The Chief of Staff Podcast

Andrea Mayendia, Chief of Staff at Dow Jones with over 20 years in product and strategy, shares her insights on how storytelling can drive organizational transformation. She emphasizes the importance of clarity and emotional resonance in communication, especially during change. Andrea discusses using data to build credibility and how framing messages based on audience context can enhance understanding. She also outlines practical storytelling techniques and highlights the significance of transparency in uniting cross-functional teams.

Dora Nagy, a former Chief of Staff at SoftBank's Vision Fund and now an executive coach, dives into scaling organizations. She shares insights on her non-linear career from Google to SoftBank and her 'CEO Operating System' framework for translating strategy into execution. Dora highlights the importance of people dynamics in leadership, emphasizing how to navigate conflicts using the Drama Triangle model. She also discusses why OKRs often fail without a clear strategy, and offers practical advice for building accountability and effective operating models.

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