The Operations Room: A Podcast for COO’s 86. Season 2 Wrap Up
Nov 13, 2025
In this season wrap-up, the hosts reflect on the highs and lows of leadership. Beth shares her challenges transitioning from COO to CEO, highlighting the loneliness at the top and the constant mental load. They discuss the art of performance reviews and the intense responsibilities that come with scaling teams. Looking ahead, they tease exciting themes for the next season, including AI's impact on business and innovative operational strategies. Plus, a guest lineup filled with industry insights promises to keep things dynamic!
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First 90 Days As CEO Were Intensely Personal
- Beth Ayers describes stepping into a CEO role at a 25-person company as far more intense than expected.
- She felt constant responsibility, difficulty switching off, and real workplace loneliness despite having a broad external network.
Accountability Changes Peer Dynamics
- The CEO role concentrates final accountability, changing how you interact with colleagues.
- That concentration creates loneliness because you can't share candid opinions the same way as before.
Email Flood And Investor Attention
- Beth was surprised by the volume and variety of email as CEO, from SDR spam to investor inbound and vendor disputes.
- Managing investor relations and supplier contracts consumed much of her time unexpectedly.