The Right-Hand Roadmap

Executive Assistant vs. Chief Operating Officer: When to Make the Leap. In today's episode, we delve into a critical topic that often arises when scaling a small business: the distinction between hiring an Executive Assistant (EA) or a Chief Operating Officer (COO). This is a common conversation we have with founders navigating growth, especially as they pass the mid six to low seven figures in re...

Mastering Executive Interviews: Tips for Aspiring Second-in-Commands. Interviewing for an executive role can be full of complicated dynamics and intricacies. If you're aiming for a new leadership position, host Megan Long shares invaluable advice and prepares you for the unexpected challenges that might come your way. With personal anecdotes and actionable insights, this episode covers everything...

Boost Your Bottom Line: Generating Quick Revenue Injections for Small Businesses. Have you ever wished you could generate revenue into your business quickly - like, this month? Even if it's nonrecurring revenue, just have some extra cash injected into your business? There are creative and effective methods to inject immediate revenue into your small business. Host Megan Long explores creative appr...

Navigating the Flow Zone for COOs and Second-in-Commands. The "Flow Zone" refers to a psychological state where a person is fully immersed and focused on an activity - there's a sense of energized focus, complete involvement and enjoyment. It is often described as being "in the zone". In this episode, we take a deep dive on one of the flow characteristics Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi identified: the ba...

The Winning Mindset: Athlete's Lessons for Corporate Leaders. In this episode of "The Right-Hand Roadmap," dive into the parallels between an athlete's mindset and corporate leadership. Host Megan Long, a former competitive bodybuilder turned entrepreneur, shares invaluable lessons from her journey as a pro athlete that seamlessly apply to the professional world. Discover practical insights on coa...

Navigating the Leap from Large Corporation to Small Business. In this episode, explore the transitional shift as a leader from big corporate to small businesses. Many small entrepreneurial businesses hire externally for executive roles, especially new positions that they add. This often means experienced candidates are coming from larger organizations, which means facing a sizable adjustment in cu...

First Listener-Submitted Q&A: Absent CEOs, Managing Older Generations, Holding Multiple Roles, and Maintaining Self-Care. Dive into the first quarterly Q&A of "The Right-Hand Roadmap" where COOs and Seconds-In-Command tackle listeners' pressing questions. In this episode, listeners can expect a dynamic Q&A session addressing key challenges faced by Seconds-In-Command. From dealing with...

The Delicate Balance of Saying "No" To Your CEO's Ideas While Fostering Collaboration. Explore the challenges of handling a CEO's myriad ideas and learn essential strategies to transform them into actionable plans. This episode empowers operations executives to provide valuable input, prioritize initiatives, and collaborate effectively with visionary leaders without sacrificing their unique streng...

How To Bring Positive Change to COO Peer Groups & Organizations. There are very few peer groups and organizations specializing in the Second-In-Command. Through personal experiences, there are three common problems that been them from being as valuable and successful as they should be. In this episode we explore how to unlock the potential of these COO peer groups while addressing their common...

Explore the myths of delegation in visionary entrepreneurship and uncover the true role of a second in command in reducing organizational noise and enhancing collaboration.   In this episode we explore the concept of delegation, separating it into two definitions, and discuss what a great Second-In-Command should do to reduce organizational noise and enhance collaboration between the CEO and COO....

Learn the seven types of COO, and receive reflection questions for each type to optimize your role. In this inaugural episode of "The Right-Hand Roadmap," dive into the influential Harvard Business Review article, "Second in Command: The Misunderstood Role of the Chief Operating Officer." Uncover the intricacies of the COO role and identify seven archetypes that shape the #2 leader in companies. F...