Managed Chaos Podcast

Katrina Purcell

Welcome to the Managed Chaos podcast, where host, Katrina Purcell gives you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes you to get to work. You can find Katrina on all of your favorite podcasting apps as well as on Instagram and YouTube, where we are @managedchaospodcast. For additional resources or to continue the conversation, you can find Katrina Purcell on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/ https://www.themanagedchaospodcast.com/

  1. 18H AGO

    S3 Ep4 Radical Prioritization: How to Filter Noise and Save Your Roadmap

    As a founder, success brings a new problem: Noise. Suddenly, everyone, from your biggest investor to your loudest customer to your own sales team, has an opinion on what you should build next. In this episode of Managed Chaos, host Katrina Purcell wraps up our four-part masterclass on Customer Intelligence with Guest in Residence, Glenn Perera (Perera Insights). We’ve covered how to collect feedback (VOC), how to organize it (CABs), and how to plan with it (JBP). Now, we tackle the hardest leadership challenge of all: How to say "No." This episode is about Radical Prioritization—how to filter the flood of requests so you don't turn your strategic roadmap into a chaotic wish list. In this episode, we cover: The Mission Filter: How to use your company’s core values as a scoring system to objectively disqualify bad feedback. The Sandbox Rule: A framework that gives your team 10% of their capacity to work on "wild ideas" so they don't derail the main roadmap. Internal Noise: How to stop your sales team from selling features that don't exist (and how to get them to champion the actual roadmap). When to Do What Doesn't Scale: Why building a custom one-off feature is sometimes the right strategic move, even if it breaks the rules. Memorable Quote: "You have to have the discipline to say: 'I’ll call your baby ugly, but I’ll tell you why and how we can make it look less ugly.'" — Glenn Perera 🎙️ ABOUT THE GUEST Glenn Perera is the founder of Perera Insights and a veteran in customer intelligence. He specializes in turning messy, raw customer data into clear, actionable business strategies. He helps founders move beyond gut feelings to build products that customers actually need. Connect with Glenn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennperera/ Perera Insights: https://pererainsights.com/ 🚀 ABOUT MANAGED CHAOS Managed Chaos is the podcast for startup founders, COOs, and leaders who are tired of the fluff. We give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes to get to work. Hosted by Katrina Purcell. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US Website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/managedchaospodcast ✨ Special Offer from Pobl.io Outsourcing your US tech talent should not be hard. With pobl.io you will get high-quality teams on demand and enjoy huge cost savings for your business. Try it now at pobl.io. Mention the amazing Managed Chaos when you email us and get a free market data report. Loved this episode? Hit the "Follow" button so you don't miss our next episode.

    16 min
  2. FEB 4

    S3 Ep3 Stop Doing QBRs: Why Joint Business Planning Wins Deals

    Stop Doing QBRs: Why Joint Business Planning Wins Deals Does the calendar invite for a "Quarterly Business Review" make you dread the next hour? You aren’t alone. Most QBRs are nothing more than "Death by PowerPoint"—looking backward at data you can’t change and defending why you missed a number. In Part 3 of our Customer Intelligence arc, host Katrina Purcell and Guest in Residence Glenn Perera (Perera Insights) explain why you need to stop interrogating your clients and start co-creating with them. We break down the shift from the backward-looking QBR to the forward-looking Joint Business Planning (JBP) session—a strategy that turns you from a vendor into a strategic partner. In this episode, we cover: The "Interrogation" Trap: Why traditional QBRs feel like a trial, and how to change the dynamic by "sitting on the same side of the table." The "Pre-Read" Rule: One simple email tactic that saves you 45 minutes of meeting time and eliminates the bore of reciting metrics. The "3 Crazy Ideas" Pitch: How to end every meeting with energy by pitching wild, creative ideas instead of just reporting status. The Human KPI: Why helping your contact get a promotion is the ultimate retention strategy. Memorable Quote: "A QBR is looking in the rearview mirror to justify the past. Joint Business Planning is sitting next to each other to pick the destination." — Glenn Perera 🎙️ ABOUT THE GUEST Glenn Perera is the founder of Perera Insights and a veteran in customer intelligence. He specializes in turning messy, raw customer data into clear, actionable business strategies. He helps founders move beyond gut feelings to build products that customers actually need. Connect with Glenn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennperera/ Perera Insights: https://pererainsights.com/ 🚀 ABOUT MANAGED CHAOS Managed Chaos is the podcast for startup founders, COOs, and leaders who are tired of the fluff. We give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes to get to work. Hosted by Katrina Purcell. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US Website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/managedchaospodcast ✨ Special Offer from Pobl.io Outsourcing your US tech talent should not be hard. With pobl.io you will get high-quality teams on demand and enjoy huge cost savings for your business. Try it now at pobl.io. Mention the amazing Managed Chaos when you email us and get a free market data report. Loved this episode? Hit the "Follow" button so you don't miss our next episode, where we discuss how to filter all this new feedback without destroying your product roadmap.

    17 min
  3. JAN 28

    Season 3, Episode 2: The Customer Advisory Board (CAB) Framework

    Most companies treat their Customer Advisory Board like a high-end dinner party or a one-way press tour. If you spend your entire CAB talking at your customers, you are missing the single greatest opportunity to stress test your GTM strategy. In this episode, Katrina Purcell and Guest in Residence Glenn Perera from Perera Insights break down how to move past the razzle dazzle and turn your CAB into a strategic growth engine. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Razzle Dazzle Trap: Why CABs fail 04:15 Selection Strategy: Finding your visionaries and skeptics 09:30 Virtual vs In-Person: The magic number for engagement 10:00 The Rabbit Hole Rule: Practical tactics for meeting control 14:00 The N-Customer Rule: Radical prioritization of feedback 15:00 Action and Accountability: Closing the loop with clients 🎙️ ABOUT THE GUEST Glenn Perera is the founder of Perera Insights and a veteran in customer intelligence. He specializes in turning messy, raw customer data into clear, actionable business strategies. He helps founders move beyond gut feelings to build products that customers actually need. Connect with Glenn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennperera/ Perera Insights: https://pererainsights.com/ 🚀 ABOUT MANAGED CHAOS Managed Chaos is the podcast for startup founders, COOs, and leaders who are tired of the fluff. We give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes to get to work. Hosted by Katrina Purcell. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US Website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/managedchaospodcast ✨ Special Offer from Pobl.io Outsourcing your US tech talent should not be hard. With pobl.io you will get high-quality teams on demand and enjoy huge cost savings for your business. Try it now at pobl.io. Mention the amazing Managed Chaos when you email us and get a free market data report. 📧 Contact: contact@pobl.io Listen and Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review. It helps us reach more founders and leaders looking to manage the chaos of growth.

    17 min
  4. JAN 21

    Customer Intelligence Part 1: Turning Messy Feedback into Revenue

    You don’t have a business if you don’t have a customer. Yet, so many founders fall into the trap of being "vision-led" rather than listening to the people actually paying the bills. In the Season 3 premiere of Managed Chaos, hosts Katrina Purcell and Rachel Anderson kick off a special four-part arc on Customer Intelligence. We are joined by our Guest in Residence, Glenn Perera (Pereira Insights), an expert in turning raw, chaotic customer data into clear, actionable strategy. If you are drowning in support tickets, conflicting feature requests, or vague survey data, this episode provides the framework you need to clear the noise. In this episode, we cover: The "Buyer vs. User" Trap: Why the person signing the contract often gives you the wrong feedback—and who you should be listening to instead. The VOC Framework: How to use your company’s Mission, Vision, and Values to filter feedback and decide what actually gets built. Radical Prioritization: A workshop technique to force your team (and customers) to cut their wish lists by 30% or more. Why Churn is Too Late: Why looking at churn data is looking in the rearview mirror, and how to spot issues before they leave. Memorable Quote:"There always comes a time where your customers know your product and the problem better than you." — Glenn Perera Links & Resources: 🎙️ ABOUT THE GUEST: Glenn Perera is the founder of Perera Insights and a veteran in customer intelligence. He specializes in turning messy, raw customer data into clear, actionable business strategies. He helps founders move beyond "gut feelings" to build products that customers actually need.Connect with Glenn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennperera/Perera Insights: https://pererainsights.com/🚀 ABOUT MANAGED CHAOS: Managed Chaos is the podcast for startup founders, COOs, and leaders who are tired of the fluff. We give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes to get to work. Hosted by Katrina Purcell and Rachel Brenke.🔗 CONNECT WITH US:Website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/managedchaospodcast Loved this episode?Hit the "Follow" button so you don't miss Part 2 of our Customer Intelligence Arc, where we break down how to run a Customer Advisory Board without wasting everyone's time.

    18 min
  5. 12/17/2025

    2025 Predictions: Hits, Misses, and Plot Twists We Didn’t See Co

    What a year. In this episode of the Managed Chaos Podcast, Rachel and Katrina revisit the predictions they made at the start of 2025 and break down what actually happened, what surprised them, and what still feels unresolved. From the rapid (and chaotic) evolution of AI to the rise of seamless customer experiences, micromarkets, and the growing importance of authentic storytelling, this conversation is an honest, thoughtful reflection on how business trends really played out. They unpack where expectations met reality, where things moved slower than anticipated, and why the human element matters more than ever as technology accelerates. If you’re a founder, operator, or leader trying to make sense of an unpredictable business landscape, this episode offersclarity, humor, and perspective to help you head into the next year with intention. As always, we give you the startup businessrundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work. 🎧 HostsRachel AndersonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader/Katrina PurcellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/ 🌐 Podcast Websitehttps://themanagedchaospodcast.com✨ Special Offer from Pobl.io Outsourcing US tech talent shouldn’t be a challenge. With pobl.io You’ll get high-quality teams on demand and enjoy huge cost savings for your business. Try it now at pobl.io. Mention the amazing Managed Chaos when you email us and get a free market data report. 📧 Contact: contact@pobl.io

    19 min
  6. 12/10/2025

    Taming the Chaos Without Losing Momentum

    In this episode of the Managed Chaos Podcast, Katrina sits down with Clara Ma, Founder and CEO of Ask a Chief of Staff, to unpack the evolving and often misunderstood role of the Chief of Staff.Clara shares her journey from Chief of Staff to accidental founder, highlighting the adaptability, resilience, and chaos management required to build both a business and a thriving professional community. Together, they explore how Chiefs of Staff can better support executives, navigate ambiguity, and use community intelligence to grow stronger in their roles.This episode is a must-listen for Chiefs of Staff, founders, operators, and leaders navigating growth, complexity, and change.🔗 Connect with Clara & Ask a Chief of StaffClara Ma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claramaAsk a Chief of Staff Newsletter: https://askachiefofstaff.substack.com/Ask a Chief of Staff Website: https://www.askachiefofstaff.comAsk a Chief of Staff Community: https://ask-a-cos.notion.site/Introducing-The-Ask-a-Chief-of-Staff-Community-8b093f5af6134b6c9267e3c2804a87ecAs always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.✨ Special Offer from Pobl.io Outsourcing US tech talent shouldn’t be a challenge. With pobl.io You’ll get high-quality teams on demand and enjoy huge cost savings for your business. Try it now at pobl.io. Mention the amazing Managed Chaos when you email us and get a free market data report. 📧 Contact: contact@pobl.io

    17 min
5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Managed Chaos podcast, where host, Katrina Purcell gives you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes you to get to work. You can find Katrina on all of your favorite podcasting apps as well as on Instagram and YouTube, where we are @managedchaospodcast. For additional resources or to continue the conversation, you can find Katrina Purcell on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/ https://www.themanagedchaospodcast.com/