Managed Chaos Podcast

This week on the Managed Chaos Podcast, Rachel Anderson sits down with Raven O'Neal to unpack the realities ofstartup chaos,  from networking and co-founding to funding, mental health, and building an authentic communitysupport.

Raven has dedicated her career to helping womenentrepreneurs thrive. Through strategic guidance and ecosystem-building, she’s helped women-led startups secure over $100M in funding and supported more than300 founders in navigating growth. She is also the founder of the Hacking the Patriarchy Podcast (a platformchallenging systemic barriers), Fem-Led News (amplifying women’s business narratives), and Startup Women NC (a community for North Carolina women entrepreneurs).

Together, Rachel and Raven explore the importance of creating a personal board of advisors, prioritizing tasks thatgenerate revenue quickly, and the necessity of protecting mental health while building a business.

💡 Key Takeaways

✔️Networking can lead to meaningful connections
✔️Mental health is crucial for startup success
✔️Community support provides valuable resources
✔️Funding alleviates stress and enables growth
✔️A personal board of advisors can change the game
✔️Chaos is part of the entrepreneurial journey

🔗 Connect with Raven O’Neal:

Website: https://savvygal.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravenroneal/

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com

👥 Connect on LinkedIn:
Rachel Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader
Katrina Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/

🎧 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get towork.

Growth hacking isn’t just for Silicon Valley unicorns — your startup can do it too.
In this week’s episode of the Managed Chaos podcast, Katrina Purcell and Rachel Anderson reveal how to use creativity, data, and speed to fuel business growth without burning through your budget.

From legendary wins like Hotmail and Airbnb to real-life lessons learned from experiments gone wrong, you’ll hear exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to adapt it to your own company.

💡 Highlights:
✔️ The mindset shift that separates growth hacking from traditional marketing
✔️ How to leverage free or low cost tools for maximum impact
✔️ Why community platforms like Reddit can spark innovation
✔️ The value of building in public to attract customers early
✔️ How to test and validate growth ideas quickly
✔️ Making data driven decisions without slowing down creativity

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com
👥 Connect on LinkedIn:
Rachel Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader
Katrina Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/

🎧 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.

This week on the Managed Chaos podcast, Rachel Anderson and Katrina Purcell tackle one of the most pressing topics in today’s business world: remote and hybrid team management. As more companies navigate flexible work environments, leaders are faced with a new set of challenges around communication, accountability, and culture-building.From hybrid work disparities to remote onboarding strategies, this episode dives deep into how founders and managers can adapt traditional leadership practices to meet the demands of a distributed workforce—without losing productivity or team cohesion.💬 Whether you're scaling a startup or leading a seasoned team, this conversation is packed with insights to help you lead more effectively, from anywhere.💡 Highlights:✔️ 95% of management can be remote—if you do it right✔️ Hybrid work requires intentionality to avoid team imbalances✔️ Culture doesn’t need four walls to thrive✔️ Tools + feedback loops = remote alignment success🎧 Listen in for tactical advice on making remote leadership work—for you and your team.🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com👥 Connect on LinkedIn:Rachel Anderson: linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leaderKatrina Purcell: linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell🎙 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.

This week on the Managed Chaos podcast, Katrina Purcell and Rachel Anderson delve into what it truly takes for startups to expand globally. From Animaniacs flashbacks to the challenges of localization, this episode is all about building brands that scale, without losing your identity.They explore lessons from companies like Notion, Wise, and Duolingo, breaking down what founders need to know about cultural nuance, market selection, and planning for growth before it happens. If you’re thinking internationally, this is your playbook.💬 Whether you’re just launching or looking to expand into new markets, this episode is packed with real talk, innovative strategies, and startup humor.💡 Highlights:✔️ Why your brand needs to speak without words✔️ The difference between translation and true localization✔️ How to plan for global scale from day one✔️ Tools that make international expansion smoother✔️ The mindset shift that separates startup survivors from the rest🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com👥 Connect on LinkedIn:Rachel Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leaderKatrina Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/🎧 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.

This week on the Managed Chaos podcast, Katrina Purcell sits down with serial entrepreneur and strategic investor KK Hart to talk all things growth, chaos, and ownership. Known for her work in the wellness and fitness industries, KK shares how she evaluates investment opportunities, builds client-first businesses, and manages both the personal and professional messiness that comes with scaling.

From client retention strategies to redefining what success looks like, this conversation is packed with practical insights and powerful mindset shifts for anyone navigating the "messy middle" of business.

💬 Whether you're bootstrapping your first idea, scaling a second business, or trying to regain balance, KK's holistic approach is a must-hear.

💡 Highlights:
✔️ How to win at client acquisition and retention without burnout
✔️ Why KK believes in ownership over exits
✔️ Marketing strategies that actually move the needle
✔️ What investors really look for in the wellness industry
✔️ Tools for managing chaos while growing revenue

🔗 Connect with our guest:
Website: https://www.kkhart.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkhart/

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com
👥 Connect on LinkedIn:
Rachel Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader
Katrina Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell/

🎧 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.

This week on the Managed Chaos podcast, Rachel and Katrina tackle the unspoken truths of networking in today's startup world. From awkward coffee shop mix-ups to the overwhelming number of networking DMs flooding your inbox, they break down how to make authentic connections that actually matter.

Whether you're gearing up for Tech Week, constantly being invited to new founder groups, or just trying to build meaningful relationships, this episode is for you.

💬 They cover the do's, the don'ts, and the power of saying "no thanks" to the wrong room.

💡 Highlights:
✔️ What "networking burnout" really looks like
✔️ Why your purpose matters more than your pitch
✔️ Strategies for building a long game, not just quick wins
✔️ When to say yes—and when to send that invite straight to archive
✔️ How giving, not getting, is the secret to lasting connections

🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Rachel Anderson: linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader
Katrina Purcell: linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.themanagedchaospodcast.com

👉 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.

In this episode of Managed Chaos, Katrina Purcell sits down with SEO expert Meg Clarke to explore how artificial intelligence is shaking up everything we know about search engines and digital marketing. From the death of traditional SEO to the rise of immersive online experiences, this conversation is your crash course in what’s changing, what’s next, and how to keep your business ahead of the curve.

Meg shares why businesses must adapt to AI-powered search, how to keep your voice human in a tech-driven world, and why progress beats perfection when navigating tech trends.

💬 Whether you're a founder, marketer, or just wondering if your website is ready for the future—this episode will give you the tools (and laughs) to take action.

💡 Highlights:
✔️ AI is rewriting the rules of how we find and interact with online content
✔️ SEO isn’t dead—but it’s not what it used to be
✔️ Clear, engaging websites are more important than ever
✔️ You can’t afford to ignore AI—but you can still be yourself
✔️ Banana pants.

🔗 Connect with Meg Clarke
Website: Clapping Dog Media
Search Party: SEO Reimagined
LinkedIn: Meg Clarke

🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
Rachel Anderson: linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader
Katrina Purcell: linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.managedchaospodcast.com

Automate or Stagnate? Marketing Automation Without the Burnout

In this episode of Managed Chaos, Katrina and Rachel tackle one of the most overwhelming (and misunderstood) aspects of modern entrepreneurship: marketing automation. Whether you’re new to automation or knee-deep in spreadsheets and email templates, this one’s for you.

They break down how small business owners and startup leaders can use automation to scale smarter, not just louder. Learn how to map your customer journey, implement automation in bite-sized ways, and avoid common traps that hurt trust, retention, and sanity. And yes, we talk about AI, but in a practical, founder-friendly way.

💬 This episode is for the founders juggling it all, the inbox, the leads, the social posts, and wondering, “Isn’t there a better way?” Yes. Yes, there is.

💡 Highlights:

✔️ Why automation is more than email scheduling

✔️ Simple automations to boost sales & free up time

✔️ When AI helps—and when it hurts

✔️ Avoiding the dreaded “oops, wrong name” fail

✔️ How automation can build trust, not just efficiency

🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Rachel Anderson: linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader

Katrina Purcell: linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: https://www.themanagedchaospodcast.com/

As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.

Is the Chief of Staff Role Evolving or Just Confusing?

This week on the Managed Chaos podcast, Katrina Purcell sits down with Harry Siggins to dive into the evolving (and often misunderstood) role of the Chief of Staff. From OKRs to founder dynamics to the difference between being a strategic partner and a glorified EA, Harry brings insight and clarity to a title that means something different everywhere you go.

Whether you're in the role, hiring for it, or trying to define what the heck it should be, this episode is a must-listen.

💼 About Our Guest:

Harry Siggins is the founder of One Growth Studio, where he helps growth-stage companies turn strategic plans into results. As the former Chief of Staff at Quantive, he’s lived the chaos firsthand, running internal OKRs, influencingproduct direction, and supporting clients during rapid scaling. Harry now coaches other Chiefs of Staff and helps organizations achieve focus and alignment during high-growth phases.

🔗Connect with Harry:
https://www.onetwogrowth.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrysiggins/

💡Highlights:
✔️Why the Chief of Staff role often gets miscast
✔️How to sniff out whether a role is truly strategic—or just support
✔️The power of saying “no” when everything feels urgent
✔️A framework for tracking your impact (even if it's hard to quantify)
✔️Advice for aspiring Chiefs of Staff navigating their next move

🔗Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Rachel Anderson: linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader
Katrina Purcell: linkedin.com/in/katrina-purcell

🌐Visit the Managed Chaos website: https://www.themanagedchaospodcast.com/

🎧As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takesfor you to get to work.

This week on the Managed Chaos podcast, Rachel and Katrina tackle the looming “R” word—recession—and what it actually means for startups and small businesses trying to grow. From preserving team morale to trimming waste without gutting your vision, this episode is packed with practical insights to help leaders navigate economic uncertainty like pros.

💡 Whether you’re already feeling the pinch or just want to recession-proof your strategy, this one is filled with tools, tips, and mindset shifts to help you adapt, survive, and maybe even thrive.

💼 Highlights:

✔️ How to maintain cash flow without cutting customer value

✔️ Why transparency with your team builds trust (and retention)

✔️ Smart growth planning when the economy stalls

✔️ Reframing “recession” as an opportunity to innovate

✔️ Real-world ways to stay agile and customer-focused

🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Rachel Anderson: linkedin.com/in/rachel-anderson-human-centric-leader

Katrina Purcell: linkedin.com/in/katrinapurcell

🌐 Visit the Managed Chaos website: www.managedchaospodcast.com

🕐 As always, we give you the startup business rundown in less time than it takes for you to get to work.