The Ops Authority

How do you know if you are suited for a career in operations, and how can you figure out if you have the innate strengths and instincts that it requires to be successful in this path?   Today I'm sharing the most important assessment that I use in my business for screening applicants for the Director of Operations (DOO) certification program and matching candidates to my clients. I'm going to be t...

Do you have a background in HR and an interest in operations? Are you unsure how the two fit together?   Today on the podcast I am joined by Kimone Napier, one of my expert Director of Operations (DOO) coaches in the area of HR and hiring. Kimone has a corporate background and she built her business around her HR expertise.    Kimone is a hiring expert and the CEO of The Lean Process Strategist. S...

Are you aware of how much value good communication creates in a professional relationship?   Today my Director of Operations (DOO) expert coach is Claire Crum, the founder and CEO of Calm Ops.  Claire and her team move social enterprise CEOs and executive directors from reactionary to relaxed, expanding their capacity to reach their next level milestones. She is a veteran of the nonprofit sector a...

How can you demonstrate your value or return on investment (ROI) as an operator?  As an entrepreneur or service provider, you know that when you invest in something… you want to know what your return on investment (ROI) is. As someone who does a lot of hiring for entrepreneurs and small businesses, it is important to me as a hiring manager that they see a ROI. One thing that is very challenging is...

How do you feel about analyzing data? Do you zone out when someone starts talking about data driven decisions? Are you confused about where to begin?   Today my guest is Kelsy Schmidt, one of the expert coaches in my Director of Operations (DOO) certification program. She is the expert coach in the area of KPIs (key performance indicators) and all things data.    Whenever I have a new cohort in th...

Have you ever worked with a client, and something was just a little off? Maybe you got along great and even believed in their mission, but you couldn't pinpoint where the breakdown was happening.   If you are taking the risk to run your own business, bring in the revenue you want, and work with the people you want, then you want to be on the path to serving people who you are in alignment with.......

What is the best business model for your Director of Operations (DOO) business?   Today on the podcast, I have one of my expert coaches Amy Lockrin,  a business practices expert. She has many years of experience as a DOO and has gone through several business models while growing her own business.    Amy is a Business Growth Consultant and CEO of The Operations House, and implementation and integra...

Does the thought of having difficult conversations leave you with sweaty palms? Do you have a hard time communicating during uncomfortable situations with your leader?   If you are in a service provider role, you know that at some point there will be questions, disagreements, and disruptions that you will have to address.   Today, I'm giving you tips on how I deal with these difficult conversation...

Are you curious about what type of experts are involved in the Director of Operations Certification Program?  I am joined by a very special guest today… one of my expert coaches in the Director of Operations (DOO) Certification Program, Liz Watson. I am currently in the scaling phase of the DOO certification. I am bringing in experts to partner with me so I can leverage their expertise, and so tha...

How do you manage your time when you have multiple clients? Do you find yourself suffering in your personal life because you are pouring so much time into your clients?   Today I want to talk to you about a common struggle that service providers have. If you have multiple clients, you have probably been overwhelmed with time management at some point. This is a significant challenge with a wide ran...

Does project management, organization, and leadership come naturally to you? Have you been working in project management, and wondering what your next move is? Today we are covering the number one question I get asked when people are trying to decide if they should join the Director of Operations certification program:    What's the difference between the Online Business Management (OBM) certifica...

Can you remember what your business looked like one year ago? What has changed? This is the one year anniversary episode of The Ops Authority Podcast, and I want you to join me in reflecting on your small business over the last year. Realize and acknowledge all the work you put in, and enjoy the progress you've made!   The Difference A Year Can Make One year ago I had just finished up going throug...

Are you someone who needs consistency in your work and your paycheck? Or is it more important to you to decide who you work with, when you work, and what types of projects you take on?   Today we are talking about something that comes up all the time… the risks and rewards of choosing between going full time in someone's business vs coming on as a contractor. As a disclaimer, there are legal consi...

Do you serve your clients so well that your own business takes a backseat? Are you spending enough time making sure your business is functioning in a way that will allow you to achieve your goals?   As someone who has been in the project management space their entire career, I want to remind you that we have to run our own businesses as well or better than we run our clients' businesses. You spend...

Are you fully capable of being a leader, but your leader (your client) won't let you step into that leadership role? Does it feel like you are being held back? You are super invested in your clients business and can see yourself in a leadership role, but that leader has the reigns pulled so tightly and you can't bring the best parts of you to the business… your leader simply won't let you.   I've...

As an operator, do you ever feel like you are bombarded with ideas from your leader? How do you help your visionary identify what ideas are the right ones to pursue?    Today we are talking about how to help your clients prioritize their projects and plans. This is necessary if you are helping leaders figure out which projects they should be focusing their attention on, and how to help them minimi...

Do you treat a virtual interview the same as you would an in-person interview? If you are wondering what to expect from this process in the virtual realm, you are in luck because today is all about the virtual interview process.   I spend a portion of time in my business helping entrepreneurs hire their support teams. I see lots of people come through the interview process, and I wanted to give yo...

Have you ever wondered what makes a good Director of Operations? Are you interested in pursuing this line of work but unsure if you are the right fit for the role?   I often get people asking me what they can do to prepare to apply for the certification or if I think they are already qualified. Today we are going to talk about the top traits we see in Directors of Operations (DOO).    Identifying...

Is your business prepared for the worst? Do you have plans in place for emergency situations? There are processes you can put in place to make sure your business is able to operate in the wake of an emergency or disaster.   Before I became an entrepreneur, I worked in several different fields: academia, healthcare and in corporate America. In all of these areas, I was in operational roles in the b...

As a service provider, do you find yourself confused about the methods of marketing you should be using? Should you be spending your time on social media, webinars, funnels or something else?    One of the biggest frustrations we have as service providers is observing the marketing of our clients, other competitors, or gurus. We look at what they are doing, and wonder if it is what we should be do...

How are you doing during this crazy time of the COVID19 pandemic? Have you found ways to keep some sanity in your life and your business? It's a difficult time for so many, but life keeps forging ahead… have you been able to find new motivation or small wins in your days and weeks? Today we are going to be talking about how I have found balance during this disruption of a pandemic.    A Legacy Lif...

Do you enjoy transforming the lives of people around you? Are you looking for fulfilling work that will allow you to be a leader and a strategic thinker?    Today's podcast is going to give you a look at how the Director of Operations Certification has transformed these four women's lives, and it will give you hope if you are struggling to create a strategic, viable business for yourself.   Each o...

Are you a project manager or do you have operations experience in your current job? Are you sick of the grind, and looking for a way to leverage your skills to work from home? Are you craving flexibility and a desire to operate in your zone of project management genius? Today, we are talking about all of the reasons to become a Director of Operations (DOO). Come join us for a Free 5 day sprint add...

Do you have skills you've already perfected? Are you looking to make a good living by using those gifts in new ways?   If you're an operations expert and want to break through to new levels, you're invited to my upcoming 5 day sprint. We are going to solve one of the biggest problems that holds people back: scope creep! Sign up now , because the sprint begins May 11th. Today, I'm sharing my story...

Are you thinking of becoming an online project manager? Do you thrive when managing people, projects, and systems? If you are wondering what kind of challenges online project managers face, this episode is for you. I spent lots of years in corporate as a project manager, and also in human resources before I transitioned into the online space. In the past 4 years of my journey of entrepreneurship a...