Leveraging Leadership

Brandy Willis talks about her journey from Executive Assistant (EA) to Chief of Staff, managing various responsibilities across nine companies. She explains the importance of building strong relationships and handling different personalities, especially with her principal and his wife. Specific examples include overseeing government contracts, managing financials, and balancing personal tasks.

Links Mentioned:

• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:
00:45 Meet Brandy Willis: From EA to Chief of Staff
01:53 Managing Nine Companies
05:19 Daily Operations and Prioritization
10:29 Supporting the Principal and His Wife
14:40 Advice for Aspiring Chiefs of Staff

Emily sits down w/ her co-authors, Ed Barton and Rory Liebhart to talk about their new book, “On-Ramp to Exit: Your Guide to the Complete Private Equity Experience.”

They explain what private equity is (and what it is not - hint: venture capital), how private equity influences business operations, with examples like increased reporting for CEOs and CFOs. Rory and Ed also talk about private equity's networking benefits, how partnerships help companies grow, and potential access to future investments.

00:23 Meet the Guests: Ed Barton and Rory Liebhart

00:51 The Story Behind the Book

04:28 Understanding Private Equity

07:05 Navigating the Private Equity World

17:58 The Role of CEO and CFO in PE Partnerships

22:47 The PE Experience: Challenges and Opportunities

29:10 Success Stories and Lessons Learned

34:02 The Future of Private Equity

36:39 Conclusion and Book Release Information

WHO AM I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. Learn more at: www.nextlevel.coach

Emily discusses a key technique for framing conversations around what's important to the listener. She shares examples like tying a CEO's concern for profit margins to an Operations SOP or a strategic hire's impact on revenue. Emily also covers how to approach a first-time CEO who's micromanaging.

Links Mentioned:

• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, host Emily Sander sits down with Jessica Gonzalez, President of Happen Ventures, and her Chief of Staff, Ivan Rangel. 

Jessica and Ivan share the inspiring journey of Happen Ventures, a reuse-first company born out of the challenges presented by COVID-19. They discuss their rapid scaling during the pandemic, their operational strategies, and the innovative programs they're implementing to divert waste from landfills to communities in need. 

Additionally, they highlight their approach to team building, internal promotion, and how they maintain a culture of trust and accountability. 

Jessica dives into the invaluable benefits of having a Chief of Staff, emphasizing the unique relationship dynamics, the importance of mutual trust, and how this role has allowed her to balance work and personal life better. She also provides insights into what qualities to look for in a Chief of Staff and the significance of treating them as a key partner in the business. Tune in to learn how they are driving impactful change in sustainability and business leadership.

Links Mentioned:

• Happen Ventures' Website
• Connect with Jessica Gonzalez on LinkedIn
• Connect with Ivan Rangel on LinkedIn
• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

 
Time Stamps:
00:40 Jessica Gonzalez: Founding Happen Ventures
02:48 Ivan Rangel: Journey to Chief of Staff
04:44 Operational Strategies and Team Dynamics
19:09 Empowerment and Trust in Leadership
19:40 The Unique Role of a Chief of Staff
23:04 Building a Strong Principal-Chief of Staff Relationship
32:10 Promoting from Within and Valuing Hard Work

In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, Emily dives into how to set SMART communication goals that are specific and measurable to foster better communication and engagement among team members. She provides clear goals and communication objectives with real examples, such as enhancing public speaking skills through Toastmasters and improving internal communications strategies to boost employee engagement. Chiefs of Staff and other leaders will learn how to effectively roll out company-wide updates, ensuring that the target audience receives the message clearly. By focusing on specific goals and measurable outcomes, Emily explains how to achieve better communication and effective public relations within the team.

Links Mentioned:

• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:
00:08 Defining Good Communication Goals
00:28 SMART Goals Framework
01:24 Focusing on Controllable Inputs
02:20 Example 1: Public Speaking
05:03 Example 2: Internal Communication
08:43 Example 3: Social Media Presence
11:27 Helping Team Members with Communication Goals

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Chief of Staff Selina shares her transition from People Operations Manager to Chief of Staff at Baobab Consulting, emphasizing work-life balance and mental well-being in the workplace. She discusses the company's mission to change narratives about Africa and the importance of communication, whether that's adapting to cultural differences or managing a global remote team. Selina also touches on using feedback for career development and how organizations like GiveWell help guide responsible charitable actions.

Links Mentioned:

• Baobab Consulting's Website
• GiveWell's Website
• Giving What We Can's Website
• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:
01:07 The Unique CEO-CBO Structure
02:37 Creating the Chief of Staff Role
05:03 Communication and Team Dynamics
07:47 Baobab Consulting's Mission and Impact
17:00 Remote Work Challenges and Solutions
21:07 Wellbeing and Company Culture
25:53 Effective Altruism and Social Impact

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," host Emily offers strategies for addressing abrasive communication in the workplace. She suggests techniques like acknowledging one's communication issues and letting teammates know they are actively working on improving - and potentially using code words to signal to people when their communication is becoming aggressive. 

Links Mentioned:

• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

 
Time Stamps:
00:25 Identifying Communication Issues
01:25 Share You’re Actively Working On Improving
02:56 Real-Life Examples and Success Stories
04:51 Implementing the Techniques in Different Scenarios
07:55 Encouragement and Personal Success

In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, Deputy Chief of Staff Paul Robinson from the British Army talks about his role, training responsibilities, and experiences. He explains his work with NATO, the importance of building relationships, and how he manages logistics and people management. Paul also shares his experience with autism and its impact on his job, as well as small wins like improving policies for personnel moves.

Links Mentioned:

• British Army Recruiting
• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

 
Who Am I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, Host Emily Sander breaks down the book "The Expansion Sale" by Eric Peterson and Tim Riesterer. She explains the four must-win sales conversations—renewals, price increases, upsells, and apologies—and provides practical examples like how to highlight the cost of change, offer repair, and communicate evolving pressures. Emily also shares insights on timing and situational fluency in sales conversations.

Links Mentioned:

• Book: The Expansion Sale 
• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

Who Am I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:
00:27 Overview of 'The Expansion Sale'
01:34 Understanding the Four Must-Win Conversations
05:03 Renewals: Why Stay?
07:44 Price Increases: Why Pay More?
09:06 Upsells: Why Evolve?
12:22 Apologies: Why Forgive?
17:51 Situational Fluency and Implementation
21:31 Timing in Upsell and Cross-Sell Conversations

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," host Emily Sander chats with Dr. Helen Ofosu about creating a resilient work environment and overcoming imposter syndrome. Dr. Helen, author of "How to Be Resilient in Your Career," shares practical tips like being intentional in hiring practices and preparing for big moments to combat feelings of inadequacy. They also tackle the real effects of a toxic workplace, highlighting Helen's point that recovery from bad behavior takes longer than from other workplace issues.

Links Mentioned:

• Dr. Helen Ofosu's Book "How to Be Resilient in Your Career, Facing Up to Barriers at Work"
• Dr. Helen Ofosu's Website
• Clarity Call with Emily

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

Who Am I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.