In this episode, we discuss: The pitfalls on the path to exit. We are joined by Dirk Sahlmer, Head of Origination at saas.group.

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We chat about the following with Dirk Sahlmer:

• How should leaders balance ambitious growth metrics with the realities of current team capacity?
• When does leadership involvement cross the line into micromanagement—and how can you avoid it?
• Can offshoring and distributed teams truly maintain a unified culture and performance standard?
• What does a “bootstrap future” look like, and is it a viable model for scaling sustainably?
• How can a central operations team best support rapid growth without slowing innovation?

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirksahlmer/
• https://www.saas.wtf

Dirk Sahlmer is the Head of Origination at saas.group, a serial acquirer of small, capital-efficient SaaS companies. Known for his insightful LinkedIn posts and newsletter articles on SaaS industry trends and M&A topics, he is a respected voice in the SaaS community.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

00:07:06 – Measuring progress towards the future vision

00:10:30 – Leadership decisions in action

00:13:13 – Workforce shifts and offshoring

00:17:57 – The “bootstrap future”

00:20:49 – Building a central operations team

00:22:59 – Avoiding micromanagement

In this episode we discuss: How does AI change the approach to professional development? We are joined by Anna Tavis, Clinical Professor and Chair of the Human Capital Management Department at NYU’s School of Professional Studies.

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We chat about the following with Anna Tavis:

• If career growth is no longer about climbing the ladder, how should we redefine success in professional development?
• Are our current learning systems truly preparing people for real work, or are they just ticking boxes outside the flow of everyday tasks?
• Could AI-powered coaching finally make professional development as personalised and responsive as a sports coach with their athletes?
• What happens to the manager’s role when AI takes over much of the supervision—does it free them to become genuine mentors?
• How do we ensure AI-driven development tools enhance equity and well-being, rather than deepen existing gaps?

• linkedin.com/in/annatavis
• https://www.sps.nyu.edu/homepage/academics/divisions-and-departments/division-of-programs-in-business/human-capital-management/coaching-and-technology-summit.html
• https://www.amazon.com/Humans-Work-Practice-Creating-Workplace/dp/1398604232
• https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Coaching-Revolution-Employee-Development/dp/1398612510

Dr. Anna Tavis is Clinical Professor and Chair of the Human Capital Management Department at NYU’s School of Professional Studies. Recognised on the Thinkers50 Radar (2020) and among the Top 100 Global Influencers in People Analytics (2023, 2024), she co-authored Humans at Work (2022) and The Digital Coaching Revolution (2024).

Her global career spans business, consulting, and academia, including senior roles at Motorola, Nokia, United Technologies, and AIG Investments, as well as faculty positions at Columbia University, Williams College, and Fairfield University.

Her Harvard Business Review articles, “HR Goes Agile” and “The Performance Management Revolution,” co-authored with Dr. Peter Cappelli, have been featured in HBR’s Must Reads, Definitive Management Ideas of the Year, and Agile: The Insights You Need.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

00:13:29 – Defining professional development

00:15:21 – Why traditional tools fall short

00:18:30 – AI-driven coaching in action

00:25:04 – Rethinking career growth

00:30:24 – Responsible AI rollout

In this episode we discuss: Authenticity in Leadership. We are joined by Matthew Stone, from ME Consulting and Creating Liberating Working Cultures.

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We chat about the following with Matthew Stone:

• What message are you sending when you cancel a one-on-one — and is it the one you want employees to hear?
• Could listening more than you speak be the simplest way to strengthen trust and engagement?
• One-on-ones aren’t just meetings — how can they become your most powerful tool for retention and inclusion?
• Without proper training, are managers unknowingly missing the real value of one-on-ones?
• How can ending every one-on-one with clear commitments turn talk into tangible results?

• www.emeiconsulting.com

Matthew has spent decades working with some of the world’s leading organisations supporting their cultural evolution. He has designed and led transformational programmes at Group Board and Executive level on an individual and team basis in the areas of leadership, strategy, delivery and performance management and has advised on the attraction, development and retention of leading industry talent.

Through his direct experience in multiple settings, he understands organisational ecosystems from Board to early careers and their associated challenges. A master coaching practitioner,

Matthew has spent his life exploring and embracing techniques and philosophies from around the world committing his life to building and refining approaches to individual and collective development. These include an understanding of who we are and who we could be at depth, pathways that engineer our optimal development and the interplay of peer to peer development.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

18:14 – Curiosity over metrics in accountability conversations

31:06 – The starting point for emotional intelligence

35:28 – Building trust during onboarding

36:42 – The value of executive coaching

38:46 – Vulnerability as a leadership tool

41:26 – Preparing for difficult conversations

43:36 – One takeaway for leaders

In this episode we chat about what's going on in our lives, share some life changing news, and announce the new seasoned approach.

Going forward, we'll be releasing 10 episodes at a time, starting June 5th 2025.

Join our WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/J8w0bDV0pBtHUPzlvmzTgb

Stay tuned!

In this episode we discuss: the art and science of 1 to 1 meetings. We are joined by Dr. Steven Rogelberg, CEO, Board Member, Editor, Author, Chief Talent Officer, Director.

Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.

We chat about the following with Steven Rogelberg:

1. Are your one-on-ones actually driving engagement, or are they just another meeting on the calendar?
2. What message are you really sending when you cancel a one-on-one—and how does it impact employee trust?
3. Why is listening more than speaking the secret to making one-on-ones truly effective?
4. How can structured one-on-ones boost productivity, retention, and even inclusion within your team?
5. Are most managers failing at one-on-ones simply because they’ve never been trained to do them well?

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogelberg/
• stevenrogelberg.com

Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg is a Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte and a leading expert on meetings. An award-winning organizational psychologist, he has over 200 publications, 12,000+ citations, and received the prestigious Humboldt Award for his research. Adam Grant calls him the “world’s leading expert on how to fix meetings.”

His book The Surprising Science of Meetings appeared on 25+ “best of” lists, including The Washington Post’s #1 leadership book to watch. His latest book, Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings, has earned high praise, including recognition from SHRM and Forbes.

Rogelberg has been featured on CBS This Morning, CNN, BBC World, NPR’s Morning Edition, and major publications like The WSJ, NY Times, Bloomberg, and National Geographic. His keynotes have been delivered worldwide at top organizations including Google, Amazon, Pfizer, and the United Nations.

In 2022, he testified before the U.S. Congress and was the inaugural winner of SIOP’s Humanitarian Award.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

14:40 The Importance of One-on-Ones

17:48 Common Mistakes in One-on-Ones

23:40 Building Trust and Connection

26:51 Key Elements of Effective One-on-Ones

27:22 Surprising Insights from Research

30:34 Training and Supporting Line Managers

33:28 Creating a Culture of Effective Meetings

In this episode we discuss: Unlocking AI for Non-Technical Leaders. We are joined by Charlie Cowan, Founder of Kowalah and author of "How To Sell Tech" and “The Revenue Operations Playbook”.

Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.

We chat about the following with Charlie Cowan:

• Is AI more accessible than we think?
• What’s the difference between AI agents and workflows—and why does it matter for businesses looking to scale?
• How can organizations build their own AI-powered tools instead of relying solely on SaaS solutions?
• What role does leadership play in AI adoption, and why is AI literacy now a must-have skill for future executives?
• Can a simple “power hour” or habit shift really transform your productivity—and what does AI have to do with it?

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliecowan/
• www.charliecowan.ai
• www.kowalah.com

Charlie works with CEOs and senior leaders looking to embed AI behaviours across their organisation.

With a 25 year career in SaaS, consulting and enterprise sales, Charlie bridges the gap between AI technology and practical applied use cases that help teams work smarter and faster.

Charlie is the author of two books - How To Sell Tech and The Revenue Operations Playbook.

Charlie is the founder of Kowalah, an AI-powered platform that helps buying teams to run a great buying processes, pick the right vendors and reduce the fear of messing up.

Charlie built Kowalah as a solo-founder using AI development tools.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

26:36 Introduction to AI Adoption for Non-Technical Executives

027:16 Understanding AI Optimism vs. Pessimism

28:08 Defining AI Policies for Effective Implementation

29:52 The Concept of Agentic AI

31:23 Distinguishing Between Agents and Workflows

33:01 Building Effective AI Agents

37:49 Evaluating Future Tech Stacks for AI Integration

43:05 Empowering Leadership in the Age of AI

46:06 Navigating AI Tools for Policy Management

46:23 Crafting Effective Prompts for AI Tools

49:54 Building a Data Repository for Enhanced Insights

51:44 The Power Hour: Maximizing Productivity

In this episode we discuss: Is the COO the single source of truth? We are joined by Eric Collins, Investor, Serial Entrepreneur, CEO & Founding Member at Impact X Capital investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs; Author of We Don’t Need Permission (amzn.to/3Qp6G9d); & Host of Channel 4's The Money Maker.

Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.

We chat about the following with Eric Collins:

1. What makes the COO the true "source of truth" in scaling a venture-backed company?
2. How can COOs balance growth while CFOs maintain financial discipline—and why does this partnership make or break success?
3. Why is succession planning not just a CEO concern, but a critical step for every COO aiming to lead?
4. Can a COO ever match a founder's passion, or is their power found in something entirely different?
5. What does it really take for a COO to transition into the CEO seat—and what role does backfilling play in that journey?

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdcollinsba/?originalSubdomain=uk
• www.impactxcapital.com

Eric Collins is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and host of Channel 4's The Money Maker. He’s held leadership roles at AOL, TimeWarner, SwiftKey/Microsoft, and Touch Surgery/Medtronic.

Appointed by President Obama to the Small Business Administration’s Council on Underserved Communities, Eric now serves on the boards of Cirata, UnLtd, Crux, and Autograph ABP. A sought-after speaker and Audi brand ambassador, he’s consistently featured on The Powerlist of influential Black Britons.

His award-winning book, We Don’t Need Permission (Penguin), advocates for investing in Black and underrepresented entrepreneurs as a powerful driver of social change.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

23:55 The unique role that the CEO plays in a scaling organisation

28:05 The value of the COO next to the CFO

30:58 Progressing as a COO

33:11 CEO and COO Succession Planning

33:51 The Passion of Founders vs. COOs

39:56 Planning for Success as a COO

43:16 Setting the Agenda in Board Meetings

In this episode we discuss: How to tackle mental health in an organization. We are joined by Chris Hatfield, Mindset & Well-being Coach.

Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.

We chat about the following with Chris Hatfield:

1. What if naming your anxiety was the first step to taking back control?
2. How can leaders foster vulnerability without losing authority?
3. Is your ‘stress container’ full, and how do you know when it’s overflowing?
4. Are we truly addressing the root of anxiety, or just applying quick fixes?
5. What if managing mental health was less about avoidance and more about sitting with discomfort?

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishatfieldsalespsyche/
• www.salespsyche.co.uk

A sales mindset and well-being Coach and Author of Sales Psyche. With over 15+ years of experience working with the likes of Meta, Google, Salesforce, Experian and O2. Focused on supporting salespeople and leaders in developing a healthy and high performing mind. Also founded a run community, Run Your Mind, that is focused on mental well-being.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

16:31 Understanding Anxiety

16:52 The Nature of Anxiety in Men

19:14 Coping Mechanisms for Anxiety

20:36 Proactive vs Reactive Approaches to Anxiety

22:46 Identifying When Anxiety Becomes a Problem

25:10 The Importance of Vulnerability in Leadership

29:01 Understanding the Stress Container Exercise

36:05 The Importance of Reflection and Action

37:59 Tools for Managers to Address Anxiety

34:14 Creating a Mental Health Culture in Organizations

39:18 Training Managers for Mental Health Awareness

42:49 Sales-Specific Strategies for Managing Stress