Calling Operator with Laura Nicol Ep 6. Sophia Witherington on scaling the Startmate fellowship through push back, Product management at Canva (and cleaning the fryer at KFC)
Resources mentioned:
Angela Duckworth - Grit
Lenny's Newsletter
EPISODE TIMESTAMPS
1:39 - Sophia, from Scotland to Sydney
2:45 - Cleaning deep fryers at KFC
4:50 - Swapped my non-slip shoes for high heels
7:40 - A rant about typecasting
10:43 - An accidental share house with a founder
12:59 - One small step into Start-ups (part-time)
16:24 - One big step for the ecosystem (Startmate interview)
20:11 - 'It's a paid program, and now it's fully remote'
21:35 - How to scale and keep the magic
33:07 - Enter Lauren Caplin (and the glory days)
34:30 - Making it mainstream
39:07 - How Sophia operates
41:33 - Product management at Canva
54:43 - Biggest learnings and advice
48:23 - Who's an incredible Aussie operator
51:23 - Read broadly
52:33 - Sophia's vision for the future
Guest ideas?
Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn.
A note from your host, Laura:
My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons.
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