While many people know and admire the job of a CEO, the role of the second in command often remains hidden from the public, despite the enormous impact they have on the business’s operations.
In today’s episode, Alexa D’Agostino and Debbie Shannon sit down with Cameron Herold, the Founder of the COO Alliance and Second In Command Podcast. An entrepreneur from day 1, Cameron had 14 employees by the age of just 21. By 35, he had helped build his first two $100M companies, and by the age of 42, he engineered 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s spectacular growth from $2 Million to $106 Million in revenue, and 3100 employees - all in just 6 years.
During the episode, they discuss the importance of hiring a COO, when you should think about adding the second in command, how to ensure they will fit your culture, and much more.
Key parts of the conversation:
- [0:25] - Introduction of the guest and today’s topic
- [2:00] - About Alliance, Cameron’s community of COOs
- [4:32] - How Alexa realized she needed a COO
- [5:45] - The benefits of having a second in command
- [8:05] - What is the right moment to hire a COO?
- [16:15] - What does a COO do?
- [20:06] - How to find the right COO?
- [27:02] - Living life with an impact
- [28:59] - Being an intrapreneur as a COO
- [33:50] - How to raise kids as an entrepreneur?
Great quotes from the podcast:
- “Within 90 days, we tripled our business, and it was because I was able to let go of the things that I shouldn't have been doing and focus on what I am good at.” - Alexa
- “If we hired a second in command, we could delegate everything except genius.” - Harold
- “The CEO's job is to oversee and manage all of the areas that the CEO sucks at.” - Harold
- “At certain times, you could not be the right CEO for a company based on the leader.” - Alexa
- “If you focus on having free time, you will build a better company.” - Harold
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