain. And finding that person starts with clarity about who you are and what you're actually building. That leads directly into Cameron's concept called the Vivid Vision, and this one is a game changer. Most entrepreneurs think they have a vision. Cameron would tell you most of them have a sentence, not a vision. A true Vivid Vision is a four or five page document that describes every area of your company, your culture, your team, your sales, your operations, as if it's already come true three years from now. It's not about the how. It's about painting the picture so clearly that your entire leadership team can reverse engineer the path to get there. Think of it like building a home. You know what you want it to look like. You describe it in enough detail. The right people build it for you. Cameron also goes hard on why most companies are starving their people of real leadership training, and what that actually costs you. Not conference trips. Not SOPs. Real skills. Interviewing, hiring, running meetings, managing conflict, coaching your team, goal setting. These are the core executive skills that almost nobody ever gets formally trained in, and it's why so many smart people in business are struggling with things that should be simple. As Cameron puts it, business is really easy if you have the core skills to get results through people. If you don't, it's a grind that never ends. And then there's the stuff that got personal. Cameron was 35 years old when his body and mind were clinically redlining. He was drinking daily, smoking, carrying extra weight, buried under a crushing amount of life stress, and he had no idea how bad it was until a doctor put a number on it. He scored 435 points on a stress assessment where 250 meant a 95 percent chance of a heart attack. He was written up in the Wall Street Journal as one of four entrepreneurs whose careers flamed out from burnout. He walked out the other side of that with a hard reset, no alcohol for three years now, daily weigh-ins, consistent movement, and a bucket list lifestyle that he and his wife have been living for five years straight. The lesson? The lie of just catching up this weekend is not about catching up. It's about avoiding your life. If you're ready to build a real second in command, stop running terrible meetings, train your people like you mean it, and finally step into the freedom you actually started this thing for, go listen to the full episode right now at https://caryjack.com/podcastin/. What does Happy Hustlin' mean to you? Laughing and having a good time and sharing information, not taking ourselves so seriously. Connect with Cameronhttps://www.facebook.com/cameronherold/https://www.instagram.com/cameron_herold_cooalliancehttps://www.youtube.com/@CameronHerold/videoshttps://x.com/CameronHeroldhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronherold/ Find Cameron on this website: https://cameronherold.com/ Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featured Get a copy of his new book, https://www.thehappyhustle.com/book Sign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Course @ https://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/ Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventure @ https://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/ “It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!” Episode Sponsors: If you're feeling stressed, not sleeping great, or your energy's been kinda meh lately—let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer for me: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers. This ain't your average magnesium—it's got all 7 essential forms that your body needs to chill out, sleep deeper, and feel more balanced. I take it every night and legit notice the difference the next day. No more waking up groggy or tossing and turning all night If you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at https://www.bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF. =================================================================== My Green Mattress If you've been waking up with back pain, feeling stiff, or just not getting that deep, quality sleep. This might be what you're missing: My Green Mattress. It's made with clean, non-toxic, and eco-friendly materials, so you're not just sleeping better, you're sleeping healthier too. The comfort and support are on another level, and you can really feel the difference night after night. If you're ready to invest in better sleep and better recovery, check it out at https://thehappyhustle.com/mygreenmattress =================================================================== Ozlo Sleep If you've been struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just wake up feeling actually rested, let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer: Ozlo Sleep. These aren't your typical sleep buds. They're designed to block out noise and help your brain fully relax, so you can drift off faster and stay in deep, uninterrupted sleep. Perfect if you're a light sleeper or just want that next-level rest. If you're ready to upgrade your sleep and wake up feeling recharged, check out https://ozlosleep.com and save $80 OFF using code HAPPY.

What happens when you try to build a global movement teaching people how to breathe in an industry exploding with competition? Gary Torrens, co-founder and Second in Command at Soma Breath, sits down with Cameron Herold to reveal what most operators never say out loud. This conversation punches into operational realities: remote chaos, hiring struggles, visionary partner dynamics, and the brutal truth about what actually works when building a scalable certification business.Breathwork is everywhere, but Soma Breath's story is different. You'll hear how they went from wild psilocybin-fueled vision quests in Thailand to leading thousands of facilitators and facing the tough tradeoffs of pricing, growth, and culture. If you want to understand the Second in Command power dynamic and see the inside of a company growing faster than most can handle, this episode is your shortcut.Listen now or risk missing the real-world roadmap and the costly mistakes that separate scalable movements from also-rans. Only here: Gary's unfiltered answers and their playbook for the next stage.This episode is brought to you by our Silver Sponsor, Next Level Growth.They help COOs and leadership teams build Elite Organizations through a proven, customizable framework built around the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.If you and your leadership team are ready to operate at the next level, take the Elite Organizations Assessment and receive a free 20-page customized report based on your answers, plus a complimentary one-hour coaching session with a Next Level Growth Partner and Business Guide to begin implementing tools that will help you build an even more elite business.Complete the assessment here to get started - nextlevelgrowth.com/cooassessmentTimestamped Highlights06:53 – The unexpected business model nobody saw coming10:14 – Ancient breathing meets modern science: the strategy that sparked a movement13:10 – Why they priced the membership low—and the hidden risks17:16 – Remote chaos: problems they never saw coming with a global team22:10 – The controversial move to focus on city-based expansion24:19 – The real marketing mess they had to fix after explosive growth27:08 – The truth behind their biggest revenue engine34:07 – Gary's brutal leadership lesson that changed everythingAbout the GuestGary Torrens is co-founder and COO of Soma Breath. He helped turn a visionary idea blending ancient breathwork, modern science, and music into a global certification platform with 4,000+ facilitators. With a background in physics, finance, and digital marketing, Gary is known for building systems that scale impact, not just revenue.

What if everything you know about starting and scaling a bank is wrong?In this Fan Favorite episode, Cameron Herold uncovers the real story behind WIO Bank with former COO Jamal Al Awadhi, a leader fueling the UAE's platform banking revolution. From Abu Dhabi's government-driven vision to the ferocious war for top talent, Jamal lays out how to break tradition, lead through chaos, and unlock transformative team culture.If you skip this episode, you'll miss out on first-hand insights into word-of-mouth-driven growth, the secret sauce for hiring resilient operators, and the unfiltered truth about working with sovereign wealth funds. Listen now to tap hard-won lessons you won't find anywhere else. Your next strategic leap could depend on it.Timestamped Highlights01:13 – The immigrant mindset shaping global leadership grit06:04 – The real reason WIO Bank launched in the UAE—exposed09:09 – Unpacking painful problems traditional banking ignored14:00 – Did regulations crush or catalyze digital banking?15:42 – Competing with legacy players: a blunt take on building trust18:04 – Why word-of-mouth blew up WIO's customer growth overnight26:57 – The resilience litmus test: how to hire for hypergrowth chaos37:02 – Inside the CEO-COO dynamic that keeps a rocketship on track43:36 – Game-changing leadership lessons that rewired Jamal's styleAbout the GuestJamal Al Awadhi was the Chief Operating Officer of WIO Bank, Abu Dhabi's breakout digital platform bank. With over a decade in marketing, strategy, and operations across industries, Jamal blends international perspective with deep regional expertise to drive game-changing innovation and hypergrowth at one of the UAE's fastest-scaling financial disruptors. Currently, he is the CEO of Al Hilal Bank.

Are you secretly running on empty, wondering if burnout is targeting you next?In this episode, Alen Voskanian, COO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Network and author, pulls back the curtain on the raw realities beneath operations leadership. From the constant grind of clinical environments to the personal toll of endless firefighting, Voskanian exposes why burnout hits high performers hardest and how ignoring your creative side can quietly sabotage your impact. This isn't just about wellness platitudes. It's a real-world look at chasing fulfillment, designing systems that beat chaos, and the unexpected arts that make leaders resilient.If you're a COO (or run with one), you can't afford to miss these insights. The game has changed. Listen now or risk staying stuck in cycles that will bury both your team and your spirit. This is the side of leadership nobody else is showing you.Sponsored byGenius Network - An exclusive community for highly successful entrepreneurs, connecting you with top-tier leaders, strategic insights, and powerful relationships to help you grow your business faster and smarter.Learn more: https://www.geniusnetwork.com/Timestamped Highlights00:25 – The real reason burnout is rampant among COOs and physicians04:12 – The under-the-radar roles that secretly prepared him for operations07:29 – Three unconventional ways to master leadership fast12:18 – Why stand-up comedy became his secret tool for resilience15:57 – The hidden danger in neglecting your creative life as a leader19:53 – Brutal realities of burnout nobody is willing to admit29:55 – How lean principles are quietly transforming healthcare operations39:09 – What people on their deathbeds taught him about fulfillment and regretAbout the GuestAlen Voskanian, MD, MBA, is the Vice President and COO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. A board-certified physician in Family Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Medicine, he's also an author and sought-after keynote speaker. Alen is known for transforming healthcare to improve access and quality. He holds degrees from UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and an MBA from Indiana University. He's a former innovation advisor for CMS, a Cunniff-Dixon/Hastings Center Physician Award winner, and a Health Innovators Fellow with the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

What do you risk when you run a mission-driven campaign that breaks every rule in politics? Amaryllis Kennedy isn't just directing the KENNEDY24 presidential campaign. She's rewriting the playbook on grassroots leadership, digital disruption, and brutal operational honesty.In this Fan Favorite unfiltered episode, Cameron Herold dives deep with Amaryllis on the real strategies behind building a nimble, values-first organization in the most polarized landscape imaginable. She reveals the raw tension of building trust, keeping chaos at bay, and rescuing authenticity from a world addicted to power and performance. Hard-won lessons from Silicon Valley and the CIA collide with everyday realities of parenting, digital activism, and fighting the system from the inside.If you miss this conversation, you miss the forbidden playbook on what leadership really looks like when the stakes are generational. Listen now for a front-row seat on strategy you won't get anywhere else and discover why the real power lies in what you're willing to disrupt.Timestamped Highlights00:44 – The counterintuitive campaign strategy that energizes a disillusioned public05:17 – Why young people are secretly shaping America's future08:05 – How breaking political storytelling rules actually breaks through13:04 – The brutal inside story behind government overreach19:47 – A behind-the-scenes look into a campaign where careers are truly on the line24:00 – The ballot access chaos that forces real innovation30:31 – Why authenticity beats perfection in a runaway grassroots movement35:32 – Democratizing campaign fundraising with bold gamified tactics47:44 – The sacred job of protecting your leader so they can really listen59:35 – The surprising benefit of Sabbath-style strategy in hypergrowthAbout the GuestAmaryllis Fox Kennedy is a former CIA intelligence officer, author, and advocate focused on diplomacy, conflict resolution, and public policy. She is the bestselling author of Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA and host of Netflix's The Business of Drugs. She also served as a senior advisor and campaign surrogate during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 presidential campaign. She currently serves as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Policy and Capabilities.

What does it really take to sit in the second seat and do it with drive, grace, and guts? In this episode, Lindsay uncovers the journey and mindset of Stanton Hill, the Chief Financial and Operating Officer for the National Society of Black Engineers. From his unexpected path into leadership to the high-stakes pivots required during a crisis, Stanton Hill reveals the nuts and bolts (and the emotional work) of steering a student-governed organization with 25,000+ members.If you're wrestling with hybrid teams, retention headaches, or scaling real culture, this is your masterclass. Avoid missing real-world tactics on delegation, resilience, and helping people thrive even when the world flips upside down. Listen now for the brutal, refreshing clarity on what it takes to lead from the number two seat while building a legacy that outlasts your title.Timestamped Highlights00:40 – The real reason student governance keeps NSBE thriving02:22 – The moment a father invests for life in his son's future06:04 – How a COO earns trust and evolves during big leadership shifts10:06 – Brutal revenue risks when in-person events collapse overnight13:02 – The hidden reality behind hybrid events few executives know16:12 – Career fair hacks that build total confidence in seconds17:20 – The overlooked muscle every COO needs: leading with empathy29:07 – The ruthless approach to blocking out overwhelm, not just emails40:12 – How personal adversity can forge leaders who never flinchAbout the GuestStanton Hill brings two decades of experience in financial strategy and nonprofit operations. Prior to joining NSBE, he held several roles at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where he managed multimillion-dollar operating budgets, streamlined financial processes, and led grant management initiatives totaling over $30 million. He began his career with a focus on business analytics and process optimization and has since advanced through NSBE's leadership ranks: from Director of Finance and Accounting to Chief Financial Officer, and now Chief Financial & Operating Officer. Stanton Hill earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Morehouse College and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and High Technology from Northeastern University. He resides in Georgia with his wife Adrienne and their sons Davis and Carter.

What if cutting half your team could be the secret to explosive growth?In this Fan Favorite episode, Cameron Herold sits down with Benjamin Surman, COO of Somewhere (formerly Support Shepherd), a company that rocketed from $1M to $25M and is still hungry for more. The conversation tackles the real-world, often-unspoken operational questions: When do you fire instead of hire? Where's the hidden margin in automation? Why are so many leaders clinging to headcount when systems could do the job faster, cheaper, and with less chaos?If you're addicted to the idea that bigger is always better, this episode will shake your assumptions. Miss it and risk drowning in legacy thinking while your competitors eat your lunch. Listen now for the strategic edge you won't hear anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights00:48 – The real reason behind a bold global rebrand02:29 – How one contractor quietly took the reins as COO08:54 – Why bootstrapping (not VC money) set the right culture11:00 – The micro-influencer lever that brings 4,000 referral partners13:25 – What no one tells you about hiring in Latin America17:41 – The $3M decision: Slashing 120 employees with zero regrets20:13 – Behind the curtain of an automated sales pipeline25:37 – The COO playbook for uncovering invisible inefficienciesAbout the GuestBenjamin Surman is the Chief Operating Officer of Somewhere, a hyper-growth headhunting agency revolutionizing global talent acquisition. With a relentless focus on automation and operational excellence, Benjamin Surman has scaled the business from $1M to over $25M in just three years.

What happens when a regulated fintech meets the wild swings of crypto and then gets acquired by a Web3 giant?In this no-fluff conversation, Cameron Herold sits face-to-face with Sung Choi, COO of CoinMe, just months after their high-stakes Polygon Labs acquisition. They get blunt about what it really takes to survive in crypto, how to lead through M&A chaos without losing your best people, and why AI is rapidly rewriting the rules of operational excellence.If you want to hear war stories and hard-earned lessons from the frontlines of scaling a volatile, regulated business, this is your episode. Don't risk missing the sharpest insights on leadership, remote culture, and how to stay relevant through uncertainty. Listen now for playbook-level takeaways you won't get anywhere else.This episode is brought to you by our Silver Sponsor, Next Level Growth.They help COOs and leadership teams build Elite Organizations through a proven, customizable framework built around the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.If you and your leadership team are ready to operate at the next level, take the Elite Organizations Assessment and receive a free 20-page customized report based on your answers, plus a complimentary one-hour coaching session with a Next Level Growth Partner and Business Guide to begin implementing tools that will help you build an even more elite business.Complete the assessment here to get started - nextlevelgrowth.com/cooassessmentTimestamped Highlights00:06 – The brutal reality of CoinMe's early hardware dreams11:10 – Why powering partners crushed owning infrastructure13:04 – “M&A is like polyamorous dating” and what nobody tells you17:14 – The tension of disclosure and keeping employees sane22:25 – A surprising pivot: from bitcoin hype to stablecoin utility26:29 – The regrets and rewards of abandoning office life30:26 – How “work from anywhere” delivers hidden productivity34:01 – Why AI is now their secret operating system44:23 – The one leadership skill every modern COO must masterAbout the GuestSung Choi is the Chief Operating Officer at CoinMe, a leading regulated platform for stablecoin and crypto payments. With full-stack experience in scaling teams and driving innovation, he steered CoinMe through its pivotal acquisition by Polygon Labs. Sung Choi is recognized for blending real-world grit with bleeding-edge tech in fintech.

What if the best leaders are the least visible? In this episode, José Mejia pulls back the curtain on how a Venezuelan teen with just $120 became a transformational COO, unpacking what it really means to be the “Merlin” behind the CEO. This intimate conversation unlocks how true leaders create common ground, give permission to execute, and wield vulnerability as a superpower, especially in high-stakes, purpose-driven companies like Rapid SOS.If you think AI will automate your edge, think again. José Mejia shows why the human element, experiences, handwritten notes, and emotional role modeling, drive outcomes tech never will. Miss this episode, and you keep searching for culture and leadership hacks, while the real magic quietly passes you by. Push play now for insights you won't find anywhere else.This episode is sponsored by our Silver Sponsor, STS Capital Partners: Your expert guides on the journey to an Extraordinary Exit™. To learn more about STS Capital Partners and how they achieve maximum value by Selling to Strategics™, complete the inquiry form here: https://stscapital.com/coo-alliance/Timestamped Highlights00:33 – The unlikely airport arrival that rewired Jose's confidence for life06:24 – The “self-directed team” principle that built a 40-year inner circle09:16 – Why leaders must channel Merlin, not the King, to win with teams11:18 – The brutal difference purpose makes when lives are on the line13:23 – What true CEO-COO alignment REALLY looks like behind closed doors16:44 – Underground, Battleground, Common Ground: The language that kills or creates culture20:12 – How AI quietly transforms operator decisions in real emergencies31:05 – The unspoken burden of leading a company where mistakes can cost livesAbout the GuestJosé Mejia is the President and COO of Rapid SOS, leading a team of 500+ to save lives at scale. With a career spanning IBM, Lucent, and high-growth startups, Jose has built self-directed teams and organizational cultures admired worldwide. His “Merlin” approach to leadership is redefining how rapid-growth companies scale with heart.

Ever felt that urge to take total control, only to realize it throttled your team's growth and your own sanity?Claudine Ripert, COO and co-founder of Critical Control, and COO Alliance member, joins this fierce, truth-telling conversation about leading a fast-scaling restoration business through chaos, disaster, and family dynamics.You'll hear what it really takes to balance everyday emergencies with unplanned catastrophe, all while steering a company with your own son as CEO. Expect real talk on delegation, brutal lessons learned, what women face in construction, and the psychological traps that kill momentum.Miss this episode, and you risk driving your business into burnout, not breakthrough. Listen now for raw, exclusive wisdom you won't find in glossy leadership books—only from those who have lived it and bled for it.Timestamped Highlights06:12 – The real chaos of disaster recovery nobody tells you10:05 – Why chasing growth can sabotage your core business overnight14:05 – The unexpected curse of working with family17:00 – The radical communication exercise that finally changed everything22:29 – Brutal truths about enabling and hiring for potential27:15 – The moment Claudine Ripert stopped being a control freak30:06 – The shift from “majoring in the minors” to critical thinking41:46 – Why the right broker referral beats insurance programs every timeAbout the GuestClaudine Ripert is the COO and cofounder of Critical Control Restoration, and COO Alliance member, leading regional disaster recovery operations in California with a national footprint during major catastrophes. Known for scaling her family business through intense market disruption and emotional upheaval, she blends operational rigor with human vulnerability that few in her industry will discuss.

In this episode, Cameron Herold of COO Alliance shares insights on leadership, building company culture, and overcoming entrepreneurial challenges. Discover how to scale your business, develop your leadership team, and create a strong organizational culture.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

What happens when you set out to break every rule in one of America's most traditional sports, and people flock to watch?In this Fan Favorite episode, Jared Orton, President of the Savannah Bananas, unpacks how a no-name baseball team triggered a movement by making fun non-negotiable and burning down industry norms. Discover how relentless experiments, cultural friction, player resistance, and pandemic chaos forced Jared Orton and his team to make brutal business choices, all while scaling from selling a few tickets to filling stadiums across America.Miss this episode, and you risk clinging to safe growth strategies while your competitors reinvent, electrify their culture, and claim your customers. Listen now. Get the raw, strategic truth behind explosive growth and team alignment that most leaders never hear about.Timestamped Highlights00:00 – Why telling fans “You can't buy a ticket” made them desperate to get in03:34 – The culture playbook that turned baseball on its head07:59 – The brutal truth: fun was their only real competitive edge12:03 – The $15 all-you-can-eat gamble that shocked their market15:39 – How they engineer relentless fun without losing operational discipline20:44 – Why letting the wrong players walk is a proven culture win25:00 – The pandemic forced a do-or-die vision shift overnight34:00 – Their biggest tactical mistake and how it nearly cost everythingAbout the GuestJared Orton is the President of the Savannah Bananas, an electrifying baseball brand known for redefining the fan experience and selling out stadiums nationwide. With a proven track record in entertainment-driven growth, Jared Orton has transformed the Savannah Bananas from a struggling local team into a national phenomenon.

What happens when you're the glue holding a global mission together, but the glue starts to crack?In this electric conversation, Sivana Brewer digs into the trenches with Skye Blanks, COO of the International Council for Small Business, an entrepreneur, and a relentless global operator. They expose the raw truth behind cross-border team dynamics, the weight of relentless travel, and the personal toll of constant responsibility. This episode tears open the unfiltered reality of getting things done, teaching accountability, and building operational systems when the stakes and time zones are always changing.Listen now or risk missing the proven tactics and hard-won lessons that separate thriving leaders from burned-out managers. If you're ready to weaponize transparency, claim your seat at the table, and cut through nonprofit noise, this conversation is for you.Timestamped Highlights00:31 – The “born operator” mindset that shaped a global COO02:36 – The hidden power of loyalty and facing down risks bigger than Deloitte05:35 – How do you keep policymakers, professors, and entrepreneurs moving together?10:34 – The stop-doing list: Skye's ruthless system for switching hats daily15:06 – The radical transparency tactic that keeps remote teams accountable18:16 – What's really at stake when culture fails, and no one steps up23:58 – Skye's blueprint for replicable, world-class events—anywhere29:23 – Why firing people and failed partnerships still sting at the top34:18 – The “humane entrepreneurship” concept that rewrites how leaders show upAbout the GuestSkye Blanks is the Chief Operating Officer of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), where he works closely with executive leadership to scale operations and support small and medium-sized enterprises globally. He is also the founder of Premo Cannabis and serves in advisory and board-level roles, bringing a hands-on operator's perspective shaped by building and leading organizations. His work centers on execution, governance, and being an effective second-in-command.

What would your workplace look like if every single leave of absence became a chance to build legendary loyalty and turbocharge retention?Sivana Brewer sits down with Taylor McLemore, COO at Tilt, for a conversation that slices through HR noise and exposes the uncomfortable truth: most companies fumble leave policies and lose their best people as a result. This episode unpacks the hidden costs (and wild upsides) of leave done right.From the real-world pain operators feel managing compliance chaos, to how AI is shaking the industry, and the “roles, responsibilities, expectations” framework that creates lasting clarity, this is actionable COO gold.Miss this, and you risk bleeding talent, tanking culture, and getting steamrolled by change. Listen now for raw lessons, war stories, and tested tactics you won't hear anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights00:40 – The brutal truth about why leave management is your hidden loyalty driver02:07 – The jaw-dropping time and complexity HR teams actually face08:20 – A career-changing moment: what empathetic leave really looks like13:16 – The overlooked ROI of doing leave brilliantly14:23 – Why Tilt planted the flag as the AI leader (and what that really means)16:43 – The four principles that keep AI both fast and safe inside HR22:40 – The surprisingly simple doc that ends CEO-COO confusion29:15 – The unexpected power of letting people define “winning” in their own roleAbout the GuestTaylor McLemore is the COO of Tilt, revolutionizing employee leave with empathy and technology. Taylor is the founder of the Human Potential Summit. Previously, he was an EIR at Stand Together. Taylor is a venture builder, scale operator, community connector, and investor. Taylor served on the Colorado Banking Board and the Board of Trustees for Colorado PERA. Previously, he launched and built the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator as a Managing Director at Techstars. Taylor was the Co-Chair of the DAV National Veterans Entrepreneurship Council. He previously served as an advisor to SHRM Labs and sits on a number of startup boards. Previously, he was Managing Director of Able, a venture and product studio. While at Able, he was a co-founder and investment lead for Codeable, a coding school in Latin America. Taylor was the founder and a board director for Patriot Boot Camp, a nonprofit that supports military veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Patriot Boot Camp was acquired by DAV in 2021.

Today we are joined by Cameron Herold. He is the CEO Whisperer founder of COO Alliance and the Second in Command Podcast. By the age of 42, he helped build two companies valued at $100+ million each and propelled 1-800-GOT-JUNK from $2 to $106 million in revenue and expanded its workforce to 3,100 employees in six years. He has also written several books including The Second in Command, Vivid Vision, Meetings Suck, and Double Double among others. He talks about the importance of a second in command at your business, what their roles and responsibilities are, and many other topics.Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cycle CPA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Knowledge Tree Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PatioSEO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Hardscape Headquarters⁠⁠

Ever wondered why one song can instantly give you chills… while another makes you feel nothing at all?In this episode, Selina Meere, COO of Trevanna Tracks, pulls back the curtain on the invisible system behind the music you feel in films, ads, and media. From navigating complex rights and scaling music operations for global brands to leading without a playbook, this conversation dives deep into what it really takes to operate at the intersection of creativity, technology, and leadership.They explore the realities of being a COO, managing elite teams, making high-stakes decisions, and building trust in environments where there are no clear answers.If you want to understand how world-class operators think, lead, and execute under pressure, don't wait. The cost of staying reactive instead of strategic is too high. Hit play now for insights you won't hear anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The hidden force behind why certain songs instantly trigger emotion in movies and ads[02:14] – Why music licensing became exponentially more complex, and what most people don't realize[04:21] – The “Excel breaking point” that led to building a completely new category in media[06:37] – From book publishing to COO, the unexpected career pivot that changed everything[11:00] – The moment she had to learn DevOps, Agile, and engineering… from scratch[13:40] – The leadership mistake most companies make during major internal transformations[17:11] – How top teams actually prioritize when every client thinks their request is urgent[19:01] – The hardest part of being a COO, and why there's no such thing as a playbook[28:12] – The real way to build confidence when making big, high-risk decisions[31:54] – Why asking questions can quietly destroy trust, and how to fix itAbout the GuestSelina Meere is the COO of Trevanna Tracks, a pioneering music rights and workflow platform serving some of the largest media and entertainment companies in the world. With a background in publishing and PR, she has built a career partnering closely with founders to scale businesses, optimize operations, and drive growth across industries. Known for her adaptability and strategic thinking, Selina specializes in leading high-performance teams in complex, fast-evolving environments.

Ever worried you're missing your shot at breakthrough growth because your leadership team is stuck in old patterns?This episode is a raw look inside the mind of Sheldon Cummings, former Chief Operating Officer at Mailchimp and current President and General Manager at Smarsh, who's steered brands across continents and navigated acquisition into one of the world's most powerful tech companies. Cameron Herold digs deep into resilience, ruthless prioritization, and the magic of connecting culture to results, all delivered with a straight-shooter's clarity. If you're tired of shallow “success stories” and want the playbook for leading teams through uncertain times, this is your urgent reality check.Don't wait for your competitors to outpace you. Listen now! The invisible skills (and mistakes) revealed here will save you from costly setbacks, wasted energy, and slow, silent failure. These exclusive insights aren't recycled elsewhere. Your team (and your sanity) can't afford to miss this.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The one moment that reset Sheldon Cummings's entire career path… and how he engineered opportunity from chaos06:42 – How a bold toolkit-first mindset kept propelling him up—across continents, industries, and uncertain times11:07 – “Can you run a business you don't ‘make'?” The surprising truth from global CPG frontlines17:05 – The #1 underdog advantage in modern marketing—why Mailchimp doubled down on it during COVID18:36 – What nobody tells you about integrating remote teams after a billion-dollar acquisition22:58 – Ruthless prioritization in product roadmap: When discipline trumps ideas (and keeps customers loyal)24:41 – Find the real numbers that matter: How top execs slice through data noise (and ignore 9,000 distractions)35:40 – How to unfreeze middle management and create instant buy-in during relentless changeAbout the GuestSheldon Cummings is the former Chief Operating Officer for Mailchimp. Before stepping into his leadership role at Mailchimp, he had a dual role as a VP Intuit Sales in addition to serving as Intuit's Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer (CDEIO). Since joining Intuit in 2017, Sheldon has led a number of leadership positions across Intuit's Sales, Marketing, Global Partnerships, and Global Operations teams. Prior to Intuit Sheldon has had a number of roles across industries and countries, including leading a European business for 6 years headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Sheldon, a native of New York City, graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University, and received his MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management with concentrations in Finance, Marketing, and Strategy. He is currently the President and General Manager of Smarsh.

What if the biggest thing holding your company back… is how you're thinking about what's possible?In this episode, David J. Lee, Global CFO and COO of WEBTOON, breaks down a radically different way to approach growth, leadership, and innovation. From scaling a global storytelling platform with 155 million users to partnering with visionary founders, David shares how elite operators think beyond “high probability outcomes” and instead build toward what must be true to achieve breakthrough success.This conversation dives into the realities of being a COO at scale, navigating public company pressure, leading global teams, and building trust with mission-driven founders.If you're tired of incremental thinking and want to unlock bold, category-defining growth, don't wait. The longer you operate within “safe” assumptions, the more opportunity you lose. Hit play now for a rare, high-level perspective most leaders never access.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The mental trap that keeps leaders stuck in “safe” growth instead of breakthroughs[02:32] – Inside WEBTOON: 155M users, 24M creators, and a global storytelling revolution[05:47] – Why the best operators don't specialize, and the real cost of being a generalist[08:49] – The one question great leaders obsess over that most companies ignore[11:28] – The brutal reality of going public, and why it forces true discipline[15:41] – What separates high-integrity founders from the rest, and how it shows up daily[19:01] – When a COO should stay… and when it's time to walk away[23:17] – How elite leaders stay calm in chaos, even in high-stakes environments[26:23] – The hidden danger of “oversteering” and why great leaders step back[33:14] – The “what must be true” framework used by NASA and top innovatorsAbout the GuestDavid J. Lee is the Global CFO and COO of WEBTOON, a global storytelling platform connecting millions of creators with over 150 million users worldwide. He has led major transformations across companies like Zynga, Impossible Foods, and Best Buy, bringing a unique blend of strategy, operations, and innovation to high-growth environments. Known for partnering with visionary founders, David specializes in scaling companies that are redefining entire industries.

What if the key to scaling your business wasn't more people, but ruthless focus combined with relentless speed?Cameron Herold teams up with Sean Kim, the former President and Chief Product Officer at Kajabi (ex-Amazon, ex-TikTok) and the current Chief Product Officer at HighLevel, to crack open the playbook that turns chaos into proven, compounding wins. Inside this conversation: why leaders who say “no” more often grow faster, how to make data the backbone of every decision, and the real story behind powering a $1.7B creator platform without burning out your team or chasing shiny objects.Listen now to dodge the trap of feature bloat, hiring sprees, and slow, clunky execution. These are unfiltered insights and backed-up frameworks from the inside that you simply won't get anywhere else, unapologetically blunt, deeply actionable, and designed for COOs and founders ready to scale, not just survive.Timestamped Highlights00:23 – Why Sean Kim said “hell no” to TikTok… at first. The surprising conversation that changed everything01:10 – “Discovery” is the real unlock… how it built TikTok's domination and sparked Sean Kim's obsession08:18 – What happens when you leave Amazon's scale for pure startup chaos… scrappy desks, no process, and surviving the LA office09:24 – The secret power of the “doc writing” culture… how writing, not slides, became TikTok and Amazon's unfair advantage12:24 – Ruthless speed… fail fast, double down faster, and outmaneuver every competitor. This is how TikTok really operates14:45 – Why Kajabi never bloats its teams… and how knowing exactly when to hire is a massive competitive edge17:13 – The impact calculator… predicting revenue, retention, and customer wins before a single feature ships25:40 – How to crush “feature creep” and avoid turning your SaaS into a Frankenstein's monsterAbout the GuestSean Kim was previously the President and Chief Product Officer of Kajabi, the all-in-one platform powering $1.7B+ in annual creator revenue. He previously led product teams at TikTok and Amazon Prime, shaping global growth strategies and a customer-obsessed culture. With a reputation for world-class execution and a bold, systems-driven mindset, Sean stands out as a top operator for scale-minded founders and COOs. He is currently the Chief Product Officer at HighLevel.

Ever wonder why some COOs quietly double revenue while others burn out cleaning up someone else's mess?Cameron Herold unpacks the “second in command” reality with Rick Marini, serial entrepreneur, private equity veteran, and former COO powerhouse at iconic brands like Grindr. They dive into the realities most leaders dodge: gutting toxic teams, the cost of misaligned culture, and the real career advantage of NOT being CEO. You'll get the battle-tested playbook for earning team trust, breaking through stagnant growth, and building companies where A-players fight to stay.Miss this episode, and you risk leading a team that resents you, losing your top talent, or—worse—sleepwalking into irrelevance while your competition surges ahead. Listen now before your window to upgrade your influence and execution closes. This is unfiltered COO intelligence you won't find anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights15:05 – How do you fix a company doing $100M with a 1.8-star Glassdoor? The turnaround playbook starts here.17:15 – Three straight owners, one legendary LGBTQ brand: The wild truth about trust-building at Grindr20:08 – Held hostage for a million? Why Rick Marini and team had to moderate user content—and what it taught the company21:04 – The one line that made an exec break down in the NYSE lobby, and how you really know your team would run through walls for you25:16 – A-players vs. B-players: The uncomfortable signs you're settling, and how to actually spot (and hire) difference-makers31:08 – Do you really have the right COO? How private equity calls BS on CEO/COO dynamics42:00 – With AI moving this fast, how do you NOT get blindsided? The war room approach to offense vs. defense46:06 – Mentorship, “work from home,” and why Gen Z will lap you if you hide behind ZoomAbout the GuestRick Marini is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Catapult Capital and the Co-Founder, President and COO of Rails, and a renowned operator, investor, and board leader with over 25 years scaling and transforming businesses. Previously CEO/COO at Grindr and Rails, Rick specializes in high-stakes turnarounds, talent strategy, and innovative culture design for tech and consumer brands.

Ever feel like you're drowning in urgent tasks and legacy processes, wondering how real COOs actually turn chaos into clarity?Meet Arnold le Rutte, COO of The Virtual Hub, COO Alliance member and bronze partner, who went from retail entrepreneur to running the nerve center of a 300+ strong offshore team. Together with our new podcast co-host Lindsay Smith - appearing in her first episode in the co-host role - they pull the curtain back on ruthless prioritization, AI survival strategies, and the misunderstood art of building bulletproof, scalable systems that actually unlock human potential. No corporate platitudes, just real stories on managing explosive turnover, navigating the tricky CEO handoff, and how the best operators weaponize client-side empathy.Listen now, or risk drowning in the overwhelm that kills too many leaders. These are insights you will not find on LinkedIn, and you'll wish you'd heard them before your next hire, your next pivot, or your next fire to put out.Timestamped Highlights01:19 – The pizza delivery gig that rewired Arnold le Rutte's approach to problem-solving (and what it means for COOs today)03:32 – What really happens inside a 100+ person offshore operation and why most clients completely miss the point06:39 – Bittersweet business: when growth isn't enough, and the turning point that led to a radical career shift11:23 – The game-changing realization about SME clients that upended The Virtual Hub's business model15:41 – How to blow up burnout: Supporting teams, slicing admin, and warning signs leaders mess up21:55 – The AI smokescreen: Why true capacity-building is about brains, not bots26:58 – The one question every client gets wrong about outsourcing and how Arnold le Rutte reframes it for explosive leverage44:31 – Undercover boss confessions: The invisible complexity behind every “simple” successAbout the GuestArnold le Rutte is COO of The Virtual Hub, a COO Alliance member and bronze partner, and a powerhouse operations executive and former founder who scaled retail and wholesale businesses before taking the reins at one of the world's leading offshore virtual professional firms. Known for blending client empathy with brutal operational clarity, he transforms complex, people-centric businesses by driving process, deep tech adoption, and relentless culture-building across borders.

What would happen if you finally ditched micromanagement and actually let your teams run wild, faster, riskier, and more creative than you'd ever dare on your own?Ben Plomion, COO of Pearl AI, joins Sivana Brewer for a sharp, no-fluff deep dive into the gritty reality of leading in markets where mistakes happen fast and growth is non-negotiable. Drawing from cross-functional battle scars in marketing, ops, and tech, Ben unpacks how he leveraged his CMO chops to become a next-level COO, why most leaders fail at “connecting the dots,” and exactly how he's turning AI into his secret weapon for culture and operational scale.If you're tired of theory and ready for the untold COO playbook that frees you from indecision, protects you from hidden traps, and gives you unfair access to what the best operator-leaders are actually doing, listen now. Stalling means losing team trust, missing radical growth, and getting left behind.Timestamped Highlights[00:03:42] – The shocking “dumpster” pitch that clinched Ben's COO job—would you take this text?[00:05:10] – Connect the dots or die: Why leaders who only skim the surface always lose big[00:07:26] – Zero in-house finance, outsourced chaos—how Ben plugged the leaks before it was too late[00:10:51] – From chief cook to master delegator: The brutal art of giving up “employee benefits” and focusing where it matters[00:14:42] – CEO second-in-command: The secret archetypes and why most COOs get it wrong[00:18:29] – CMO to COO crossover: The superpowers that every operator should steal from marketing[00:21:23] – Ditching values for operating principles—radical new rules for building a creative, AI-savvy team[00:32:19] – “Let them run”: The unorthodox motto that keeps Ben's teams breaking the rules, beating churn, and staying aheadAbout the GuestWith over two decades of experience in marketing, commercial and operational leadership across Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, and Blockchain, Ben Plomion is the Chief Operating Officer at Pearl—the leading AI Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company in dentistry. Prior to Pearl, he served as Chief Marketing Officer at Dibbs, an Amazon-backed tokenization-as-a-service (TaaS) platform. He was previously Chief Growth & Marketing Officer at GumGum, where he played a pivotal role in advancing AI-driven contextual advertising. Earlier in his career, Ben led global digital media efforts at both Magnite and GE Capital. A Forbes contributor and trusted advisor to companies like Deanna.ai, PebblePost, and #Paid, he is also a committed educator in the realms of AI, marketing, and Web3.

Ever felt like your company is running in circles while you quietly burn out, stuck between drive and exhaustion?This episode is a blunt, emotionally raw exploration with Lindsay Gibson, COO of TextNow, a leader who's walked away from the grind, returned for redemption, and rebuilt both companies and herself from the inside out. Sivana Brewer dives deep with Lindsay into the shock of losing vision, the chaos of remote work, and the brutal clarity that comes only after you've crashed headlong into career “success.”If you're tired of vague leadership advice and want exclusive, no-BS strategies for authentic leadership, unclenching burnout's grip, and making culture work for real teams, listen right now. Miss this, and you might repeat the pain Lindsay barely escaped. These lessons are battle-forged, urgent, and unlike anything the standard playbooks offer.Timestamped Highlights[00:01:11] – The brilliant but gritty origin of TextNow: solving real pain for people who have to choose between a phone bill and groceries[00:02:45] – Why Lindsay left her COO seat (twice) and what chasing “interesting work” really costs[00:04:34] – The BlackBerry “return rate” disaster: how fixing buyer's remorse became a master class in real-world delegation[00:07:49] – The shocking truth: Engineering wasn't the problem—here's what really derails a company's goals[00:10:11] – The brutal downside of remote-first culture… and the hardest part of rebuilding accountability across a fractured team[00:14:32] – Motherhood, loss, and the hidden price of ambition: Lindsay's real talk on the boundaries she'll never break again[00:19:04] – “Dead bodies in the process”—when leadership feedback stings and the rebirth of authentic management[00:27:54] – Why remote teams lose their soul (and how one-on-one connection fights back against isolation)About the GuestLindsay Gibson is the Chief Operating Officer of TextNow, a disruptive, ad-supported mobile carrier serving millions who demand true flexibility in mobile communications. With over two decades shaping iconic tech cultures, including a 16-year run at BlackBerry, she's mastered the hard edge of scaling, comeback leadership, and authentic team connection. Known for leading through crisis and comeback, Lindsay is a straight-talker driven by integrity and obsession with growth.

Ever secretly wondered if success, early retirement, a big exit, and the CEO chair are as good as it looks? What if the “dream” of ownership leaves you restless, searching for meaning, and itching to build again?This episode pulls back the curtain on the real journey: Marcus Hantla, a relentless builder who's seen both sides, reveals the wild emotional highs of exits and the raw, daily grind of COO life inside Contractor Foreman, a fast-growing SMB construction SaaS. He and Sivana get blunt about AI hype, hands-dirty delegation, and the gut-check moments that test even the toughest operators.The stakes: Stop winging it in your own career, team, or transformation or risk getting left behind. Listen now to confront the myths of growth, find new ways to thrive, and get the gritty, exclusive playbook you won't hear in sanitized TED Talks.Timestamped Highlights03:41 – What no one warns you about early retirement and the uncomfortable truth about waking up “free.”06:43 – How a random plumber changed Marcus's entire career (on his very own porch).09:10 – The COO/CEO “deciding dance” and why true empathy is a secret growth weapon.14:40 – Real talk: Losing a debate with the CEO (and why not every “brilliant” idea should win).17:25 – AI sales calls, live demos vs. real humans—what actually works right now.20:55 – Is the “beautiful” user interface dead? Why the next SaaS war is about simplicity, not design.26:14 – The dangerous side of AI consensus: Can chasing “truth” kill the next big breakthrough?35:03 – The sobering math of executive gratitude (and the crisis no leadership manual covers).About the GuestMarcus Hantla is the COO of Contractor Foreman, a leading construction management software platform engineered for small and mid-market builders and contractors. With 25+ years in construction and tech—plus multiple exits—Marcus is renowned for his hands-on leadership and hard-won insights at the intersection of trades, SaaS, and rapid growth.

What if the single greatest unlock for scaling your company has nothing to do with strategy, and everything to do with how much you care?In this gut-level conversation, Sivana Brewer sits down with Amit Shah, COO of Virta Health, a company on a mission to reverse metabolic disease in a billion people. They reveal the raw mechanics, hard decisions, and emotional realities of building a culture where real feedback, personal mission, and relentless impact actually drive bottom-line results. Expect stories that challenge your comfort zone, a blueprint for turning skeptics into true believers, and a rare glimpse into what makes teams (and COOs) last a decade or more through hyper-growth.If you're tired of surface-level advice and want the proven, exclusive tools to protect your culture (and your soul) as you scale, hit play now. The risk of mediocre leadership has never been higher, and these lessons simply can't wait.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The rebel truth about why people don't care what you know until something shocking happens[00:03:23] – Inside Virta's billion-person mission and the radical evidence that built unwavering belief[00:06:57] – The jeans, Disneyland, and moment a clinical trial changed thousands of lives[00:13:17] – The single conversation that blew away a hardened healthcare skeptic[00:17:13] – Why LIVE patient stories kick off every company meeting and what that does to culture[00:21:24] – How Virta built a team that actually sticks (and outgrows their own roles)[00:25:41] – When your job changes every 12 months: The hidden playbook for surviving hyper-growth[00:33:24] – The care vs. candor tightrope—how to love your team while pushing for relentless resultsAbout the GuestAmit Shah is the Chief Operating Officer of Virta Health, where he leads growth, product development, and patient care delivery for a hyper-growth company that's transforming metabolic disease care. With a track record spanning executive roles at Paladina Health, McKinsey, and Amazon, plus roots as a mission-driven entrepreneur, Amit is known for building high-performance teams that scale with heart and precision.

Ever feel overwhelmed by growth or haunted by the worry that your team's success might derail the mission?This is your inside pass. Sivana Brewer dives deep with Dan Murphy, COO of D1 Training, to uncover what really separates winning brands from chaotic burnout. From scaling a nationwide fitness franchise by 100+ units fast, to building a culture where passion crushes bureaucracy, and tough metrics make or break careers, this episode exposes the choices, pivots, and vulnerable moments every top operator faces.Listen now if you want to avoid stalling your company's growth, escape the COO loneliness trap, and get proven, unconventional takeaways on reinventing your playbook in a frantic market. This is real talk you won't find anywhere else, straight from the second in command.Timestamped Highlights[00:01:01] – The wild origin story: Losing a pro career, the CEO's game-changing invention, and how it launched a new franchise model[00:03:39] – Why D1 threw out the playbook and planted flags everywhere plus what they learned scaling from 1 to 160 locations[00:05:17] – The counterintuitive “avatar” that drives most revenue and why it's probably NOT who you think[00:09:57] – How the right “spark” can reveal your company's true North—advice for COOs looking for their next big thing[00:13:37] – The brutal scale-up pivot: When to walk away from side businesses, passive owners… and old friends[00:16:11] – Outsourcing secrets, bringing it all back in-house, and the moment when cost control meets franchisee happiness[00:21:28] – The biggest “aha” that changed their growth trajectory—what actually gets local buyers to care and buy in[00:25:34] – When loyalty isn't enough: Handling hard conversations with passionate, under-performing leaders[00:27:48] – Managing egos, CEO/COO conflict, and why “freedom to dream” requires radical focusAbout the GuestDan Murphy is the Chief Operating Officer of D1 Training, a national franchise leading the youth and community athletic training space. A former Division I soccer player and West Point graduate, Dan has decades of leadership experience spanning military and high-growth franchise operations. He's known for his relentless execution, passion-driven leadership style, and community-building expertise helping D1 scale from a single Nashville gym to 160+ locations and counting.

Ever question if you're truly moving the needle in a high-stakes, fast-growth role or just treading water in chaos?In this unfiltered replay, Cameron Herold gets radically real with Asana's COO, Anne Raimondi, a powerhouse operator with a track record scaling iconic SaaS brands from eBay to Zendesk. Their candid conversation delivers hard-hitting truths and breakthrough strategies for COOs, VPs of Ops, and ambitious seconds-in-command. From conquering boardroom friction to onboarding at scale, and from navigating imposter syndrome to wielding conscious leadership, this episode is your no-nonsense roadmap to building culture, resilience, and runaway growth.The window for operational greatness closes quickly. Don't risk getting left behind as your competitors dial in these proven systems. Press play now for a front-row seat to rare, real-world tactics you won't hear anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Why this Asana episode is a record-breaking, fan-favorite comeback[00:03:02] – The one skill that built Anne's “uncommon” career and why she doubled down on curiosity[00:05:33] – A dot-com crash, a diamond startup, and how obsession with customer pain points kept Anne in the tech arena[00:07:47] – Is product obsession really the COO's unfair advantage? Anne reveals what sets true ops leaders apart[00:13:14] – How Anne's onboarding at Asana destroyed all her old assumptions about exec transitions[00:15:10] – The joy of “extra delights”—what most SaaS products miss about human motivation[00:25:34] – The real source of company politics (and how transparency kills it dead)[00:44:38] – Anne's most vulnerable answer: How she faces down imposter syndrome and winsAbout the GuestAnne Raimondi is the Chief Operating Officer of Asana, a global leader in work management software empowering teams to orchestrate their work with clarity and impact. With 20+ years scaling technology giants, including senior roles at Zendesk, TaskRabbit, SurveyMonkey, and eBay, Anne brings deep boardroom and operational wisdom to fast-growth SaaS. She's also a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and has served on the boards of Gusto, Patreon, and more. Anne is renowned for her mission to build workplaces that blend high performance with humanity.

When was the last time you felt your vision misunderstood, your partnership undervalued, or your operational roadmap tangled? If you're a COO wrestling with translating big ideas into real impact, this conversation is your lifeline.Sivana Brewer welcomes Stephanie Kauffman, Chief Operating Officer at Melanoma Research Alliance, for an urgent episode that lifts the veil on what actually moves the needle for COOs. From converting financial “legends” into game-changing board allies to crafting story-driven partnerships that triple outcomes, you'll hear how real-world translation builds trust fast, drives innovation, and prevents career-stalling burnout.Press play now. Don't risk getting stuck in your leadership bubble. Every minute here arms you with exclusive, proven techniques to connect, influence, and scale before someone else beats you to it.Timestamped Highlights[00:10] – A stunning perspective shift: why “second in command” is really “dual in command” for COOs everywhere[00:02:25] – The myth of melanoma: deadliest form of skin cancer, massive underestimation, and breakthrough facts COOs should know[00:08:21] – Surprising everyday tips for preventing melanoma beyond just sunscreen (plus one you've likely never heard)[00:10:39] – How legendary finance leaders shaped Stephanie's radical “private equity” nonprofit strategy—what every COO can steal[00:18:49] – The $12.7 million secret: bold partnerships that defied board skepticism (and the power of gaming for social impact)[00:27:11] – Data-driven storytelling for buy-in: How Stephanie translates emotional conviction into actionable board wins[00:31:47] – Professional translation: the vital COO role in turning CEO vision into operational clarity for every stakeholder[00:43:15] – The “3 Bs” formula and simplifying the complex: brief, brilliant, be done—your solution to communication chaosAbout the GuestStephanie Kauffman is Chief Operating Officer of the Melanoma Research Alliance, the world's largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research. Known for high-impact storytelling and cross-industry partnership wins, she previously held SVP roles at Universal Studios and Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Stephanie is recognized for translating visionary ideas into scalable operations, bringing decades of experience across finance, media, and biotech.

Ever felt like you're carrying the weight of growth, but struggling to shift your company from band-aids to real, sustainable breakthroughs?Meet Nicki Baty, COO at Freshpet, who's rewriting the playbook for second-in-command leadership inside a rocketship culture. In this revealing conversation, Nicki Baty opens up to host Sivana Brewer about pioneering a COO role from scratch, installing trust (in teams and at home), and building a business fueled by missionary drive, not mercenaries.Explore how to turn constant change into your secret weapon, earn buy-in when the North Star keeps moving, and design a culture that scales with speed without chaos.You can't afford to run on autopilot or yesterday's wins. Discover the steps that separate successful COOs from those stuck in a cycle of busyness. Listen now for exclusive insights you can't afford to miss. The next wave of growth is already here, and this episode holds the edge.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] - The one guarantee for every COO—how to win when change is constant[03:41] - Missionaries vs. mercenaries: Why purpose-driven teams deliver differently[07:40] - Moving a family across continents for growth—what business leaders really learn[12:11] - “Making room in the boat”: Building trust, networks, and resilient teams on the fly[19:12] - Nicki reveals how to plan post-onboarding in a brand new leadership role[23:35] - Finding your “most valuable pet parent” and reshaping the company around them[28:35] - The surprising power of Freshpet's pioneering spirit—and what big companies still get dead wrong[37:13] - The real difference between strategic priorities and tactical noise (and how most teams get stuck)About the GuestNicki Baty is the Chief Operating Officer at Freshpet, a company redefining the pet nutrition industry with its human-grade, refrigerated pet food. Formerly President and General Manager of Hill's Pet Nutrition US (Colgate-Palmolive), Nicki's career has spanned the globe—from the UK and Europe to Asia and the Americas. She is recognized for her track record in scaling organizations, her passionate belief in purpose-driven work, and her relentless focus on building trust and sustainable growth in fast-moving environments.