Calling Operator

Today, I'm connecting with Anitta Krishan, Chief Culture Officer at Hoogly AI. We begin with a breath—a literal nervous system–balancing pause—followed by people-first perspectives from a former Trivago, Grab, and TikTok executive now shaping the future of work through an AI-powered Culture OS.Inside the episode:Operating mindfully: breathing, sleeping, deep sighing, and listening to your body’s signalsThe future of work, where humans serve as culture architects and AI steps in as orchestratorJoining Trivago at 200 employees and scaling through IPO to 1,600Leading people and culture transformation at Grab during a chapter of hypergrowth and reinventionScaling TikTok globally from 1,000 to 50,000 employees, navigating geopolitical tensions and cultural nuance at warp speedThe black ops moment: how the TikTok India ban shaped her legacy as a people-first operatorWhy “your calendar reflects your values”—and the case for auditing it weeklyBuilding from the ground floor inside an AI-native companyAdvice for rising operators: “Stop waiting for permission and titles. Just influence.”Connect with Anitta on LinkedIn.Check out Hoogly AI for your org. A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Karan Anand, Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Director, Australia at Hnry.We trace his journey from 13 years in consulting to becoming Hnry’s first hire in Australia, exploring what it really means to lead without ego, think in systems, and be a force multiplier for founders.Inside the episode:His experience as a new dadBuilding generational community projects, including the creation of the Young Seek Professionals NetworkThe co-pilot model of the Chief Strategy Officer—and how to support founders while staying anchored to long-term goalsWhat it meant to be the first hire in Australia for Hnry—and how to scale without a playbookWhy being in rooms you're “not ready for” is often where you learn the most—and how to hold your ground when you get thereThe startup superpowers management consulting teaches: structured problem solving, corporate technique, and navigating directional tensionBreaking a company into 26 first-principles components to build a three-year strategy—and reaching a consensus on directionBuilding Hnry’s "Sole Trader Pulse" data play—and turning underrepresented customer voices into strategic advantageMoving between inductive and abductive logic when data is sparse but decisions can’t waitThe traits Karan looks for in strategy operators at early-stage startupsHis operating philosophy: Helping people become their best in service of the businessWhy systems thinking is a survival skill in fast-scaling companiesConnect with Karan Anand on LinkedIn. Learn more about Hnry.Other operators mentioned in the episode:Brandon Palmer, Head of Marketing @ HnrySandeep Chandra, Strategy @ AtlassianAlbert Patajo, Chief of Staff @ NexlHarry Hamilton, Product @ Tracksuit, Co-Founder @ Fuzzy A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

**Join us at our first-ever podcast meetup in Sydney. Info below**Today, I'm connecting with Sophie Mckay, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific and Japan at Notion. Sophie’s career has been all about scaling tech brands across the Asia-Pacific region (APAC). Before joining Notion six months ago, she spent almost a decade at Qualtrics—starting as the first marketing hire in APAC and growing the team to 17, launching across six regions. In her words: “Every country or region we went into felt like a startup within a startup.” Now, she’s crafting Notion’s brand story and building her dream marketing team for APAC.In this episode, we dial into:Balancing a high-growth tech career with life as a mum to two young boys (3 and 5) and a pilot husband who’s often in the sky. Sophie shares how she makes it work.Could Sydney become “Silicon Sands”? Sophie weighs in.Why she loves launching companies across APAC—and the three-part strategy that sets her up for success every time.Notion's Australian takeover: A front-row seat to Sophie's "launch moment" (and why community love is everything).Her first 30 days at Notion: How she left onboarding in San Francisco with a fully approved marketing plan, ready to roll the moment she landed back in Sydney.Leading cross-cultural teams and appreciating the nuances of a region's go-to-market motion.Building things from scratch: The signals that tell you it’s time to scale or pivotHiring philosophy: Why you should always recruit someone who "scares you" (and why Sophie spent 18 months finding a first marketing hire).Finding Nemo wisdom: "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" (and remember you're not saving lives).Joy as a metric: "Startups are full on. Just make sure you’re always having a really good laugh every single day. If you're not, change up what you're doing."Operator shoutout: Carrie Ball, Talent Acquisition Lead APAC at Rippling. "What really stands out is how she brings a human element to the recruitment process. Her posts are hilarious—and honestly, I think she’d be such a fun guest to have on the podcast to talk about building teams from scratch across APAC."Thanks to Kelly Souders and Kirsty Poynter for helping shape this interview and for your time on the pre-interview chats.Connect with Sophie:LinkedInResources mentioned in the ep:Notion {Notion is the all-in-one workspace for teams to share knowledge, manage projects, take notes, and more}Hello, Australia! By Andrew McCarthyHow OpenAI turns shared knowledge into faster workflows with Notion**📆  JOIN US: Calling Operator x Notion coffee | Apr 29, 10am**Some of the best conversations happen off-mic. ​That’s why I’ve teamed up with Notion to bring the Calling Operator community together in Sydney.The deets:🌞 First-ever pod meetup in our most-listened city >> Sydney🌞 Tues, Apr 29 at 10am (Surry Hills location) 🌞 Past podcast guests are coming—swap stories, ask questions🌞 RSVP here A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

**Join us at our first-ever podcast meetup in Sydney. Info below**Today, I'm connecting with Olivia (Liv) Panzic, Head of Marketing Communications at TikTok ANZ. A core part of Liv’s belief system? Look after people. And it shows. Her colleagues and mentors describe her leadership at TikTok as “people-centric,” “human-first,” and “transformative for those around her.” This conversation covers three big themes: creating thumb-stopping content, being brave, and leading from the heart.In this episode, we cover:Why everything is better after a good night’s sleep (thanks, Mum).Community as strategy—not just support, but a growth engine.How a failed startup led her to TikTok—proof that the algorithm of life sometimes gets it right.Her first three years at TikTok ANZ—moving to Sydney, stepping into leadership, and building a marcomms strategy that clicks.A reminder that growth is layered: internal, external, and relational.Want to break into startups? Ditch the “pick me” mindset—find your match (tips inside).Leading inside a global company and bringing local context to celebrate culture drivers.Creating space for your team to grow and go viral in their own way.Why talking out loud to AI tools like ChatGPT changes the game for storytelling, advertising, and attention. Looking ahead to reaching people through voice.Staying humble: “You’re never too big for a small job.”Operator shoutout: How Elly Strang and the team at Tracksuit rewrote the playbook on early-stage B2B comms and content. Why their customers say: “Hey, I want this company to win as much as I love their product.”Connect with Liv:Connect With Liv on LinkedInOthers Mentioned in the Episode:Elly Strang at TracksuitKendall Moses at UberPip MarlowTony ReidHuge thanks to Hayley Saddleton and Shani Kugenthiran for the pre-interview chats. You're so right. Liv. Is. Magic.📆  JOIN US: Calling Operator x Notion coffee | Apr 29, 10amSome of the best conversations happen off-mic. ​That’s why I’ve teamed up with Notion to bring the Calling Operator community together in Sydney.The deets:🌞 First-ever pod meetup in our most-listened city >> Sydney🌞 Tues, Apr 29 at 10am (Surry Hills location) 🌞 Past podcast guests are coming—swap stories, ask questions🌞 RSVP here A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Rach Matters, Senior Program Manager at Linktree. Rach’s sweet spot is joining fast-growing organizations with a blank job description, and she’s had the privilege of learning company building through EA-exec partnerships with Linktree’s Alex Zaccaria and seasoned entrepreneur Janey Martino.In this episode, we cover:Why worrying is like a rocking chair—it keeps you busy but gets you nowhereScaling herself alongside one of Australia’s biggest tech success storiesSupporting leaders through hypergrowth and high-stakes momentsThe EA-executive relationship and the magic of high-trust partnershipsCreating calm in chaos (while secretly thriving in it)Why waiting back isn’t Rach’s styleUnderstanding the individual needs of your leadership team (it’s not one-size-fits-all)Strategic restraint—bringing deep knowledge of the leadership team into operations and learning to 10x things without adding process frictionTaking pieces of wisdom from each leader you work withLow-key Sundays and the power of restConnect with Rach on LinkedIn here.  A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Shipra Mahindra, Principal Product Manager at Octopus Deploy. Let’s just say—Shipra’s peers can’t stop raving about her. She made her mark as the first product manager at Canva, working closely with co-founder Mel Perkins and the early mobile team. Shipra takes us through the highs, lows, and many celebrations that came with launching and scaling Canva’s first mobile app. She shares how she found her rhythm as a product manager and the lessons she's learned, both as a human and a product leader, during rapid growth at Canva, Xero, Creatively Squared, and now at Octopus Deploy. And when she’s not leading product, she’s showing how New Zealand can be an incubator for world-leading, world-class companies as a Partner at Phase One Ventures.Connect with Shipra Mahindra. A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Harry Uffindell, Chief People Officer at Partly. Harry’s worn just about every startup hat—founder, growth, bizops, revops, people, culture—you name it. But he ultimately found his calling in the people space. Now, he’s scaling Partly, hiring the world’s top 1% talent, and building a culture where people stay excited about their work a decade in.In today’s episode, we discuss:Scaling Partly from its first non-technical hire to ~100 employees—and the lessons behind making it the best startup to work for.Building a company culture that lasts—where 10 years in, you’re still buzzing to show up.Co-founding and selling MeatMail (a food subscription startup) with David Booth—the zero-to-one story.“This is a pretty good V1”. What Tim Ryan (Atomic8) taught Harry about quality work and scaling startups globally.Tilt to Airbnb: From first APAC hire to Country Manager, scaling Tilt, and what it takes to land a global “boots on the ground” role.A bad-reception phone call that changed everything. How Airbnb’s acquisition of Tilt set Harry on a path to making ANZ Airbnb’s most penetrated market worldwide before the IPO.Focus as a superpower. Mastering the art of focus is the most impactful skill an operator can develop.Learning from the best. How Patti McCord, Reed Hastings (Netflix), and the Collison Brothers (Stripe) are shaping Harry’s playbook as a world-class Chief People Officer.Angel investing 101. His advice for operators making their first bets.Find Harry Uffindell:LinkedInHarry’s Newsletterharry@partly.comHarry Uffindell’s Northstars and Frameworks:Books:Delivering Happiness (people and culture)No Rules Rules (Netflix culture)The Hard Thing About Hard Things (gritty leadership)Amp It Up (high-performance culture)Powerful by Patty McCord (freedom + responsibility)Radical Candor (feedback and relationships)Great by Choice (10x leadership)How to Win Friends and Influence PeoplePodcasts:Acquired, a16z, Founders, The Tim Ferriss Show, Crucible Moments, 20VC.Frameworks:The Quarterly Rhythm That Fuels Growth and High-Performing Teams (includes duplicatable resources/Notion pages)The One Thing (goal-setting)Eisenhower Matrix (urgent/important prioritization)Radical Candor (caring personally + challenging directly).Operators—Future leader/vision:Patti McCord and Reed Hastings from Netflix (culture)Patrick Collison and The Collison Brothers (execution)Ones to Watch:Pene Barton (CEO at Crimson Global Academy)Kirsti Grant (Chief People Experience Officer at Auror)Jamie Beaton (CEO and co-founder Crimson Education)Other Folks Mentioned in the Episode:Dave Booth (Founder in Residence at Blackbird)Mike Duboe (General Partner, Greylock Partners)Levi Fawcett (CEO at Partly)Tim Ryan (Co-Founder & CEO at Atomic8)Andrew Huynh (GTM Strategy Lead, New Products at Culture Amp)Dan Brockwell (Co-founder and head of program at Earlywork) A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Connecting with Alice Hehman, a "SWAT team" startup leader who’s built recruiting and operations playbooks for some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names. An under-the-radar operator, you need to know. Alice knows what it takes to scale operations across borders, from leading domestic recruitment for Facebook to moving to Sydney to build regional teams across Asia–Pacific. Following great people led her to Bret Taylor's startup Quip (a competitor to Google Docs), where she ran business operations, including the USD $750M Salesforce deal and post-merger integration into the Salesforce ecosystem. We get real on keeping your head on straight through hypergrowth and focussing on what we can control through these big business transitions. These days, she's teamed up with Molly Graham (if you haven't read Lessons on Substack, you should) at Glue Club, helping startup leaders be better—and feel better—at work. We discuss what makes a great operational leader, why "glue people" are the backbone of scaling companies and US lessons to shortcut operators in Australia and New Zealand.Find Alice Hehman:LinkedInAlice Hehman’s Northstars and Frameworks:Learners vs Guides: Building Your Leadership TeamLessons by Molly Graham The Glue Club  (Leadership Development Program)The Four Tendencies Framework by Gretchen RubinSparketype Assessment StrengthsFinder, now CliftonStrengths Operators—Ones to Watch:Molly GrahamElliot GreenwaldOther Folks Mentioned in the Episode:Andy BartonBret TaylorAshley Prince Murphy A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Emma Seymour, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Deputy. Emma is no stranger to navigating big transitions—whether steering a company through acquisitions, adapting through CEO leadership changes, driving profitable growth in uncertain post-pandemic times, or achieving unicorn status. Known for her "throw the ball to me" mindset, I hope Emma's story reminds all of our female-identifying listeners of the power of stepping up before you feel ready. In today’s episode, we discuss: Her CFO leadership journey: From public practice to JobAdder to Deputy, where she became the youngest female CFO of an Australian tech unicornEmma’s reflections on becoming a first-time mum while managing a "big job"Deputy's rise to profitability and unicorn status (for market context, Deputy is the 15th Australian-founded tech company to achieve this milestone)How Deputy’s 80% female leadership team drives business outcomes, enriches company culture, and brings them closer to the customerClocking in every day to help customers build a better world for shift workersWhy you should always "throw the ball to me"Alternative strategies for raising capital at different stages of growthWhat’s next for the future of the CFO role in tech.Find Emma Seymour:LinkedInDeputyEmma Seymour is just short of her third successful year as CFO of Deputy (read more)Emma Seymour’s Northstars and Frameworks:Goal setting: Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)ANZ Operators—Ones to Watch:Mel Perkins (CEO and Co-founder at Canva)Other Folks Mentioned in the Episode:Silvija Martincevic (CEO at Deputy) A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com

Today, I'm connecting with Annie Liao, founder and CEO of Build Club. What began as a weekend AI project among friends has now evolved into APAC’s largest AI learning platform. Fresh off closing her pre-seed round and going all-in on Build Club, Annie shares what’s next for her and her team. In today’s episode, we discuss: Annie’s early career journey as a data scientist, consultant, venture capitalist, community builder, operator, and startup founder—and the lessons she gained from each transition; A nod to her recent crowning as a Forbes Australia 30 Under 30 honoree; Scaling the impact of why Build Club started: to empower everyone to build their dreams into reality; Build Club’s internal AI strategy and approach to building; Why providing clarity is the most valuable role a founder can play; Taking a leap of faith to build custom GPTs (a beginner's guide); How to upskill your workforce in AI; The rise of AI workforce manager roles—plus why operators are uniquely suited for this shift. And, of course, I ask the “stupid” questions to help us all accelerate our AI learning journey.Find Annie Liao:LinkedInXArtBuild Club eventsJoin Build Club’s waitlist: www.buildclub.aiAnnie Liao’s Northstars and Frameworks:The Build Club Story and Why We Raised Venture Capital FundingThis 23-year-old banked $1.2 million to build the ‘Duolingo for AI learning’Goal setting: Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)ANZ Operators—Ones to Watch:Mitchell Hughes (Co-founder at NextGen Ventures)Clinton Lui (Build Club)Other Folks Mentioned in the Episode:Julia Wells (Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney)Daniel Vassilev (Co-founder at Relevance AI)Jacky Koh (Co-founder at Relevance AI)Tom McKenzie (CTO at Build Club)Jessy Wu (Founder at Encour) A note from your host, Laura:My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons. Guest ideas?Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn. Never miss an episode:Subscribe on your favourite platform:SpotifyApple Podcasts(Other) CallingOperator.com