The Chief of Staff Podcast

Operator and fractional Chief of Staff Lauren Werner (ex-Slate, Vox) shares how she translates market signals into systems that drive growth. We cover her transition to fractional Chief of Staff, landing her first clients, defining high-impact scopes (GTM, RevOps, cross-functional alignment), and practical ways Chiefs of Staff can quantify their value and tie work to the P&L. Plus we discuss how her media background has informed community growth and belonging at the Chief of Staff Network.Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

In this episode, Tom Guthrie, President of Chief of Staff Network, sits down with Andrew Rea, co-founder and CEO of Taxwire, to unpack the challenges of global sales tax compliance and the shifting role of finance teams in fast-growing startups. Andrew shares insights on leveraging automation and AI in finance, opportunities for young professionals to stand out, and the importance of building authentic company culture. He also highlights the evolving impact of Chiefs of Staff in early-stage companies—acting as force multipliers and strategic problem-solvers.

Scott Amenta sits down with Dominique Lear, Chief of Staff at Incandescent, to explore why organizational change so often falters on the human side. From her journey in publishing to consulting, Dominique shares lessons on managing fear, building trust, and navigating AI-driven transformations with empathy and clarity.

Alexa Gellman, Chief of Staff at Inspired Capital, is a venture capital powerhouse with expertise in deal flow and firm strategy. In this discussion, she reveals her methods for managing deal pipelines and enhancing relationships with founders. Gellman shares tips on building an internal brand, emphasizes the value of strategic thinking over administrative tasks due to AI advancements, and offers insights on current capital market dynamics. She also recommends tools for network mapping, making this a treasure trove of actionable advice for aspiring chiefs of staff.

What does it really mean to "level up" as a Chief of Staff? In this episode recorded live at a dinner event in NYC, a select group of Chiefs of Staff share authentic stories of growth and impact in their roles. From using simple Google Docs to outperform complex systems to building reward programs that actually work, you will hear practical strategies that moved the needle. You'll learn how to prove your value, when to choose low-tech solutions, and how to maintain boundaries while excelling in this demanding role. Whether you're new to the role or looking to advance, these candid conversations offer actionable insights on building relationships, scaling through others, and finding your specialization as a generalist. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about our conferences, courses, and membership here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

Sharlene Guiriba, Executive Chief of Staff at Coverdash and former early-stage VC, shares her journey from venture capital to the Chief of Staff role. She discusses the power of leveraging VC connections and using case studies during interviews. Sharlene highlights the evolution from tactical tasks to strategic initiatives at Coverdash. She also addresses the importance of emotional intelligence in conflict resolution and the necessity of clear communication in fast-paced startup environments, using tools to maintain team alignment.

In this episode, we sit down with Aarti Bhatnagar, former Chief of Staff at Change.org and Guild, and now executive coach and facilitator.Aarti shares how she built a career as a generalist, navigated defining moments like company-wide layoffs, and discovered her superpower at the intersection of operations and people.We dive deep into the role of the CoS in strategic planning, including:How to drive alignment without formal authorityCommon pitfalls in planning (and how to avoid them)Aarti’s original C-FLEX Framework for effective strategy executionWhy owning your narrative is the most underrated leadership skillLearn more about her work at Cadence Operators: https://cadence-operators.com/ Learn more about Chief of Staff Launchpad: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/chief-of-staff-launchpad?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=cos_podcast_aarti_bhatnagar

Great communication isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a leadership skill that shapes culture, builds trust, and drives alignment. In this episode, Rachel Peck shares lessons from nearly a decade at Harry’s, where she helped scale internal messaging from a 10-person startup to a global team of 1,000+. From writing for founders, navigating crisis comms, and making company values stick, Rachel breaks down what most Chiefs of Staff overlook about internal and executive communications and how to build systems that work even in moments of chaos.Explore Rachel's work: https://metronome.consulting/Learn more from Rachel in Chief of Staff Launchpad: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/chief-of-staff-launchpad

In this episode, we’re joined by Juhi Kabra, executive coach, facilitator, and former Chief of Staff at Redesign Health. Juhi spent five years supporting the CEO and leadership team through hypergrowth, and now advises founders and strategic operators on organizational design, executive effectiveness, and leadership development.We discuss Juhi’s path from Blackstone to Palantir to Redesign Health, her biggest lessons in aligning executive teams, and how to succeed as a Chief of Staff in your first 90 days. She also shares a preview of the frameworks and workshops she’ll be leading in our upcoming Chief of Staff Launchpad program.Learn more about her work at Juhi Kabra Consulting: https://www.juhikabra.com/Learn more about Chief of Staff Launchpad: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/chief-of-staff-launchpad?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=cos_podcast_juhi_kabra

In this podcast episode, Order CoS Ali Sardinia and CEO Zach Garippa share their successful four-year partnership built on co-creating the role through honest conversations about business needs. Their success stems from constant prioritization conversations, immediate communication to prevent issues from festering, and treating failures as shared ownership with an action-first mentality. They emphasize that cultural alignment matters more than perfect experience, and that effective CoS and Principal relationships require thought partnership and trust-building rather than constant agreement. Excited for you to level-up as a Chief of Staff!You can learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership, courses, and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/