In this episode, we sit down with Lu Borko, Chief of Staff at Manychat, to unpack how fast-growing companies can scale without losing their edge. Drawing from her experiences at Deliveroo, Intercom, and now Manychat, Lu shares how to build systems that support growth while keeping teams agile and aligned. We talk about the building blocks of operational excellence, the real work behind making an executive team act like a team, and how to lead without authority by connecting the dots others don’t see. If you’re navigating scale, team complexity, or cross-functional friction this episode is for you.Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Tommy Caulfield and James Whittle — better known as The Tempest Two — had never rowed a boat in their lives when they set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean. No experience. No support crew. Just a willingness to figure it out.In this episode, we explore what extreme adventure can teach us about resilience, leadership, and adaptability — especially when facing uncertainty. From surviving a hurricane and a nighttime capsize to building teams and coaching startups, they share how to turn breakdowns into breakthroughs and why the best leaders actively put themselves and their teams just beyond their comfort zones.We also talk about their upcoming keynote and immersive Experience at the upcoming Chief of Staff Connect EU in London, and why pushing boundaries is the key to real growth.Learn more about Tommy and James' work at Tempest Experiences.Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Tristan Lim went from scaling a high-growth startup as Chief of Staff at Commsor to coaching founders and operators on how to lead with clarity, courage, and purpose. In this episode, he joins Scott to explore the inner work that too often gets overlooked in fast-moving organizations—setting meaningful boundaries, avoiding burnout, and staying grounded through change.Tristan shares powerful lessons on self-awareness, emotional resilience, and the importance of having a clear personal anchor in the chaos of startup life. You’ll walk away with practical tools for reflecting on your motivations, building your support system, and creating space for both yourself and your team to thrive—especially when things get hard.Learn more about Tristan's work: https://www.beyondfounders.com/Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
In this episode, Dow Jones Chief of Staff to the CTO/CPO, Andrea Mayendia, joins Scott to explore how storytelling can drive clarity and confidence during large-scale transformation. Drawing from her 20+ year career in product, strategy, and operations at S&P Global and Dow Jones, Andrea shares how clarity, transparency, and a few well-told stories can unite teams across silos.It’s a masterclass in how Chiefs of Staff can lead transformation through communication, not control.Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: chiefofstaff.network/pro-membership
Former SoftBank Chief of Staff to the COO, Dora Nagy, joins Scott Amenta to unpack the real operating system behind scaling leaders and organizations. From her early career at Google to helping launch SoftBank’s $100B Vision Fund, Dora shares what she’s learned about translating strategy into execution, building accountability into leadership rhythms, and managing the human dynamics that make or break scale. She introduces her “CEO Operating System” framework and explores the Drama Triangle, a powerful model for transforming conflict into alignment—a preview of her upcoming workshop at Chief of Staff Connect London.Links Mentioned:The Concise Laws of Human NatureThe 48 Laws of PowerDora Nagy's CEO Operating SystemLearn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Operator and fractional Chief of Staff Lauren Werner (ex-Slate, Vox) shares how she translates market signals into systems that drive growth. We cover her transition to fractional Chief of Staff, landing her first clients, defining high-impact scopes (GTM, RevOps, cross-functional alignment), and practical ways Chiefs of Staff can quantify their value and tie work to the P&L. Plus we discuss how her media background has informed community growth and belonging at the Chief of Staff Network.Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
In this episode, Tom Guthrie, President of Chief of Staff Network, sits down with Andrew Rea, co-founder and CEO of Taxwire, to unpack the challenges of global sales tax compliance and the shifting role of finance teams in fast-growing startups. Andrew shares insights on leveraging automation and AI in finance, opportunities for young professionals to stand out, and the importance of building authentic company culture. He also highlights the evolving impact of Chiefs of Staff in early-stage companies—acting as force multipliers and strategic problem-solvers.
Scott Amenta sits down with Dominique Lear, Chief of Staff at Incandescent, to explore why organizational change so often falters on the human side. From her journey in publishing to consulting, Dominique shares lessons on managing fear, building trust, and navigating AI-driven transformations with empathy and clarity.
Go behind the scenes of venture capital with Alexa "Lex" Gellman, a Chief of Staff at Inspired Capital. Lex shares how she manages deal pipelines and supports portfolio founders. You will also learn about practical tools for network mapping and hear her insider perspective on today's capital markets. Whether you're aspiring to break into venture capital or looking to add more strategic value in your current Chief of Staff role, this episode offers actionable insights on building your internal brand and positioning yourself as a key strategic resource. Excited for you to level-up!Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
What does it really mean to "level up" as a Chief of Staff? In this episode recorded live at a dinner event in NYC, a select group of Chiefs of Staff share authentic stories of growth and impact in their roles. From using simple Google Docs to outperform complex systems to building reward programs that actually work, you will hear practical strategies that moved the needle. You'll learn how to prove your value, when to choose low-tech solutions, and how to maintain boundaries while excelling in this demanding role. Whether you're new to the role or looking to advance, these candid conversations offer actionable insights on building relationships, scaling through others, and finding your specialization as a generalist. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about our conferences, courses, and membership here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Are you looking to transition into the Chief of Staff role? In this episode, you will learn from Sharlene Guiriba, Executive Chief of Staff at Coverdash., Sharlene discusses her transition to the CoS role from operating roles and Venture Capital, emphasizing the importance of leveraging VC connections and the value of case studies in the interview process. She highlights her experience at Coverdash, noting the evolution from tactical to strategic initiatives and the importance of hiring to scale. Charlene also shares insights on navigating conflict, stressing the significance of emotions, data, and adaptability. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about our conferences, courses, and membership here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
In this episode, we sit down with Aarti Bhatnagar, former Chief of Staff at Change.org and Guild, and now executive coach and facilitator.Aarti shares how she built a career as a generalist, navigated defining moments like company-wide layoffs, and discovered her superpower at the intersection of operations and people.We dive deep into the role of the CoS in strategic planning, including:How to drive alignment without formal authorityCommon pitfalls in planning (and how to avoid them)Aarti’s original C-FLEX Framework for effective strategy executionWhy owning your narrative is the most underrated leadership skillLearn more about her work at Cadence Operators: https://cadence-operators.com/ Learn more about Chief of Staff Launchpad: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/chief-of-staff-launchpad?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=cos_podcast_aarti_bhatnagar
Great communication isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a leadership skill that shapes culture, builds trust, and drives alignment. In this episode, Rachel Peck shares lessons from nearly a decade at Harry’s, where she helped scale internal messaging from a 10-person startup to a global team of 1,000+. From writing for founders, navigating crisis comms, and making company values stick, Rachel breaks down what most Chiefs of Staff overlook about internal and executive communications and how to build systems that work even in moments of chaos.Explore Rachel's work: https://metronome.consulting/Learn more from Rachel in Chief of Staff Launchpad: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/chief-of-staff-launchpad
In this episode, we’re joined by Juhi Kabra, executive coach, facilitator, and former Chief of Staff at Redesign Health. Juhi spent five years supporting the CEO and leadership team through hypergrowth, and now advises founders and strategic operators on organizational design, executive effectiveness, and leadership development.We discuss Juhi’s path from Blackstone to Palantir to Redesign Health, her biggest lessons in aligning executive teams, and how to succeed as a Chief of Staff in your first 90 days. She also shares a preview of the frameworks and workshops she’ll be leading in our upcoming Chief of Staff Launchpad program.Learn more about her work at Juhi Kabra Consulting: https://www.juhikabra.com/Learn more about Chief of Staff Launchpad: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/chief-of-staff-launchpad?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=cos_podcast_juhi_kabra
In this podcast episode, Order CoS Ali Sardinia and CEO Zach Garippa share their successful four-year partnership built on co-creating the role through honest conversations about business needs. Their success stems from constant prioritization conversations, immediate communication to prevent issues from festering, and treating failures as shared ownership with an action-first mentality. They emphasize that cultural alignment matters more than perfect experience, and that effective CoS and Principal relationships require thought partnership and trust-building rather than constant agreement. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
In this episode, Aria Finger, Chief of Staff to Reid Hoffman, shares how she landed her role through an existing relationship and mentioned that she observed at an event that about half of Chief of Staff positions come from people that those CoS already knew. Key insights also mentioned include the importance of being authentically yourself, having permission to disagree with your principal, and using AI tools strategically. Aria also talks about what she is excited about with AI and how her role has evolved dramatically over her four years in the role too. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about our membership, courses, and conferences here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Are you working on scaling as a CoS right now? Listen to this episode to hear that successful scaling hinges on three core principles: intentional design, smart decision-making frameworks and scaling knowledge over headcount. The discussion emphasizes creating guardrails rather than rigid rules, protecting culture carriers during transitions, investing in relationship-building with distributed teams, and always starting with the problem you're solving rather than jumping to solutions. We are excited for you to level-up as a CoS!This episode was recorded live at a NYC CoS dinner event. You can learn more about the Chief of Staff Network’s membership, upcoming events and courses on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
In this episode, you will learn from Ashlea Holt and Tim Bristow about the art and science of getting stuff done in the modern workplace. From using ChatGPT, to navigating the Wild West of new productivity tools, they share hard-won insights on when efficiency isn't king, why direction matters more than speed, and the challenges of implementing tools at a company. You will also learn about why it may be better to pilot new tools initially, why consistency beats intensity every time, honest takes on AI dependency, decision fatigue, and protecting the human fundamentals that matter most. Listen to this episode to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about the Chief of Staff Network’s membership, upcoming events and courses on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Are you tying to improve your change management as a CoS? Listen to this new podcast with Audrey Ware and Fanni Gabor as they share real stories from the trenches of organizational transformation. You will learn why "no change is perfect," how to build buy-in through strategic feedback, and why addressing instability head-on is crucial for success. From managing expectations during delays to navigating the AI transformation reshaping work itself, these two Chiefs of Staff offer candid insights on leading change when everything around you is constantly evolving. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about the Chief of Staff Network’s membership, upcoming events and courses on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/
Chiefs of Staff create value for companies all of the time. Some times this work happens behind the scenes, and it is not showcased. We wanted to change that. In this episode, you will learn from Richard Hoffman and Eve Staszczyszyn about how they are creating value in their roles. Eve talked about a value creation framework of making money, saving money, enhancing company culture, and /or driving innovation. Richard shared his experience at a FinTech startup, focusing on scaling partnerships and now managing customer programs. Both highlighted the need for flexibility, strategic alignment, and the ability to balance immediate tasks with long-term opportunities. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about the Chief of Staff Network’s membership, upcoming events and courses on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/