We are the COO coaches to help you successfully scale in this new world where efficiency is as important as growth. Remember when valuations were 3-10x ARR and money wasn’t free? We do. Each week we share our experiences and bring in scale up experts and operational leaders to help you navigate both the burning operational issues and the larger existential challenges. Beth Ayers is the former COO of Peak AI, NewVoiceMedia and Codilty and has helped raise over $200m from top funds - Softbank, Bessemer, TCV, MCC, Notion and Oxx. Brandon Mensinga is the former COO of Signal AI and Trint.
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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.
Summary
The 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)
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.
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38. Life Lessons
Season 1 · Episode 38
Thursday, April 11, 2024 • Duration 53:44
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.
We chat about the following lessons:
Know where you want to go
Lean into the fear
Don’t try to be somebody else
Focus on the job that is in front of you
Know your superpower
Accept critical feedback for what it is
Leadership is about serving others
Find people who stretch you
Take opportunities when they present themselves
Don’t be a victim, take responsibility for your life
Brandon 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.
Brandon 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.
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37. Which HRIS do I need?
Season 1 · Episode 37
Thursday, April 4, 2024 • Duration 45:42
In this episode we discuss: Which HRIS do I need? We are joined by Matt Bradburn, Founder & CEO of the People Collective.
We chat about the following:
What are our views on Rippling? Personio? Factorial? BambooHR? HiBob?
What is a good vendor choice for a scaling company of a few hundred people that wants something that is very customisable?
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?
What are the “gotchas” when buying an HRIS?
What is the hidden, dark secret of all employee engagement tools?
What is a good vendor choice for a mid-market ATS?
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.
We chat about the following:
Are investment bets the responsibility of the COO?
What is an operating model?
What is minimum viable governance? How much process is too much process?
How to best manage a risk register to make it useful
I help founders in post-seed and series A technology businesses to scale their operations and create resilient organisations.
I’ve created and used the B3 framework® to enable businesses with 25 to 250 people to successfully grow at pace.
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.
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. 0:06
Brandon 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.
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35. Is wellbeing a complete waste of time?
Season 1 · Episode 35
Thursday, March 21, 2024 • Duration 52:36
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:
What is the COO’s role in solving workplace stress?
What can a COO do to optimise employees and support their mental health?
We chat about the following with Gethin:
What is wellbeing? In the context of a company, what are we talking about?
What is the view on the Guardian article that suggests wellness programmes are a waste of time?
What is the impact of DE&I on mental health?
How has the social contract changed between employee and employer?
Where does corporate responsibility end and personal responsibility start?
How does an organisation optimise employees to achieve the biggest shareholder return?
34. How do you build an organisation to compete with Google?
Season 1 · Episode 34
Thursday, March 14, 2024 • Duration 43:58
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:
How do you think about organisational structure?
How proactive should you be in anticipating organisational challenges?
What is the highest impact communication challenge you helped resolve?
How do you prevent drift from the customer as the company scales?
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.
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33. How do you scale from 100 employees to IPO?
Season 1 · Episode 33
Thursday, March 7, 2024 • Duration 46:03
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 Government
We chat about the following with Mark:
What are the foundations of scale?
How do you prevent command and control from creeping in?
What goes wrong with organisational alignment over time?
Why doesn’t OKR cascading work?
What are the three golden processes of an organisation?
Why do things break when you scale? What do you need to look out for?
What are the three golden processes of an organisation?
How do you get the innovation process to work?
When does it make sense to go cross-functional across the organisation?
What is expected from a C-level role?
Biography:
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.
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.
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:
Scaling a business from 100 employees to IPO with ex-Skyscanner CEO Mark Logan. 0:06
Bethany: Investing in individual competence is essential for setting up employees for success within their roles.
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32. What can VC and PE backed operators learn from each other?
Season 1 · Episode 32
Thursday, February 29, 2024 • Duration 01:00:38
In this episode we discuss: What can VC and PE backed operators learn from each other? We are joined by Sam Smith, the founder & MD of PepTalks, a training provider for private equity backed CEOs and their management teams.
We chat about the following with Sam:
What are the types of PE companies?
How are company valuations determined?
How does the commercial model work between PE companies and LP’s?
Can you shift track and move from VC-backed to PE-backed?
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?
How do share options work in VC-backed companies?
What happens to the management team's equity when a second PE company buys the company?
What does a successful COO look like in PE-backed companies? How does that contrast versus VC-backed?
How do VC-backed companies successfully ramp up headcount so quickly?
How do you engage and motivate employees in PE-backed companies versus VC-backed?
Sam Smith is the founder of PepTalks, a peer to peer training provider for private equity backed CEOs and Management teams. Founder of Marble Hill Partners an exec search and interim management consultancy which was sold to Henley Insights Group in September 2021.
Summary:
Career relevance and identity after unexpected death. 0:05
Bethany 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.
31. How do you build a business that is smarter than you?
Season 1 · Episode 31
Thursday, February 22, 2024 • Duration 36:53
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:
Why is it so hard to get great conversations in business review meetings?
How do you get good at asking the right questions?
How do you develop the habit of asking good questions in the organisation?
How do you create phenomenal meetings?
How do you cut through obfuscation of underperformance when it comes to KPI’s?
What are the two types of conversations in management meetings?
Are written documents the elixir for creating better meetings?
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 & 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’.
Bethany 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.
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Career goals, creativity, and personal growth. 0:05
Brandon 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. 6:09
Brandon 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. 11:21
Bethany 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 seeks advice on how to be more authentic in his presentations, with Bethany suggesting starting with self-work and building confidence before attempting to connect with audiences.
Brandon's son lied to fit in, but realized it didn't make him feel better or gain acceptance.
By sharing small truths, Brandon's son learned that his friends accept him for who he is, lies or not.
Storytelling and its importance in business leadership. 19:34
Brandon M. learns to connect with audiences by sharing personal stories living company values.
Jonathan: Conflict is necessary for business success, but resolution is key.
Bethany: Storytelling vs. narrative: both are important for communication and leadership.
Authentic storytelling and connecting with audiences. 23:49
Bethany and Jonathan discuss the importance of making a memorable takeaway in a presentation, such as a "lemon in the eye" that makes the audience feel something.
Jonathan suggests making something human and vulnerable to connect with the audience, using personal stories or moments that are relatable.
Bethany observes that people can write about mundane things but make it compelling when writing from their authentic voice.
Brandon M agrees, noting that authenticity is difficult to achieve, especially in corporate settings where people are often uncomfortable sharing their true feelings.
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.
Bethany 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. 17:09
Bethany struggles with imposter syndrome and feeling unimportant in a leadership role due to her lack of a specific functional expertise.
Bethany highlights the importance of identifying and embracing one's unique strengths and specializations, rather than trying to be a jack-of-all-trades.
Brandon agrees, emphasizing the value of focusing on a specific area of expertise and becoming a subject matter expert.
Leadership lessons learned and the importance of serving others. 21:11
Brandon was put in a leadership role he wasn't qualified for, struggled in meetings, and was told he was "terrible" by the CEO.
Brandon took 3-4 months to accept critical feedback, work with an external coach, and rebuild himself as a leader.
Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of leadership being about serving others, not just personal achievement.
A new head teacher at a primary school transforms the school's morale and engagement with their leadership, showing the power of effective leadership.
Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of leadership and career progression, with Brandon emphasizing the value of taking feedback and continuously improving.
Bethany shares her experience with giving and receiving feedback, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and continuous improvement.
Bethany has had two mentors in her career who provided specific feedback to help her improve, including a former BCG analyst who gave her BCG training and a sales leader who pushed her to think more critically.
Bethany is currently seeking out mentors who will challenge her and help her reach her full potential, as she feels she doesn't have anyone in her life currently who will push her as hard as she needs.
Career growth, responsibility, and self-reliance. 31:37
Brandon became a market analyst for IDC and loved it, but then got a call from the CBC to talk about BlackBerry live on TV, which he initially doubted but then saw as an opportunity to showcase his skills.
Brandon took the opportunity and did a credible job, leading to more TV engagements and growth as a communicator, highlighting the importance of seizing opportunities and taking initiative.
Brandon and Bethany emphasize the importance of self-reliance and responsibility in personal and professional growth.
Leadership, resilience, and decision-making in business. 35:58
Bethany emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's function and solving problems upstream and downstream, rather than just complaining about them.
Brandon agrees and adds that a CEO should be concerned with motivating everyone to achieve the vision, which requires taking responsibility for the team's success and working with other teams to move the ball forward.
Brandon faced challenges in his role as VP of Product at a company in Las Vegas, feeling unhappy and undermined, but he chose to stay and turn things around, leading to a successful run at the company.
The lesson learned from this experience is the importance of resilience, as throwing in the towel is not always the right choice, and Brandon was able to turn things around by rethinking his approach and figuring things out.
Bethany emphasizes the importance of resilience and perspective in business leadership, and seeks outside counsel or coaching to navigate challenges.
Bethany emphasizes the importance of cultivating a network based on genuine relationships and introducing people to each other, rather than just seeking personal gain.
Brandon shares an example of how his mentor's network has led to valuable opportunities and serendipitous connections, highlighting the power of building meaningful relationships.
Bethany emphasizes the importance of treating people with respect and kindness, even if they're not someone you necessarily like or want to spend time with.
She shares a lesson she's learned about being aware of how our actions and words can impact others, and not excluding people unnecessarily.
Leadership, respect, and dealing with difficult colleagues. 48:34
Brandon had a difficult relationship with a sales leader, initially disliking them due to personality clashes, but later recognizing their professional skills and respecting them.
Brandon had preconceived notions about another individual, leading to a disrespectful interaction, but later developed a positive relationship after getting to know them.
Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of respecting colleagues, even if you don't personally like them, and how this can lead to better business outcomes.
They emphasize that leaders should be rooted in sound principles and values, even if some people may not like them for different reasons.
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.
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.
Summary:
Healthy eating habits and vegetable subscriptions. 0:05
Bethany 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.
Bethany 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 compared to other HRIS systems.
Brandon and Bethany discuss their experiences with Rippling, a HR platform founded by former Zenefits employees.
Rippling's sales process was qualified and thorough, but the product did not appeal to Brandon due to its utilitarian nature.
Bamboo HR's reporting and custom field functionality was frustrating for the speaker, with delayed responses from the customer success team and limited flexibility.
Bethany suspects a churn issue at a company, possibly due to Hi Bob's functionality and Personnel's focus on being an all-in-one solution.
Personnel aims to differentiate themselves from Hi Bob and other competitors by offering a modern and progressive product with a focus on employee experience.
Brandon and Bethany discuss HR software options, with Persona and Factorial being the main focus.
Factorial is positioned as an all-in-one solution with a focus on finance and operations, while Persona is seen as a more utilitarian option with a better user experience.
Bethany and Brandon discuss HR tech stacks, with Brandon providing insights on various products and their pros and cons.
Bethany describes her experience with bamboo HR, expressing frustration with its limitations and lack of good analytics, and Brandon agrees that it's not the best option for scaling companies.
HR software for mid-market companies with limited options. 22:38
Matt Bradburn is frustrated with Bamboo's prescriptive performance module, wanting more flexibility in choosing what to assess.
Matt recommends Humans for an employee data layer that's easy to manipulate and connect to other software, making life easier.
Matt Bradburn recommends using Hi, Bob as a mid-market HR platform due to its ease of use, reasonable performance, and ability to download Excel files for analysis.
Matt Bradburn advises reducing HR tools to the bare minimum to achieve a loved stack, citing Lattice and Deel as examples.
Matt Bradburn is impressed with summer laps' learning creation landscape, particularly their multi-threaded approach to onboarding and sales.
He also appreciates Panda's performance development, which connects employee journey to career growth, and Harriet HR's ease of access to HR information through Slack.
Matt Bradburn notes that Rippling, a CRM system, is great for US-focused companies with international employees, but lacks customization for US benefits.
Matt Bradburn hears anecdotal evidence of frustration with Rippling among European users, including those who experienced difficulty with European SAS compliance.
Matt Bradburn discusses the challenges of creating a comprehensive HR platform that meets the needs of various countries and legal requirements, while also providing customization options for users.
Matt Bradburn and others discuss the Goldilocks problem of finding an HR platform that is not too rigid or too fluid, but rather just right for the user's needs.
Matt Bradburn: Too many Workday implementation consultants on LinkedIn, making it hard to find accurate data.
Bethany: Consolidation is needed in the compensation space, but no one has a good product vision for a single tool that does everything.
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.
Bethany 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. 11:32
Simon Wakeman defines operating model as a blueprint for turning strategy into reality, focusing on how to source customers, deliver value, and partner with others.
Bethany seeks clarification on operating model, which Simon explains as a high-level summary of how a business creates value, turning strategy into a functioning business.
Simon Wakeman emphasizes the importance of creating a clear and concise operating model for businesses, which should describe how the company creates value on a single page.
He suggests using a template to help structure the operating model, but notes that the level of detail and complexity will depend on the type of business and its stage of growth.
Organizational governance and decision-making. 16:02
Simon Wakeman: Distributed team was deliberately chosen for tech business to address resourcing challenges.
Minimum Viable Governance means legal duties of directors, policies, and risk management processes for coherent functioning.
Simon Wakeman: Governance should push autonomy and decision-making to the edges of the organization, with appropriate safeguards to ensure competency.
Bethany: Too much process can stifle innovation, emphasizing people's brains and good decisions over rules is key.
Governance in scaleups, risk management, and crisis communications. 21:11
Brandon M and Bethany discuss governance in scaleups, focusing on risk management and crisis communications.
Risk management, systems ownership, and data quality in business. 22:58
Bethany suggests identifying the right people to engage in risk management, such as critical thinkers like herself and structured thinkers like the CFO or ops director.
Simon Wakeman agrees that these individuals are often the ones who take the lead in risk management and convene groups to do the hard work.
Simon Wakeman emphasizes the importance of understanding and owning technology in a business, particularly in the early scaling phase, to avoid messy systems architecture and inconsistent data.
He highlights the need for a clear data model to underpin the business and integrate systems effectively, particularly as AI and augmentation technologies become more prevalent.
Simon Wakeman suggests a more decentralized approach to ops, with greater autonomy for people, but also a governing framework to ensure coherence and value creation across the organization.
Simon believes tech leadership should own providing data and capabilities, while CFO should define user needs and bring together quality information for decision-making.
Creating a cohesive business system through meetings and alignment. 29:16
Bethany and Simon discuss the importance of cadence in organizations, including recurring meetings, to align teams and create a sense of unity.
Simon Wakeman emphasizes the importance of understanding how different parts of a business are linked together and making deliberate choices about how to structure and run the business.
He encourages listeners to regularly review and adjust their business systems as the company grows to maintain balance and coherence.
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.
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.
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. 0:06
Bethany talks about her recent walk in London, mentioning the Thames and a noodle shop in Greenwich.
Bethany quotes Samuel Pepys, saying "when you're tired of London, you're tired of life," reflecting on her previous exhaustion with living in London but now re-appreciating it as her children have grown older.
Workplace well-being and its impact on employee mental health. 2:24
CEO has significant influence on employee mental health by creating a stress-reducing work environment.
Brandon M and Bethany discuss the importance of financial security in creating a positive work culture, with Bethany noting that even with the right policies in place, a fear-based culture can still exist if the CEO is insecure or paranoid.
The pair also highlight the danger of CEOs presenting one image and picture for the company while undermining it with their actions, creating a sense of double talk or gaslighting.
Bethany and Brandon discuss the five levels of organisational leadership, ranging from a pessimistic view of the world to a transcendent one focused on the betterment of society.
They agree that level three, where most people operate, is characterized by ego-driven politics, while level four involves a common enemy and level five is a state of flow and collaboration.
Workplace wellness programs and their benefits. 9:33
Brandon M and Bethany discuss the importance of investing in personal well-being and mental health support for employees, with examples of successful implementation in their company.
They highlight the benefits of using a platform like Slack for on-demand therapy and coaching, and how it can help remove the stigma around mental health support.
Brandon M and Bethany discussed the importance of investing in employee wellness programs, including mental health support and financial planning.
They agreed that wellness programs are often inexpensive and can provide significant benefits for employees, but may require more holistic approach to budgeting and prioritization.
Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of well-being in the workplace, particularly for line managers, and how it can be supported through coaching and other means.
They debate whether well-being is a waste of time, with Bethany expressing skepticism about the effectiveness of training and the importance of coaching for personal growth.
Gethin Nadin discusses the importance of workplace well-being, citing research showing 90-99% of people experience extreme stress at work.
Employers must support employees' well-being, despite not causing the cost of living crisis or pandemic, and must move away from the idea of "do no harm" to create an environment where employees' lives are better off for working with them.
Workplace wellbeing and its impact on employee happiness and productivity. 19:39
Gethin Nadin agrees with the Guardian article that wellness programs can be ineffective if workplace stress is caused by poor management practices.
He believes that wellness initiatives are only effective when companies prioritize employee well-being and address the root causes of stress, such as unclear expectations and too much pressure.
Gethin Nadin argues that wellbeing initiatives like mindfulness are important but not a replacement for organizational structure and culture changes.
He believes that high performers are at high risk of burnout and that a combination of structural and mindfulness interventions is necessary for effective wellbeing management.
Gethin Nadin highlights the importance of inclusive policies and structures in workplaces, particularly for marginalized groups, to address mental health issues and promote a safe and supportive environment.
Bethany emphasizes the need for policies that address the DI (diversity, inclusion) side of things, including sexual harassment policies, to create a culture where women feel safe to speak up about their experiences in the workplace.
Gethin Nadin highlights the UK police force as an example of a workplace where women face systemic barriers and discrimination, with a culture of "laddish behavior" and a lack of support for mental health.
Nadin emphasizes the need for institutions to take concrete actions to address these issues, such as holding perpetrators accountable and creating a more inclusive work environment.
Diversity, inclusion, and activism in the workplace. 28:12
Organizations must create a safe and welcoming environment for diverse employees to thrive, including policies and benefits that address gender identity and expression.
Bethany and Gethin discuss the power of the workplace in shaping society, with examples of employers taking a stand against government decisions that negatively impact their employees.
Gethin highlights the business drivers for diversity,...
Brandon 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. 4:09
Bethany: 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. 9:57
Brandon 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 the need for a "thinker" in early-stage businesses to analyze and gather information, which is perceived as a luxury role but essential for product market fit and growth.
Bethany highlights the importance of having a thinker and a strategic salesperson in a scaling organization, as they provide valuable insights and help navigate challenges.
Bethany identifies signs of organizational design issues, including unhappiness, confusion, and a lack of managers or promotional opportunities, which can lead to restructuring.
Omid Ashtari discusses the importance of adapting organizational structure to the scale of the problem being solved, as the number of employees grows.
Ashtari highlights the challenges that arise when an organization expands, such as natural breaking points and lines of communication, and the need to adjust operational systems accordingly.
Communication and decision-making challenges in scaling startups. 18:37
Omid Ashtari explains how companies can proactively address problems by embracing chaos and redesigning systems after hiring new employees.
Omid Ashtari highlights the importance of clear communication and decision-making processes in startups, particularly in scaling businesses.
He shares an example of a company experiencing success bias, where they lose humility and become less secure, leading to bottlenecks in decision-making and communication.
Product-market fit and organizational structure for startups. 22:39
Omid Ashtari highlights the importance of addressing user complaints and recalibrating employees' understanding of the product's performance in different cities.
Citymapper encourages engineers and employees to travel to different cities for exploratory trips to better understand user needs and improve the product.
Omid Ashtari discusses the importance of understanding customer needs and maintaining product-market fit in scaling startups.
Hiring for various roles in a business, focusing on cognitive ability and adaptability. 26:49
Omid Ashtari discusses the importance of hiring the right person for the job, particularly in scaling problems, where high roller related knowledge is crucial.
Ashtari highlights the challenge of figuring out the business model for a problem like city mapper, where role related knowledge is less important than adaptability to the organization's synchronous ease.
Omid Ashtari emphasizes the importance of hiring people with high cognitive flexibility and entrepreneurial mindset for a specific business unit within a company.
He describes a cross-functional team structure where team members sit in different rooms and communicate ad hoc to solve problems quickly, with a central table for impromptu meetings.
Omid Ashtari emphasizes the importance of adapting to changing business needs by creating separate units with different operating systems to address specific problems.
In Citymapper's case, the main focus was on retaining organic growth in London, with a myopic focus on product innovation and weekly updates to address user feedback.
Omid Ashtari describes the challenges of scaling a transport app, including competing with Google Maps and Apple Maps, and the need for a sustainable business model.
Ashtari highlights the importance of resilience and entrepreneurial spirit in overcoming these challenges, and the need for tooling to enable non-engineers to launch cities.
Entrepreneurship, product market fit, and organizational design. 37:48
Omid Ashtari emphasizes the importance of asking questions and reorganizing as needed in the face of uncertainty.
Citymapper's team has adapted to changing needs by reassigning personnel and launching new initiatives like smart ride, a cab-based ride-sharing service.
Omid Ashtari emphasizes the importance of being "confidently insecure" as an entrepreneur, constantly reassessing and adapting to changing circumstances.
Bethany agrees, highlighting the need to be emotionally intelligent, flexible, and humble in the face of uncertainty and criticism.
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. 8:17
Bethany 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. 11:03
Bethany: 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' urgency decreases, and staff takes over.
Mark Logan: As company scales, agency of frontline staff drops rapidly, leading to productivity crisis.
Bethany: How to keep agency alive as company grows? Contrast agency with autonomy, and define agency as consisting of basic competence and other factors.
Mark Logan emphasizes the importance of competency and ownership in a growing company, citing examples of incompetent leaders and lack of clear ownership boundaries.
He uses the analogy of a book club to illustrate how founders should not assume that everyone is on the same page and should actively push ownership to the frontline.
Mark Logan: Alignment issues can lead to loss of agency, where employees feel disconnected from the company's strategy and lack access to necessary resources.
Mark Logan: Best practices for maintaining agency include regular check-ins, clear communication, and providing employees with the necessary tools and resources to do their jobs effectively.
The challenges of implementing OKRs in a rapidly scaling organization. 21:00
Mark Logan describes the evolution of his company's goal-setting process, from initial alignment to cascading objectives across teams, to eventually hiring a project manager for alignment.
The company realized that the goal-setting process had become cumbersome and was hindering progress, leading to the creation of a new role to manage alignment.
Mark Logan and Bethany discuss the challenges of scaling OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) in businesses, particularly in terms of losing alignment and control as companies grow.
They believe that the solution lies in enabling and influencing employees, rather than controlling them, and that this approach should be reflected in the contract between managers and employees.
Mark Logan argues that neglecting certain aspects of agency can lead to poor management and creation of barriers within an organization.
He suggests that over-reliance on functional hierarchies can hinder the implementation of key business processes such as customer acquisition and maintenance.
Mark Logan: Functional hierarchy can hinder innovation, as it creates walls and silos that slow down scaling.
Brandon M: Innovation needs wiggle room and clashing of different skill sets, which can be encouraged through informal relationships.
T-shaped skills, hybrid working, and team collaboration. 31:12
Mark Logan emphasizes the importance of T-shaped skills in a fast-growing startup, where individuals should have a deep specialism and adjacent knowledge to innovate holistically.
Bethany and Brandon discuss how to enable individuals to gather and make an innovation difference, with Bethany highlighting the need for informal collaboration and Brandon focusing on the importance of encouraging T-shaped skills.
Brandon M suggests creating hybrid teams with diverse skills to foster innovation and collaboration.
Mark Logan advocates for embracing the squads and tribes model in organizations to promote ownership and productivity.
Implementing cross-functional teams and tribes in a business. 36:37
Mark Logan emphasizes the importance of cross-functional collaboration in product development, citing Skyscanner's success with squads and tribes.
Mark Logan explains how Skyscanner's product engineering efforts evolved to better serve diverse international markets by creating growth tribes with local engineers, commercial people, and marketing teams.
This approach led to improved performance in markets like South Korea, with a 300% increase in performance, as the team was able to adapt the product to the local business case and handle code bases more effectively.
Mark Logan emphasizes the importance of taking a thoughtful and structured approach to organizational change, rather than simply implementing new processes or structures without proper enablement and support.
Bethany agrees, highlighting the need for CEOs to be transformational and think about how to make things dramatically better, rather than just focusing on incremental improvement.
Mark Logan emphasizes the importance of optimizing for agency in organizational change.
Bethany: Realized identity wasn't tied to work after leaving peak role, causing discomfort & self-reflection.
Brandon: Ambiguity of mattering in work life vs. personal identity, with age & 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. 9:02
Bethany and Brandon discuss networking and success in business with Sam Smith of pep talks.
Private equity fundraising and investment strategies. 11:07
Sam 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, highlighting the importance of having a clear investment strategy and track record of success.
The fund aims to secure commitments from 20-30 institutional investors, with the remaining £450 million coming from the general partners' own pockets.
Sam Smith and Bethany plan to manage a private equity fund for 10 years, investing and returning money to investors over that time.
The fund will have a lifecycle of 11 years, with 3-5 exits within the first 5 years, and then raising another fund in transition.
Brandon: Has seen venture-backed companies transition to private equity ownership, but rare due to cash generation and profitability requirements.
Sam Smith: Private equity investors expect at least a two times return, unlike venture capital which takes a higher risk for potential astronomical returns.
Private equity investing and debt structures. 20:41
Management teams in private equity firms can make significant sums of money if they deliver growth and meet targets, while VC firms have a higher risk of failure and lower potential returns.
Sam Smith discusses raising £500 million for private equity deals, with £40 million going to banks or debt funds and £59 million structured as a loan note with compounding interest.
Smith explains the importance of capturing senior debt and structuring loan notes to minimize interest payments and maximize returns.
Sam Smith explains how private equity firms structure deals to incentivize management teams, typically offering a sliver of equity worth 10-20% of the total valuation.
Four years later, the business has grown EBITDA, improved its multiple, and paid down some senior debt, increasing the valuation to 170 million.
Sam Smith explains how private equity firms can generate returns through investments, highlighting the importance of valuation and cash generation.
Brandon expresses interest in joining private equity, but Sam cautions that returns may not be stellar and management equity may erode in value.
VC-backed business growth strategies and employee incentives. 29:37
VC-backed businesses prioritize market creation and share options for management teams.
Bethany explains that employee stock options are typically structured as a percentage of salary with a vesting schedule, and employees must exercise their options within 90 days of leaving the company to avoid paying the strike price.
The strike price varies depending on the set of shares or option grant, and employees must decide whether to hold onto their shares or pay the strike price as part of the sale.
Bethany and Sam Smith discuss the importance of vesting for management teams in private equity deals, with Bethany highlighting the need for incentives and Sam Smith explaining the benefits of rolling equity into subsequent transactions.
NewVoiceMedia raised money every year, with a focus on deploying and returning funds in a 3-5 year cadence.
Bethany: Valuation increases with each funding round, providing opportunities for early investors to cash out or continue investing.
Sam Smith: Private equity firms look for entrepreneurial leadership teams with strategic strength and psychological resilience to drive growth and capture market share.
Private equity talent acquisition and growth strategies. 38:51
Sam Smith emphasizes the importance of operational expertise in CEO candidates for a mid-market company.
Private equity firms often overlook experienced VC executives as potential hires due to cultural fit concerns.
Private equity firms prioritize hiring experienced executives for faster growth.
Talent acquisition and onboarding in private equity firms. 44:33
CEO emphasizes importance of talent acquisition and onboarding to ensure aligned focus on value creation.
Entrepreneurship, strategy, and talent acquisition. 46:06
Venture businesses struggle with identifying and sticking to focus due to market disruption and entrepreneurial excitement.
Bethany and Sam discuss talent acquisition strategies for scaling startups, including building a talent team, leveraging referrals, and preparing managers for growing teams.
Brandon emphasizes the importance of effective line management to ensure new hires are set up for success.
HR strategies for scaling businesses.
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. 5:20
Bethany 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.
Bethany and Brandon discuss the importance of periodically reviewing the purpose and format of meetings to ensure they remain useful and productive.
Preparing pre-read materials for substantial topics to be debated in leadership meetings can help align everyone and lead to better decisions.
Bethany highlights the importance of clarity in pre reads, emphasizing that without it, people may interpret the document differently and have a harder time having a productive conversation.
Brandon agrees and adds that pre reads can be used for more than just making a decision, such as for awareness or understanding the background of a topic.
Improving board meeting quality through skills development. 14:11
Jennifer Sundberg highlights the importance of critical thinking, communication, and focus on what matters most in board information.
She emphasizes that these skills are not unique to boards and have far-reaching implications for management teams and organizations as a whole.
Asking the right questions in a structured manner. 16:21
Bethany and Jennifer discuss the importance of asking the right questions in a framework, with Bethany sharing her experience of iteratively refining questions over time.
Jennifer Sundberg suggests using a set of pre-defined questions, called QDs, to help employees think critically and structure their thoughts before writing a report or presentation.
She recommends limiting the number of major questions to 5-7 to maintain clarity and avoid overwhelming the receiver with too much information.
Improving performance reports by asking simple yet effective questions. 19:25
Jennifer Sundberg highlights the importance of addressing the "so what" question in performance reports, as it helps to identify the risks and opportunities on the horizon.
Bethany shares her experience of working with teams who struggle to provide meaningful commentary on data visualizations, despite the importance of contextualizing the information.
Jennifer Sundberg shares a story about EasyJet's CEO Carolyn McCall, who prioritized employee well-being by asking "how do our people feel?" in every meeting and report, shifting the organization's focus to people and ultimately improving profits.
Effective questioning in meetings and leadership. 23:37
Jennifer Sundberg emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions in meetings to ensure accountability and precision.
She suggests using a software platform or knowledge management system to cascade questions across the organization and update them easily.
Jennifer Sundberg emphasizes the importance of asking questions in meetings to encourage open conversations and address underperformance.
Bethany raises concerns about politics and lack of clarity in meetings, and suggests addressing cultural issues to facilitate open communication.
Brandon observes that a casual coffee chat with colleagues leads to more open and organic discussions, resulting in valuable insights and revelations.
Jennifer suggests grouping agenda items into steering and supervisory categories, with separate meetings to accommodate different modes of thinking and responsibilities.
Effective communication through visual aids and self-explanatory reports. 31:42
Bethany raises an issue with the assumption that reports must be written in prose, citing her own dyslexia and preference for visual aids.
Jennifer agrees, emphasizing the importance of preparing self-explanatory materials that can stand on their own without a verbal narrative to support them.
Jennifer Sundberg emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in report production, suggesting that the process of creating these documents can lead to valuable insights and improved outcomes.
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