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Listen "#45: Q&A: Early Stage Priorities, Scaling in Anticipation of Growth, and Employees That Just Don't Care"
Episode Synopsis
Get practical answers to questions COOs are asking—about SOPs, staffing ahead of growth, and managing disengaged employees.
In this Q&A episode of The Right-Hand Roadmap, Megan Long tackles real-world questions from second-in-command leaders navigating fast growth, resource constraints, and team dynamics. Whether you're wondering when to systematize your startup, how to staff for a 30% growth forecast, or what to do with employees who are just clocking in and out, this episode has guidance you can apply immediately. Megan draws on years of experience working inside and alongside founder-led businesses to help you set smart priorities and avoid common missteps.
You'll hear all about:
00:00 – Introduction to the Q&A format and how to submit your own questions
01:47 – Q1: Prioritizing SOPs and processes at an early-stage company with ambitious growth goals
02:11 – Why sales and marketing systems must come before internal process-building
03:10 – Strategic planning example: focusing on partnerships and lead gen over documentation
04:08 – A warning: 300% growth will break your current systems—so build flexibly
05:08 – Story: Megan’s mistake of over-documenting accounting procedures too early
06:47 – Challenge your CEO on whether SOPs are the most urgent need right now
07:08 – Q2: Should you staff up in anticipation of growth or wait until overwhelmed?
08:16 – The cultural and operational risks of premature hiring
08:46 – Megan’s rule of thumb: distinguish between proven vs. unproven growth
09:04 – Second First benchmarking data: turnover and revenue trends across members
10:07 – Forecasting in the post-2020 era: why historical data can be misleading
Rate, review & follow on Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Listen!
OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE
If you haven't already done so, follow the podcast to make sure you never miss a value-packed episode.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Second First Membership
Second First One-on-One Coaching
Second First on Instagram
Second First on LinkedIn
Megan Long on LinkedIn
In this Q&A episode of The Right-Hand Roadmap, Megan Long tackles real-world questions from second-in-command leaders navigating fast growth, resource constraints, and team dynamics. Whether you're wondering when to systematize your startup, how to staff for a 30% growth forecast, or what to do with employees who are just clocking in and out, this episode has guidance you can apply immediately. Megan draws on years of experience working inside and alongside founder-led businesses to help you set smart priorities and avoid common missteps.
You'll hear all about:
00:00 – Introduction to the Q&A format and how to submit your own questions
01:47 – Q1: Prioritizing SOPs and processes at an early-stage company with ambitious growth goals
02:11 – Why sales and marketing systems must come before internal process-building
03:10 – Strategic planning example: focusing on partnerships and lead gen over documentation
04:08 – A warning: 300% growth will break your current systems—so build flexibly
05:08 – Story: Megan’s mistake of over-documenting accounting procedures too early
06:47 – Challenge your CEO on whether SOPs are the most urgent need right now
07:08 – Q2: Should you staff up in anticipation of growth or wait until overwhelmed?
08:16 – The cultural and operational risks of premature hiring
08:46 – Megan’s rule of thumb: distinguish between proven vs. unproven growth
09:04 – Second First benchmarking data: turnover and revenue trends across members
10:07 – Forecasting in the post-2020 era: why historical data can be misleading
Rate, review & follow on Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Listen!
OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE
If you haven't already done so, follow the podcast to make sure you never miss a value-packed episode.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Second First Membership
Second First One-on-One Coaching
Second First on Instagram
Second First on LinkedIn
Megan Long on LinkedIn
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