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Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron HeroldThe World's Leading Network for the 2nd in Command Author: Second in Command with Cameron Herold
Welcome to the Second in Command Podcast hosted by Cameron Herold, brought to you by the COO Alliance, where top-level COOs share their insights, tactics, and strategies that made them the Chief Behind the Chief. Cameron Herold founded the COO Alliance with one simple goal in mind: to provide COOs with the same professional development and growth opportunities CEOs have enjoyed for many years. COO Alliance is the world's leading network for the Second in Command. Cameron Herold is a top business consultant, best-selling author, and speaker. Hes the mastermind behind hundreds of companies exponential growth and hes touched thousands of businesses indirectly through his work. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep. 529 - FAN FAVORITE | Tom Keiser – The Powerful Execution Rhythm That Transformed Zendesk
Thursday, 20 November, 2025
We’re bringing this episode back because listeners couldn’t get enough the first time around. Cameron sits down with Tom Keiser, COO of Zendesk, to unpack how he helped scale the SaaS powerhouse to a billion-dollar trajectory. Tom shares how he bridged the gap between IT and operations, built cadence-driven execution rhythms, and created visibility across the business while keeping the culture humble, fast, and customer-obsessed.If you’re leading a growing company and need a blueprint for scaling without suffocating the entrepreneurial edge… this one hits hard.Timestamped Highlights01:11 Meet Tom Keiser and his path from CIO to COO02:00 Early days: Capgemini, E&Y, and stepping into tech leadership05:27 What Zendesk actually does (and how it scaled globally)07:33 How SaaS changed the business–IT power dynamic08:55 Why CIOs must become business partners, not tech overseers10:54 The PMO strategy that keeps Zendesk aligned as it scales12:04 Tom’s weekly operational cadence pulled from retail13:50 Turning insights into action: Sales, pipeline, and global adjustments15:37 How Zendesk avoids bureaucracy while growing fast17:39 Culture: The Danish “Humbled It” mindset19:36 Saying no without killing momentum20:57 Managing customer support when your whole business is CX23:38 Omnichannel done right: Continuous conversations, not disconnected pings26:14 Machine learning inside Zendesk Guide29:18 How Tom balances immediate execution with long-term scaling32:55 What smaller companies can learn from Zendesk’s growth34:34 Vulnerability and learning to step into discomfort as a leader36:25 When to trust your team and when to drop into details37:51 How Zendesk’s founder transitioned out of day-to-day execution39:18 Market risks, public cloud, open-source, and economic uncertainty39:46 What 5G will unleash for future customer experiences43:12 Building whole leaders, not siloed operators44:13 Tom’s advice to his 21-year-old selfAbout the GuestTom Keiser is the Chief Operating Officer of Zendesk, where he oversees global operations, IT, enterprise analytics, security, and go-to-market execution for one of the world’s leading customer experience platforms. With 25+ years of experience across retail, technology, and SaaS, Tom blends deep technical expertise with business-led operational leadership. Before Zendesk, he served as CIO at L Brands and spent years in management consulting at Capgemini and Ernst & Young.🔗 LinkedIn Resources & MentionsCapgemini / Ernst & YoungZendeskImportant LinksConnect with Cameron: Website | LinkedInExplore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake Cameron’s leadership course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via
