In this episode we discuss: The State of the European Venture Market. We are joined by Simon Menashy, Partner at MMC Ventures.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Simon Menashy: The European VC market’s significant changes in the last few years.Sustainable growth prioritised over growth at all costs.What are the main challenges the software market is facing?What are realistic exit expectations? What are the crucial components for a successful exit?References www.linkedin.com/in/simonmenashyBiography Simon Menashy is a Partner at MMC. He specialises in AI-related investments, and has led deals such as Ably, Senseye and Signal AI.Simon joined MMC in 2011. He is a member of the Investment Committee and co-leads the investment team. As one of the most active AI investors in the European early-stage venture market, Simon has led, sponsored or worked on close to 150 deals with more than 60 companies over the past decade.Simon believes AI innovation will happen at multiple layers of the tech stack, and is focused on investments from the application layer down to the data pipelines that feed the models. Simon’s background is in tech and media strategy consulting at Deloitte. He holds a degree in Physics and Space Research and previously started an IT consulting business.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary16:49 The Evolution of the European VC Market18:39 Navigating the New Normal in Funding22:02 The Software Market's Challenges and Opportunities26:13 Where should COOs be looking and how should they be pitching themselves?27:21 Identifying Hot Areas for Investment27:45 The Role of COOs in Today's Market28:29 The State of Exits in the VC Landscape30:39 Resetting Expectations for Exits36:54 The Future of the VC EcosystemThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: what should the marketing tech stack look like in 2024. We are joined by Mark Farnell, Head of Marketing Operations at DeepL.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Mark Farnell: How is AI impacting marketing operations? Where to start with building a marketing tech stack.Why it's important to consider the complexity and scalability of current platforms.Regularly reviewing and optimising the marketing tech stack is crucial for success. Use the first year or two to understand if a tool is a long-term solution before committing to a multi-year contract.What value does Intent data platforms provide? Why sales enablement is crucial for getting the most value out of marketing automation tools.The build vs. buy decision based on your current situation and long-term plans.References https://www.linkedin.com/in/markfarnell/Biography A senior marketing operations leader with more than 12 years experience in marketing technology and process. I build and scale the platform and insight needed to understand and grow predictable pipeline.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary6:42 Introduction and Background17:36 The Impact of AI on Marketing Operations18:01 Challenges of AI in Marketing Content19:02 The Value of AI in Marketing20:26 Building a Comprehensive Marketing Tech Stack23:26 Vendor Management and Tech Stack Optimisation24:29 Introduction and the Importance of Long-Term Tool Evaluation25:44 Essential Tools for a Startup's Series A Toolkit34:39 Challenges and Value of Intent Data Platforms35:08 The Build vs. Buy Decision37:14 Importance of Clean Data and Data Research Approaches39:14 Key Takeaway: The Importance of DataThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: Executive compensation and option grants. We are joined by Daniel Harris, Exec Compensation Partner.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Daniel Harris: What to consider when negotiating equity packages.What are the different equity schemes, such as sweet equity, and their implications?When to be aware of with tax implications and when to seek expert advice.Paying attention to strike prices and their impact on the value of equity.How to align incentives and interests between founders, management teams, and employees.Is it possible to ensure alignment between company strategy and compensation structure?References www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-harris-a7333511www.pwc.comBiography I lead the Reward team in the Regions and have over 20 years’ experience of advising companies (both public and private/ private equity backed) and their remuneration committees on all aspects of executive compensation, including the design and implementation of tax efficient and commercially effective pay structures and management incentive plans in the UK and overseas.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary13:56 Introduction and Relevance of the Topic02:43 Exploring Different Equity Schemes24:33 Equity Structures in Different Stages of a Company's Lifecycle26:47 Considerations for US Taxpayers in Negotiating Equity Packages30:56 Key Elements of a Good Equity Package34:13 Changes in Strike Prices and EMI Scheme in the UK36:16 Balancing Performance-Based Vesting39:45 The Benefits of Accelerated Vesting41:00 Understanding the Differences in Equity Compensation Systems41:57 Main TakeawaysThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: What leadership lessons we can learn from the military. We are joined by Ben Read, Founder & CEO of Redeployable, and Andy Wright, Consultant. We chat about the following with Ben Read and Andy Wright: How can trust and delegation enhance command and control in leadership?What behaviours and actions are essential for building trust and psychological safety within a team?How do confidence, humility, and self-regulation impact leadership effectiveness in high-pressure environments?What role does continuous learning and development play in personal and professional growth for leaders?How can leaders use mistakes as opportunities for improvement while maintaining team trust and integrity?References: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-read-7681b8161/Biography: Ben is the founder and CEO of redeployable, and has spent over 10 years in the military as part of the Royal electrical and mechanical engineering unit. Andy Wright is the former regional VP for Salesforce, and also spent over 20 years in the military as a pilot.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary:00:00 Introduction and Background18:56 Command and Control in the Military20:23 Translating Military Values to the Business World22:26 Building Trust and Psychological Safety24:24 Psychological Safety and Leadership29:21 Leadership Under Duress30:02 Self-Regulation and Understanding Your Role34:03 Training, Education, and Development37:32 The Importance of Humility in LeadershipThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: How to hire for excellence. We are joined by James King, Author of 'Accelerating Excellence'.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with James King: How can we align talent identification with individuals' strengths, interests, and values to maximise performance?How can cognitive tests and psychological profiling improve our ability to assess baseline skills and training potential?What role do simulations and role plays play in assessing candidates for specific roles effectively?How can focusing on concordant goals and real-life scenarios reduce bias and improve talent identification outcomes?What strategies can we implement to ensure a rigorous and comprehensive assessment process across multiple roles?References: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acceleratingexcellence/https://jamesaking.comBiography: King is the bestselling author of 'Accelerating Excellence- The Principles that Drive Elite Performance’. James is a trusted advisor to elite military units, owners, leaders and superstar athletes (EPL, NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL).Within business he has built, managed, led talent identification and development programs within derivatives trading that have generated billions of dollars in net profit. James has presented case studies on his successes at the University of Oxford, Harvard University, Princeton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).King is the host of 'The Accelerating Excellence' Podcast. Guests have included General Stanley McChrystal, Mark Shapiro and Sir Clive Woodward.King holds a first-class degree in Applied Sports Science and an MSc in Performance Psychology, both from the University of Edinburgh.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary:00:00 Introduction and Overview15:59 The Science of Excellence and Performance Sciences16:48 The Importance of Talent Identification18:33 Identifying the Parts that Matter for Excellence20:37 The Concept of Concordant Goals21:00 Assessing Baseline Abilities and Responsiveness to Training22:59 Designing Simulations and Role Plays for Assessment26:15 Making the Assessment Process Hard and Accurate29:34 Tricks of the Trade in Talent Identification30:00 Simulating Real-Life Scenarios for Evaluation34:37 Implementing a Rigorous Assessment Process for Multiple Roles38:02 Taking Ownership of the Talent Identification Process39:47 Resources42:34 Main takeawaysThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: How do you build trust across the organisation? We are joined by Nellie Wartoft, CEO, Founder of Tigerhall and Chair of the Executive Council for Leading Change.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Nellie Wartoft: Why trust is a crucial element in building successful organisations.How leaders can give trust before they can receive it.Why transparent and authentic communication is key to building trust.The importance of constant communication.Transparency around the pros and cons of change.Leaders need to adapt and change as their companies grow, understanding that what worked in the past may not work in the future.Why building trust and creating a psychologically safe environment are essential for effective communication and collaboration.What is the effect of Virtual backgrounds on trust?The importance of setting the right example. What is the right example?References https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelliewartoft/https://tigerhall.com/Biography Nellie Wartoft, CEO and founder of Tigerhall since 2019, aims to overhaul how large enterprises approach driving change, transformation and knowledge sharing. With expertise from leading Sales & Marketing at Michael Page, she recognized the clash between traditional communication and modern content consumption, inspiring Tigerhall’s creation. Under her leadership, Tigerhall gained global recognition, attracting Fortune 500 firms and securing over $10 million in venture capital. Tigerhall operates in 32 countries and 12 markets, facilitating organisational engagement that drives buy-in and support for change and transformation initiatives.Nellie’s entrepreneurial prowess earned her acclaim, including recognition on the 2021 Gen T list of Leaders of Tomorrow. Additionally, she’s a Swedish National Champion in skeet shooting and contributes to industry development on boards like the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Singapore. Driven by innovation and a global outlook, Nellie continues to lead Tigerhall in transformative change, solidifying her legacy as a visionary in technology and business.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary00:00 Introduction and Background17:23 The Importance of Trust in Organisations18:57 Giving Trust to Receive Trust21:19 Transparent and Authentic Communication25:50 Treating Bad News as an Education Opportunity32:26 Two-Way Feedback Loops and Instant Communication34:45 Communicating Even When There Are No Updates36:19 Transparency in Change38:30 The Impact of Virtual Backgrounds on Trust39:46 Understanding Psychological SafetyThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: The Evolution of a COO: From Doing to Coaching. We are joined by Andrew Robb, Marketplace & Technology Executive, Board Member & InvestorLove The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Andrew Robb: What does it take to scale a company?How does the role of the COO evolve? What does it take to stay engaged and motivated in a role for a long time?Focus on what you can control and don't lose sleep over things outside of your control.Scaling culture requires clear goals, accountability, and a strong hiring process.Be thoughtful about culture, but don't overcomplicate it. It will naturally develop with the right people.References: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewrobb/Biography: Andrew has 25 years’ experience as an executive in technology companies, notably Farfetch where he served as Chief Operating Officer for 10 years until 2020, prior to which he founded fashion ecommerce business Cocosa following time at eBay and in strategy consulting with Gemini in the 1990s. He is currently Chair of edtech business Twinkl and Non-Executive Director of 1stdibs in the US and Carwow and GetHarley in London. He also is a non-executive advisor to the Ministry of Justice. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BA Law from Oxford University.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary:16:00 Introduction and Background18:48 The Three Stages of CEO Evolution20:08 Transitioning to a Coaching Role20:49 The Importance of Feedback and Results23:15 The Power of Executive Coaching29:11 Staying Engaged and Motivated in a Long-Term Role30:36 Navigating Challenges and Low Points While Scaling32:12 Scaling Culture: Clear Goals, Accountability, and Hiring45:23 Patience and Personal Development for Long-Term SuccessThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: What can companies do to become more inclusive, equitable and diverse? We are joined by Audrey ROOFEH, Founder & CEO Mariana Strategies-Tory Burch Foundation Fellow-DEIA leadLove The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Audrey Roofeh: What are the crucial components for implementing effective DEI policies?Why investing in middle managers and equipping them with skills in emotional intelligence, conflict management, and building psychological safety is essential.What does the retention of diverse talent require? How leadership can become more comfortable and capable in discussing DEI topics.How to take action on DEI.References https://www.linkedin.com/in/roofeh/www.marianastrategies.comyoutube.com/@mariana_strategies/Biography Audrey Roofeh is the CEO of Mariana Strategies, a workplace culture consulting firm focused on creating safe and inclusive workplaces. We make it possible to have the important, difficult conversations that drive change. In 2017 when #MeToo hit, Audrey quit her job managing a team of lawyers at a non-profit to start Mariana Strategies. From the beginning, her goal was to help organizations build and sustain workplaces where people feel valued, trusted, and able to be their authentic selves - without harassment, discrimination, or other all too prevalent workplace challenges. Since then, Audrey and her team has worked with government agencies, non-profit clients, and private sector businesses in the US and beyond. The best thing any client has said about Audrey is that she makes hard conversations easy to have. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary00:00 Introduction19:22 The Importance of Policies and the 'Boring Stuff'20:28 The Role of Leadership in Promoting DEI25:35 Equipping Middle Managers for DEI Success31:31 Measuring Progress and Taking Action to Subvert Biases33:52 Creating an Inclusive Environment39:11 Using Empathy to Address Inclusion Challenges42:49 Resources44:33 Taking Action on DEIThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: When it is the right time to quit. We are joined by Eleena Broadfoot, Advisor and Executive Coach. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Eleena Broadfoot: What are the important factors to consider when deciding to leave a job.Adding value to the business and making a meaningful impact should be a priority.Leaving a job requires careful planning and consideration of personal and professional factors.Why is identity so closely tied to job titles?What is a good time to reassess your learning and value-add opportunities in a high-growth company?How to leave a positive legacy for the team. Be curious and open to new opportunities, and have conversations with recruiters and friends in different industries to explore potential career paths.References: linkedin.com/in/eleena-broadfootBiography: Most recently CFO at Beauty Pie, Eleena has over 20 years’ experience in senior finance roles at Virgin, Trainline & Funding Circle amongst others, working alongside leadership teams of both high-growth startups and global groups. Her experience of working with founders and their teams as a CFO and NED has provided her with some fantastic opportunities to reach beyond the traditional finance remit and enabled her to use her skills and knowledge to create value and deliver strategic insight to help drive growth.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary:00:00 Introduction28:29 Welcoming Alina Broadfoot29:50 Lessons Learned32:26 Deciding When to Leave a Job34:37 The Tipping Point: Leaving Virgin for Train Line34:59 Navigating Job Titles and Social Expectations37:33 The Right Time to Leave a VC-Backed Company41:55 Leaving a Positive Legacy and Smooth Transition42:47 Embracing Curiosity and Exploring New OpportunitiesThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: fractional COO, is it worth it? We are joined by Karina Mikhli, Founder, Fractionals United.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Karina Mikhli: What is the role of a fractional COO?How difficult is it to find a role as a fractional COO? What is crucial for winning fractional COO roles?What are the channels of entry for fractional work? What should pricing and structuring fractional work be based on? References: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinamikhli/https://www.karinamikhli.com/Biography: Karina Mikhli is a Community, Professional Services/Development, and SaaS Fractional COO; Workflow Consultant; and Founder of Fractionals United. She has almost a decade of experience building, optimizing, and scaling small to mid size businesses and although she can (and has) managed and optimized most functions, she provides the most value by leading and focusing teams and streamlining and optimizing systems. Karina works best with founders looking for a right-hand partner who will manage and run the business while they focus on their areas of strength and interest.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary:00:00 Introduction and Background20:40 The Popularity of Fractional COO Work26:09 The Challenges of Finding Fractional Work28:20 Managing Multiple Fractional COO Roles29:09 Defining Fractional COO Roles32:49 The Importance of Business Development and Networking34:39 Pricing and Structuring Fractional Work36:38 Navigating Health Insurance as a Fractional Executive37:57 Transitioning from Full-Time to Fractional WorkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: how to be a COO in today's complex world. We are joined by Jennifer Geary, Seasoned C-Suite executive across multiple industries and roles from fractional COO to Managing Director. Author of bestselling books How To Be a COO, CRO, CPO and CSO.Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.We chat about the following with Jennifer Geary: The role of a COO involves being the second-in-command and bridging the gap between strategy and operations.Can AI enhance the efficiency and creativity of the COO role, with human judgement and decision-making remaining essential?Should COOs prioritise efficiency and creativity when implementing AI, while also considering sustainability and ESG metrics?Why should we consider suppliers, supply chain, software suppliers, facilities, power consumption, and social context in sustainability efforts?How important are flexibility, choice, in-person collaboration, and open communication in creating a positive work environment?References https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-geary-8419082a/www.coo-author.comhttps://gosupercritical.com/carbon-removal/biocharhttps://www.socraticarts.com/thought-leadership/exploring-ai-and-learning-with-ethan-mollicks-cointelligenceBiography Jennifer Geary is a former MD, COO and CRO with over 25 years of experience in finance, technology, risk and legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit. She is also an author, speaker, board advisor and mentor to emerging businesses. She has attained qualification as a chartered accountant, PRINCE 2 practitioner, CISA and CISSP, with recent certifications in Sustainable Finance and ESG Investing and Ethical AI.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary00:00 Introduction and Overview01:02 Defining the Role of a COO07:28 Implementing AI: Efficiency and Creativity12:25 Prioritising Sustainability and ESG Metrics16:30 Considering Suppliers and Supply Chain18:00 Creating a Positive Work Environment20:50 Respecting Privacy in the Workplace22:53 The Next Step: CEO or COO?29:15 What CEOs are concerned about now31:38 Post IPO resources32:44 Wrap upThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: the challenges of asynchronous communication in a remote-first organisation. We are joined by Jeremy Slater, COO at Bob W.We chat about the following with Jeremy Slater: How to do asynchronous communication wellManaging information overloadWhy you need to invest in robust knowledge management -- hint: impacts customer service, operations, and scalabilityReferences https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-jack-slater/ www.bobw.co https://bit.ly/jeremyslater Biography After an extremely brief foray into finance in the US and the UK and a short stop in India to work for a solar energy social enterprise, Jereny spent the majority of his career in the heavily operational world of property management and hospitality. He’s helping Bob W become the most loved hospitality brand in Europe.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. SummaryThe conversation delves into the challenges and strategies of knowledge management, asynchronous communication, and the use of specific tools within a company. It highlights the importance of knowledge management and the impact it has on various aspects of the business, including customer service, internal operations, and scalability.Chapters:Chapter 1: Knowledge management systems (0:00-10:27)Chapter 2: Using tools like Notion and Slack (10:27-16:19)  Chapter 3: Information overload on Slack (16:19-21:12)Chapter 4: Tips for using Slack productively (21:12-25:10) Chapter 5: Organising Slack channels (25:10-28:41)Chapter 6: Challenges with instant messaging (28:41-32:56)Chapter 7: Setting up asynchronous work (32:56-35:34)Chapter 8: Implementing knowledge management (35:34-43:34)Love The Operations Room? Please like and review it here - RateThisPodcast.com/operationsroomThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

48. How to present and not suckIn this episode we discuss presentation skills and storytelling. We are joined by Jonathan Zatland, Operating Partner at Forme Partners. We chat about the following with Jonathan Zatland: Secrets to crafting narratives that captivate.How authenticity can transform your leadership narrativesWhy your presentations are falling flatReferences https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-zatland-992a1b12/Biography A creative and commercial leader with an extensive career in high growth technology companies, e-commerce and marketplaces across UK and Europe. I started out my career as a screenwriter, living and working in Los Angeles. This was the foundation of my learning to connect stories with an audience. After a decade, I took that experience and returned to the UK to start a retail brand, Mungo & Maud. The first of its kind high end dog and cat accessory store with a physical shop in London and other major outlets around the world. Opened the online store in 2006 in the very early days of e-commerce. Following my exit, I continued my narrative thread into my role as International Multichannel Director at Etsy, helping to build and scale all International markets outside of North America. Following the IPO, I went back into startup as Chief Commercial Officer  for eve Sleep, a disruptor in the sleep wellness space which I helped build and scale through to IPO. I now work as an Operating Partner for Forme Partners working with founders and CEO's across the European tech landscape, aiding them with their commercial hires at all stages of growth.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. SummaryCareer goals, creativity, and personal growth. 0:05Brandon and Bethany discuss their career goals and personal growth.Bethany realizes she needs to take advantage of not working and prioritize personal development.Bethany expresses frustration with lack of passion and purpose in her life, feeling unfulfilled despite various projects and hobbies.She longs for a major project that consumes her and stirs her imagination, but nothing has yet emerged.Effective storytelling and pacing in business presentations. 6:09Brandon and Bethany discuss narrative structure in business context, focusing on conflict and pacing.They emphasize the importance of actively listening to the audience and adjusting the narrative in real-time based on their reactions.Bethany scripts an opening for high-stakes meetings to set the tone and manage nerves.She tailors her approach based on the meeting's purpose and audience energy levels.Public speaking, authenticity, and vulnerability. 11:21Bethany uses narrative techniques to engage and motivate her team, including owning her energy and projecting enthusiasm.She also practices or rehearses her delivery beforehand to ensure authenticity and effectiveness.Bethany shares her approach to authenticity, vulnerability, and relatability in presentations, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery and confidence-building through therapy.Brandon...

In this episode we discuss: The Future COO in Tech Companies. We are joined by Tony Olvet and Andrea Siviero from IDC.We chat about the following:How do COOs navigate the evolving landscape of digital transformation while ensuring organisational stability?What are the key priorities for COOs in 2024, and how do they drive strategic thinking beyond technology?What role do COOs play as the connective tissue of organisations, orchestrating digital initiatives and driving innovation?How can COOs transition from being protectors of the organisation to digital disruptors, driving new revenue models and ESG initiatives?What skills are essential for CEOs and COOs to thrive in today's digital age, and how do they communicate the future state of the organisation effectively?References: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/tonyolvethttps://it.linkedin.com/in/sivieroandBiography: Tony Olvet, Group Vice President at IDC, leads global research on the intersection of business transformation and digital investments. With extensive experience advising organizations worldwide, Tony provides fact-based insights to inform technology strategy and digital business decisions. A sought-after speaker, he delivers keynote presentations at conferences and virtual events. Based in Toronto, Canada, Tony holds degrees from the University of Waterloo and the University of Toronto.Andrea Siviero leads IDC's European Digital Business and Future of Work Research group, providing insights to drive purposeful technology adoption. He also co-leads IDC's Worldwide MacroTech Research program, analyzing the impact of key macroeconomic factors on the digital landscape. With extensive experience in strategy and go-to-market projects, Andrea advises IT players on building forward-looking digital strategies. He holds a joint PhD in mathematics and is fluent in English, French, and Italian.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary:Cricket and personal life, including death and ex-fiance. 0:00Bethany shares her struggles with grief after an unexpected death of a teenager, while Brandon listens and offers support.Bethany and Brandon discuss their past relationship and reasons for reconnecting.Career changes, life lessons, and tech CEO priorities. 3:08Bethany and Brandon M discuss their experiences working with Tony Elvet at IDC.Brandon M reflects on his decision to leave London and return to Toronto, and how it impacted his career.Brandon M shared his experiences as a tech CEO with a research report, discussing new priorities and future orientation.Bethany asked Brandon about his insights on CEO priorities, which were included in the report, with little fundamental change observed.CEO role, digital transformation, and AI adoption in businesses. 7:13Brandon M: CEO role in 2024: partnering with finance leaders, making investment bets.Bethany: High performance culture: how to make it happen, translate into business.Brandon M: Digital transformation is not always transformative, but AI is a real transformation for all companies.Bethany: AI is the top priority...

In this episode we discuss: Board Relationships. We are joined by Helen Hopper and Joy Harcup, authors of book, The Art and Psychology of Board Relationships.&nbsp;&nbsp;We chat about the following:Unravelling Boardroom Dynamics: What's Really at Stake?The Power of Psychological Safety: A Boardroom Imperative?Self-Awareness: The Boardroom Game Changer?Mastering Conflict Resolution in the Boardroom: Strategies UnveiledTrust, Collaboration, Success: The Boardroom Trifecta?References:&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-hopper-h3/https://www.hcubed.co.uk/who-we-arehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-harcup-9392352/Biography:&nbsp;HELEN HOPPER trained in management consultancy with Accenture, and in occupational psychology with SHL, before co-founding the leadership consulting firm hCubed in 2010, where she is a Partner. h3’s mission is to stimulate growth through learning and Helen pursues this with individuals, teams and organisations as a coach and facilitator. She is an active supporter of mental health charities, most recently as COO of The Listening Place, and Trustee at The Mix.JOY HARCUP is an executive coach with international coaching firm Praesta LLP, working with individuals, top executive teams and boards. She has 20 years’ leadership coaching experience with clients including the FTSE 100, professional services, public and not-for-profit sectors. Joy was President of the UK Board of the International Coaching Federation. A former lawyer specialising in dispute resolution, she’s also sat on boards in the education and charitable sectors.&nbsp;To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.&nbsp;Summary:Bullying in board meetings and its impact on individuals. 0:06Bethany Ayers experienced issues with her phone number porting and international roaming, leading to a frustrating conversation with Oh Two customer support.Despite being told her case was closed, Bethany was able to get her number back after waiting for a couple of days.Bethany acknowledges being a potential bully in the past, recognizing behaviors that could be harmful to others.Brandon M. questions the use of the term "bullying," suggesting that it can be subjective and context-dependent.Effective board meetings, leadership, and conflict resolution. 5:18Brandon M. and Bethany discuss ways to address unhelpful behavior in meetings, including intervening, redirecting, and parking the issue for later discussion.Effective chairperson engagement is critical for maintaining a functional board, according to Brandon M. and Bethany.Bethany emphasizes the importance of having a pre-agreed contract, such as a team canvas, to establish expectations and prevent conflicts within teams.Bethany criticizes traditional board dynamics, citing a lack of modernization and unrealistic expectations of chairs, and argues for more inclusive and empathetic approaches to leadership.Effective board meetings, including setting a strong chair, providing clear agendas, and making an ask of the board.<a...

In this episode, we discuss performance management and getting the most from your teams. We are joined by Jessica Zwaan, Author of the best-selling book, Built for People, and COO of Talentful.We chat about:&nbsp;Can traditional performance reviews truly capture an employee's value?Are OKRs just a trendy buzzword or a real strategy for driving company success?How can organizational network analysis uncover the real influencers in your team?What does it take to measure true employee performance in today's remote work era?References: Jessica’s LinkedInWebsiteBiography:&nbsp;Your company is building three products: A financial instrument, a customer product, and an employee experience. I advocate treating employees as customers purchasing an experience of work, and I encourage us to work like Product Managers in order to iterate and improve on that product. This paradigm shift positions work itself as the focal point of our strive for success, not just optimising the individuals as "human capital". Like the idea? I wrote a book all about it, called "Built for People" which you can buy basically anywhere books are sold.To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.&nbsp;Summary:Choosing a life partner and nannies as a "wife hire." 0:05Bethany discussed tips for choosing a partner for career success, including finding someone whose mother worked outside the home.Bethany values hiring a nanny for the mental load relief and organization.Performance management effectiveness and its various components. 4:40Brandon and Bethany discuss the ineffectiveness of performance management, with 64% of workers viewing it as a waste of time and 47% considering it a failure in their company.Jessica Swann distinguishes between performance assessment and management, highlighting the importance of individualized growth and development in the latter.Bethany expresses concerns about goal-measuring and its practicality in the workplace.Bethany and Brandon discuss the importance of organizational network analysis and its impact on problem-solving.Performance management and leadership development. 10:06Bethany suggests rolling out OKRs gently, learning along the way, and avoiding command and control.Brandon agrees, emphasizing the importance of measuring marketing and sales performance collectively and connecting it to business outcomes.Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of effective performance management and leadership skills for line managers.Bethany questions the feasibility of performance management, citing potential biases and limitations in the process.Performance management and assessment in organizations. 15:27Jessica emphasizes the importance of understanding employee performance, citing it as the most critical question in HR.Bethany agrees, highlighting the need for effective performance management...

In this episode, we discuss usage-based pricing, seat pricing, maximising margin and customer expansion. We are joined by Mark Stiving, Founder of Impact Pricing.We chat about:&nbsp;What exactly is usage-based pricing?How do we correlate pricing metrics with how customers are using the product?What are the criteria and considerations when choosing the value metric?How do you choose between true usage-based pricing and tiered usage-based pricing?How do we work around the pricing mechanisms that our clients or vendors are giving us?Is there more of a move towards straight usage or is tiered pricing here to stay?How do we expand our customers?Who should be responsible for pricing and packaging within the company?&nbsp;References: Mark on LinkedINMark’s podcast, Impact PricingBiography:&nbsp;Mark Stiving, Pricing Educator, Coach, Podcast Host &amp; 2x Author. He has driven business initiatives worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He is sought after for his superpower of finding invincible profits in every company he works with.He is an award-winning international speaker known for helping audiences find hidden value and more profit, immediately.Mark started and successfully sold three powerful companies in the tech sector.His forthcoming book is "Invincible Profits: How to Lead a Value Revolution and Dominate Your Market"To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.&nbsp;Summary:Usage-based pricing with a focus on personalization and avoiding seat-based pricing. 0:05Bethany shares her recent haircut experience with Brandon, including the surprise of finding a large amount of hair after cutting it.Brandon discusses usage-based pricing, highlighting its potential cleverness and limitations.Pricing strategies for SaaS companies, including usage-based pricing and subscription packages. 4:02Brandon: Value metric should be clear, easy to understand, and tie to usage (e.g., transcription files, contacts in HubSpot)Brandon: Finding a single value metric to scale can be challenging, as customers may not understand usage outside of vendor-supplied calculatorsBrandon discusses challenges in customer success with usage-based pricing, including unhappy customers who want to downgrade and the potential for unused value.Bethany and Brandon discuss the importance of commissioning based on usage and actual money being seen, with a...

In this episode, we discuss: Is it possible to pivot to profitability? We are joined by Libby Penn, she is the COO of Improbable.We chat about the following:&nbsp;What's the COO's role in the pivot to profitabilityWhat are the right bets to make in a business?How should we balance profitability and growth?What is the importance of well-documented data?What is realistic in terms of profitability?Who is responsible for capturing data?References: LinkedInThinking in Bets by Annie Duke&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Libby Penn has experience in various business development and operations roles across a number of high-growth technology businesses on SaaS and enterprise models, B2B and B2C, in both the UK and the US. This has given her an in-depth insight into the complexities that come with the role as COO.Summary:Gender roles and microaggressions in the workplace. 0:05Bethany Ayres discusses the challenges of being a woman in leadership positions, including societal expectations and performative ally ship.Bethany launches a series of free webinars to support first-time female executives and aspiring executives, focusing on topics such as taking a seat at the table and choosing the right life partner.Brandon and Bethany discuss the challenges of navigating gender roles and microaggressions in their personal and professional lives.Bethany shares an example of a leadership team meeting where a male colleague's swearing and apologies towards her created an uncomfortable work environment.Pivoting to profitability for a B2B SaaS company. 4:55Bethany: Analyzes company's strategy, identifies unprofitable areas for cuts.Bethany: Looks at lease and office expirations, considers cost-cutting measures.Bethany and Brandon discuss strategies for improving profitability, including renegotiating cloud contracts, focusing on profitable channels, and optimizing GTM motions.They also discuss the importance of tracking data properly to make informed decisions about spend and identify areas for improvement.Brandon and Bethany discuss partner strategy, testing, and doubling down on successful partnerships.They emphasize the importance of hiring quality people who are well-respected within the partner company.Pivoting to profitability, focusing on market strategy, operations efficiency, and automation. 12:42Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of qualitative analysis to validate data-driven insights for profitability.Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of operational efficiency and automation in a company's shift to profitability.Balancing growth and profitability for startups. 15:55Libby highlights the importance of balancing risk and innovation in investments.Libby emphasizes product development as key to profitability, while Bethany focuses on balancing growth and profitability.Data analysis, product development, and customer focus in tech companies.<a...

In this episode, we discuss: The life-ruining power of routines. We are joined by Markham Heid, he is a Journalist with TIME and New York Times.&nbsp;We chat about the following:&nbsp;How do we optimise our lives without falling into the trap of routine?Do we need routine and structure to be productive?&nbsp;Are you busy because it’s necessary?&nbsp;What’s the right balance between routine and creative space?&nbsp;How can companies get involved in breaking routine and encouraging creativity? References:&nbsp;LinkedInArticle - The life-ruining power of routinesWebsiteBiography:&nbsp;Markham has worked as a staff writer at both a major metropolitan newspaper and a national magazine, but for the past 12 years he’s worked as an independent (freelance) journalist.Markham has written about England's Jurassic Coast for Travel &amp; Leisure, covered workplace culture for an HR quarterly mag, and explored Germany's transition away from nuclear energy for Vox. But most of his writing has been in the health and science space.&nbsp;Between 2014 and 2018, he wrote a weekly health column for TIME.com, which was called You Asked. Since 2018, Markham has done something similar for Medium, where he’s followed by ~350k subscribers. He’s still a frequent contributor at TIME, and he also writes regularly for the New York Times. His work has received awards from both the Society of Professional Journalists and the Maryland, Delaware, and D.C. Press Association.&nbsp;He’s originally from Detroit, but right now he lives in southeast Germany with his wife and two kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;Summary:The negative impact of routines and habits on personal optimization. 0:05Bethany aims to increase income by securing one more board seat.Markham Hyde argues in Financial Times article that routines lead to suffering, not personal optimization.Routines, productivity, and spontaneity in adulthood. 3:15Brandon: Routine-oriented, wants to package boring tasks for productivity.Bethany: Automate, eliminate tasks to free mental load, not create routine.Bethany and Brandon have different approaches to exercise and structure in their lives.Brandon has lived in different countries and jobs, categorizing his life by chunks of time, while now as an adult with a family, he questions whether that's possible anymore.Routine, spontaneity, and finding balance in life and work. 8:21Bethany suggests finding balance between structure and unstructured time to pursue interests and passions.Moderation is key to happiness, rather than being too rigid or spontaneous.Bethany suggests creating a routine to overcome fear and find inspiration (0:11:02)Bethany and Brandon discuss the balance between routine and spontaneity in business contexts (0:12:41)Innovation weeks in companies, with a focus on structure and culture. 14:04Innovation week at a...

In this episode, we discuss: Why does community matter for organisations? We are joined by Jaclyn Pascocello, she is the founder of Fabrik.&nbsp;&nbsp;We chat about the following:&nbsp;What are the trends in people and the connections they are building and want to build?Where should the L&amp;D budget be spent?Is it part of the company's responsibility to help foster connections that are not within the company?Are we at the top of a community-building hype cycle?&nbsp;What are the optimal conditions for the hybrid worker?References: Jaclyn LinkedIn&nbsp;FabrikBiography:&nbsp;Mom + Founder of Fabrik. A driven leader with a passion for hospitality and customer experience and a proven track record of building and scaling startups. Building an IRL solution to uplift our communities and create more serendipity. Expert in creating unique and memorable consumer experiences in DTC, brick-and-mortar, hospitality, and F&amp;B.Summary:Homophobia and the story of a forgotten fashion photographer. 0:06Brandon and Bethany discuss life stages, London, and the BFI's LGBTQ+ film festival.Bethany and Brandon discuss the documentary "Stonewall" and the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in the past.Loneliness in remote work and its impact on employees' well-being. 3:40Brandon: Loneliness crisis affects individuals, organizations, and communities.Bethany: Hybrid work is here to stay, but it may lead to more loneliness.Brandon and Bethany discuss the impact of remote work on employee loneliness and the responsibility of organizations to address it.Software developer quit previous job due to lack of pre-existing relationships, highlighting the importance of social connections in the workplace.Combating loneliness in the workplace through professional connections. 9:20Bethany shares her personal experience of feeling unseen and lonely in her marriage, despite being physically present with her husband.Bethany finds it freeing to make deeper connections outside of work due to reduced risk and potential for misinterpretation.Brandon suggests providing financial support for individuals to join professional organizations, such as the CEO roundtable, to combat loneliness and provide emotional support.Building communities for professionals, both internally and externally. 13:25Bethany and others discuss the importance of community and connection in the workplace.Speaker 3: Internal community building should be supported by L&amp;D budget, but external communities can also be fostered.Bethany: External communities can be monetized to help employees feel less lonely, but internal connection is also important.Workplace community building, employee resource groups, and customer advocacy communities. 17:40Organizations should focus on supporting community within the employee base...

In this episode we discuss: What are the priorities for COO’s in 2024? We are joined by Cameron Herold, he is the founder of the COO Alliance and author of the Second in Command.&nbsp;We chat about the following:&nbsp;What are the priorities for COO’s in 2024?&nbsp;How should we think about budgets this year?&nbsp;How is the COO role changing?What are the commonalities across COO’s?&nbsp;How do you work with a controlling CEO?How should a COO think about their relationship with the CEO?Do you have tips on how-to give good praise?&nbsp;Is the CEO role the next step for a COO?&nbsp;References: Cameron HeroldCOO AllianceYouTube ChannelBiography:&nbsp;Founder of the COO Alliance &amp; Invest In Your Leaders CourseAuthor of Vivid Vision &amp; The Second In CommandMeet Cameron Herold, the mastermind behind the exponential growth of hundreds of&nbsp; companies. As the founder of the COO Alliance and the Invest In Your Leaders course,&nbsp; Cameron is a dynamic consultant who has coached some of the biggest names in&nbsp; business, including Sprint Telecom and a monarchy in the Middle East. Known as the&nbsp; "CEO Whisperer", Cameron has a reputation for guiding his clients to double their&nbsp; profits and revenue in just three years or less.Cameron's entrepreneurial journey began at a young age, and by 35, he had helped&nbsp; build his first two $100 million dollar companies. But his greatest achievement came as&nbsp; the COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, where he engineered the company's spectacular growth&nbsp; from $2 million to $106 million in revenue and from 14 to 3,100 employees - all in just&nbsp; six years.Cameron is not just a successful business leader, but also a captivating speaker. The&nbsp; current publisher of Forbes magazine, Rich Karlgaard, stated "Cameron Herold is the&nbsp; best speaker I've ever heard...he hits grand slams”.&nbsp;When he's not on stage, Cameron&nbsp; continues to teach through his Second In Command podcast and his bestselling books,&nbsp; including Vivid Vision, Meetings Suck, Free PR, Double Double, and The Miracle Morning&nbsp; for Entrepreneurs.Cameron is a top-rated international speaker and has been paid to speak in 26 countries&nbsp; and on all 7 continents, including Antarctica in early 2022. He is also the top-rated&nbsp; lecturer at EO/MIT's Entrepreneurial Masters Program and a powerful and effective speaker at CEO and COO leadership events worldwide.Summary:Budgeting, forecasting, and scenario planning for businesses. 0:05Bethany Ayers is considering running for MP to advocate for cannabis legalization.Cameron Herold, CEO of several companies, joins the podcast to discuss priorities for a CEO in 2024.Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of linking budget, revenue, and GTM assumptions in a financial model to make informed investment decisions and communicate effectively with leadership.Bethany agrees that this model is essential for aligning leadership with the company's situation and setting budgets based on financial forecasts.Bethany emphasizes the importance of a scorecard in tracking key elements of low cash flow and ensuring data integrity.Brandon discusses his experiment with a client, using a financial p&amp;l tool for scenario planning and live data flow, and evaluating its effectiveness in serving three...

In this unique episode, Bethany Ayers and Brandon Mensinga share their personal stories. This episode is simply titled: Life Lessons. Bethany and Brandon are experienced scale-up COO’s and the co-hosts of the Operations Room.&nbsp;We chat about the following lessons:&nbsp;Know where you want to goLean into the fearDon’t try to be somebody elseFocus on the job that is in front of youKnow your superpowerAccept critical feedback for what it is&nbsp;Leadership is about serving othersFind people who stretch youTake opportunities when they present themselvesDon’t be a victim, take responsibility for your lifeDo uncomfortable thingsCultivate your networkBe kind. Be respectful.&nbsp;Accept the fact that people won’t like youSummary:Career goals and adaptability. 0:05Brandon and Bethany discuss their sleeping difficulties, with Bethany experiencing a bird phobia-related insomnia and Brandon going to a quiz night with his wife.Bethany struggles to fall asleep due to her bird phobia, while Brandon enjoys a UK-centric quiz night with his wife.Bethany Ayers shares her lesson learned from her career journey: know where you want to go, but be open to opportunities.Brandon Mensa adds to the discussion, emphasizing the importance of being clear on one's goals while remaining flexible and open to new experiences.Overcoming fear and ambition in business. 4:31Brandon shares his experience of struggling to land a job during an internship programme, despite applying for 10 marketing roles and interviewing 10 times without success.Brandon overcame his anxiety related to telephone interviews by taking small steps, such as practicing with friends and using positive self-talk, to build his confidence and land a job as a marketing specialist.Brandon leaned into his fear and ambition to secure a job, despite a long commute and initial discomfort.Leveraging his motivation and ambition, he drove himself to fulfill the potential of the company, learning to manage his fear along the way.Personal growth and career development. 9:37Bethany emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and being the best version of oneself, rather than trying to be someone else.She encourages individuals to focus on their unique strengths and skills, rather than comparing themselves to others.Brandon recognizes the value of his own strengths and weaknesses, and stops comparing himself to extroverts.Brandon takes inspiration from others' ways of working and incorporates them into his own toolkit, rather than mimicking them exactly.Bethany prioritizes becoming a domain expert and a practitioner in her field, focusing on the job she has and building her skills to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.Brandon emphasizes the importance of focusing on the job and becoming a craftsperson, with opportunities for advancement and job security following suit.Embracing unique strengths and work ethic for career success. 17:09Bethany struggles with imposter syndrome and feeling unimportant in a leadership role due to her lack of a specific functional expertise.Bethany...

In this episode we discuss: Which HRIS do I need? We are joined by Matt Bradburn, Founder &amp; CEO of the People Collective.&nbsp;We chat about the following:&nbsp;What are our views on Rippling? Personio? Factorial? BambooHR? HiBob?&nbsp;What is a good vendor choice for a scaling company of a few hundred people that wants something that is very customisable?&nbsp;What is a good all-in-one vendor choice that is good at employee engagement and for UK companies supports international expansion into the US?&nbsp;What are the “gotchas” when buying an HRIS?&nbsp;&nbsp;What is the hidden, dark secret of all employee engagement tools?&nbsp;What is a good vendor choice for a mid-market ATS?&nbsp;What is a good vendor choice for compensation?&nbsp;Which products are really exciting for 2024?References: HRIS vendor evaluationRipplingHiBobFactorialPersonioBambooHROther HRIS vendors mentionedCharlieHRHumaansATS vendorsAshbyPinpointWorkableGreenhouseSmartRecrruitersOther products mentionedSana LabsPandoHarrietHRBiography:&nbsp;Matt is a globally recognised People and Talent leader. Through his work as the founder at People Collective, he's helped over 150 companies shape forward thinking people and talent strategies to scale sustainably.&nbsp;&nbsp;Passionate about how talent shapes business outcomes, he loves to discuss the best ways to help employees reach their full potential.He previously led People Ops at Peakon prior to their exit to Workday.&nbsp;Summary:Healthy eating habits and vegetable subscriptions. 0:05Bethany is trying a new vegetable subscription service called Odd Box, which delivers a random mix of fruits and vegetables each week.Bethany is not excited about the included cauliflower and tuna, but is looking forward to trying new vegetables during the summer.HRIS options for a 100-person company. 3:02Bethany is frustrated with the lack of great options for HRIS systems, especially for smaller companies.Brandon has a utilitarian experience with Rippling, with a cluttered drop-down menu and limited performance review functionality...

In this episode we discuss: What does a good COO framework look like? We are joined by Simon Wakeman, former COO of TPXimpact and creator of the B3 Framework.&nbsp;We chat about the following:&nbsp;Are investment bets the responsibility of the COO?&nbsp;What is an operating model?&nbsp;What is minimum viable governance? How much process is too much process?&nbsp;How to best manage a risk register to make it usefulWhat is in the “systems” box?&nbsp;How do you structure data teams?&nbsp;What are some practices around cadences?&nbsp;References: B3 FrameworkSimon WakemanBiography:&nbsp;I help founders in post-seed and series A technology businesses to scale their operations and create resilient organisations.&nbsp;I’ve created and used the B3 framework® to enable businesses with 25 to 250 people to successfully grow at pace.&nbsp;Before becoming an independent interim COO, consultant and advisor I held senior operational leadership roles in two scaling technology businesses. The first - a digital business - I led from 15 people / £1.6m revenue to 40 people / £3m revenue. The second - a technology and design business - grew from 361 people / £31.5m revenue to 700 people / £83m in around three years.&nbsp;My career experience includes co-founder, MD, COO and non-exec director roles in growth companies, including successful exits across listed and privately held businesses.Summary:Creating high-performance companies with a CEO framework. 0:06Brandon and Bethany discuss their spouses' reactions to their podcast, with Bethany's husband being surprised by her comment that being married is not part of her identity.They welcome Simon Wakeman, former CEO of TI px impact, as their guest to discuss his B three framework for building highly performant organizations.Brandon M: Foundation layer of CEO framework includes why do we exist, what do we do, and how do we do it.Bethany: Operating model definition lacks clarity, with inconsistent examples across companies.Brandon M: Building the organisation layer, decision making is hard due to changing business structures and roles, but it's critical for scaling companies to codify decision-making processes and delegate responsibility.Bethany: Finance models are useful for making calculated risks and investment bets, but they need to be holistically thought through with the CEO and leadership team to ensure the right forecast model is created for cash burn and expectations management.Business framework for scaling startups. 7:16Bethany and Brandon discuss the importance of data ownership and security in business, with Bethany emphasizing the need for a "Source of Truth" and data security foundations to support data-driven decision-making.Bethany highlights the importance of data in decision-making, emphasizing that even small amounts of data can be valuable for directional insights.Bethany and Brandon discuss the four layers of their framework, including cadence and communications, leadership, performance, processes, systems, and standards.Operating models and their importance in business. 11:32Simon...

In this episode we discuss: Is wellbeing a complete waste of time? We are joined by Gethin Nadin, cited as one of HR’s Most Influential Thinkers and author of the bestseller “A Work In Progress: Unlocking Wellbeing to Create More Sustainable and Resilient Organisations.”Bethany and I discuss:&nbsp;What is the COO’s role in solving workplace stress?&nbsp;What can a COO do to optimise employees and support their mental health?&nbsp;We chat about the following with Gethin:&nbsp;What is wellbeing? In the context of a company, what are we talking about?&nbsp;What is the view on the Guardian article that suggests wellness programmes are a waste of time?&nbsp;What is the impact of DE&amp;I on mental health?&nbsp;How has the social contract changed between employee and employer?&nbsp;Where does corporate responsibility end and personal responsibility start?How does an organisation optimise employees to achieve the biggest shareholder return?&nbsp;References: A Work In Progress: Unlocking Wellbeing to Create More Sustainable and Resilient OrganisationsWorkplace wellbeing is a complete waste of time (Gethin’s response to the Guardian article)Work ‘wellness’ programmes don’t make employees happier - but I know what does (Guardian article)https://www.linkedin.com/in/gethinnadin/http://www.hellobenefex.comSpill. Mental health providerBiography:&nbsp;I am a leading psychologist and author with over 20 years of experience in HR tech, employee wellbeing, and engagement. As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Member of the British Psychological Society, I have been recognised as one of the world's most influential HR thinkers and a top global employee experience influencer.&nbsp;Currently, I serve as the Chief Innovation Officer at both Benefex and Zellis, two of the UK's leading providers of employee benefits and payroll solutions. In this role, I leverage my expertise in wellbeing, employee experience, and financial wellbeing to create innovative and sustainable solutions for organisations and their people. I am also a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Future of Employability, where I advise on policy and practice for improving the employability of the UK workforce.&nbsp;I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and insights with others through speaking, writing, and teaching. I have published two bestselling books, 'A World of Good' and 'A Work in Progress', which explore the best practices and emerging trends in improving the employee experience and wellbeing across the globe. I have also contributed to various media outlets, such as Forbes, The Financial Times, and The Guardian, and co-hosted a UK tour with Ruby Wax OBE to campaign for better mental health in the workplace. My mission is to help organisations and individuals thrive in the changing world of work.Summary:Walking in London, exhaustion, and appreciation for the city.<a...

In this episode we discuss: How do you build an organisation to compete with Google? We are joined by Omid Ashtari, ex-COO of Streebees and President of Citymapper.We chat about the following with Omid:&nbsp;How do you think about organisational structure?&nbsp;How proactive should you be in anticipating organisational challenges?&nbsp;What is the highest impact communication challenge you helped resolve?&nbsp;How do you prevent drift from the customer as the company scales?&nbsp;References: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashtarihttp://www.startuppragmatism.comBiography:&nbsp;I have two decades of experience in tech and worked in sales, business development and strategy roles for Google across the Dublin, London and San Francisco office during his 7 years there. As the first international employee, I set up Foursquare in Europe as Managing Director. I subsequently joined Citymapper for 6 years as President running the non-engineering side of the business. I then joined Streetbees as COO running operations, international expansion, finance and legal. Throughout my career I have raised north of 100 million dollars of funding for businesses I have worked for.I am an angel investor in more than 45 businesses and advise many of them in all manner of things including strategy, operations, business development, fundraises etc. I am also part of the Mayor of London's Business Advisory Board, and a Mentor at Seedcamp and Entrepreneur First.I am also an aspiring writer for my blogs startuppragmatism.blog and thefullspectrum.blog.Summary:Personal growth and evolution over 13 years. 0:05Brandon reflects on his past solo travels and how they relate to his current life.Brandon M reflects on his past self-absorption and lack of empathy, now prioritizing supporting others' success and empathy in personal and professional life.Brandon M recounts a 2011 incident where he carried a biscuit tin full of Canadian coins and sat next to a homeless person, now recognizing the importance of empathy and caring for others.Organizational structure and skills for a business. 4:09Bethany: People often create an org structure that prioritizes making their existing team happy, rather than starting fresh and building a structure that works for the business.Brandon M: Bethany suggests starting with a blank slate and building an org structure that works for the business, rather than trying to fit existing team members into a pre-existing structure.Bethany and Brandon M discuss the importance of defining the skills needed for a business to succeed, rather than simply morphing structures around people.They agree that it's better to have a flexible approach to organizational structure, recognizing that roles may evolve as the business grows and changes.Organizational design and hiring for a scaling startup. 9:57Brandon M. faced pushback on hiring 2 product marketing managers, but believes it was necessary for success in both self-serve subscribers and enterprise sales.Brandon M. emphasizes the importance of clear go-to-market strategy and collaboration between product marketing manager and go-to-market manager.Bethany identifies...

In this episode we discuss: How do you scale from 100 employees to IPO? We are joined by Mark Logan, ex-COO of Skyscanner and currently Chief Entrepreneurial Advisor to the Scottish GovernmentWe chat about the following with Mark:&nbsp;What are the foundations of scale?&nbsp;How do you prevent command and control from creeping in?&nbsp;What goes wrong with organisational alignment over time?&nbsp;Why doesn’t OKR cascading work?&nbsp;What are the three golden processes of an organisation?Why do things break when you scale? What do you need to look out for?&nbsp;What are the three golden processes of an organisation?How do you get the innovation process to work?&nbsp;When does it make sense to go cross-functional across the organisation?&nbsp;What is expected from a C-level role? Biography:&nbsp;I have over 25 years' experience in highly successful startups and 1st-tier internet tech companies. I have been instrumental in the success of multiple award-winning start-ups, including Skyscanner, one of Europe's most successful tech companies, where I joined in 2012 to take on the general management of the business, culminating in a £1.5billion acquisition in 2016.&nbsp;My experience spans consumer internet economy startups, executive management, organisational development, change management, strategy development, contract negotiation and delivery, software development, growth science, sales and marketing , HR, large scale programme delivery and operations management, including lean agile techniques.&nbsp;Currently mainly focused on helping to nurture the start-up community in Scotland and the UK as an investor, non-executive director and advisor.Summary:&nbsp;Scaling a business from 100 employees to IPO with ex-Skyscanner CEO Mark Logan. 0:06Bethany: Investing in individual competence is essential for setting up employees for success within their roles.Brandon M: Mark Logan prioritized this by focusing on developing the skills of each employee at Skyscanner.Bethany highlights the importance of career development and line management effectiveness in retaining staff, rather than allocating budget to wellness programmes.Bethany suggests that companies need to carve out time and give permission for employees to think and learn at work, and celebrate their efforts to create a learning environment.Brandon M. shared his experience with OKRs, highlighting the importance of practical application and alignment with business strategy.Bethany agreed, emphasizing the need to balance structure with flexibility and contextual understanding, citing Nike as an example of a company that executes OKRs effectively.Resource allocation and technology adoption in business. 8:17Bethany highlights the challenge of resource allocation in product development, particularly when it comes to balancing the need for new technologies with the reality of limited resources.Bethany emphasizes the importance of having a clear understanding of how new technology will improve processes and outcomes before investing in it.Scaling organizations and maintaining agency. 11:03Bethany: Friend's security company has accidentally implemented decentralized decision-making, leading to no bottlenecks as they scale.Mark Logan: Foundation of scale is agency, as company grows, founders'...

In this episode we discuss: What can VC and PE backed operators learn from each other? We are joined by Sam Smith, the founder &amp; MD of PepTalks, a training provider for private equity backed CEOs and their management teams.We chat about the following with Sam:&nbsp;What are the types of PE companies?&nbsp;How are company valuations determined?&nbsp;How does the commercial model work between PE companies and LP’s?&nbsp;Can you shift track and move from VC-backed to PE-backed?&nbsp;How does a PE firm structure funds when they invest in an organisation?How does that structure impact the ability for the management team to make money?&nbsp;&nbsp;How do share options work in VC-backed companies?&nbsp;What happens to the management team's equity when a second PE company buys the company?&nbsp;What does a successful COO look like in PE-backed companies? How does that contrast versus VC-backed?&nbsp;&nbsp;How do VC-backed companies successfully ramp up headcount so quickly?&nbsp;How do you engage and motivate employees in PE-backed companies versus VC-backed?&nbsp;ReferencesSam SmithPepTalksBiography:&nbsp;Sam Smith is the founder of PepTalks, a peer to peer training provider for private equity backed CEOs and Management teams.&nbsp;Founder of Marble Hill Partners an exec search and interim management consultancy which was sold to Henley Insights Group in September 2021.Summary:&nbsp;Career relevance and identity after unexpected death. 0:05Bethany struggles with processing unexpected death of a friend, leading to a difficult weekend.Bethany and Brandon discuss feeling less relevant in their careers as they age, with millennials taking over management positions.Identity, ambition, and financial freedom. 3:35Bethany: Realized identity wasn't tied to work after leaving peak role, causing discomfort &amp; self-reflection.Brandon: Ambiguity of mattering in work life vs. personal identity, with age &amp; finite time, leads to essential questions.Bethany and Brandon discuss the importance of financial freedom and its impact on their lives, including the ability to think long-term and prioritize personal growth.Brandon highlights the importance of allocating time for networking and learning, even when not directly relevant to work, to maintain personal direction and growth.Entrepreneurship, private equity, and networking. 9:02Bethany and Brandon discuss networking and success in business with Sam Smith of pep talks.Private equity fundraising and investment strategies. 11:07Sam Smith explains the commercial models of private equity, including the need for return on investment and the importance of valuation based on EBITDA multiples.Bethany asks about the recurring revenue of a 20-500 million enterprise value business, and Sam provides examples of private equity funds for different transaction sizes.Sam Smith outlines a plan to raise £500 million for a private equity fund,...

In this episode we answer the question: How do you build a business that is smarter than you? Our guest is Jennifer Sundberg, the co-CEO of Board Intelligence and author of Collective Intelligence.We discuss the following with Jennifer:&nbsp;Why is it so hard to get great conversations in business review meetings?&nbsp;How do you get good at asking the right questions?&nbsp;How do you develop the habit of asking good questions in the organisation?&nbsp;How do you create phenomenal meetings?&nbsp;How do you cut through obfuscation of underperformance when it comes to KPI’s?&nbsp;What are the two types of conversations in management meetings?&nbsp;Are written documents the elixir for creating better meetings?&nbsp;ReferencesThe Collective Intelligence BookBiography:&nbsp;Jennifer is the founder and co-CEO of Board Intelligence, a mission-led technology firm that helps transform boards and leadership teams into a powerful driver of performance and a force for good.Jennifer has won numerous awards, including EY Entrepreneur of the Year for London &amp; South East and The Times Young Business Woman of the Year, and has held regular columns with Management Today and the Financial Times.Together with co-CEO Pippa Begg, Jennifer has authored a book published in November 2023, titled ‘Collective intelligence: How to build a business that’s smarter than you are’.Summary:&nbsp;Using electric currents for beauty. 0:05Bethany Ayers discusses her concerns about her appearance, particularly the jowls and lower face area, and how she has been using microcurrent therapy to address these issues.Brandon Mensa responds to Bethany's concerns and provides his own thoughts on the topic, including his belief that face exercise is important for maintaining a youthful appearance.Bethany discusses her use of electric currents on her face to reduce the appearance of jowls and improve her appearance, despite being a feminist who questions the societal pressure to conform to beauty standards.Bethany mentions the zip Halo, a product she uses for its anti-acne and nano current features, which she believes have helped reduce her breakouts and improve the appearance of her skin.Effective questioning and meeting strategies. 5:20Bethany highlights the importance of asking simple and open-ended questions that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving, rather than complex and leading questions that can limit the conversation.Brandon shares how he has shifted from a more directive and challenging approach to a more curious and why-focused line of questioning, which has led to better results in his conversations.Bethany prefers meetings with a clear purpose and aligned attendees, avoiding unnecessary or unproductive gatherings.Bethany suggests opening meetings with a clear agenda and checking alignment among attendees to maximize productivity.Effective meeting practices and pre-reads. 9:52Bethany and Brandon discuss the importance of periodically reviewing the purpose and format of meetings to ensure they remain useful and productive.Preparing pre-read...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: Why is hybrid working an inclusivity issue?. We talked with Brian Elliott, he is the co-founder of Future Forum, author of the bestseller How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to do the Best Work of Their Lives&nbsp;We then discuss the following with Brian:&nbsp;What does the data say on return to work and the push back from employees?&nbsp;What is the connection between inclusivity and remote working?&nbsp;What do you do when the CEO blames missed targets on remote working?&nbsp;Is Thursday the new Friday?&nbsp;Why is there resistance to remote working from senior execs?&nbsp;What are the right policies or tactics one can take?&nbsp;How do you make Zoom-based team calls effective?&nbsp;Do mandated days make sense for hybrid?&nbsp;ReferencesHybrid work: Making it fit with your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategyFollow Brian on LinkedInHow the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to do the Best Work of Their LivesFuture ForumBiography:&nbsp;Brian Elliott is a seasoned executive turned leadership advisor and speaker. He's the co-founder of Future Forum, author of the bestseller How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to do the Best Work of Their Lives and one of Forbes’ Future of Work 50. Brian’s work enables leaders to build a future of work that’s better for people and organizations.Prior to Future Forum, Brian spent 25 years building and leading teams and companies as a startup CEO, and as an executive at Google and Slack. Brian got his MBA from Harvard Business School and BA at Northwestern and started his career at Boston Consulting Group, where he’s now a Senior Advisor.&nbsp;Brian is also the proud dad of two young men and one middle-aged dog. You can find Brian on LinkedIn.Summary:&nbsp;Hybrid working and inclusion issues. 0:05Bethany discusses the challenges of hybrid working versus remote working, particularly for women dealing with intersectional issues such as discrimination and microaggressions.Bethany shares her personal experience of lounging in bed doing crossword puzzles while working from home, highlighting the importance of work-life balance and personal preferences.Bethany believes hybrid working and remote working are inclusion issues due to the disproportionate burden of child and elder care on women.Microaggressions and lack of privacy in the workplace make it difficult for women to consistently attend in-office days, despite inclusive work environments.Hybrid work and its impact on gender and privacy. 6:12Brandon M

In this episode we unpack the topic of: What is it like being COO of a private equity backed business? We are joined by Pete Harris, COO of Pipedrive.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss: When are we at our best? Our worst?&nbsp;What are we passionate about in a business context?What is our why?&nbsp;We then discuss the following with Pete:&nbsp;Why the title COO versus CRO or CCO?&nbsp;How are you being evaluated by your PE investors?&nbsp;How do you motivate employees given you are not founder led?&nbsp;What does a board meeting look like in PE backed companies?What is the approach to compensation in a PE backed company?&nbsp;What is your why?&nbsp;ReferencesPipedrive&nbsp;Simon Sinek - TED Talk on ’Start with Why’&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;As Chief Operating Officer for Pipedrive I am responsible for a broad range of value creation activities, including business strategy, execution, and Pipedrive’s approach to global markets - determining which markets we are in, why and associated investments. I work closely with our Board from Vista Equity Partners and Bessemer Partners.&nbsp;Previously I led Global Business Development and Global Partnership team at Intuit - supporting our customers across the US, UK, Australia, France, Brazil, Mexico and our expansion markets. I also spent 12 years at Deloitte with roles including risk consulting in Financial Services, UK Innovation Lead and UK Ventures Lead. The latter involved managing a £25m fund to invest in external start-ups but also internally in those ideas that might change Deloitte from within.Summary:&nbsp;Lung health and private equity CEO experience. 0:06Bethany Ayers discusses her experience with chest X rays and doctors' appointments after being diagnosed with COVID-19.Brandon Mensa shares a story from his time at SwiftKey about ignoring chest discomfort and eventually getting an X ray after realizing it wasn't going away.Brandon M experienced a spontaneous pneumothorax, where one of his lungs collapsed into his chest cavity, and was pumped back up with a tube inserted through his clavicle.The medical team used a rudimentary method to insert the tube into Brandon's lung, and he was able to recover quickly.Brandon and Bethany discuss the concept of "Y" or starting with why, as discussed by Simon Sinek, and how it relates to their discussion on the purpose of the company and its impact on the organization.Leadership, passions, and personal growth. 5:53Bethany: feeling inauthentic or unwilling to express views can be at worst, hating having to do that.Brandon M: tiredness can make him less present and less effective in leadership roles.Bethany passionately advocates for gender equality and personal growth, reflecting on death and regret.Unlocking potential and creating a fulfilling life. 10:27Brandon M recognizes immense potential in individuals, both personally and professionally, and finds it exciting to work with companies to unlock this potential.He believes that exercising these muscles through activities like acting helps him understand the human...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: Do product leaders make good COO's? with Martyn Fagg, COO of Tillo and Matt Jones COO at ex-COO at ParentPay.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss the following:&nbsp;What does a good product leader look like?&nbsp;What does a good product manager look like?&nbsp;We then discuss the following with Martyn and Matt:&nbsp;How did the transition to COO happen?Was picking up the people function challenging?&nbsp;How do you get the people function to be more data-driven?&nbsp;How do you get product development and commercial to learn from each other?&nbsp;What product development KPI should be included in the company dashboard?ReferencesThe Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything&nbsp;The Four Foundations of SaaS&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Martyn Fagg is a seasoned CTO with 20 years experience in software engineering and fintech leadership - passionate about fostering innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. Currently COO at Tillo, a B2B embedded rewards &amp; incentives platform working with some of the world’s top brands to deliver real-time digital gift &amp; prepaid cards.Matt Jones recently served as the Group Chief Operating Officer at ParentPay, a leading provider of payments and MIS solutions for schools in the UK and Europe. He joined the company in 2017 and initially held responsibility for Product Management, Software Engineering, IT, Service Operations, Customer Implementation, and Customer Support across several early Group businesses (ParentPay, Schoolcomms, Cypad, WIS, and nimbl). Additionally, Matt oversaw the group Security function, ensuring the protection of the company's and customers' data assets.Prior to his tenure at ParentPay, Matt briefly served as COO at IRIS Software. He also spent six years as Senior Vice President of DevOps at NewVoiceMedia (acquired by Vonage) and held previous roles at Mimecast and MessageLabs (acquired by Symantec).Summary:&nbsp;Product development in CEO role with Twilio and Parent Pay leaders. 0:06Brandon and Bethany discuss their cultural heritage for a school event, with Brandon dressing as a tech bro from Silicon Valley and Bethany dressing as a Canadian with a hockey jersey and maple syrup.The hosts joke about stereotypes and cultural representations, with Brandon accidentally saying "boot" instead of "boot" and Bethany pointing it out.Brandon M. questions the importance of good product leadership, emphasizing the need for a clear product vision and strategy, as well as effective team building.Martin Fag, Matt Jones, and Brandon M. discuss the role of product development in the CEO role, with a focus on product leadership, strategy, and team building.Product leadership and CEO roles in tech companies. 4:50The CEO and product leader roles require different skills and perspectives, with the CEO focusing on the overall vision and strategy, and the product leader translating that vision into a tangible product.The product leader must be empowered to take ownership of the vision and make it a reality, while the CEO can evolve their role to focus on other aspects of the business.CEO and product leader have different visions for product strategy, leading to potential conflicts.Product...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: How do you tame a visionary CEO? with Rob Liddiard, B2B SaaS Founder (acquired 2022); Reformed Lawyer.Bethany and I discuss the following:&nbsp;Forecasting in 2024Simplifying performance managementSurfacing issues in leadershipDocumenting the processes of the companyWe then discuss the following with Rob:&nbsp;Is the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) just another OKR styled book?&nbsp;How do you tame a visionary founder?&nbsp;What are the components of EOS?&nbsp;What are the two principal roles in EOS?&nbsp;What can experienced operators learn from EOS?&nbsp;How do you achieve an L10 meeting?&nbsp;Referenceshttps://www.eosworldwide.com/rob-liddiardBiography:&nbsp;I previously founded a software company called Yapster. Although we had 100,000 licensed users, amazing customers like Next plc, Brewdog, Krispy Kreme and Caffe Nero and the business looked healthy to outsiders, we secretly struggled internally to execute plans and hit our financial goals. I worked and stressed 24/7. I was a qualified Corporate Lawyer and experienced Businessperson, but I didn’t feel a success. All I could feel was the underlying tension in my leadership team and investor base.Then I read Gino Wickman’s Traction and it was like someone turned a light on. I realised that I hadn’t been leading my organisation to its potential. By adopting EOS’s simple habits and frameworks we quickly achieved Traction. Suddenly I was more successful at work and more relaxed at home.In late 2022 I sold Yapster to a company backed by Google. I’ve since qualified as a Professional EOS Implementer® and now my personal Mission is to help other UK business owners achieve their goals more quickly, with less frustration.Summary:&nbsp;Golf inclusivity and personal experiences with the sport. 0:06Bethany Ayers and Brandon Mensa discuss golf and inclusion with guest Rob, with Ayers sharing her experience at a virtual driving range and appreciating Rob's proactive approach to inclusivity.Bethany Ayers shares personal experiences with golf and her grandfather's intense passion for the sport, despite exclusion of women in the family.Entrepreneurial operating system and vision alignment. 4:18Brandon: Book provides a prescriptive set of steps for non-experienced companies to run their businesses efficiently.Bethany: Book offers a structure for strategy days, with exercises and time allocations for each area, saving time and effort.Bethany Ayers discusses the importance of aligning to a vision and creating a three-year plan, with regular revisions to ensure accountability and profitability.Ayers highlights the challenges of budgeting in a changing world where cash is no longer free, and the need to focus on cache management across multiple years.Simplifying performance management systems. 10:21Brandon and Bethany agree that the "right people in the right seats" framework is simple and effective in evaluating employee performance (10 words)Traction recommends using a scorecard and weekly pulse to track leading indicators of KPIs (20 words)Bethany Ayers emphasizes the importance of tracking key metrics, such as ticket clearance...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: The COO Role: Why Would You Ever Want the Job? with Chuck Orzechowski, CEO of the COO Forum.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss the following:&nbsp;How do you avoid being the dumping ground for things that others don’t want to do?&nbsp;&nbsp;Why would you want the COO job?&nbsp;We then discuss the following with Chuck:&nbsp;What are the most common issues you see across your COO membership?&nbsp;What is the best approach to clarifying decision-making authority with the CEO?&nbsp;Why is “pace of change” a common frustration for COO’s?&nbsp;What do you do when the CEO relationship is not working for you?&nbsp;What is the key criteria for determining a good COO-CEO match?&nbsp;What are the rewarding elements of being a COO?&nbsp;ReferencesThe COO Forum® has been delivering on the mission of helping Operations Executives achieve more since 2004. Our members tackle the most pressing challenges facing their businesses and those that shape their careers. Join the best Operations Executives in the world as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Don't go it alone in 2024.Launching this February,&nbsp;Find Your COO™&nbsp;will provide CEOs/Recruiters a one-stop source for finding talented COOs. The platform is built on top of the CEO-COO Alignment Index™ scoring system.&nbsp;It uses&nbsp;25 key questions to create profiles for both the hiring CEO and COO candidates. These questions cover areas such as preferred communication frequency, speed of change, role relationship, delegation, trust development and more. Then, both parties can see each other's scoring reports to better assess potential fit or mis-alignment. This sets the stage for improved recruitment, interviewing and alignment post hire, which leads to better performance and COO job satisfaction.&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Chuck Orzechowski serves as CEO of the Chief Operating Officer Business Forum® (COO Forum®.) Since 2004, the COO Forum’s mission has been to support operations executives in achieving more in their business and professional lives. As a peer-based professional development organization, the COO Forum has helped 1000’s of executives navigate the challenges of their roles and improve business outcomes.&nbsp;Over the past 28 years, Chuck has spent most of his career leading operations in a wide variety of industries and company sizes, ranging from start-up through Fortune 500s. Chuck has a passion for improving operations, scaling businesses, and the professional development of others.&nbsp;It’s what gets him out of bed each morning...that and coffee!Summary:Whiskey, rock concerts, and personal values. 0:05Brandon and Bethany discuss Bethany's husband's illness and their celebration with whiskey advent calendars.Brandon attends a Danko Jones concert at the Garage in North Islington, describing the band as a fusion of rock, punk, and jazz.Brandon mentions a mosh pit at a concert where he was the "enforcer" to push back, but he was not tempted to join due to his age and past experiences.Bethany has been reflecting on her values and purpose in life, realizing that having fun is her guiding principle, and she's looking for innovative and energizing experiences that bring her joy.Bethany was approached to become a CEO but lacked passion and interest in the domain, leading to her rejection in the final interview.Despite feeling relieved to not have to present, Bethany's lack of enthusiasm was picked up on by the only woman on the board, who ultimately

In this episode we ask the unpack the question of: Do COO's have a two year shelf life? We discussed this topic with Casey Woo, CEO @Operators Guild.&nbsp;We discuss the following with Casey:&nbsp;What is the role of the COO?&nbsp;Why does the COO have a two year shelf life?&nbsp;If that is the reality, how should one think about their career?&nbsp;What does this mean for 4 year option grants?&nbsp;What are the key terms every COO should negotiate?&nbsp;Referenceswww.operators-guild.comhttps://summit.operators-guild.com/2024Biography:&nbsp;Casey Woo is a seasoned multi-stage operator and 7x CFO with over two decades of experience in business operations and finance from investment banking on Wall Street to Silicon Valley tech start-ups.&nbsp;Casey now leads 800+ CFOs, COOs, and Biz Ops company builders as the co-founder of Operators Guild, a community for professionals in strategic finance and operations roles. He believes strongly that community is what makes the difference for start-ups and professionals.&nbsp;When he’s not working, Casey is spending time in California’s Bay Area with his wife and three children.&nbsp;Summary:CEO shelf life and software frustrations. 0:06Brandon and Bethany discuss their least favorite piece of software, with Brandon naming Microsoft Teams as his least favorite and Bethany agreeing due to its poor performance on Macs.Both agree that the entire Microsoft suite, including Word, has always been problematic and frustrating to use.Bethany and Brandon discuss the pros and cons of Google Docs and Microsoft 365 for collaboration, with Bethany preferring Google Docs for its ease of use and collaboration features.Brandon shares his experience of transitioning from Microsoft to Google Docs, finding it difficult to adjust to the new platform but ultimately appreciating its collaboration capabilities.Bethany: Transition from growth to optimization occurs around 50 million in revenue and 250 employees.Brandon: First two phases of growth and commercialization are enjoyable, but third phase of optimization is less enjoyable and happens around 50 million in revenue and 250 employees.Communicating option value to employees and talent acquisition teams. 7:57Bethany suggests using a product like Lecce to help employees understand the value of their options and how they vest over time.Brandon agrees that communicating the value of options as part of compensation is important, and notes that their company could have done a better job of this in the past.Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of educating employees on option grants and their value, including providing a clear framework for career progression and regular updates on the terms and benefits of option grants.Casey Woo, founder of the Operator's Guild, shares his experience of implementing option grants for employees, including tying them to job role and seniority, and providing awards for top performers to increase their options.CEO role and responsibilities. 12:50Casey Woo shares insights from 35,000 hours of listening and talking to CEOs, highlighting the diverse reasons why people want to be CEOs, including wide impact and not being a CFO or...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: Leadership Transitions: Uncompromising Strategies for Success with Andrew Duncan, Talent @ Atomico (ex-UpGroup) and Maddy Cross Partner @ Erevena (ex-Notion Capital)We discuss the following with Maddy and Andrew:&nbsp;Given the average tenure of senior execs in scaleups, what advice would you give execs and what should companies that are hiring consider?&nbsp;How uncompromising do you need to be to get the right leaders in place?What is the difference in leadership skills needed between early and late stage?&nbsp;Do we need someone that has been there and done that?&nbsp;What is the right mix of experience needed for a leadership team?&nbsp;How do you identify gaps in a leadership team?&nbsp;&nbsp;ReferencesBarry McCarthy (story mentioned by Andrew)Former Netflix CFO Barry McCarthy Joins Super-Secretive Payments Startup Clinkle As COOClinkle's Still a Hot Mess as Its Big Shot COO DepartsClinkle Up In Smoke As Investors Want Their Money BackThe COO role (giving context for how Andrew thinks about the role)Stepping up: What COOs will need to succeed in 2023 and beyondSecond in Command: The Misunderstood Role of the Chief Operating OfficerHow Best To Onboard Into Different Types Of COO RoleWhat is a Chief Operating Officer?&nbsp;From the beginning to a billion. How unicorns built their leadership teams (mentioned by Maddy)What to Look for in Your VC's Talent Arm (mentioned by Brandon and loved by Maddy)How to Understand the ROI of Investing in People (wasn’t mentioned but Maddy thinks is a great piece)Biography:&nbsp;Maddy Cross is a Partner at Erevena, an Executive Search firm focussed on investor backed businesses, where she leads the European Technology and Engineering practice for B2B. Previously she was Talent Director at Notion Capital, a $1bn B2B SaaS focussed VC, and she holds an MBA from London Business School.Andrew is a Talent Director at Atomico, one of Europe's largest venture capital funds. He supports portfolio companies in finding and hiring elite executive talent and is responsible for advising founders on the evolution of their leadership

In this episode we unpack the topic of: "Cracking the Code: Exploring Emotional Literacy and Embodiment” This is Part 2 in our emotional literacy and embodiment series. Our special guests are returning alumni with Divinia Knowles, Founder of the COO Roundtable and Maddie Fox, a leadership development coach across venture-backed organisations. We are also joined by Pippa Richardson, Somatic Therapist, Educator, Speaker and Clinician.&nbsp;We discuss the following with Pippa, Maddie and Divinia:&nbsp;Our personal journey’s into embodimentWhat do we disconnect from our body?&nbsp;What is dysregulation?&nbsp;How do you manage through a day of back-to-back meetings?&nbsp;How do you bring embodiment into the day-to-day?&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Pippa is a highly regarded Somatic Therapist, Educator, Speaker and Clinician. She has lived experience and clinical expertise in the areas of trauma, eating disorders, addiction, recovery and healing. With over 10 years experience of working and studying in the field of embodiment, body-centred therapies and psychosomatics, both in clinical and non-clinical settings. Her work lies at the intersection of psyche (mind) and soma (body) and she is passionate about supporting her clients to live an embodied, meaningful life.&nbsp;Alongside her clinical work, Pippa leads talks, retreats and workshops both in the UK and abroad. She has a broad range of experience working with individuals, groups and organisations including the US Military, Save The Children, Bamford, Manolo Blahnik - as well as with leadership executives and professional athletes. Her work aims to provide thought provoking environments to explore the human experience with curiosity, kindness and compassion.Divinia was COO, CFO &amp; a director at both Mind Candy and Pact Coffee, where she also served as interim CEO.&nbsp; She has held or still holds chair and board seats at too many companies to list and is occasionally an angel investor. Divinia re-trained as a coach in 2017 and combined it with her previous experience to become the COO Coach, working with start up/scale up COOs/CEOs to help guide them through successfully starting up, scaling up and exiting. And in addition to all that, she is also the Founder of the London COO Roundtable, a community that brings operations professionals together to define what it means to be a highly effective startup and scale up Chief Operating Officer.Divinia Knowles referencesCOO Roundtable - https://www.cooroundtable.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/diviniaknowles/Divinia’s email - [email protected] has over 20 years experience in HR and Learning &amp; Development working with various organizations from corporate to fast growing tech, in Europe, the US and Australia. She is an ICF accredited executive coach, leadership and HR consultant with a wide range of experience, however specialising in developing leaders from emerging leaders to seasoned CEO’s, building high-performing sustainable teams and helping clients successfully navigate change. Her style is eclectic, using research, theory and direct experiences to ensure individuals find ways to effectively embed new behaviours, build resilience and deliver results. More recently she has been working in VC backed start-ups, series A-B, working for mostly founder led businesses as a Chief People Officer, Leadership Coach and Advisor. Clients include Blippar, Lantum, Trint, Mixcloud, amongst others.&nbsp;Summary:Diversity and inclusivity in tech industry.<a href="https://otter.ai/u/h4ITGYxlKIeCww65V4vd07VATUQ?tab=summary&amp;t=6s" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: "Cracking the Code: Exploring Emotional Literacy and Embodiment” This is Part 1 in our emotional literacy and embodiment series. Our special guests are returning alumni with Divinia Knowles, Founder of the COO Roundtable and Maddie Fox, a leadership development coach across venture-backed organisations.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss the concept of “reading the room” and “the pause”.&nbsp;We discuss the following with Maddie and Divinia:&nbsp;How far can you push as a challenger COO to the CEO?&nbsp;What is emotional literacy and embodiment?&nbsp;How do you move from your head and into your bodyCan you have emotional literacy without embodiment?&nbsp;Is embodiment a personal journey? If so, what does that mean?&nbsp;How do you stop yourself from taking on other people's emotions?&nbsp;What was your personal journey to embodied leadership?&nbsp;References: COO Roundtable - https://www.cooroundtable.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/diviniaknowles/Divinia’s email - [email protected]:&nbsp;Divinia was COO, CFO &amp; a director at both Mind Candy and Pact Coffee, where she also served as interim CEO.&nbsp; She has held or still holds chair and board seats at too many companies to list and is occasionally an angel investor. Divinia re-trained as a coach in 2017 and combined it with her previous experience to become the COO Coach, working with start up/scale up COOs/CEOs to help guide them through successfully starting up, scaling up and exiting. And in addition to all that, she is also the Founder of the London COO Roundtable, a community that brings operations professionals together to define what it means to be a highly effective startup and scale up Chief Operating Officer.Maddie has over 20 years experience in HR and Learning &amp; Development working with various organizations from corporate to fast growing tech, in Europe, the US and Australia. She is an ICF accredited executive coach, leadership and HR consultant with a wide range of experience, however specialising in developing leaders from emerging leaders to seasoned CEO’s, building high-performing sustainable teams and helping clients successfully navigate change. Her style is eclectic, using research, theory and direct experiences to ensure individuals find ways to effectively embed new behaviours, build resilience and deliver results. More recently she has been working in VC backed start-ups, series A-B, working for mostly founder led businesses as a Chief People Officer, Leadership Coach and Advisor. Clients include Blippar, Lantum, Trint, Mixcloud, amongst others.&nbsp;Summary:Emotional intelligence and leadership in the workplace. 0:05Brandon and Bethany discuss emotional literacy and embodied leadership with guests Devaney and Maddy, focusing on reading the room in tense team situations and galvanizing the wider organization around new initiatives.Reading the room in meetings. 1:31Bethany and Brandon discuss leadership skills in meetings, with Bethany focusing on reading the room and Brandon using a surprising tactic to get teams to work together.Participants in a meeting shared their emotions using a "vibe check" technique, allowing for a more empathetic and understanding atmosphere.Emotional preparation for...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: "Transitioning Roles: From COO to CEO". This is Part 2 in our transitioning roles series. Our special guest is John Saroff, CEO of Chartbeat.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss what a CEO does, and how a COO can build competence in these areas:&nbsp;VisionFundraisingBoard relationshipsSetting the tone for the cultureWe then discuss the following with John:&nbsp;What is the role of a CEO and how does it differ to the COO role?Do you have a COO now? Why not?&nbsp;How does the stress of the CEO role differ to the COO?&nbsp;As someone who has suffered from depression, how has that influenced your time as CEO?&nbsp;What do you wish you would have known when you transitioned from COO to CEO?&nbsp;When you transitioned into the CEO role, did you struggle with role definition?&nbsp;When is a COO ready to take the CEO role?&nbsp;How do you become emotionally available to employees?&nbsp;ReferencesChartbeatBiography:&nbsp;John Saroff is Chief Executive Officer of Chartbeat, Inc., an ecosystem of enterprise solutions that enables media companies to grow reach and revenue. Chartbeat serves more that 1,000 brands globally, including The New York Times, BBC, ESPN, BuzzFeed, Paramount, Warner Bros., Hearst, and McClatchy. The company brings together Chartbeat, the industry-leading content analytics software for digital publishers; Tubular Labs, a comprehensive analytics solution that delivers a unified view of social video audiences; and Lineup Systems, a bespoke tool for providing media companies with revenue management software. John has worked on the cutting-edge of media and technology for 24 years, at companies ranging from Google to NBC. He holds a joint degree in law and business from Columbia University and is a graduate of Haverford College.Summary: Career development and CEO transitions. 0:06Bethany shares how she spent her 20s experimenting with different identities and careers, feeling less ashamed about her lack of progress.Brandon: Inspired by Pierre Trudeau's career path, he pursued various manual labor jobs in his 20s without a clear career goal, focusing on enjoying life and graduating from university.John Saref: As CEO of Chartbeat, he transitioned from Google and NBC Universal, discussing how a CEO can build competence by galvanizing the organization and stakeholders around the company's vision, mission, and purpose.Leadership, vision, and communication skills for CEOs. 3:32Bethany emphasizes the importance of having a clear and compelling vision as a leader, which she believes is essential for inspiring others to work towards a common goal.Brandon agrees that vision is crucial, but also acknowledges that it can be challenging for ordinary people to articulate a powerful storyline in a way that is both competent and charismatic.Brandon: Product background helps with vision and storytelling (black slide technique)Bethany: Keep presentations simple and focused on the future (no bullet points, no visuals)CEO responsibilities and skills. 7:40Bethany and Brandon both played key roles in fundraising rounds, learning investor thinking and complementing the CEO's strengths with their own...

In this episode we unpack the topic of: "Transitioning Roles: From COO to Venture Capitalist". This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Our special guest is Cleo Sham, Venture Partner at StrideVC. We discuss the following:&nbsp;Why did you decide to move from operator to investor?&nbsp;How did being an operator inform your role as a VC?&nbsp;Where did you find joy in the COO role? As a VC?Which role is more stressful: COO or VC?&nbsp;When you received critical feedback as a leader, how did you deal with it?&nbsp;How do you carve out quality thinking time with so many diverse opportunities?&nbsp;How would a COO make the move to VC?&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Before joining Stride as an investor, I had built and led teams as a scale-up operator across China and EMEA.&nbsp;I joined Uber as one of the first GMs on the ground in China in 2014, building the Guangzhou business into Uber's largest city by volume globally and led China National Operations up until Uber China's $35B merger with Didi Chuxing in 2016. I subsequently moved to Amsterdam as EMEA Director of Operations to lead the platformization of Uber's ridesharing business across 45 countries.Relocating to London in 2019, I took on the COO role at Spotahome after their $40M Series B, led by Bond Capital. Spotahome is a b2b2c mid-term rentals marketplace, and there I transformed and led a ±200 person team across sales, marketing, operations, strategy, and customer support.I love building and working with startups, having been a 3x founder earlier in my career and an active angel investor along the way. Originally from Hong Kong, I began my career at McKinsey in Asia and started investing as a proprietary trader at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.Summary: Zoe diet results and food obsession. 0:05Bethany discovered she's highly reactive to sugar through a Zoe diet test, meaning she must avoid it for the rest of her life.Bethany can process fats easily but struggles with sugars, including fruits like raspberries and lemons.Bethany struggles with an abnormal obsession with food, which has led to medical anxiety and a fear of fatty liver disease.She has realized that her anxiety is not related to diet but rather a combination of her upbringing, personal experiences, and a lack of understanding about preventative medicine in the UK.Career transitions and personal growth after recognizing mortality. 5:44Bethany reflects on her father's death and its impact on her perspective on life and work.Bethany wants to use her inherited money to pursue her passions and explore new experiences without worrying about financial constraints.She is considering how to use her next decade to make the most of her life and career, with a focus on fun and exploration.Brandon and Bethany discuss their goals and motivations, including starting a community for ambitious people and advocating for cannabis legalization in the UK.Bethany is taking a writing course and a pottery course to improve her skills and push herself outside of her comfort zone.Vulnerability, self-expression, and career growth in one's 40s. 11:57Bethany shares her insights on the importance of vulnerability and self-expression, citing Brene Brown's work on shame and the need to share feelings with safe people to build support.Clea Sham joins the conversation and adds...

In this episode we discuss: "The Wartime COO”. Our special guest is Huw Slater, COO of Oliva Health, formerly COO of TravelPerk and Bella Riemer, Head of Operations at Joblift. We discuss the following with Huw and Bella:&nbsp;What is a Wartime COO? How does this impact how you operate the business?How do you surface existential threats to the organisation and inject a sense of focus, without scaring folks?What have been some of the worst storms you’ve weathered? Lessons learned?More broadly, what are risks the COO should always be vigilant about?&nbsp;What would you recommend tactically in a wartime setting?&nbsp;How do values pragmatically inform your decision-making process in wartime?&nbsp;Who was in your war room? Why?&nbsp;References:&nbsp;The Hard Thing About Hard ThingsBiography:&nbsp;Huw Slater, COO and Co-founder @Oliva. With &gt;10 years of experience in scaling tech companies in Europe, Huw Slater is the COO and co-Founder at Oliva. Prior to this, Huw was the Chief Operating Officer of TravelPerk, helped Box through their IPO by globalising their growth, scaled Typeform’s expansion from Europe to the US and drove the series B funding, and has 10 additional years’ experience as the Finance Director of a $5bn turnover division in a FTSE 10 company. A passionate leader, Huw is excited by making an impact and instilling a growth mindset in his people where transparency and clarity are key.Bella Reimer, Operational Leader | Strategy Growth | Speaker &amp; Mentor. With over 14 years of experience in various roles and industries. I am a passionate operational leader with a proven track record of driving efficiency, strategic growth, and cross-functional collaboration. I specialise in overseeing end-to-end processes, optimising operations, and aligning teams to achieve impactful results.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: "Efficiency Unleashed: NoCode Revolutionising Operations”. Our special guest is Philip Lakin, Co-Founder &amp; CEO of NoCodeOps. He is the ultimate MacGyver and an ambassador for reimagining the future of internal innovation. We discuss the following with Philip:&nbsp;What is NoCode? Why does it matter?&nbsp;What is a tangible example of business impact?&nbsp;Should ops professionals report into the COO or the functional lead?&nbsp;How do you get buy-in to internal operations initiatives?&nbsp;How do you manage dependencies and scale no-code automations?&nbsp;What is the impact of AI on NoCode? What should we do in ops to get prepared?&nbsp;References:&nbsp;NoCodeOps&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Philip Lakin is the co-founder and CEO of NoCodeOps, a community and automation management platform (Operator) dedicated to supporting operations professionals that are reimagining the future of internal innovation with no-code. He was previously the Solutions Architect for National Operations at Compass where he built the onboarding program for over 15,000 real estate agents across the United States. He has more than 8 years of experience in operations, internal system implementation, field marketing, and onboarding.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: "Surfacing the COO's Crucial Role in Revenue Generation". Our special guest is Pete Crosby a coach, lecturer &amp; advisor, focussing on the successful design &amp; execution of SaaS revenue &amp; growth strategies. He is a 4x successful scale up revenue leader, most recently as CRO at Ometria. We discuss the following with Pete:&nbsp;What kind of focus helps enable revenue generation?&nbsp;How should the COO’s “system thinking” be leveraged?&nbsp;Where should revenue operations live?&nbsp;What are the types of revenue ops leaders? How does that define their relationship with operations?&nbsp;How important is it for the COO to have a good understanding of revenue ops?&nbsp;What responsibility does a COO have in financial forecasting?&nbsp;How do organisations get more commercially efficient?&nbsp;References:&nbsp;revenue.ghost.io (Pete’s weekly newsletter &amp; deep dives on revenue topics each Sunday)&nbsp;Biography:&nbsp;Pete is a coach, lecturer &amp; advisor, focussing on the successful design &amp; execution of SaaS revenue &amp; growth strategies.&nbsp;He conceived, wrote &amp; teaches The Definitive Guide to Revenue Leadership syllabus at Sales Impact Academy with Mandy Cole of Stage 2 Capital. Guest lecturers on his course include Mark Roberge, Zoom’s Greg Holmes, and Tableau’s Elissa Fink.&nbsp;He is a 4x successful scale up revenue leader, most recently as CRO at Ometria, who Deloitte placed in the Top 10 growth businesses in the UK with revenue acceleration above 3000%.&nbsp; He took Ometria to its $21m Series B in just 18 months.Prior to Ometria, Pete ran revenues at Viadeo from Series A to IPO, and took Triptease from $2m to $10m ARR and a successful Series B, also in just 18 months.Now the Founder of Pete Crosby Revenue, he has managed revenue teams in Beijing, Singapore, Moscow, Mexico City, Dakar, Casablanca, San Francisco, Boston, New York &amp; in most major cities across Europe.Currently he is a board advisor to 5 of Europe’s most exciting B2B SaaS scale-ups. He also coaches revenue leaders at a further 50+ start-ups &amp; scale-ups.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: "The COO's Endless Battle: Navigating Legal and Enterprise Contracts". Our special guest is Ahmed Badr, COO of GoCardless. Ahmed also worked for Microsoft, where he supported multi-billion pound licensing deals.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss the following:The importance of a generic contract templateEmpowering sales to get contracts doneDefault and deal-breaker positions on indemnity and limitation of liabilityWe discuss the following with Ahmed:&nbsp;What did Microsoft do well and what could be reused at GoCardless?&nbsp;What did the empowerment playbook look like with contracts?&nbsp;What is a deal desk and how was it used?&nbsp;What is the COO role at GoCardless?&nbsp;When should organisations transition from outside to inhouse legal counsel?Why is taking a reasonable, mid-point position on default terms so important?&nbsp;What is a sensible approach to indemnity and limitation of liability?What is the best way to roll out “contract empowerment” programs to sales?&nbsp;References:&nbsp;This guide from DeloitteAn article from Juro (a SaaS provider)This Docusign case study on GoCardlessThis book by Alex Hamilton (who runs Radiant Law - a legal outsourcing and automation provider)Biography:&nbsp;Ahmed is Chief Operating Officer GoCardless, where he is responsible for all core operational teams, as well as being functionally responsible for legal, risk and compliance. GoCardless believes that bank payments are the best way to pay and get paid, and helps businesses collect both recurring and one-off payments, without chasing, stress or expensive fees. Before joining GoCardless, Ahmed worked for Microsoft, where he supported the multi-billion pound UK licensing and developer support organisations. Before this, he was a project finance lawyer at Allen &amp; Overy. In 2015, he became GoCardless’ first lawyer and has since supported the business in its rapid expansion across legal, compliance, risk and operations. Ahmed also sponsors the company’s BEAM (Black, Ethnic and Asian Minority) group, and likes to use his experience to support young fast growth companies, help shape regulation, and open up access to legal careers to a wide range of individuals.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: "Revolutionising Workplace Honesty: The Radical Candor Experiment". Our special guest is Ben Gateley, CEO at CharlieHR. Ben is an outspoken champion of positive workplace culture and is a passionate advocate for all things “people”.&nbsp;Bethany and I discuss the following:Praising publicly and criticising privatelyGiving criticism within 24 hours&nbsp;Killing the “shit” sandwichWhat to do with moaning&nbsp;The synergy between asking for feedback and giving feedbackCoaching vs. Evaluation feedbackWe discuss the following with Ben:What made you decide to implement Radical Candor?&nbsp;How did you implement Radical Candor? What were the learnings?&nbsp;How do you now build and operationalise a strong culture of feedback?&nbsp;What is the cultural difference between the UK and US styles? Why does it matter?&nbsp;To what degree do values matter in developing a strong culture of feedback?&nbsp;References:&nbsp;Ben’s podcast with Kim Scott: The Culture Ops Podcast: How do you build a culture where people “care personally” ?Legal law firm for scaleups that Brandon used: Harper JamesBiography:&nbsp;Ben is the CEO and co-founder of CharlieHR: an HR software used by thousands of small businesses worldwide. He has started and grown a number of successful companies since his teenage years — including BORN SOCIAL, one of the most successful social media agencies for challenger brands in the world.&nbsp;This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we unpack the topic of: Nurturing High-Performance Leadership Teams. Our special guest is Becca Sweetman, a leadership team coach who has worked across leading VC backed organisations like Kano, MOO and Babylon Health. We discuss the following:&nbsp;What is a high performing team? How do you achieve it?&nbsp;What is the PERILL framework and why is that a good one to use?&nbsp;How do you do an audit of leadership team performance?&nbsp;How do you work through areas of tension between two leadership team members?&nbsp;How can psychometric or behavioral analysis tools help in understanding team members' preferences and work styles? With limited time for leadership to “gel” in a scale-up, how do you accelerate that process?What is your view on the PERILL and Lencioni approaches to team performance? Which approach do you think would be more effective in a startup environment?&nbsp;Can you share any strategies or techniques that can foster a safe and productive environment for team discussions?References:&nbsp;Website - https://www.beccasweetman.com/teamcoachingLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccasweetman/Biography:&nbsp;Becca works with Founders and Exec teams to support the successful transition from Series A to Series B. Combining her experience in executive coaching, strategy at McKinsey and operational leadership in startups (Kano, MOO, Babylon Health) she is uniquely positioned to provide both high level support and get into the practical details of what it takes to succeed. Becca works mostly with impact driven companies as an Executive &amp; Team Coach, Advisor or NED.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we unpack the topic of: Navigating Leadership Team Success and Transitions. Our special guest is Maddies Fox, a guru in leadership development across venture-backed organisations including&nbsp; Blippar, Lantum and Mixcloud. We discuss the following:&nbsp;How do you set-up a COO for success when they join the organisation?&nbsp;Do job titles matter and how important is transparency around levels in early stage companies?What does good look like in exiting a leadership team member? How should you approach the conversations? What are the potential snags?&nbsp;How should you communicate a leadership exit to the organisation?&nbsp;How can an organization balance its obligation to support employee growth with the individual's responsibility to be proactive in their own development?How can organizations ensure that their values and actions align when hiring a new leadership team member?&nbsp;Why is self-awareness a critical determinant of leadership success?References:&nbsp;For leaders who are interested in doing the work, this book is something I would definitely recommend -&nbsp;https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/442174/the-man-who-mistook-his-job-for-his-life-by-shragai-naomi/9780753558331&nbsp;LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddie-fox/Biography:&nbsp;Maddie has over 20 years experience in HR and Learning &amp; Development working with various organizations from corporate to fast growing tech, in Europe, the US and Australia. She is an ICF accredited executive coach, leadership and HR consultant with a wide range of experience, however specialising in developing leaders from emerging leaders to seasoned CEO’s, building high-performing sustainable teams and helping clients successfully navigate change. Her style is eclectic, using research, theory and direct experiences to ensure individuals find ways to effectively embed new behaviours, build resilience and deliver results. More recently she has been working in VC backed start-ups, series A-B, working for mostly founder led businesses as a Chief People Officer, Leadership Coach and Advisor. Clients include Blippar, Lantum, Trint, Mixcloud, amongst others.&nbsp;This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss the topic of: Decoding the CEO-COO Relationship: Strategies to Thrive Our special guest is Scott Gellman, COO of Nowsta. We discuss the following:How do you think the role of a COO differs from that of a CFO in terms of responsibilities and dynamics with the CEOHow do you think the power dynamic between CEO and COO can affect decision-making and the overall functioning of an organization?How can effective communication positively impact the working relationship between a CEO and a COO?How do you think gender dynamics can influence the working relationship between a CEO and a COO?Why do you think managing the relationship with the CEO during difficult times or crises is particularly crucial in maintaining an effective working relationship?What interview questions do you think would be important to ask to assess compatibility and potential challenges in the working relationship?What do you think are some key principles for establishing and maintaining a successful working relationship between a CEO and a COO?References:&nbsp;The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter. https://amzn.eu/d/0YDQcpHLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-gellman-9622634/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy