Feb 14, 2018 · 48m · mixergy
#1559 Cameron Herold coaches me on hiring (so I don’t collapse at my desk)
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gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions
In this live coaching session, Mixergy founder Andrew Warner works with operational expert Cameron Herold to overcome founder burnout, eliminate operational bottlenecks, and execute a structured hiring process for a high-performing operations leader.
How this conversation actually went
Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Andrew holds 47.9% of the talking time here. How this is scored →
Andrew as informed peer 2.1 Guest teaching 6.3 Guest disagreement 1.5 Andrew pushing back 1.3
speaking balance: gold is Andrew, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 33:24 Cameron's forceful rant against title creep
Cameron strongly rejects handing out executive C-level titles for mid-level responsibilities, asserting that founders have created massive title inflation.
Hardest push from Andrew ▶ 15:21 Andrew defends the necessity of structured checklistsAndrew refuses to let tasks be executed haphazardly, pushing back that delegating requires a defined, repeatable process.
Biggest teaching moment ▶ 13:04 Cameron dismantles Andrew's perfectionist mindsetCameron demonstrates that Andrew's straight-A perfectionism prevents business progress, explaining that a 65 percent success rate represents strong momentum.
Andrew holds their own ▶ 30:24 Andrew lays out operational growth prioritiesAndrew demonstrates his strategic understanding of podcast growth by detailing specific initiatives across guest booking, syndication, and production.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
| Chapter | Topic | Andrew as informed peer | Guest teaching | Guest disagreement | Andrew pushing back | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overcoming the Resistance to Asking for Help | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Andrew opens up vulnerably about his struggle asking for help and getting bogged down in operational bottlenecks. Cameron reframes asking for help by comparing it to world-class athletes utilizing specialized coaches. | |
| Reviewing Current Team Structure and Executive Delegation | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | Cameron audits Andrew's team and explains the Vivid Vision framework and how an effective COO acts as a complementary yin to the founder's yang. Andrew listens attentively while noting down organizational principles. | |
| Shifting from Perfectionism to Momentum-Driven Execution | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | Cameron directly diagnoses Andrew's straight-A student perfectionism as an operational Achilles heel, demonstrating how a 65 percent success rate creates business momentum. Andrew initially pushes back before acknowledging his perfectionist tendencies. | |
| Streamlining Delegation with Decision Filters and SOP Software | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | Andrew presses on the need for structured systems before delegating tasks like buying microphones for guests. Cameron introduces the Decision Filter and SOP platforms like SweetProcess, advising Andrew to surrender initial control. | |
| Leveraging Kolbe Profiles and the Power of Shared Knowledge | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | Cameron uses Kolbe score profiles to explain why Andrew needs a high Fact Finder and Follow Through operator to balance his Quick Start style. They also discuss mutual peer networks and Tim Ferriss. | |
| Sponsor Messages: Bench Bookkeeping and Toptal Developers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Monologue sponsor segment featuring promotional messages for Bench bookkeeping and Toptal developer hiring. | |
| Defining First-Year Scorecards and Hiring for Proven Experience | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | Cameron instructs Andrew to define a 12-month scorecard of five key outcomes and hire someone who has proven past experience rather than unproven potential. Andrew asks for a step-by-step breakdown of how to build this scorecard. | |
| Brainstorming Mixergy's Five Core Operational Priorities | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Andrew brainstorms Mixergy's core priorities including guest leveling, content repurposing, and audio production. Cameron helps refine these concepts into clear operational deliverables. | |
| Combating Title Creep and Aligning Compensation with Role Scope | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | When Andrew suggests a $120k salary, Cameron passionately critiques modern title creep, clarifying that $120k hires a Director of Operations rather than an executive COO. Andrew reflects on the role distinction. | |
| Crafting Polarizing Job Descriptions and Active Sourcing | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | Cameron teaches Andrew how to write polarizing job postings that repel incompatible applicants while attracting top performers. He also advises engaging specialized recruiters to poach employed A-players. | |
| Mastering Deep Behavioral Interviews and Reference Checks | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | Cameron explains deep behavioral interviewing techniques, including TORC reference checks and asking candidates about past failures and exaggerations. Andrew expresses excitement about applying rigorous interviewing methods. | |
| Actionable Next Steps and Shifting from 'How' to 'Who' | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Cameron advises Andrew to shift his mental focus from asking 'how' to asking 'who', and offers to connect him with vetted recruiters before wrapping up the coaching call. |
Statements from this episode (15)
Herold: CEOs without an executive assistant are acting as one
“If you don't have an assistant, you are one. And I often get CEOs will talk about wanting to hire a second-in-command And the first thing they need to do is hire a really kickass executive assistant to get a lot of this stuff off their plate to free them up fo…”
Herold: A COO's role must complement what the founder delegates
“When you're looking to hire a second in command, it really has to be a true yin and yang relationship for you. So you've got to take a look at the stuff that's on your plate that you love to do, that you get energized from, that you're really, really good at. …”
Herold: Shopify COO Harley Finkelstein does not manage finance or engineering
“And I interviewed another COO recently, Harley Finkelstein from Shopify and Harley doesn't run finance at all. He doesn't run engineering. That's under Tobias, but Harley's very sales and marketing and culture and operations and biz dev.”
Herold: Ivy League student founders should accept 2.8 GPAs, not drop out
“If you're at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Yale, you stay in school, you finish, but I want you to not go after a four point O be okay with getting a 2.8 for the first time in your life.”
Herold: Decision filters streamline project delegation using five success criteria
“The decision filter is a one pager that has you outline what the project looks like at perfect or at complete. It shows the five success criteria. It shows the ROI. It shows whether you're going to make money or make people happier. It's a great way to hand of…”
Warner: Mixergy sent guests iPads before realizing poor internet caused audio issues
“We, at one point, we're sending out, I think iPads to people to record, and it turns out that wasn't the problem. The problem was their internet connection that caused the issue, and by sending them a new iPad, we were exacerbating the problem, because then we…”
Herold: Visionary founders need COOs with high Kolbe Follow Through scores
“What you're looking for in a COO is someone who is a very high second and first number. Their second number should be the highest. Their first number should be second highest. So you want someone who's a high follow through, which is putting systems in place b…”
Herold: 1-800-GOT-JUNK? grew from 14 to 3,100 employees during his tenure
“When I went in to start one 800 got junk or to grow it, they had 14 employees. When I left six and a half years later, we had 3100 employees system wide.”
Herold: Startup title inflation gives C-level titles to unqualified young employees
“20 years ago to get a C level title, you had to be a major player at a major company. And about 10 years ago, we started giving away titles as well as equity, as well as compensation to Gen Y who are asking for big titles. And we've had title creep in a big wa…”
Herold: A legitimate Chief Operating Officer earns $300,000 to $400,000 annually
“A true COO, you're usually three to 400,000 a year. You know, I was three 2010 years ago. It got junk.”
Herold: 'Hire for attitude, train for skill' yields only modest growth
“If you hire for attitude and train for skill, you get seven percent growth, but if you hire for attitude and proven skill set, That's where you get the incremental growth. A true a player has done the job before.”
Herold: Job postings should repel bad fits to attract the right talent
“Write it like an ad that pushes some people away and magnetizes people towards you.”