COO Survival Guide
There are very few books entirely dedicated to the role of a Chief Operating Officer - and all of them are focused on corporates, not startups.
Chapters 1-5 are now available!
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We’re on a mission to create the world’s first-ever book for startup COOs, by startup COOs.
There are hundreds of books and articles written for CEOs… … but very few books designed for the second-in-command.
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By COOs for COOs
This book is for COOs, written by COOs who have walked in your footsteps.
We are passionate about sharing some of our key learnings and war wounds in hopes that they will help you become (and remain!) healthy and successful as an individual leader.
What this book is intended to be:
A resource for aspiring or first-time startup COOs to
- get a better sense of what the ever-difficult-to-define role of the Chief Operating Officer is and can be
- set you up for success in your new position
A resource for COOs already in the thick of it to
- address some of the common challenges we face as COOs
What this book is not intended to be:
An end-all-be-all guide to how to be a great COO.
Being a COO is a unique journey: a choose-your-own-adventure book. Only you can determine your style of leadership and how you will make decisions while taking your company from startup to scaleup.
Acknowledgments
To all the amazing contributors who laid the initial groundwork for this book over the past couple of years: Kalie Gold, Kat Neureiter, Liz Mercer, Meredith Karazin, and Theodore Sutherland 🧠
To our editors:
- Chapters 1-4: Simon Rodrigues
- Chapter 5 onwards: Kalie Gold and Mikaila Kelly ✍️
To all the aspiring and first-time COOs in the Operations Nation community who inspired us to write this book in the first place - this book is dedicated to you 💜
Published chapters ✨
Chapter 1:
What IS a startup COO?
The traits and archetypes of the role that keeps a startup glued together
Lead contributor: Kalie Gold (COO @ Jacaranda Maternity)
Contributors:
- Dan Blake (COO @ Florence)
- Kristen Shannon (COO @ Dexory, former COO @ Oxford Ionics and General System)
With real-life stories from:
- Tom Foster-Carter (former COO @ Monzo Bank)
- Phill Burton (former COO at Bloom & Wild)
- Rona Ruthen (former Head of Operations @ Curve, former VP of Customer Ops @ Monzo Bank)
- Yumika Brewster (former COO @ Finimize)
This chapter will help you learn about… 💡
The Gap Filler
The Team Builder
The Systems Architect
The One Who Steadies the Ship
The Reality Checker
Chapter 2:
How do I become a COO?
Decoding exactly what it takes to land the role
Lead contributor: Kalie Gold (COO @ Jacaranda Maternity)
Contributors:
- Paul David Mather (former Head of Operations @ Deliveroo, Career & Business Mentor, former fractional COO)
- Riley McGhee (former COO @ PVL)
With real-life stories from:
- Linda Blank (former COO @ Feedr, fractional COO)
- Uzoamaka Okoro (COO @ Fincra)
- Adam Thompson-Smith (former Director of Operations @ Zava, Operations Director @ Boots Digital Health)
- Sarah Touzani (former COO @ Creditspring)
- Christopher Varin (former COO @ Car & Classic)
This chapter will help you learn about… 💡
The Five Competencies of a Startup COO
People Leadership
Functional Management
Generalist ‘Glue’
Expert Communication
Problem Solving
The Three Journeys into the COO Role
Target an existing COO vacancy
Create a COO role for yourself
Work up the startup ladder
Chapter 3:
How to spend your first 90 days as a COO
Using your golden window to set foundations for success
Lead contributor: Uzoamaka Okoro (COO @ Fincra)
Contributors:
- Ajay Palekar (former COO @ WorkClub - acquired by UpFlex)
- James da Costa (Co-Founder & COO @ Fingo)
With real-life stories from:
- Adetolani Balogun (COO/CFO @ Quidax)
- Kalie Gold (COO @ Jacaranda Maternity)
- Jens Christenhuß (former COO at Pokercode, fractional CoS/COO)
- Sarah Touzani (former COO @ Creditspring)
- Charlene Chen (Co-Founder @ Operations Nation and former COO @ AZA Finance, Lantum)
- Lorin Despiegelaere (COO @ KLEA)
- Deepa Shekar (COO @ Maisha Meds)
- Jeff Courtney (former COO @ Wiserfunding)
- Linda Blank (former COO @ Feedr, fractional COO)
This chapter will help you learn how to… 💡
Build a relationship with the CEO
Clarify the COO role
Define success in the first 90 days
Gain context on the company
Deliver value and manage expectations
Go slow to go fast
Chapter 4:
How to position yourself in a team
Taking radical accountability to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts
Lead contributors:
- Ghilaine Chan (COO @ EmergeOne, former COO @ Final Version, fractional COO/CoS)
- Nick Larkins (Director of Operations @ Dishpatch)
- Sabrina Castiglione (former COO @ Pento - acquired by HiBob)
Contributors:
- Brian Snyder (Co-Founder @ Aide Health)
This chapter will teach you how to… 💡
Understand the challenge of expanding your influence beyond your authority
Cultivate a mindset of radical accountability for yourself – and others
Become trusted partner to your peers, direct reports, and frontline team members
Embrace conflict effectively to overcome obstacles
Drive accountability throughout the company
Chapter 5:
How to turn strategy into reality
Guide your company to define and execute a strategic plan
Lead contributor: Milly Barker (Founder and Fractional COO @ Pay As You Go COO)
Contributors:
- Chloe Handelman (Fractional COO and Business Operations Consultant)
- JP Fleuret (Head of Operations @ Multiply AI)
- Kalie Gold (COO @ Jacaranda Maternity)
- Katie Bray (Operations Consultant and former COO @ Flying Cat Marketing)
- Kristen Shannon (COO @ Dexory, former COO @ Oxford Ionics and General System)
- Lewis Tasker (Group Chief Operating Officer @ The Key Group)
- Charlene Chen (Co-Founder @ Operations Nation and former COO @ AZA Finance, Lantum)
This chapter will teach you how to… 💡
Demystify the concept of strategy
Use frameworks to translate strategy into action plans
Understand what kind of COO archetype you may have to be to implement strategy
Coming soon… 👀
Chapter 6:
Organisational Performance and Analytics
How to aggregate, report upon, and influence the cross-functional metrics that matter most
Chapter 7:
Fundraising and Budgeting
How to help your CEO and CFO raise and manage financial resources
Chapter 8:
Organisational Design
How to help shape your org chart/accountabilities as the company grows and scales
Chapter 9:
Internal Communications
How to communicate from All-Hands Meetings to Cross-Functional Projects
Chapter 10:
External Communications
How to manage and communicate to Board Members and Investors
Chapter 11:
Your Role on the Exec Team
How to Communicate and Influence Laterally
Chapter 12:
Your Role with respect to the CEO
How to Navigate the Politics of Managing Upwards
Do you have questions about the COO Survival Guide?
Would you like to contribute to it?