Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold Ep. 565 - D1 Training COO Dan Murphy - How to Scale Smarter and Avoid Leadership Burnout
Ever feel overwhelmed by growth or haunted by the worry that your team’s success might derail the mission?
This is your inside pass. Sivana Brewer dives deep with Dan Murphy, COO of D1 Training, to uncover what really separates winning brands from chaotic burnout. From scaling a nationwide fitness franchise by 100+ units fast, to building a culture where passion crushes bureaucracy, and tough metrics make or break careers, this episode exposes the choices, pivots, and vulnerable moments every top operator faces.
Listen now if you want to avoid stalling your company’s growth, escape the COO loneliness trap, and get proven, unconventional takeaways on reinventing your playbook in a frantic market. This is real talk you won’t find anywhere else, straight from the second in command.
Timestamped Highlights
[00:01:01] – The wild origin story: Losing a pro career, the CEO’s game-changing invention, and how it launched a new franchise model
[00:03:39] – Why D1 threw out the playbook and planted flags everywhere plus what they learned scaling from 1 to 160 locations
[00:05:17] – The counterintuitive “avatar” that drives most revenue and why it’s probably NOT who you think
[00:09:57] – How the right “spark” can reveal your company’s true North—advice for COOs looking for their next big thing
[00:13:37] – The brutal scale-up pivot: When to walk away from side businesses, passive owners… and old friends
[00:16:11] – Outsourcing secrets, bringing it all back in-house, and the moment when cost control meets franchisee happiness
[00:21:28] – The biggest “aha” that changed their growth trajectory—what actually gets local buyers to care and buy in
[00:25:34] – When loyalty isn’t enough: Handling hard conversations with passionate, under-performing leaders
[00:27:48] – Managing egos, CEO/COO conflict, and why “freedom to dream” requires radical focus
About the Guest
Dan Murphy is the Chief Operating Officer of D1 Training, a national franchise leading the youth and community athletic training space. A former Division I soccer player and West Point graduate, Dan has decades of leadership experience spanning military and high-growth franchise operations. He’s known for his relentless execution, passion-driven leadership style, and community-building expertise helping D1 scale from a single Nashville gym to 160+ locations and counting.
Mentioned Resources
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.