Insights for
Second in
Command
Practical ideas on operations, leadership, hiring, and scaling, written for the people who run the business day to day.
314 articles
for operators
Full-Time Or Fractional Executive?
A growing company eventually hits a leadership gap. Choosing between a fractional vs full-time executive is an important decision. For some gaps, a full-time hire is…
Do It Right, But Do It Fast
Leaders often feel a pull between speed and care. Cameron Herold and Meridith Kuba take it on in their book, Grandma's Business Secrets, which turns old…
The Costliest Work Has No Job Title
Some of the most expensive work in a company has no job title. It includes follow-ups, status updates, cross-department coordination, system maintenance, and the daily tasks…
You Are Your Own Executive Assistant
Cameron Herold, our founder, has a saying: if you don't have an executive assistant, you are the executive assistant. Calendar management and routine emails belong to…
Between A Bookkeeper And A CFO
At a certain stage, many growing companies find that a bookkeeper is no longer enough, and a full-time CFO feels like too much. COOs see that…
COOs Name Their Biggest Bottleneck
Most operational content covers problems someone already solved. This month, COO Alliance members named the operational bottleneck slowing them down right now and what they had…
The 3-Year Model COOs Learn First
This week, COO Alliance members walk into MIT Endicott House for 2.5 days built around one exercise most companies never sit down to do. COO Connect…
The Room Built For Operators Only
Next week, a small group of second in command executives will spend two and a half days at MIT's Endicott House outside Boston. No CEOs in…
Your Vision Should Recruit For You
Most companies post a job description and hope the right person applies. A vivid vision does something a posting never can. It shows candidates exactly what…
The Room Matters More Than Slides
The best insight a COO gets this year rarely comes from a course or a book. It comes from a conversation with someone who already solved…
The Seven Minute Meeting That Works
Most companies think alignment requires long meetings. A seven minute daily huddle often does more for energy and clarity than an hour long status call ever…
The Data Room Test For Scale
Most CEOs and COOs believe their company is scale ready long before anyone asks for proof. Then a data room request lands, and the gap between…
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