Welcome to Masters of Ops. Our panel has dedicated thousands of hours to leading, teaching, and optimizing operations — so we're diving deep into the world of ops, and how to know which role your business needs next.
EA vs. Ops Manager vs. COO
Executive Assistants (EAs) focus on optimizing the CEO's efficiency and managing administrative tasks. Ops Managers / Directors of Operations streamline business operations, ensuring efficiency and profitability. Chief Operating Officers (COOs) take on a strategic role, driving long-term business growth and systems optimization.
Signs you need an operations hire
- Constant overwhelm and repeated fires
- Team turnover and scaling difficulties
- Inefficient resource allocation and revenue leaks
Justifying the cost
The right operations hire pays for itself through increased profitability, optimized team roles, liberated CEO time, and the prevention of revenue leaks.
Finding and managing the right operator
Start with internal recruitment and network referrals, write outcome-focused job descriptions, and vet thoroughly. Then manage with the "gas pedal & brake pedal" analogy: CEOs drive vision, operators ensure safe execution — built on trust, clear communication, and mutual-understanding tools.
The panel
- Adrienne Dorison — CEO, Clockwork (@AdrienneDorison)
- Jhana Li — CEO, Spyglass Ops (@thejhanali)
- Aaron Whelan — Fractional COO, Operations.com
Your next steps: run an operations audit, assess the role you need, analyze where your time goes, and hire for skills over titles.