Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

What if building world-class company culture could slash turnover, ignite team loyalty, and make you love coming to work, even after 14 years in the trenches? In this electrifying episode, guest host Sivana Brewer dives deep with Vincent Malizia, Co-Owner and Chief Culture Officer at A1 Roofing, to reveal how a "people first" mindset transformed his business. They unpack how working alongside fami...

Are you secretly wondering if your team has what it really takes to scale across borders, cultures, and chaos? In this episode, Sivana sits down with Jim Lutzweiler, Global COO at ForAfrika, to pull back the curtain on what actually makes world-class teams tick. From the dirt floors of Ghana to the boardrooms of Fortune 500s, Jim’s been the fixer for mission-driven giants—solving people, culture,...

Ever feel overwhelmed by the impossible task of scaling a team without losing your soul or your culture? You’re not alone… or powerless. In this episode, Sivana Brewer is joined by David Chol, COO of Vanguard Properties, for a candid conversation about breaking through isolation, banishing burnout, and the rare leadership moves every operator needs to hear (but never gets taught). They dive deep i...

Are you facing the pressure to reinvent your business before it’s too late? Imagine your cash flow vanishing, your team at risk, and your market shifting overnight. In this candid, deeply human episode, Sivana Brewer talks to Ruth Velez, COO and co-founder of Vinali Group , who led her company from the brink of collapse during COVID through a string of audacious pivots to global growth. Ruth expos...

Are you drowning in busywork, feeling alone at the top, and itching to create a business that lets you actually live? In this episode, host Sivana Brewer talks with the dynamic Meghan Donnelly, COO of Brand Built , who reveals how neurodivergence and automation can become your most thrilling business superpowers. You’ll get the raw truth on turning chaos into opportunity, why clean data unlocks pe...

What if the only way to build a company and a life with true resilience was to let everything break? Are you burned out, questioning leadership, or stuck in a plateau while everyone expects you to “scale perfectly”? In this episode, host Sivana Brewer sits down with Matt Rhodes, COO of The Phoenix Method and co-founder of Polaris Capital Investments. Matt shares his raw story of rising from rock b...

Ever feel like you’re stuck fixing fires instead of building teams that actually thrive? Imagine stepping into a legacy brand, mobilizing hundreds of operators, and transforming your culture from confused to unbeatable, all while modernizing for the future. In this episode, Cameron Herold gets real with Jackie Secor, COO of Taco John’s . She’s a 25-year franchise and operations veteran who reveals...

Ever wondered why so many remote teams fall apart while others scale to $100M and beyond… without burning out? This episode is a raw, practical look at exactly what it takes to build and lead a remote-first organization that actually works, not just in theory, but in the trenches. Cameron Herold sits down with Ryan Montgomery, COO of ClickFunnels , to expose the real playbook behind thriving distr...

Are you caught in the chaos of growth, struggling to build a team that actually wins together—not just on paper? In this unflinching episode, Sivana Brewer sits down with Christopher Wein, COO of Equiton Developments and a heavy-hitter in North American real estate, to crack open the mechanics of true team performance. Discover why chemistry, not just talent, is the heart of unstoppable teams, how...

Ever felt overwhelmed by relentless growth, leadership friction, or the challenge of building teams that actually scale? What if you could gain proven, insider strategies for multiplying operations by 20X while keeping chaos at bay? In this bold episode, Cameron Herold sits down with Harrison Crum, Chief Operating Officer of Ally Waste, to unpack the rarely-told story behind scaling a national was...

Are you buried in the daily grind, afraid that missing one detail could wreck your team or business? Wondering how the best COOs stay energized, innovate, and avoid burnout while leading in a world that never slows down? This episode, guest host Sivana Brewer dives deep with Nick Dinsmoor, COO of Reel Axis, a fast-growing B2B marketing powerhouse. They unravel the secrets of self-awareness, delega...

Ever wonder why most companies struggle to scale real culture as fast as they grow? What if the right blend of purpose, freedom, and radical alignment could make your team unstoppable? In this Fan Favorite episode, Cameron Herold sits down with Kshitij Minglani, co-founder of Mindvalley Quests and serial entrepreneur, to unpack the proven playbook behind building a revolutionary “cult-like” workpl...

Ever felt overwhelmed by breakneck growth, scattered systems, and a CEO who just wants “more”—now? If you’re a second-in-command, this episode flips the pain of scaling upside down. Host Sivana Brewer dives deep with Inaas Arabi, COO at Block & Associates Realty and an industry veteran who’s engineered two rounds of company doubling (with a third on deck). They break down order-from-chaos stra...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, co-host Sivana Brewer sits down with Richard Scheele, CFA, CFP, Managing Partner at Next Level Planning Group and former COO Alliance member. Richard takes us inside more than a decade of leadership evolution, from starting as an intern to stepping into the Managing Partner seat of a fast-growing financial planning firm. He shares candid stories ab...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, guest host Sivana Brewer sits down with Aldo Siciliano, COO and President of Watters International Realty, a fast-scaling residential brokerage serving multiple Texas markets. Aldo shares how Watters uses EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) to create alignment, simplify decision-making, and support a fast-moving, marketing-driven business. He br...

In this episode, Cameron sits down with Steven Huang, the Director of Finance, People, IT, and Community at MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. Steven helps lead global efforts to bring psychedelic research, policy reform, and public understanding into the mainstream, building on MAPS’ 40-year history at the forefront of mental health innovation. Steven shares his unli...

We’re bringing this episode back because listeners couldn’t get enough the first time around. Cameron sits down with Tom Keiser, COO of Zendesk, to unpack how he helped scale the SaaS powerhouse to a billion-dollar trajectory.  Tom shares how he bridged the gap between IT and operations, built cadence-driven execution rhythms, and created visibility across the business while keeping the cultu...

In this episode, Cameron sits down with Brett Bruggeman, Executive Vice President and COO of Land O’Lakes, a 104-year-old, $16B cooperative spanning dairy foods, animal nutrition, and crop inputs. Brett shares how Land O’Lakes manages scale across 20 business units, supports more than 4,000 cooperative owners, and touches half of America’s farmland. He and Cameron dig into the cooperative model, g...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, guest host Sivana Brewer sits down with Matthew Rathje, Chief Operating Officer of TrueNorth Companies and long-time member of the COO Alliance. From starting in payroll and claims management to leading operations for a $165M insurance and professional services firm, Matt shares his journey of scaling from the ground up, balancing structure, cultur...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, guest host Sivana Brewer sits down with Dr. Melonie Boone, Chief Operating Officer of Edesia Nutrition, a Rhode Island–based nonprofit on a mission to end childhood malnutrition worldwide. Dr. Boone shares her inspiring journey from corporate HR and executive consulting to joining a purpose-driven organization where every product saves lives. She o...

In this Fan Favorite episode of the Second in Command Podcast , Cameron Herold speaks with Anna Collins, President and COO of Bulletproof, the globally recognized brand behind Bulletproof Coffee, supplements, and biohacking products designed to help people perform better, think faster, and live healthier lives. She is also a Board Member of Ladies Who Launch. Before joining Bulletproof, Anna led m...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, guest host Sivana Brewer sits down with Daniel Quinonez, Chief Operating Officer of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) — one of the oldest trade associations in the United States, founded nearly 140 years ago. Daniel shares how this long-standing organization is transforming to meet the modern era while honoring its heritag...

In this powerful episode of the Second in Command Podcast , co-host Sivana Brewer sits down with Brittany Dunn , COO and co-founder of Safe House Project , a national nonprofit dedicated to eradicating human trafficking in the United States. Brittany shares the remarkable story of how she and her co-founder built Safe House Project from an idea into a nationwide movement, launching a full organiza...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast , co-host Sivana Brewer chats with Will Smith , COO and Managing Partner of Lone Star Pups , a multi-location Dogtopia franchise with 15 stores across San Antonio and Denver. Will shares how he’s scaled his team from zero to 140 employees in just a few years by leading with servant leadership, radical transparency, and a simple but powerful formula:...

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast , Cameron Herold sits down with Ebert Grobler , COO and co-founder of Ruby Digital , one of South Africa’s top-ranked digital agencies now expanding across the globe. Ebert, who is a COO Alliance member , shares how his company has achieved near-perfect team retention and why their internal mantra— “Grow People, Grow Global, Grow Profit” —has fueled...