Calling Operator with Laura Nicol

Laura Nicol dials into Emer McCann, Head of People & Chief of Staff at Simply Wall St.Emer scaled Deputy’s people and culture through hypergrowth (70 to 350 employees) before joining Simply Wall St as employee #15 to build from zero. She’s the quiet force behind the chaos. The puppeteer, the glue, the phrasebook for hard conversations.Inside this conversation:Irishness, “Notions” and confidence. How cultural conditioning shapes self-advocacy.When to hire your first people lead (or fractional exec)—and what happens if you wait too long.The capacity reality of becoming a new mum while building companies: “I can’t do what I used to do. What’s next is understanding my capacity—and not overpromising.”From solo people operator to team of eight: When Deputy hired its first Chief People Officer, Emer’s one-person people function turned into an eight-person team. “I didn’t know any different—I just thought, oh, this is normal, this is what a startup is. But no, that’s not what a startup is.”Rebuilding from zero at Simply Wall St: Taking lessons from a wild scale journey—and starting again.Gap-filling as a career philosophy: Spot the strategic holes no one else sees—and fill those boots.Why Emer spends time in “small little huddles,” mapping what matters to each person before the big meeting.Signs of people pleasing yourself into burnout: “You do everything—but don’t do anything really well.”Her winning formula: First-principles thinking. Solving for what matters. Tying it all back to the business metrics.Want to connect with Emer? Find her on LinkedIn.Also mentioned:Xavi FerróAl BentleyNaveen NAlex LunnonSparketypeJefferson FisherNadine Blackie 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Laura Nicol connects with Liani Strauss, Chief of Staff at Tracksuit.Liani’s background in industrial engineering gave her structure. Startups gave her speed. Today, she works at the intersection of strategy, systems, and people—helping shape how Tracksuit scales from the inside out.Inside the conversation:Early days of BizOps at Tracksuit: “We were the bridge—setting up scaffolding for new functions, then stepping back so specialists could help them fly.”Evolving from "make it work" to "make it scale". How a Zapier x Google Sheets x DocuSign piece of art turned into a multi-jurisdictional global ESOP system.Why Chief of Staff effectiveness hinges on intentional relationship design. Liani's experience building deep trust with CEO and co-founder Connor ArchboldMovement unplugged. Her go-to for staying groundedA lesson in acceptance... a Blue Crush storyWhy continuing to invest in relationships is her theme of her yearGetting creative under pressure (especially when the fridge is empty)Her quiet superpower: regulating emotional temperature in high-stakes moments—something others spotted in her long before she named it in herself.Want to connect with Liani? Find her on LinkedIn.Also mentioned:Daniel LombardAlexandra GnossMatthew HerbertChristine van HoffenJulian RapattoniHarry FlettDan DanilovDave from LegalJason Wilby 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Laura Nicol connects with Paul Redfern, Chief Operating Officer at Big Picture Medical. He’s someone who’s spent most of his career toggling between product and operations, and getting pretty good at living in the grey. And becoming “reasonably okay-ish” in a whole bunch of different worlds.This episode is all about a tension every operator knows too well: the never-ending juggle between growth and scale. Serving today’s customers while building for tomorrow. Every decision has a cost. The real skill is knowing which ones are actually worth it.Inside this conversation:The journey from Bank of Queensland, Tyro, Brighte and now Big Picture MedicalWhat scaling a global healthtech startup looks like behind the scenesThe Red Line Framework for sustainable leadership and life momentsHow to grow up as a company (we’re talking communication maturity for scaling orgs)Context switching and energy management as a new parent-leaderWhy the chaos never really ends. It just shapeshiftsTreating operations like a product and how that changes what you optimise for[Relationships] The power of weekly Notion check-ins. A quick gut-check on what’s happening, where you need flex, and how you’re showing up for each otherWhat it feels like to have an imaginary infinite batteryA tiny mental trick: asking “Will this move me closer to my goals this week?” And sometimes “Will this move me closer to my goals, full stop?”For every operator out there, pausing to rethink your own operating system and patterns is a real level-up momentWant to connect with Paul? Find him on LinkedIn.Also mentioned:The psychological reason journaling makes you better.Kate GlazebrookJackie RabecPriya VaseDr Tom McKinnonBen Colley 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Laura Nicol connects with today's co-host: the wonderful Gaby Howard, Head of Growth and Operations at Carted.Gaby’s no stranger to the podcast—she first appeared on Ep 23. Gaby Howard on Navigating the Shift from Founder to Operator in Tech: Insights from Carted and Flaunter, where the wonderful Paloma interviewed her about her journey from founder to operator. (If you’re here for her backstory, head there first—we’re not retelling it today.) This episode is something different: a pulse check. A water-cooler moment. The kind of chat Gaby and I usually have off-mic—only this time, we hit record. If the noise of the internet lately feels like a never-ending hamster wheel, you’re not alone. In this chat, we cover:A mid-year temperature check from two operatorsHonest reflections on how we’re feeling in our operator rolesA pulse check on what’s happening out there: Insights surfaced from operators at our first-ever community meetup (Calling Operator x Notion coffee)Questions like: Am I ahead? Behind? Keeping up?Plus a few laughs as we find our rhythm as co-hosts (I left in the bossy host blooper 🙃)Huge thanks to Gaby for jumping into the co-host seat. We hope this chat feels like the water-cooler moment you didn’t know you needed.Want to connect with Gaby? Find her on LinkedIn. 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I’m turning the mic inward for my first-ever solo episode of Calling Operator. I’m Laura Nicol, your host and Chief of Staff at Co Ventures—and in this conversation, we’re talking burnout. The kind that creeps up. The kind that hits hard. The kind that startup operators know all too well. It comes up on the pod all the time—for a reason. I'm calling it my #buildinpublic reflection on this topic from the operator’s seat. I chat through: The aha moment: Being a great operator starts with self-workMy journey from an epilepsy diagnosis to todayPhysical health, mental health and wellbeingBurnoutGiving yourself permission to step off the treadmillTrying to prevent itBuilding an environment that catches it more oftenShoutout to past guests whose wisdom shows up throughout (check out their full eps here):Ep 42. Olivia Panzic at TikTok ANZEp 45. Anitta Krishan at Hoogly AIEp 38. Alice Hehman at Glue ClubEp 39. Harry Uffindell at PartlyEp 32. Maxine Minter at Co VenturesEp 30. Emily Robinson at Kic 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Laura Nicol connects with Anitta Krishan, Chief Culture Officer at Hoogly AI. We begin with a breath—a literal nervous system–balancing pause—followed by people-first perspectives from a former Trivago, Grab, and TikTok executive now shaping the future of work through an AI-powered Culture OS.Inside the episode:Operating mindfully: breathing, sleeping, deep sighing, and listening to your body’s signalsThe future of work, where humans serve as culture architects and AI steps in as orchestratorJoining Trivago at 200 employees and scaling through IPO to 1,600Leading people and culture transformation at Grab during a chapter of hypergrowth and reinventionScaling TikTok globally from 1,000 to 50,000 employees, navigating geopolitical tensions and cultural nuance at warp speedThe black ops moment: how the TikTok India ban shaped her legacy as a people-first operatorWhy “your calendar reflects your values”—and the case for auditing it weeklyBuilding from the ground floor inside an AI-native companyAdvice for rising operators: “Stop waiting for permission and titles. Just influence.”Want to connect with Anitta? Find her on LinkedIn.Check out Hoogly AI for your org. 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Karan Anand, Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Director, Australia at Hnry.We trace his journey from 13 years in consulting to becoming Hnry’s first hire in Australia, exploring what it really means to lead without ego, think in systems, and be a force multiplier for founders.Inside the episode:His experience as a new dadBuilding generational community projects, including the creation of the Young Seek Professionals NetworkThe co-pilot model of the Chief Strategy Officer—and how to support founders while staying anchored to long-term goalsWhat it meant to be the first hire in Australia for Hnry—and how to scale without a playbookWhy being in rooms you're “not ready for” is often where you learn the most—and how to hold your ground when you get thereThe startup superpowers management consulting teaches: structured problem solving, corporate technique, and navigating directional tensionBreaking a company into 26 first-principles components to build a three-year strategy—and reaching a consensus on directionBuilding Hnry’s "Sole Trader Pulse" data play—and turning underrepresented customer voices into strategic advantageMoving between inductive and abductive logic when data is sparse but decisions can’t waitThe traits Karan looks for in strategy operators at early-stage startupsHis operating philosophy: Helping people become their best in service of the businessWhy systems thinking is a survival skill in fast-scaling companiesConnect with Karan Anand on LinkedIn. Learn more about Hnry.Other operators mentioned in the episode:Brandon Palmer, Head of Marketing @ HnrySandeep Chandra, Strategy @ AtlassianAlbert Patajo, Chief of Staff @ NexlHarry Hamilton, Product @ Tracksuit, Co-Founder @ Fuzzy 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

**Join us at our first-ever podcast meetup in Sydney. Info below**Today, I'm connecting with Sophie Mckay, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific and Japan at Notion. Sophie’s career has been all about scaling tech brands across the Asia-Pacific region (APAC). Before joining Notion six months ago, she spent almost a decade at Qualtrics—starting as the first marketing hire in APAC and growing the team to 17, launching across six regions. In her words: “Every country or region we went into felt like a startup within a startup.” Now, she’s crafting Notion’s brand story and building her dream marketing team for APAC.In this episode, we dial into:Balancing a high-growth tech career with life as a mum to two young boys (3 and 5) and a pilot husband who’s often in the sky. Sophie shares how she makes it work.Could Sydney become “Silicon Sands”? Sophie weighs in.Why she loves launching companies across APAC—and the three-part strategy that sets her up for success every time.Notion's Australian takeover: A front-row seat to Sophie's "launch moment" (and why community love is everything).Her first 30 days at Notion: How she left onboarding in San Francisco with a fully approved marketing plan, ready to roll the moment she landed back in Sydney.Leading cross-cultural teams and appreciating the nuances of a region's go-to-market motion.Building things from scratch: The signals that tell you it’s time to scale or pivotHiring philosophy: Why you should always recruit someone who "scares you" (and why Sophie spent 18 months finding a first marketing hire).Finding Nemo wisdom: "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" (and remember you're not saving lives).Joy as a metric: "Startups are full on. Just make sure you’re always having a really good laugh every single day. If you're not, change up what you're doing."Operator shoutout: Carrie Ball, Talent Acquisition Lead APAC at Rippling. "What really stands out is how she brings a human element to the recruitment process. Her posts are hilarious—and honestly, I think she’d be such a fun guest to have on the podcast to talk about building teams from scratch across APAC."Thanks to Kelly Souders and Kirsty Poynter for helping shape this interview and for your time on the pre-interview chats.Connect with Sophie:LinkedInResources mentioned in the ep:Notion {Notion is the all-in-one workspace for teams to share knowledge, manage projects, take notes, and more}Hello, Australia! By Andrew McCarthyHow OpenAI turns shared knowledge into faster workflows with Notion**📆  JOIN US: Calling Operator x Notion coffee | Apr 29, 10am**Some of the best conversations happen off-mic. ​That’s why I’ve teamed up with Notion to bring the Calling Operator community together in Sydney.The deets:🌞 First-ever pod meetup in our most-listened city >> Sydney🌞 Tues, Apr 29 at 10am (Surry Hills location) 🌞 Past podcast guests are coming—swap stories, ask questions🌞 RSVP here 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

**Join us at our first-ever podcast meetup in Sydney. Info below**Today, I'm connecting with Olivia (Liv) Panzic, Head of Marketing Communications at TikTok ANZ. A core part of Liv’s belief system? Look after people. And it shows. Her colleagues and mentors describe her leadership at TikTok as “people-centric,” “human-first,” and “transformative for those around her.” This conversation covers three big themes: creating thumb-stopping content, being brave, and leading from the heart.In this episode, we cover:Why everything is better after a good night’s sleep (thanks, Mum).Community as strategy—not just support, but a growth engine.How a failed startup led her to TikTok—proof that the algorithm of life sometimes gets it right.Her first three years at TikTok ANZ—moving to Sydney, stepping into leadership, and building a marcomms strategy that clicks.A reminder that growth is layered: internal, external, and relational.Want to break into startups? Ditch the “pick me” mindset—find your match (tips inside).Leading inside a global company and bringing local context to celebrate culture drivers.Creating space for your team to grow and go viral in their own way.Why talking out loud to AI tools like ChatGPT changes the game for storytelling, advertising, and attention. Looking ahead to reaching people through voice.Staying humble: “You’re never too big for a small job.”Operator shoutout: How Elly Strang and the team at Tracksuit rewrote the playbook on early-stage B2B comms and content. Why their customers say: “Hey, I want this company to win as much as I love their product.”Connect with Liv:Connect With Liv on LinkedInOthers Mentioned in the Episode:Elly Strang at TracksuitKendall Moses at UberPip MarlowTony ReidHuge thanks to Hayley Saddleton and Shani Kugenthiran for the pre-interview chats. You're so right. Liv. Is. Magic.📆  JOIN US: Calling Operator x Notion coffee | Apr 29, 10amSome of the best conversations happen off-mic. ​That’s why I’ve teamed up with Notion to bring the Calling Operator community together in Sydney.The deets:🌞 First-ever pod meetup in our most-listened city >> Sydney🌞 Tues, Apr 29 at 10am (Surry Hills location) 🌞 Past podcast guests are coming—swap stories, ask questions🌞 RSVP here 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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Rach Matters, Senior Program Manager at Linktree. Rach’s sweet spot is joining fast-growing organizations with a blank job description, and she’s had the privilege of learning company building through EA-exec partnerships with Linktree’s Alex Zaccaria and seasoned entrepreneur Janey Martino.In this episode, we cover:Why worrying is like a rocking chair—it keeps you busy but gets you nowhereScaling herself alongside one of Australia’s biggest tech success storiesSupporting leaders through hypergrowth and high-stakes momentsThe EA-executive relationship and the magic of high-trust partnershipsCreating calm in chaos (while secretly thriving in it)Why waiting back isn’t Rach’s styleUnderstanding the individual needs of your leadership team (it’s not one-size-fits-all)Strategic restraint—bringing deep knowledge of the leadership team into operations and learning to 10x things without adding process frictionTaking pieces of wisdom from each leader you work withLow-key Sundays and the power of restConnect with Rach on LinkedIn here.  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. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com