Secret Ops Ariana Cofone

Karan Rhodes is the Founder and CEO of Shockingly Different Leadership, a leading professional services firm who is changing the way HR-functions scale up during peak period of work. With over a decade of experience as an executive in Human Resources and Leadership Development, we dive into how to rethink and pivot global workforce infrastructures and people strategies, while also preparing their leaders to better lead the redefined operations.
We also explore the evolving landscape of human resources and leadership, discussing the shift from traditional performance management to a focus on conversations and skills assessment, the impact of AI and technology on the workforce, and the trend towards blended workforces. She also shares her research on effective leadership tactics and the significance of creating a safe space for idea presentation within organizations.
In this episode, we discuss:
How human resource strategies, trends, and methodologies have changed over timeLeveraging external talent (blended workforces) to boost and scale businessesThe top seven traits her research has shown contribute to exemplary leadership
You can find Karan on her Linkedin
🎙️ Check out the podcast at www.secret-ops.com
🤓 Learn more about Ariana Cofone at www.arianacofone.com
📧 Email us at shhh@secret-ops.com
Produced by Fina Charleson

On this episode of Secret Ops, we chat with Derek Osgood, former marketing exec turned Founder of Ignition — the collaborative GTM platform helping Product and Marketing teams to get new products to market faster and more effectively.
Prior to founding Ignition, he was an early hire at Rippling where he stood up the Product Marketing function and helped scale the company to an $8B valuation. As a Product Marketing leader everywhere from startups to major brands like PlayStation, Derek has launched over 100 products and his products have generated over $1B in revenue. Now he’s building the platform he wished he had along the way.
In this episode, we discuss:
Bridging the gap between product and marketing in your businessChallenges and strategies for bringing products to marketStrategies on setting shared objectives and key results across teams
You can find Derek on his LinkedIn.
🎙️ Check out the podcast at https://www.secret-ops.com
🤓 Learn more about Ariana Cofone at https://www.arianacofone.com
📧 Email us at shhh@secret-ops.com
Produced by Fina Charleson

Kim Minnick is the Founder of Code Traveller HR. She is a long time People Ops professional with a healthy obsession for elegant processes, engaged teams, and great operational practices. She has the foundations and trainings skills to support innovative companies in building their digital environment. In this episode, Kim explores the importance of feedback, mentorship, and continuous learning for professional growth.
In this episode, we discuss:
Effective Feedback CollectionTaking Responsibility for Professional DevelopmentMisconceptions about HR and People Ops
You can find Kim on her Linkedin
🎙️ Check out the podcast at www.secret-ops.com
🤓 Learn more about Ariana Cofone at www.arianacofone.com
📧 Email us at shhh@secret-ops.com
Produced by Fina Charleson

Kate Parker is Chief Operating Officer at Transcend. Kate brings to Transcend over a decade of experience driving bold corporate-wide initiatives, from implementing CEO visions, shaping market dynamics, and changing user behavior. Prior to joining Transcend, Kate was the global director for Uber's top business priority, Consumer Safety. Tune in to explore the evolution of data governance and the operational challenges that come with it.
In this episode, we discuss:
Building Simple Smart Operations Challenges in Communication Technology Education and Empowerment
You can find Kate on her Linkedin
🎙️ Check out the podcast at www.secret-ops.com
🤓 Learn more about Ariana Cofone at www.arianacofone.com
📧 Email us at shhh@secret-ops.com
Produced by Fina Charleson

Diana Soler is the Director of Product Operations & Service Enablement at Assent, the leader in supply chain sustainability management solutions. Diana has  over six years of experience in product operations, product enablement, and cross-functional collaboration in the tech industry. Currently, she leads a team of nine that creates & shapes the systems and processes that enable teams to deliver value to customers through an awesome product.
In this episode we discus:
Setting Boundaries in Operations Visualizing Operations for Stakeholder Buy-InBuilding Trust and Culture Productivity Over Process
You can find Diana on her Linkedin
🎙️ Check out the podcast at www.secret-ops.com
🤓 Learn more about Ariana Cofone at www.arianacofone.com
📧 Email us at shhh@secret-ops.com
Produced by Fina Charleson

Jason Vago is the CEO & Co-Founder of Bevz, a SaaS platform for convenience stores. Jason is responsible for setting and executing the company strategy and vision, building a strong culture, maintaining consistent and scalable company growth, and recruiting, retaining, and coaching a superstar team. Prior to Bevz, Jason was the founder of a dog grooming software platform and spent almost a decade at a multi-billion dollar technology company called Citrix. Tune in as Jason shares the journey of pivoting his company from a marketplace to a SaaS platform for convenience stores, focusing on inventory management. He discusses the challenges of scaling, the importance of data normalization, and the shift towards operational efficiency in the tech industry.
In this episode we discus:
Gaining industry knowledge and upskillingThe importance of learning from past experiences Formal education versus real-life experience in startups Connecting Operations with a wider audience
You can find Jason on his Linkedin
🎙️ Check out the podcast at https://www.secret-ops.com
🤓 Learn more about Ariana Cofone at https://www.arianacofone.com
📧 Email us at shhh@secret-ops.com
Produced by Fina Charleson