Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

What if the biggest threat to your company’s growth is how you show up every day—burned out, distracted, or just going through the motions? Most COOs know the cost of chaos, but few stop to ask what’s driving it inside themselves.
Enter Sunil Rajasekar, former President and CTO of Mindbody, who sits down with Cameron Herold for a no-holds-barred conversation about burnout, resilience, and building a global wellness empire with gratitude at its core. From the backstage mechanics of a platform used by millions to the secret link between world-changing tech and personal wellbeing, this episode delivers the eye-opening truths every leader needs.
Listen now before your stress becomes your biggest blind spot. Actionable, exclusive, and radically honest. These insights aren’t just a luxury, they’re your lifeline.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – What nobody tells you about burnout (until it’s too late)
[00:03:31] – Why Sunil reversed the script: an origin story you didn’t expect
[00:06:15] – The real reasons high-powered execs flame out (and how Sunil rebuilt himself)
[00:14:23] – Two CEOs, one mission: Navigating seismic leadership transitions
[00:16:50] – Under the hood of Mindbody: Why perfection on the surface means wrestling chaos behind the scenes
[00:24:28] – The make-or-break moment for small businesses—and why most lenders get it wrong
[00:29:32] – The war for tech talent and how to keep your team’s soul intact
[00:33:35] – What COVID proved about wellness, grit, and the “missionary vs. mercenary” divide
[00:40:50] – The gratitude ritual that saved Sunil—and could save you

About the Guest
Sunil Rajasekar is the former President and Chief Technology Officer at Mindbody, the global platform powering the wellness industry in over 100 countries. With more than two decades leading technology and product transformation at eBay, Intuit, Lithium Technologies, and then Mindbody, Sunil is renowned for scaling businesses that shape industries, without sacrificing the humanity at their core. His mission: Connect the world to wellness, one breakthrough at a time.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Mindbody Capital
ClassPass
Vista Equity Partners
Book: “The Mind-Body Connection” by John Sarno
Book: “Buddha and the Badass” by Vishen Lakhiani
Mindvalley (Vishen Lakhiani)
Tim Ferriss
Uber
Apple Fitness
F45
Orangetheory Fitness
Booker (acquired by Mindbody)
ClearBank (referenced as a similar financial product)

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

Note: This Fan Favorite episode is a recast of one of our most impactful interviews, still packed with insights for second-in-command leaders. Whether it’s your first listen or a revisit, there’s timeless value inside.

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

Are you trapped in operational chaos, fighting burnout, and searching for a formula that actually scales? You’re not alone.
This electrifying episode features Guillaume Bouvard, Co-founder, COO and CMO of Extend, as he sits down with Sivana Brewer to reveal the real-life victories and invisible battles behind explosive fintech growth. From his unusual rise at American Express to building a team of true experts (not just generalists), Guillaume exposes the proven rituals, painful lessons, and cultural shifts that unstick founders and COOs worldwide.
If you’ve ever wrestled with hiring mistakes, boardroom pressure, or the fear of letting go, this conversation is your playbook for escaping overwhelm right now. Tune in for exclusive strategies you won’t hear from the usual talking heads—and avoid the pain of staying stuck another quarter. Listen now, because your breakthrough can’t wait and these field-tested insights are only found here.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – The daring anti-micromanagement view that reshaped a whole company’s culture
[00:07:08] – Why Guillaume became COO and what most founders never tell you about picking partners
[00:09:12] – How a “no two days alike” mindset powers world-class operations without chaos
[00:12:27] – The little-known boardroom rituals that drive results, build trust, and end nasty surprises
[00:19:44] – Guillaume’s radical philosophy for staying engaged, focused, and unshakable against daily setbacks
[00:21:01] – The breakthrough hiring lesson that can rescue any leader from burnout (before it’s too late)
[00:28:14] – Steal-this-process: Monday all-hands, relentless transparency, and celebrating the hidden heroes
[00:34:29] – Real-life wins: How a single empowered team member triggered a market wave using curiosity

About the Guest
Guillaume Bouvard is the Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer of Extend, a venture-backed digital credit card platform revolutionizing spend management for banks and businesses. With more than two decades of leadership across American Express and international fintech, Guillaume blends corporate discipline with disruptive startup agility. His obsession with hiring world-class talent, building intentional culture, and empowering true ownership makes him a sought-after voice for COOs ready to scale with clarity and conviction.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
American Express
Bank of Montreal (BMO)
HSBC
PayPal
USCIS (U.S. immigration agency)
Slack
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results Framework)

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What if your next breakthrough isn’t more hustle, but ruthless focus on what actually matters?
Scott Levy, Fractional COO of ResultMaps, joins Sivana Brewer for a candid, zero-fluff conversation on why most CEOs and COOs are drowning in distraction and what separates “second in command” leaders who skyrocket growth from those stuck grinding. They pull apart why ambitious teams spiral into task overload, the critical metrics every department truly needs, and the battle-tested rituals that free up your brain for high-stakes decisions.
Ready to step off the treadmill of constant fires, endless meetings, and “yet another platform” promises? This episode exposes the cost of delay and throws you a direct path out, real systems, real clarity, real results. If you wait, you risk another year of burnout and missed breakthroughs. Press play now for inside strategies unavailable anywhere else.
Timestamped Highlights
[00:54] – Why “good” content became too dangerous for Speaker A to binge (and what that reveals about focus)
[02:09] – The real operations heartbreaks hidden behind entrepreneurial success stories
[07:09] – Why small teams will devour giants in the AI revolution (the Special Forces lesson nobody teaches MBAs)
[10:34] – The shockingly simple hack for bypassing bloated CRMs and running your pipeline on autopilot
[12:02] – How to extract a Vivid Vision in 30 minutes—no trust falls required
[16:13] – “Eff your feelings, follow the plan?” Dissecting the truth (and limits) of systemizing emotional chaos
[26:52] – The fatal flaw of cascading goals—and what truly separates winners from burned-out operators
[44:36] – The raw moment CEOs finally break—and why some refuse to suffer the same mistakes twice
About the Guest
Scott Levy is the Founder and CEO of ResultMaps, a cutting-edge SaaS platform designed to help founders and leadership teams obliterate operational friction, scale clarity, and get real results. With a background spanning management consulting, software, and building systems for high-growth companies, Scott’s passion is turning entrepreneurial chaos into decisive execution. He’s especially known for integrating technology and coaching with powerful simplicity.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Leila Hormozi
Grok (AI tool)
Figma
Cole Gordon/Closers.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-gordon/
EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
GrowRev
John Humphrey, Connect Points framework
Tony Robbins
Apple
Tesla (re: Grok in-car integration)

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

Are you overwhelmed by nonstop chaos, endless stakeholder demands, or the fear you’ll break while scaling up? This episode delivers urgent answers for every COO, integrator, and senior ops leader pushing to get their head above water.
Cameron Herold sits down with Kelly Knight, President and Integrator of EOS Worldwide, for a rare, candid look at the systems and mindset that power explosive growth and keep organizations aligned when everything feels impossible. Kelly lifts the curtain on EOS’s real role in revolutionizing the “second in command” function, gives you her hard-won playbook for winning over visionaries, and exposes how elite integrators preserve culture, even through private equity takeovers and seismic business model shifts.
Stop guessing and start winning. Listen now to avoid burnout, grab proven EOS secrets, and finally align your team before something breaks. These insights are exclusive, actionable, and you won’t hear them anywhere else.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – Chaos or clarity? How EOS aligns human energy when everything’s changing
[00:02:41] – Why most “second in command” titles are missing the mark (and where EOS fits in)
[00:03:27] – The system for managing human energy that built a raving fandom
[00:07:14] – Inside the “VI Duo”—the secret sauce that powers badass leadership teams
[00:10:11] – One killer meeting rhythm that keeps visionaries and integrators in lockstep
[00:13:02] – From outsider to integrator: Kelly’s surprising first 90 days and the mistake even top COOs make
[00:17:03] – Private equity chaos? How Kelly realigned 27 stakeholder groups and survived
[00:27:01] – Navigating massive change: Candid truths about communication, relationships, and earning trust
[00:29:44] – Why EOS failed at software and the power of doubling down on your “hedgehog”

About the Guest
Kelly Knight is the President & Integrator of EOS Worldwide, the pioneering force behind Entrepreneurial Operating System®. Known for her expertise in scaling operations, leadership development, and stakeholder alignment, Kelly has guided EOS through private equity acquisition and global expansion. She regularly mentors visionary-operator duos around the world, helping them navigate change and build lasting company culture.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Traction (book)
Rocket Fuel (book)
Kolbe (assessment)
Strategic Coach (Dan Sullivan)
1-800-GOT-JUNK
ninety.io (software partner)
Verne Harnish
Firefly Group (private equity)
Basecamp (training resource)
StrengthsFinders
Myers-Briggs
ChatGPT
Grok

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

What if you could transform a team of rookies into high-performing, loyal leaders and stay sane in the process?
This episode delivers an unfiltered look inside the mind of Richard Comitz, Chief Operating Officer of American Corporate Partners, a West Point PhD and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel now leading one of America’s most mission-driven nonprofits. He sits down with Narrator to unpack the proven discipline, radical transparency, and mentorship strategies he honed in combat and now deploys to scale an 80-person organization serving over 5,000 mentorships nationwide.
Want to dodge burnout, ignite next-gen talent, and finally get your CEO partnerships working for—not against—you? Listen now. Skip it, and you risk getting buried by the next Ops crisis. This is an urgent, inside-access episode you won’t find anywhere else.

Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – The leadership power move that made junior staff instantly trust Richard Comitz
[00:04:12] – Why a PhD, combat zones, and organic chemistry are COO superpowers (and how higher ed nearly cost him)
[00:08:48] – How to “inherit” a role from a founder without clashing or caving
[00:13:05] – The secret architecture behind training 60+ brand-new hires (and spotting future all-stars fast)
[00:15:53] – Shocking truths of what actually works to fight young-employee burnout and what never does
[00:19:30] – Hidden mentorship hacks that win powerful partners in Fortune 500s
[00:23:16] – Does military “figure it out” energy work with Gen Z? The raw reality from the field
[00:37:26] – Navigating founder-CEO rigidity and pitching bold new ideas (without ending up fired)

About the Guest
Richard Comitz is the Chief Operating Officer of American Corporate Partners (ACP), a powerhouse nonprofit connecting U.S. veterans and military spouses with Fortune 500 mentors for next-level careers. A retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, West Point organic chemistry instructor, and experienced higher education COO, Comitz is celebrated for turning disciplined military leadership into explosive organizational growth in both the public and nonprofit sectors.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Mentioned Resources
Peter Attia (podcast, health and nutrition)
Andrew Huberman (Huberman Lab, neuroscience podcast)
Jocko Podcast by Jocko Willink (Extreme Ownership, Navy SEAL leadership lessons)
Joe Rogan Experience (podcast)
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink (book)
West Point (U.S. Military Academy)

About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links
Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi

The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.