
Titans of the Trades | Straight-Talk for Scaling Your Construction Business The Truth About Second-in-Command Leadership With Cameron Herold
Are you overwhelmed, wearing every hat in your construction business, and thinking, “I need a COO”? Think again. In this episode of Titans of the Trades, host Ryan Englin sits down with Cameron Herold, author of Second in Command and founder of the COO Alliance, to break down what growing companies really need when it comes to operational leadership.
Cameron has helped scale hundreds of companies and has been the COO behind explosive growth stories like 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Whether you’re in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or general contracting, if you’re a business owner tired of bottlenecking your own success, this episode is your wake-up call.
Tune in and discover:
- The biggest mistake owners make when hiring operational help.
- Why most businesses don’t need a COO… yet.
- How delegation can unlock serious growth.
- The hidden cost of doing $40/hour work as a $250/hour leader.
Takeaways with Timestamps:
- 1:04 – Cameron’s entrepreneurial journey and early signs of being unemployable.
- 4:18 – Why thinking you need a COO may be a sign you just need help.
- 5:15 – The cost of doing $15/hour tasks as a six-figure business owner.
- 6:11 – What revenue level really warrants a true C-level hire.
- 7:22 – The real difference between working in vs. on your business.
- 9:24 – How to scale your time by delegating genius-level work.
- 11:48 – What truly makes a great COO (and it’s not a fancy resume).
- 14:02 – Why the CEO-COO relationship is more like a marriage than a job.
- 19:00 – Understanding the psychology behind who gets credit in a company.
- 35:33 – The one uncomfortable truth every founder and COO must face.
Connect With Cameron:
Website: https://cameronherold.com/
Website: https://cooalliance.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronherold/
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