Between Two COO's with Michael Koenig

Dan Siroker, CEO and Founder of Rewind.ai & Optimizely, discusses augmenting human memory with AI, building Optimizely, AI in operations, privacy and security, hiring extraordinary teams, AI's impact on STEM education, and AI summarization. They explore the intersection of technology and memory, leveraging AI for productivity, cultural values in teams, and accountability in successful teams.

(00:12) Clean Tech and Disrupting Energy Market(06:15) Community Solar and Renewable Energy Innovation(15:37) Data Platform and Energy Transformation(24:21) Acquisitions, Integration, and Board Composition(29:05) Startup Board Management and Risk Balancing(35:51) Leadership, Growth Mindset, and Overcoming Challenges(42:18) Connecting Through Cold Emails(00:12) Clean Tech and Disrupting Energy Market We discuss Energy 101 today with Kate Hemington, co-founder and COO of Arcadia Power. Kate has a degree from the University of Oxford and a background in corporate litigation, making her well-equipped to tackle the energy industry. We talk about energy being a regulated monopoly, the trillions of dollars in the market, and how Arcadia is bringing digitization opportunities. We also discuss the unique perspective of having a legal and policy background and how it allowed them to get into the market and innovate. Kieran and Kate bring their own experience with energy policy and law, respectively, to the conversation. (06:15) Community Solar and Renewable Energy Innovation We enter the complex world of community solar. She explains how the state incentivizes third party developers to build renewable power sources and how Arcadia simplifies the process by giving customers a guaranteed savings rate. We understand how electricity works and why community solar is a guaranteed win for the customer, as well as how it’s helping to displace dirty electrons with clean ones. (15:37) Data Platform and Energy Transformation We chat about the potential of retrofitting four billion machines to achieve maximum decarbonization. We explore how the market has shifted in the last 15 years, with over 90% of new electrons produced in the US being renewable. We also discuss how Arcadia's data platform, Arc, is providing other companies with data, such as EV manufacturers and solar developers, to help their customers with micro decisions. Finally, we consider how Arcadia is managing its mission and culture with its switch to serving enterprises. (24:21) Acquisitions, Integration, and Board Composition We discuss acquisitions and product integration. We explore the importance of growth and expansion, and how to know when an acquisition is right. We examine the challenges of integrating products, the risks of taking on too much too soon, and the importance of understanding a company and its culture before making an acquisition. We also look at the value of an independent board member, and the importance of having a plan when it comes to acquisitions. (29:05) Startup Board Management and Risk Balancing We explore risk management and cash management. Kate shares how they've become better at board management, and how to let board members know what you need from them. We discuss how macroeconomic events have led to a guard your flank mentality, but how regulated line of revenue has given them a floor. We also talk about how the energy transition is a larger market than the macroeconomic events and how it has helped them to be aggressive in a down environment. Finally, Kate shares her thoughts on tight times and how it has created a renewed focus. (35:51) Leadership, Growth Mindset, and Overcoming Challenges We explore the importance of understanding growth mindset and being comfortable with discomfort. We also look at the importance of communication in building a successful team and how to effectively manage people. Kate shares her experience of bringing a global operations team together and the challenges of leading a co-founder. Finally, we look at the moment of surprise when the team received five cease and desist letters from utilities and how they overcame the challenge. (42:18) Connecting Through Cold Emails The power of cold emails. We emphasize the importance of making connections, and provide advice on how to maximize reaching out to potential contacts. Tap into the power of cold emails and take the opportunity to make meaningful connections. Don't forget to subscribe to Between Two COOs and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to share your thoughts and help spread the word. Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-henningsen/Episode: https://betweentwocoos.com/arcadia-power-coo-kate-hennigsenArcadia Power: https://www.arcadia.com/Michael Koenig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-koenig514

--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS WITH SHORT KEY POINTS --------- (0:00:12) - Remote Company Operations and Knowledge ManagementDaren explains the importance of low context communication, compounding interest, and over communicating for successful remote teams. (0:08:59) - Embracing Remote Work as Operating ModelDaren Murph and I discuss operations of successful remote companies, process definition, documentation, culture, macroeconomic downturn, investing in operations, and using history as a guide. (0:20:22) - Knowledge Management and Generative AIWe examine knowledge management, Generative AI data sets, and remote onboarding for successful companies. (0:25:52) - Remote Onboarding's Impact on EngagementRemote work success is achieved through discipline, connection, and a balanced work-life ratio. (0:41:25) - Engaging Town Hall Strategies and PerspectivesDarren shares advice on effective remote work, from town halls to partnering with business leaders, to keep pushing forward.

Nitin Gupta, COO of Prisma and a tech veteran with over 20 years in the industry, shares insights on making complex tech accessible to non-technical audiences. He introduces Prisma University, designed to boost internal knowledge and collaboration. The discussion dives into managing remote teams through hackathons and the unique role of a psychologist in preventing burnout. Nitin also addresses the delicate balance of open-source commercialization while nurturing a community, alongside his innovative approach to operational planning and alignment with KPIs.

Join us as we chat with Shanaz Hemmati, the COO of ZenBusiness, who gives us a fascinating insight into the workings of a public benefit corporation that generates more than $100M in ARR. Listen to her as she speaks about the various initiatives and programs that ZenBusiness undertakes to give back to the community and society. From a grant program to support their customers to her role evolution from CIO to COO, Shanaz’s experiences shed light on the strategies they use to navigate their responsibilities within a small team. In this chat, we also explore the potential of generative AI to increase speed, accuracy, scalability, complexity, and accessibility of structured language, and how ZenBusiness leverages this to expand capacity. From discussing the importance of data protection to understanding the potential threats to businesses, Shanaz provides a comprehensive overview of the operations side of the company, including their customer support in the contact center. Shanaz also talks about the company’s organizational structure, with CTO, HR, customer success, legal, program management, procurement, and corporate citizenship all reporting to her. Learn about the process of hiring great people, and how her passion and love for what she does is the key to success. She also shares her experiences with M&A, and how she and her team at HomeAway used the strategy of acquiring existing vacation rental services to make the company global. From tracking the macroeconomic environment to discussing the advantages of remote working, Shanaz provides a wealth of information for anyone interested in understanding the workings of a successful business.

Munish Gandhi, co-founder and COO of Productiv and former LinkedIn leader, dives into the world of SaaS governance. He highlights the pitfalls of underutilization in software applications and the hidden costs associated with SaaS. Munish discusses how generative AI can revolutionize contract renewals and procurement processes, enhancing efficiency and informed decision-making. He shares insights from managing crises, especially during the SVB collapse, emphasizing quick responses and communication as key to effective governance.

 Join us as we sit down with Allen Narcisse, former COO at Workrise and co-founder and CEO of Gigs, for an enlightening conversation about his journey in the gig economy. Allen takes us through his career trajectory, starting from his initial venture, eBuyLine, to his stints building Uber and Lyft, and finally, to his current venture, Gigs. Listen in as Allen shares valuable insights on building marketplaces, the importance of a great first impression, and the inspiration behind Gigs. In the second part of our discussion, we explore the intricacies of operating a gig economy platform. Allen shares the three-step process Gigs uses to source jobs and engage job seekers and the crucial role of having a team with previous founders, Lyft, and Uber DNA. He also shares his perspective on prioritization and ensuring the team has the resources and talent to accomplish winning moves. In the final part of our conversation, we discuss the future of the labor market in the face of automation and AI. Allen shares his thoughts on the need for job seekers to be equipped with the right information and tools to navigate the changing job market. Tune in to hear more about Gigs’ business model, the cost per application model, and how it ensures employers only pay for qualified applicants. Finally, we touch on the implications of automation on the labor force and the need for better communication between employers and workers.Links:Gigs - https://getgigs.co/Allen Narcisse - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allen-narcisse/Michael Koenig -https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-koenig514/Episode URL - https://betweentwocoos.com/gigs-ceo-allen-narcisseBetween Two COO's - https://betweentwocoos.com --------- EPISODE CHAPTERS WITH SHORT KEY POINTS --------- (0:00:12) - Building the Gig EconomyAlan discussed founding eBuyLine, Uber/Lyft, Workrise, and Gigs, and the importance of making a great first impression in the job placement sector. (0:08:48) - Gigs CEO Discusses Approach and OperationsAlan discussed Gigs' three-step process, the importance of team DNA, prioritizing and providing resources and talent. (0:16:01) - Forming the DNA of a CompanyAllen Narcisse and I discussed customer focus, courageous conversations, scaling information, psychological safety, and everyone's opportunity to weigh in. (0:25:11) - Ownership and Coaching for Great CompanyHiring ambitious people, setting mutual expectations, weaving values into decisions, allowing mistakes, and coaching rather than filling gaps are discussed. (0:33:21) - Empowering Job Seekers, Addressing AutomationAllen Narcisse and I discussed Gigs' business model, job seekers' empowerment, cost per application, automation's implications, and employer-worker communication.

Can we really grow sustainable, delicious, and healthy food right in the heart of a bustling city? In this eye-opening episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Tobias Peggs, co-founder and CEO of Square Roots, an innovative indoor urban farm tech company that's revolutionizing how we grow and distribute food in urban areas.Together, we explored the intricate operations of creating a successful indoor urban farm, from engineering and construction to farming and distribution processes. Tobias shared fascinating insights on how Square Roots uses cutting-edge technology to minimize its environmental impact, reduce its carbon footprint, and produce food sustainably despite the challenges posed by climate change.We also touched upon the importance of staying true to a company's mission and values, as well as how Square Roots navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and adapted their business to continue providing fresh, nutritious, and mouth-watering produce to their community. Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation on the future of urban agriculture and how it can help us tackle some of the most pressing global issues of our time.In This Episode(0:00:16) - Indoor Urban Farming for Sustainable FoodTobias  and I discuss engineering, construction, farming, tech operations, packing, and distribution of urban food production.(0:10:55) - Revolutionizing Urban Farming With Square RootsTobias discusses Square Roots' sustainable farming process, commercialization, and chefs' satisfaction.(0:25:29) - Reducing Carbon Footprint for Local FarmingTobias and his team use technology to produce food sustainably, reducing their environmental impact through design, energy, and distribution.(0:31:02) - Mission, Values, and Adapting to ChangeTobias and I discuss mission and values, adapting to unexpected circumstances, and physical operations to stay focused.LinksSquare Roots - https://www.squarerootsgrow.comTobias Peggs - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiaspeggsMichael Koenig - https://linkedin.com/in/michael-koenig514Episode - https://betweentwocoos.com/square-roots-ceo-tobias-peggs

Stephan Jacob, Co-founder and COO of Cotopaxi, joins Michael to talk about building an impact-driven business, how sustainability drives Cotopaxi’s product development, managing a CEO transition, the proliferation of certified B Corps, donating revenue to fight poverty in developing countries, brand building and taking on North Face and Patagonia, and taking llamas on college campuses. With a humanitarian-drive and strong business acumen, Stephan’s career in the COO seat began at Cotopaxi, following the sale of his company, Kembrel in 2013. During this time, Stephan reconnected with an old University of Pennsylvania Wharton and Lauder Institute classmate, Davis Smith, with the commitment to build a brand for those who shared their values: a deep-rooted interest in giving back and a passion for the outdoors. From there, came Cotopaxi, an outdoors brand, which has never wavered from its ESG principles and humanitarian focus. Under Stephan’s stewardship, Cotopaxi has become a role model for how businesses can achieve the seemingly at-odds goals of making the world a better place while achieving growth. As a B-Corp using environmentally friendly sourced materials and ethically-sourced labor, Cotopaxi’s values and colorful apparel have struck a chord with its customers, generating $100m in revenue, aiding 1.5 million people in poverty, and assisting 90k refugees throughout South America in 2021 alone.Where to find Stephan: LinkedinMentioned on the episode:Davis Smith, Cotopaxi’s Co-founder & CEOBrad Hiranaga, Cotopaxi’s Chief Brand Officer, General Mills’ former Chief Marketing OfficerDamien Huang, Cotopaxi’s President and incoming CEO,  Eddie Bauer’s former CEOGrace Zuncic, Cotopaxi’s Chief Impact Officer, Chobani’s former Chief People OfficerB LabEgo is the Enemy

Woody Hartman, COO of Lime and former VP of Global Operations at Lyft, sits down with Michael to talk about the challenges in scaling a micro-mobility company, how Lime’s gained a competitive advantage over other players in the market, and why he chose to climb Mount Everest following his time at Lyft!A biz ops wizard, Woody’s career started as a Business Analyst at McKinsey in 2006, focused on M&A and private equity due diligence. With a passion for creating joyful customer experiences, Woody jumped to the gaming and entertainment website IGN, leading corporate strategy before attending Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was amongst the top students, earning him distinction as a Siebel Scholar. Following a short stint at Disney as a Global Development Associate for Imagineering, Woody joined Lyft in February 2013 as employee 34. Initially tasked with leading Lyft’s launch in Los Angeles, just the company’s second market, Woody mastered these rollouts, becoming the company’s VP of Global Operations in September 2017. Before departing in September 2019, he helped grow the company from $100k to $3 billion in annual revenue. He led hallmark company growth events such as 24 launches in 24 hours and launching in New York with only two weeks’ notice. After six years with the company, Woody embarked on a new challenge: summitting Mount Everest! Returning to the business world as the President & Head of Product at TeamSnap in March 2020, Woody led the sports app company to double its revenue and its first profitable quarter. Approached with the opportunity to lead a micro-mobility company through its next phase, Woody recently joined Lime in January 2022. With rumors of a Lime IPO following its first profitable year, Woody’s vast expertise and experience have him well-prepared for the work the company has cut out for him. Where to find Woody: Linkedin