In this episode of ConvHERsations with Kristie, Kristie Clayton sits down with Susan Goebel—CEO of Scaling Management Consulting Group and fractional COO/Integrator—to talk about the journey from second-in-command to CEO, the evolution of leadership, and the power of building systems and support that scale.

Susan shares her story of unexpectedly entering entrepreneurship, building a thriving team, and learning to lead as a visionary—thanks in part to her own incredible COO, Jill. Together, she and Kristie reflect on what they’ve learned transitioning from integrators to founders, why assessments and peer groups only matter if you use them, and how tools like AI can be powerful—but only if paired with human insight and action.

They also dive into the three essentials every executive needs: an operating system, a strong peer group, and an executive coach.

This conversation is full of real-life leadership lessons, laughs, and reminders that growth often starts with asking for help—and saying yes to the unexpected.