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

When was the last time you felt your vision misunderstood, your partnership undervalued, or your operational roadmap tangled? If you’re a COO wrestling with translating big ideas into real impact, this conversation is your lifeline.
Sivana Brewer welcomes Stephanie Kauffman, Chief Operating Officer at Melanoma Research Alliance, for an urgent episode that lifts the veil on what actually moves the needle for COOs. From converting financial “legends” into game-changing board allies to crafting story-driven partnerships that triple outcomes, you’ll hear how real-world translation builds trust fast, drives innovation, and prevents career-stalling burnout.
Press play now. Don’t risk getting stuck in your leadership bubble. Every minute here arms you with exclusive, proven techniques to connect, influence, and scale before someone else beats you to it.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:10] – A stunning perspective shift: why “second in command” is really “dual in command” for COOs everywhere
[00:02:25] – The myth of melanoma: deadliest form of skin cancer, massive underestimation, and breakthrough facts COOs should know
[00:08:21] – Surprising everyday tips for preventing melanoma beyond just sunscreen (plus one you’ve likely never heard)
[00:10:39] – How legendary finance leaders shaped Stephanie’s radical “private equity” nonprofit strategy—what every COO can steal
[00:18:49] – The $12.7 million secret: bold partnerships that defied board skepticism (and the power of gaming for social impact)
[00:27:11] – Data-driven storytelling for buy-in: How Stephanie translates emotional conviction into actionable board wins
[00:31:47] – Professional translation: the vital COO role in turning CEO vision into operational clarity for every stakeholder
[00:43:15] – The “3 Bs” formula and simplifying the complex: brief, brilliant, be done—your solution to communication chaos

About the Guest
Stephanie Kauffman is Chief Operating Officer of the Melanoma Research Alliance, the world’s largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research. Known for high-impact storytelling and cross-industry partnership wins, she previously held SVP roles at Universal Studios and Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Stephanie is recognized for translating visionary ideas into scalable operations, bringing decades of experience across finance, media, and biotech.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Blizzard Entertainment (Overwatch partnership)
Universal Studios (media/partnerships)
Leverage Finance Fights Melanoma platform
UPF apparel (sun protection clothing)
Mafia Wars (gaming partnership)

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

Ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of growth, but struggling to shift your company from band-aids to real, sustainable breakthroughs?
Meet Nicki Baty, COO at Freshpet, who’s rewriting the playbook for second-in-command leadership inside a rocketship culture. In this revealing conversation, Nicki Baty opens up to host Sivana Brewer about pioneering a COO role from scratch, installing trust (in teams and at home), and building a business fueled by missionary drive, not mercenaries.
Explore how to turn constant change into your secret weapon, earn buy-in when the North Star keeps moving, and design a culture that scales with speed without chaos.
You can’t afford to run on autopilot or yesterday's wins. Discover the steps that separate successful COOs from those stuck in a cycle of busyness. Listen now for exclusive insights you can’t afford to miss. The next wave of growth is already here, and this episode holds the edge.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] - The one guarantee for every COO—how to win when change is constant
[03:41] - Missionaries vs. mercenaries: Why purpose-driven teams deliver differently
[07:40] - Moving a family across continents for growth—what business leaders really learn
[12:11] - “Making room in the boat”: Building trust, networks, and resilient teams on the fly
[19:12] - Nicki reveals how to plan post-onboarding in a brand new leadership role
[23:35] - Finding your “most valuable pet parent” and reshaping the company around them
[28:35] - The surprising power of Freshpet's pioneering spirit—and what big companies still get dead wrong
[37:13] - The real difference between strategic priorities and tactical noise (and how most teams get stuck)

About the Guest
Nicki Baty is the Chief Operating Officer at Freshpet, a company redefining the pet nutrition industry with its human-grade, refrigerated pet food. Formerly President and General Manager of Hill’s Pet Nutrition US (Colgate-Palmolive), Nicki’s career has spanned the globe—from the UK and Europe to Asia and the Americas. She is recognized for her track record in scaling organizations, her passionate belief in purpose-driven work, and her relentless focus on building trust and sustainable growth in fast-moving environments.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Colgate-Palmolive
Unilever
Hill’s Pet Nutrition
Walmart
Target
10X Is Better Than 2X
Bryan Johnson (longevity/biohacking)
Wellness Daddy

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What if the biggest threat to your company’s growth is how you show up every day—burned out, distracted, or just going through the motions? Most COOs know the cost of chaos, but few stop to ask what’s driving it inside themselves.
Enter Sunil Rajasekar, former President and CTO of Mindbody, who sits down with Cameron Herold for a no-holds-barred conversation about burnout, resilience, and building a global wellness empire with gratitude at its core. From the backstage mechanics of a platform used by millions to the secret link between world-changing tech and personal wellbeing, this episode delivers the eye-opening truths every leader needs.
Listen now before your stress becomes your biggest blind spot. Actionable, exclusive, and radically honest. These insights aren’t just a luxury, they’re your lifeline.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – What nobody tells you about burnout (until it’s too late)
[00:03:31] – Why Sunil reversed the script: an origin story you didn’t expect
[00:06:15] – The real reasons high-powered execs flame out (and how Sunil rebuilt himself)
[00:14:23] – Two CEOs, one mission: Navigating seismic leadership transitions
[00:16:50] – Under the hood of Mindbody: Why perfection on the surface means wrestling chaos behind the scenes
[00:24:28] – The make-or-break moment for small businesses—and why most lenders get it wrong
[00:29:32] – The war for tech talent and how to keep your team’s soul intact
[00:33:35] – What COVID proved about wellness, grit, and the “missionary vs. mercenary” divide
[00:40:50] – The gratitude ritual that saved Sunil—and could save you

About the Guest
Sunil Rajasekar is the former President and Chief Technology Officer at Mindbody, the global platform powering the wellness industry in over 100 countries. With more than two decades leading technology and product transformation at eBay, Intuit, Lithium Technologies, and then Mindbody, Sunil is renowned for scaling businesses that shape industries, without sacrificing the humanity at their core. His mission: Connect the world to wellness, one breakthrough at a time.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Mindbody Capital
ClassPass
Vista Equity Partners
Book: “The Mind-Body Connection” by John Sarno
Book: “Buddha and the Badass” by Vishen Lakhiani
Mindvalley (Vishen Lakhiani)
Tim Ferriss
Uber
Apple Fitness
F45
Orangetheory Fitness
Booker (acquired by Mindbody)
ClearBank (referenced as a similar financial product)

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

Note: This Fan Favorite episode is a recast of one of our most impactful interviews, still packed with insights for second-in-command leaders. Whether it’s your first listen or a revisit, there’s timeless value inside.

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

Are you trapped in operational chaos, fighting burnout, and searching for a formula that actually scales? You’re not alone.
This electrifying episode features Guillaume Bouvard, Co-founder, COO and CMO of Extend, as he sits down with Sivana Brewer to reveal the real-life victories and invisible battles behind explosive fintech growth. From his unusual rise at American Express to building a team of true experts (not just generalists), Guillaume exposes the proven rituals, painful lessons, and cultural shifts that unstick founders and COOs worldwide.
If you’ve ever wrestled with hiring mistakes, boardroom pressure, or the fear of letting go, this conversation is your playbook for escaping overwhelm right now. Tune in for exclusive strategies you won’t hear from the usual talking heads—and avoid the pain of staying stuck another quarter. Listen now, because your breakthrough can’t wait and these field-tested insights are only found here.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – The daring anti-micromanagement view that reshaped a whole company’s culture
[00:07:08] – Why Guillaume became COO and what most founders never tell you about picking partners
[00:09:12] – How a “no two days alike” mindset powers world-class operations without chaos
[00:12:27] – The little-known boardroom rituals that drive results, build trust, and end nasty surprises
[00:19:44] – Guillaume’s radical philosophy for staying engaged, focused, and unshakable against daily setbacks
[00:21:01] – The breakthrough hiring lesson that can rescue any leader from burnout (before it’s too late)
[00:28:14] – Steal-this-process: Monday all-hands, relentless transparency, and celebrating the hidden heroes
[00:34:29] – Real-life wins: How a single empowered team member triggered a market wave using curiosity

About the Guest
Guillaume Bouvard is the Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer of Extend, a venture-backed digital credit card platform revolutionizing spend management for banks and businesses. With more than two decades of leadership across American Express and international fintech, Guillaume blends corporate discipline with disruptive startup agility. His obsession with hiring world-class talent, building intentional culture, and empowering true ownership makes him a sought-after voice for COOs ready to scale with clarity and conviction.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
American Express
Bank of Montreal (BMO)
HSBC
PayPal
USCIS (U.S. immigration agency)
Slack
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results Framework)

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What if your next breakthrough isn’t more hustle, but ruthless focus on what actually matters?
Scott Levy, Fractional COO of ResultMaps, joins Sivana Brewer for a candid, zero-fluff conversation on why most CEOs and COOs are drowning in distraction and what separates “second in command” leaders who skyrocket growth from those stuck grinding. They pull apart why ambitious teams spiral into task overload, the critical metrics every department truly needs, and the battle-tested rituals that free up your brain for high-stakes decisions.
Ready to step off the treadmill of constant fires, endless meetings, and “yet another platform” promises? This episode exposes the cost of delay and throws you a direct path out, real systems, real clarity, real results. If you wait, you risk another year of burnout and missed breakthroughs. Press play now for inside strategies unavailable anywhere else.
Timestamped Highlights
[00:54] – Why “good” content became too dangerous for Speaker A to binge (and what that reveals about focus)
[02:09] – The real operations heartbreaks hidden behind entrepreneurial success stories
[07:09] – Why small teams will devour giants in the AI revolution (the Special Forces lesson nobody teaches MBAs)
[10:34] – The shockingly simple hack for bypassing bloated CRMs and running your pipeline on autopilot
[12:02] – How to extract a Vivid Vision in 30 minutes—no trust falls required
[16:13] – “Eff your feelings, follow the plan?” Dissecting the truth (and limits) of systemizing emotional chaos
[26:52] – The fatal flaw of cascading goals—and what truly separates winners from burned-out operators
[44:36] – The raw moment CEOs finally break—and why some refuse to suffer the same mistakes twice
About the Guest
Scott Levy is the Founder and CEO of ResultMaps, a cutting-edge SaaS platform designed to help founders and leadership teams obliterate operational friction, scale clarity, and get real results. With a background spanning management consulting, software, and building systems for high-growth companies, Scott’s passion is turning entrepreneurial chaos into decisive execution. He’s especially known for integrating technology and coaching with powerful simplicity.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Leila Hormozi
Grok (AI tool)
Figma
Cole Gordon/Closers.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-gordon/
EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
GrowRev
John Humphrey, Connect Points framework
Tony Robbins
Apple
Tesla (re: Grok in-car integration)

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.