314. From Cohort to Community: How Lasting Business Friendships Form

Nobody signs up for a certification program hoping to leave with four new best friends. That is exactly what happened to Beth, Cameron, Jenessa and Tera, who met inside a Director of Operations cohort, began gathering thirty minutes before every training, and are still meeting every Friday, nearly two years on. I sat all four of them down to ask how it started, what has kept it alive, and what it has actually changed in their businesses. If you have ever felt that nobody in your life understands the work you do, this one is about the kind of business friendships that fix exactly that. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/314-from-cohort-to-community-how-lasting-business-friendships-form/ Connect with Beth Website: http://fireflyconsultinggroup.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fireflyconsultinggroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firefly_consulting_group/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fireflyconsultinggroup Connect with Cameron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-fugate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cameronfugate2022 Connect with Jenessa Website: https://sustainablesystemsstudios.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenessaeljarra Connect with Tera Website: http://teramarie.com LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/teramarie/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teramarie.inc/ Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Not every operator wants to run their own company, and that turns out to change nothing about how valuable the skill set is. Dr. Cinnamon Brown came into our program on the employee track and stayed on it, and she is now a Learning and Development strategist who reaches for operations every single week. We talk about why corporate titles hide the work people are actually doing, the ceiling operators hit when getting things done is the only tool they use, and why the people around you matter more than the leader above you. If you have been wondering whether this path is only for the people starting agencies, Cinnamon is the answer. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/313-from-history-phd-to-learning-development-operator-with-cinnamon-brown/ Connect with Cinnamon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinnamon-brown-821a5222b Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Twenty years in the nonprofit sector taught Claire Crum something most operators never get told: the causes you care about are often where your skills are worth the most. She now runs a six person ops agency helping mission driven organizations do more with what they already have. We get into why nonprofits so strongly prefer operators who understand their funding streams and stakeholders, how outgrown systems quietly cap an organization's growth, and why operations have never belonged in the overhead column. If you have a cause you love and a skill set you have not yet monetized, Claire has already walked this road. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/312-inside-a-six-person-ops-agency-built-for-nonprofits-with-claire-crum/ Connect with Claire Website: https://calm-ops.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairecrum/ Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

An aging workforce, a hundred years of "this is how we've always done it," and a shrinking pool of people to hire. That is the operational reality inside the printing industry, and it is exactly where my guest thrives. Continuing our operator in the wild series, I am joined by Kasandra Murray, a fractional CMO and COO who serves print manufacturers. She unpacks why retention is the industry's biggest challenge, how strong training quietly solves it, the messy ops moment that saved her client thousands in overtime, and the two skills that make any operator invaluable. If you have ever wondered what it looks like to niche down and go deep, this conversation is your window in. For full show notes, check out  https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/311-inside-the-printing-industry-with-kasandra-murray-systems-ai-and-growth Connect with Kasandra Website: https://www.unluckyumbrella.com/ Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Are you a talented operator quietly wondering if there is still a place for you in this market? You aren't alone, and this episode is the reset you need. I'm unpacking why so many capable service providers are questioning their value right now and why this is not an AI conversation; it's a confidence conversation. I'm sharing what has actually changed in the market, how the modern operator has evolved beyond implementation, and the operator mindset that will carry you through the next decade. If you've been feeling stuck, uncertain, or invisible, consider this your call to step into strategic leadership. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/310-why-great-operators-are-suddenly-doubting-themselves Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

What if the reason certain business strategies never worked for you has nothing to do with effort, and everything to do with design? In this episode of The Ops Authority Podcast, I'm joined by my longtime business bestie, Melissa Froehlich, a strengths-based business strategist and Kolbe Certified consultant, to explore how Human Design can transform the way you build and run your service-based business. We unpack the five Human Design types, the strategy each one is meant to operate from, and how this awareness pairs beautifully with the Strategic Mapping Model™. If you've ever forced yourself into someone else's blueprint, this conversation will give you permission to finally do business your way. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/309-how-human-design-helps-operators-deliver-the-strategic-map-with-melissa-froehlich Connect with Melissa Website: http://www.melissafroehlich.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissafroehlich_biz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MFStrategicBusinessGrowth Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Saying yes to the wrong client can cost you far more than money. In this episode of The Ops Authority Podcast, I sit down with Raquel Castillo, founder of The Online Integrator, to talk about one of the most uncomfortable lessons in business: how to fire a client, and how to avoid ever needing to. Raquel shares the story of an engagement that looked perfect on paper but unraveled over misaligned values and team culture. The decision-making tool she now uses to vet every fractional client before she says yes. If you have ever stayed too long in a bad-fit relationship, this conversation is for you. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/308-how-raquel-castillo-fired-a-client-who-paid-three-months-in-advance Connect with Raquel Website: www.theonlineintegrator.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/theonlineintegrator/ Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

What happens when you gather the most common, most challenging questions from our Director of Operations community and answer them live, without a script? Pure gold. In this Ops Edition of The Ops Authority Podcast, I'm joined once again by Lynette Robinson to tackle three real-world scenarios that every operator faces: how to clearly communicate what you do, how to build local connections that convert, and whether to niche down or stay broad as a new business owner. If you've struggled with messaging, meetups & momentum, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to move forward strategically. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/307-how-to-becom…adrienne-dorison/ Connect with Adrienne Website: www.Level11leaders.comFacebook: www.Facebook.com/adriennedorison Instagram: www.Instagram.com/adriennedorison Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Ever poured time or money into a big program that promised the world and delivered very little? In this solo episode of The Ops Authority Podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes of a major shift we've made to our Director of Ops Certification program, and the philosophy that drove every part of it: confidence comes after evidence, never before. I'm sharing why we separated our signature work into two distinct parts, how that lowers your risk, and why I believe this is now the most responsible way to step into operational work. Two clear paths. One mission: to give you proof before you plunge all the way in. For full show notes, check out  www.TheOpsAuthority.com/podcast/306 Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Dreaming about leaving corporate for consulting but unsure if you're truly ready to take the leap? In this episode of The Ops Authority Podcast, I'm pulling back the curtain on the eight strategic steps that every operator needs in place before handing in their notice. From getting proof of concept to building your network behind the scenes, this is the calculated, confident roadmap I wish I had when I made my own exit. If you've been waiting for a sign to start preparing, this episode is it.  For full show notes, check out  www.TheOpsAuthority.com/podcast/305 Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram