The Chief of Staff Podcast

Remi Guarini, a seasoned Chief of Staff and the first employee at Neon, shares her insights on thriving in startup environments. She discusses the evolution of the Chief of Staff role, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and adaptability. Remi advocates for creating a 'user manual' for principals to enhance communication and efficiency. She highlights the value of a generalist skill set and urges aspiring Chiefs of Staff to embrace challenges as growth opportunities.

In this episode, you will learn from Sophie Kaye, a former Chief of Staff and current Director of Operations & Program Management at Frame.io, which was acquired by Adobe in 2021. Sophie discusses her non-linear career path, including her role as an early employee at a dental healthcare startup and her transition to being a Chief of Staff at Frame.io. She details her experience as a CoS at Frame.io during their acquisition by Adobe, emphasizing the importance of privacy and organization. Post-acquisition, Sophie's role has evolved, spanning across marketing, M&A, program management and business operations. She highlights the significance of relationship building, embracing ambiguity, and not striving for perfection. Sophie encourages aspiring Chiefs of Staff to build connections and be open to opportunities. You can learn more about Chief of Staff Network, our membership, upcoming events and more on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

Are you looking to connect with other Chiefs of Staff in-person in 2025? Listen to this episode with Scott Amenta, the Founder of the Chief of Staff Network. In it, you will hear how Scott started the community and how in-person meetups were critical in the early days of launching the community. Fast forward to 2024, we hosted 60+ events globally. In 2024, we also hosted a two-day Chief of Staff Connect conference in New York City. In 2025, we plan to host three Chief of Staff Connect conferences in San Francisco (in May), New York (in October), and London (in November). In this episode, you will hear what we learned from the 2024 Connect conference and how the 2025 Connect conferences will be slightly different. You can learn more about Chief of Staff Connect, our membership, and more on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

Ready to land a coveted Chief of Staff position? Listen to this episode as we break down 10 practical tips to help you secure an influential role. Drawing from conversations with Chiefs of Staff and from David Nebinski's own experiences, you will hear insights on networking, relationship building, and much more. If you are looking for a new role, this episode is for you. Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership and upcoming events on our website: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

In this episode, you will learn from Crystelle Desnoyer about her experiences and insights into the Chief of Staff role. She used to be the CoS at Techstars. Crystelle discusses her journey from building and scaling 20+ business entities and her scaling framework. Crystelle emphasized the importance of building trust, stakeholder mapping, and managing conflicts. She also highlighted the challenges of balancing internal and external focus and the need for self-care to avoid burnout as a CoS. If you are a new CoS or are looking to scale your role, this episode for you. Learn more about our membership and events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

Are you looking to be paid more fairly? In this episode, Rahul Desai and David Nebinski discuss the Chief of Staff Network’s 2024 Salary Report. You will learn about how you might be able to use this data as an in-role CoS. We also discuss the CoS job market and our State of Chief of Staff Jobs report. If you are looking to better understand Chief of Staff compensation, this episode is for you!  Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership and upcoming events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

In this episode, you will learn about how Sydney Scherer landed her current role by sending a creative email advocating for herself and a CoS role. She contrasts and overlap her current CoS experience with her prior CoS role, noting the shift to more creative, media-focused work. Both of those CoS roles happened after leaving the consulting industry. Sydney also emphasizes the importance of aligning with one's passions and pushing beyond comfort zones. In addition, she advises aspiring Chiefs of Staff to lean on their community and take calculated risks. Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership and upcoming events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

In this episode with Teddy Owen, the Chief of Staff at Moonhub, you will learn about his career journey to date and how it helped him get his current CoS role. Teddy highlighted the strategic use of third-party vendors for areas like finance and legal to build a team around yourself as a CoS. He also stressed the value of networking and building a support system to navigate the often-lonely role of a Chief of Staff.  Teddy also emphasized the importance of leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. You will also learn about when he has seen companies hire a CoS and why. Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership and upcoming events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

In this episode, we talk with Dara Chen, the Chief of Staff at Rad AI. Dara shared her journey to her current role, highlighting the importance of networking and leveraging her Wharton alumni network, and her prior CoS experiences. She emphasized the value of being organized and detail-oriented while also strategic to help a company operate and build the company’s culture. Dara also shared her experience taking over the recruiting function, focusing on creating efficient processes and aligning teams. She underscored the evolving nature of the Chief of Staff role, which involves balancing strategic thinking with detailed execution and fostering strong relationships within the leadership team. Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership and upcoming events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/

In this episode, we talk with Michael Novak, a Principal of Strategy and Business Operations at Adobe and former CoS, about his career journey. Michael discusses his non-traditional path, including his time as a project manager, his mental health struggles, and his transition into the Chief of Staff role through networking. He highlights the differences between being a Chief of Staff and working in Strategy and Operations, emphasizing the importance of identifying organizational gaps and planning. Michael also touches on the significance of well-being and mental health, advocating for living a values-based life and maintaining calm in stressful situations. Learn more about the Chief of Staff Network's membership and upcoming events here: https://www.chiefofstaff.network/