The Operations Room: A Podcast for COO’s

Bethany Ayers & Brandon Mensinga
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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. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

  1. 91. AI in The Future of Work

    5D AGO

    91. AI in The Future of Work

    In this episode we discuss: AI in the future of work. We are joined by Agata Nowicka, Managing Partner of the AI Visionaries Accelerator. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. We chat about the following with Agata Nowicka: Are high-growth founders underestimating the role of distribution from day one?At Series B and beyond, is your monetisation model actually aligned with value delivery?Could your onboarding and sales process be quietly eroding the value you promise?Will AI fluency soon become a non-negotiable capability in your workforce?Are you building an AI-first company — or just layering AI onto old plumbing? References https://www.linkedin.com/in/agata-nowicka/https://femalefoundry.substack.com/https://www.aivisionaries.co/https://www.femaleinnovationindex.com/ Biography Agata Nowicka is the Managing Partner at AI Visionaries—an AI accelerator launched with Google to scale Europe’s most innovative AI and deeptech startups. With 12 years of experience as an angel, VC investor and founder of two tech businesses in the U.S., Hong Kong, and the UK (one exit), she is also the author of the Female Innovation Index—the largest analysis of female-led innovation and funding in Europe. Agata holds an MBA from Wharton and INSEAD and is an advisor to startups and accelerators including Techstars, the University of Cambridge Founders Accelerator, and Village Capital. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary39:04 – Introduction & Founder Focus Shift 42:04 – Monetisation Beyond Revenue 45:04 – Sales & Onboarding as Value Proof 48:04 – AI Fluency as a Workforce Standard 51:04 – Moving to an AI-First Model 54:05 – Business Complexity & “Plumbing” 48:20 – Resilience in High-Growth Environments 49:49 – Leadership in an AI Era 57:05 – The Future Belongs to Visionary Founders This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    59 min
  2. 90. What is The CEO's Job?

    FEB 5

    90. What is The CEO's Job?

    In this episode we discuss: What is the CEO’s job? We are joined by Keith Wallington, Chairperson and Investor in B2B SaaS businesses Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. We chat about the following with Keith Wallington: What actually changes in an operating model as a company scales – and what shouldn’t change, even under pressure?How do you design an organisation that moves fast without creating chaos or decision fatigue?When does adding structure genuinely unlock performance, and when does it quietly slow teams down?How can operators tell the difference between a scaling problem and a leadership problem?What questions should COOs be asking before a Series B or major growth phase to avoid painful rework later? References https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithwallington/ Biography Focussed on Series A and Growth stage B2B SaaS businesses that deliver vital, core services to their customers. Keith has led strategy and execution in technology businesses since the 1990’s, driving growth in Europe, the USA and Africa: His experience in driving online business models spans Retail Banking, Telecommunications, Online Live Broadcasting and Software as a Service (SaaS): He has led strategy and execution initiatives at businesses including Microsoft, Standard Bank, Omnicom/TBWA, MTN Group and Mimecast. From 2008 – 2014 Keith spent 6 years driving growth at Mimecast, best in class and global leader in SaaS based email security, archiving and continuity: Here he assumed a number of C Level roles, including COO, spanning most of the business from Marketing to Customer Experience to Technical Operations as he championed scalable, efficient growth during this phase of hyper growth (from $6m to over $110m Annual Recurring Revenue) and global expansion from the UK base. After preparing Mimecast for IPO Keith refocused his attention to support businesses on their growth journey. Keith invests in and assumes board roles with post Series A businesses. He engages directly and also collaborates with Venture Capital and Private Equity teams to co-invest and add depth to portfolio company boards. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary05:30 – Why operating models break during growth 12:45 – The tension between speed and structure 19:30 – Horizontal vs vertical operating models 26:00 – Decision-making at scale 30:00 – What scaling exposes about leadership teams 38:30 – Preparing for Series B (before it’s too late) 47:00 – Operating principles that actually stick 55:30 – Signals your operating model needs a reset This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    1h 7m
  3. 89. The Economics of VC Funds

    JAN 29

    89. The Economics of VC Funds

    In this episode we discuss: The economics of VC funds. We are joined by Edward Barrow, Co-Founder & CEO @ Cloud Capital. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. We chat about the following with Edward Barrow: Why do so many fast-growing companies only realise cloud spend is a problem once it’s already out of control?What actually breaks when finance and engineering don’t share a common language around cloud costs?Is “visibility” into cloud spend enough, or does it create a false sense of control?How should operators think about financial risk when infrastructure spend is variable by design?What does good cloud cost governance look like without slowing teams down? References https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebarrow/https://www.cloudcapital.co/ Biography Ed has spent his career helping high-growth tech companies align strategy with execution — first in marketing tech, and now in cloud finance. After co-founding Idio, an AI-driven platform used by global B2B brands, he led the business through rapid growth, M&A, and a successful exit to Episerver (now Optimizely). Post-acquisition, he helped shape global product and M&A strategy across multiple acquisitions and 400% growth. Today, Ed is the co-founder and CEO of Cloud Capital, where he helps finance and engineering leaders forecast and optimize cloud spend — without taking on financial risk. The platform gives finance teams clarity and control while enabling engineering to move fast without waste. Ed and his team are building the cloud finance layer for the next generation of tech companies — turning cloud spend into a strategic advantage, not a liability. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary00:00–04:10 – Setting the scene: operator fatigue, reality after the “honeymoon phase,” and why this conversation matters now 06:05 – Ed Barrow’s background: from AI startup founder to cloud finance problem-solver 09:30 – The real problem with cloud spend: why “usage-based pricing” breaks traditional finance models 13:45 – Finance vs engineering: how misaligned incentives create hidden waste 18:20 – Why visibility alone doesn’t change behaviour (and what actually does) 22:50 – The risk operators don’t see: cloud spend as an uncapped financial liability 27:40 – Forecasting cloud costs without slowing teams down 32:10 – What good cloud governance looks like in high-growth companies 36:30 – Turning cloud spend into a strategic advantage, not just a cost-control exercise This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    1h 2m
  4. 88. Discovering Your Strengths

    JAN 22

    88. Discovering Your Strengths

    In this episode we discuss: Discovering Your Strengths and Living The Life That You Want. We are joined by Alicia Diamond, COO and Transformation Leader. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. We chat about the following with Alicia Diamond: What happens when you stop waiting for “perfect clarity” and start sharing half-formed ideas with your team?How much operational value is lost because your best thinking happens outside formal meetings?Are your leadership decisions driven by energy and context — or by calendar availability?What if the real bottleneck in your organisation isn’t process, but permission to think out loud?How do you create space for strategic thinking when the operational noise never really stops? References https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-diamond/https://aliciadiamond.substack.com/https://www.aliciadiamond.com BiographyAlicia has been the right-hand, “figure it out” partner to 5 CEOs as a 2x COO and 2x Chief of Staff. She's helped visionary CEOs across diverse industries to get their most transformative ideas unstuck and into action. Highlights include launching the Long-Term Stock Exchange and proving the bottom-line impact for listed clients and founding/managing the Chinese factory behind a portfolio of direct-to-consumer brands. She sharpened her operational prowess under the scrutiny of top-tier investors including a16z, Founders Fund, Collaborative Fund, Obvious Ventures while working in the Lean Startup methodology, at Eric Ries' startup stock exchange. Recently, Alicia expanded from working in tech into partnering with SMB owners. She helps visionary owners achieve their growth goals through scalable technology, best-in-class operating practices, and people-first leadership. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. Summary05:45 — The power of unplanned conversations 06:55 — Why half-formed ideas are a leadership superpower 08:30 — Meetings vs momentum 11:00 — Energy as an operational constraint 14:15 — The danger of over-polished thinking 18:00 — Creating environments where ideas can be safely unfinished 22:10 — Leadership presence over process 26:30 — Rethinking how and when strategy happens 30:45 — What operators can do differently tomorrow This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    52 min
  5. 87. The COO's Guide to The Jigsaw Puzzle Company

    JAN 15

    87. The COO's Guide to The Jigsaw Puzzle Company

    In this episode we discuss: The COO's Guide to The Jigsaw Puzzle Company. We are joined by Cameron Herold, he is the founder of the COO Alliance and author of the Second in Command. We chat about the following: How can a COO use the “jigsaw puzzle” metaphor to bring clarity and alignment to a fast-growing company?What should a new COO actually do in their first 30, 60, and 90 days to build trust and avoid missteps?How do COOs become the “leash, not the choke collar”, supporting visionary CEOs without slowing them down?What simple systems can COOs introduce early on that create long-term impact without overwhelming the business?How do you determine whether you’re truly operating as a COO… or actually a VP of Ops or GM in disguise? References: Cameron Herold COO Alliance YouTube Channel Biography: Founder of the COO Alliance & Invest In Your Leaders Course Author of Vivid Vision & The Second In Command Meet Cameron Herold, the mastermind behind the exponential growth of hundreds of companies. As the founder of the COO Alliance and the Invest In Your Leaders course, Cameron is a dynamic consultant who has coached some of the biggest names in business, including Sprint Telecom and a monarchy in the Middle East. Known as the "CEO Whisperer", Cameron has a reputation for guiding his clients to double their profits and revenue in just three years or less. Cameron's entrepreneurial journey began at a young age, and by 35, he had helped build his first two $100 million dollar companies. But his greatest achievement came as the COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, where he engineered the company's spectacular growth from $2 million to $106 million in revenue and from 14 to 3,100 employees - all in just six years. Cameron is not just a successful business leader, but also a captivating speaker. The current publisher of Forbes magazine, Rich Karlgaard, stated "Cameron Herold is the best speaker I've ever heard...he hits grand slams”. When he's not on stage, Cameron continues to teach through his Second In Command podcast and his bestselling books, including Vivid Vision, Meetings Suck, Free PR, Double Double, and The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs. Cameron is a top-rated international speaker and has been paid to speak in 26 countries and on all 7 continents, including Antarctica in early 2022. He is also the top-rated lecturer at EO/MIT's Entrepreneurial Masters Program and a powerful and effective speaker at CEO and COO leadership events worldwide. Summary: 00:03:35 – The COO as a jigsaw puzzle builder 00:11:29 – How to use AI as a COO (and where it goes wrong) 00:11:52 – Advice for the first 90 days 00:14:26 – Why early relationship-building matters 00:15:20 – “Be the leash, not the choke collar” 00:16:20 – How to say “no” without shutting people down 00:28:00 – What’s missing in EOS & how COOs fill the gap 00:32:42 – Pick satellite projects, not messy ones 00:33:16 – Avoid big disruptive changes early 00:36:00 – Are you really a COO… or something else? 00:59:23 – Final takeaway This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn -...

    1h 1m

  6. 11/13/2025

    86. Season 2 Wrap Up

    It’s been a whirlwind of a season! In this special wrap-up episode, Bethany and Brandon look back on the last ten weeks of The Operations Room — the highlights, lessons, and chaos that shaped Season 2 — and share a sneak peek of what’s coming in Season 3. We reflect on: What it really feels like to step into a CEO role (and why it’s lonelier than expected).The intensity of leading through change — and learning to switch off when the buck stops with you.The balance between growth, leadership, and staying human.The power (and pain) of performance reviews done right.Why our next season will dive deep into AI, leadership, and rethinking operational strategy. Plus, we reveal our guest line-up for Season 3 — including returning favourites like Keith Wallington and Cameron Herold, and new voices exploring AI, sales, and the future of strategy. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. You can also share your guest suggestions — one slot left for next season! Summary 00:00 – Welcome and season recap 02:00 – Bethany’s first 90 days as CEO 07:30 – The reality of responsibility and loneliness at the top 11:50 – Brandon’s reflections on scaling a high-growth team 15:40 – Lessons from performance and salary reviews 20:00 – What’s coming next: AI, leadership, and puzzles vs OKRs 26:00 – Behind the scenes: planning the next season 28:00 – Our Substack To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    32 min
  7. 85. AI Employees

    11/06/2025

    85. AI Employees

    In this episode we discuss: AI employees. We are joined by Matt Lhoumeau, Cofounder & CEO at Concord Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. We chat about the following with Matt Lhoumeau:  How do you balance the need for structure with the chaos of fast-growing operations?What happens when marketing becomes a true conversation rather than a one-way message?Why are standards and expectations so critical to building trust in a growing team?How can leaders create clarity without stifling creativity?What’s the real difference between being busy and being effective? References https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlhoumeau/https://www.concord.app/https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0lMWln0 Biography Matt Lhoumeau is the CEO and co-founder of Concord, the leading provider of AI-powered Agreement Intelligence solutions. With over a decade of experience transforming how businesses manage contracts, Matt helps operations leaders unlock strategic value from their agreements and turn contracts from cost centers into profit drivers. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.  Summary04:05 – AI tools and operational leadership. 08:05 – The power of systems thinking in AI bots 12:01 – Using AI to challenge you 15:16 – AI-first mantra 19:40 – Legal department AI substitutes 22:36 – Being a systems owner 24:30 – ChatGPT as a therapist 27:37 – Using AI to evolve and be durable 31:34 – How tools and frameworks are used over time. 34:58 – The balance between AI and human intervention 35:19 – Evolving with AI 37:05 – The right inputs This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    40 min
  8. 84. What Scale Up Founders Go Through

    10/30/2025

    84. What Scale Up Founders Go Through

    In this episode we discuss: What scale up founders go through. We are joined by Jonny Burch, Designer turned Founder.  Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here. We chat about the following with Jonny Burch:  How can rethinking the office itself completely change how people connect, collaborate, and feel part of a company?What happens when leaders stop managing people — and start designing environments where people can do their best work?Is your company culture something you say — or something you can feel when you walk through the door?What’s the real cost of ignoring the “unwritten rules” that shape how your team communicates and collaborates?How do you balance flexibility, belonging, and performance when your team is spread across screens and cities? References Https://linkedin.com/in/jonnyburchHttps://jonnyburch.comhackweeks.comtoy.studiofoundupnorth.com Biography Jonny Burch is a designer and exited founder exploring AI through a product lens. He scaled Deliveroo’s consumer design team and went on to found Progression, a platform focused on skills, personal development, and career growth. After raising over $6M from US and UK investors and successfully exiting in 2024, he's now taking time to reflect, supporting teams with AI adoption at hackweeks.com as well as incubating future products under his personal software practice toy.studio.  To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.  Summary06:30 – Maximizing time as a CEO 08:30 – Office culture and space design 10:30 – The CEO Roundtable Retreat 17:00 – Building trust as a COO and CEO 19:30 – Force multipliers and structure 21:00 – Why growth makes CEOs feel disconnected 22:30 – The SaaS Flywheel and diagnosing business health 26:30 – Delegation done right 27:30 – Becoming the CEO 30:00 – The emotional weight of leadership 31:45 – How leadership changes your brain 32:30 – The paradox of influence and isolation 33:30 – Knowing your limits 34:30 – Lessons for leaders 36:00 – Final reflections This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

    38 min
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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. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

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