Operating Discipline - Hosted by Terri D. Wilson

About Operating Discipline - Hosted by Terri D. Wilson

"Complexity exposes how organizations actually operate." Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson This podcast is for CEOs and senior leadership teams navigating the structural conditions that determine whether performance scales — or drifts. Through candid conversations with CEOs, founders, and senior executives, Terri Wilson examines what actually drives execution, accountability, alignment, and leadership consistency as organizations grow. Each episode goes into the real operating challenges leaders face under complexity — and what it takes to build a system that performs consistently regardless of who is in the room. No leadership theater. No generic business advice. Just honest conversations about how organizations actually operate. New episodes drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

Publisher

Terri D. Wilson

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Jun 2026

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   SE01 E19 When the System Won't Move | Steven Charlap

   Steven Charlap didn't build Medome.ai because the market asked for it. He built it because the system failed his brother — and then nearly failed him. Steven Charlap is a 40-year licensed physician, trained surgeon, and serial entrepreneur who has spent 13 years and millions of dollars of his own money building what he believes is the world's most advanced diagnostic engine. Medome.ai is designed to eliminate misdiagnosis — a problem affecting five to seven million people in the United States alone — by doing what human physicians structurally cannot: starting from all possible diagnoses and eliminating the wrong ones rather than defaulting to the most common. In this episode, Steven gets into what it actually takes to build something the entire system is financially incentivized to resist — and keep building anyway. This episode covers: · Why doctors, health systems, insurers, and pharmaceutical companies all have structural incentives to keep misdiagnosis in place — and what that means for anyone trying to fix it · How Medome.ai built a counterintuitive diagnostic model that identifies what a physician is most likely to miss — and why that required 13 years, not 13 months · What "trust but verify" actually means when your own physician doesn't connect the dots between three drugs you're taking simultaneously · Why the conventional startup playbook — addressable market, competitive pressure, minimum viable product — doesn't apply when the mission is eliminating preventable death · What institutional resistance actually looks like when you're building against it — and why self-insured employers may be the only stakeholders with a genuine financial incentive to change · The operating discipline of staying on mission when the money is running out and the market isn't ready When the system won't move, someone has to decide to keep pushing anyway. This is what that looks like from the inside. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

2. 

   13 Oct 2026

   SE01 E18 Know Who You're Not | Chris Condon

   Most organizations know what they are. Few are as clear about what they're not — and that gap is where drift begins. Chris Condon, Founder and CEO of Aircon, built a decision intelligence platform that helps freight forwarders know what they're committing to at the time of quote. Getting there required a complete pivot — walking away from a wholesale business that was working, rebuilding the platform from the ground up, and staying laser focused on a single question: who is our customer and where does our value show up? The freight forwarding context is specific. The operating discipline isn't. In this episode, Chris gets into what operating discipline actually looks like inside a company navigating a fundamental pivot: · Why fixing the decision upstream is the only way to prevent AI from moving bad decisions faster to your bottom line · How language became an accountability tool — and why calling out drift in real time is a leadership discipline, not a management tactic · Why knowing who you're not is as important as knowing who you are · What it means to focus on process when the outcome is uncertain · Why the operator should never be the shock absorber for a bad decision made upstream This is a direct, honest conversation about the clarity it takes to pivot successfully — and the discipline required to stay there. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

3. 

   6 Oct 2026

   SE01 E17 Apply for Your Own Job | Rene Beach

   Most CEOs have never experienced what it's like to apply for a job at their own company. Rene Beach thinks they should. Rene Beach, President of Focus People, has spent over two decades in staffing and talent acquisition — working alongside organizations from the moment they know they need someone to the moment that person walks through the door on their first day. What she sees consistently is the same: companies that move too fast, delegate too far down, and lose great candidates to a process that was never designed with the candidate in mind. In this episode, Rene gets into what it actually takes to build a hiring process that works: · Why slowing down to hire right is the fastest path to filling a role well — and what it costs when you don't · Why the CEO's involvement in the hiring process isn't optional — and what gets missed when it's delegated too far down · What happens on day one that tells a new hire whether they made the right decision — before they've done a single day of work · Why panel interviews are getting bigger and longer — and how that's protecting organizations from liability while repelling great candidates · Why going through your own hiring process as a candidate is one of the most revealing things a CEO can do This is a practical, direct conversation about the operating decisions that determine whether your hiring process attracts the people you need — or quietly pushes them toward someone else. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

4. 

   29 Sept 2026

   SE01 E16 What You Don't See | Maria Thompson

   Most CEOs believe they know what's happening in their organization. The gap between what they believe and what's actually true is where culture quietly breaks down. Maria Thompson, President of Hoffman & Associates, has spent 34 years in construction and real estate development — including leading one of the most recognized projects in Washington DC, the $3.6 billion Wharf development. In her two and a half years as president, her operating discipline has been built around one consistent practice: staying close enough to the organization to see what the layers above would never surface on their own. In this episode, Maria gets into what that actually looks like in practice: · Why hiring for behavioral fit matters as much as technical capability — and what happens when you get it wrong · How a high-performing manager almost got promoted before Maria discovered what junior staff were actually experiencing · Why servant leadership isn't a philosophy — it's the moment you stop managing tasks and start developing people · What "executive amplitude" does to honest communication — and how to close that gap deliberately · Why the culture people live is rarely the culture leadership thinks it has built This is a direct, honest conversation about what it takes to stay close enough to your organization to see what's actually happening — and act on it before it becomes a crisis. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

5. 

   22 Sept 2026

   SE01 E15 Intentional or Accidental | Bonni Pomush

   Most organizations let performance happen. The ones that sustain it build systems that make it inevitable. Bonni Pomush, CEO of Working Wardrobes, leads an organization that prepares people for the workforce — individuals overcoming barriers to employment, rebuilding careers, and stepping into their next chapter. The mission is personal and the work is human. The operating discipline behind it is anything but accidental. In this episode, Bonni gets into what intentional leadership actually looks like in practice: · Why every position has its own scorecard — and why that's fundamentally different from measuring the person in the role · How Working Wardrobes runs a 10-year, 3-year, 1-year, 90-day planning cadence — and why the 10-year mark never moves · Why scorecards measure leading indicators, not lagging results — and how that changes what gets caught and when · What happens to a team's operating system when a key person leaves — and why the recalibration is the discipline most organizations skip · Why intentionality is the dividing line between organizations that perform and organizations that drift This is a direct, practical conversation about what it means to run a mission-driven organization like a business — and why the discipline required is exactly the same. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

6. 

   15 Sept 2026

   SE01 E14 Know Who You Serve | Michael Jalbert

   Most organizations say they're selective. Forbes Global Properties turns down a dozen companies a week to prove it. Michael Jalbert, CEO of Forbes Global Properties, has been in the real estate industry since 1998 and for the last six years has been building one of the most disciplined global networks in the business. Today Forbes Global Properties spans 600 offices across 40 countries, serving high net worth and ultra-high net worth buyers and sellers worldwide. The network didn't get there by saying yes. It got there by knowing exactly who they serve — and building everything around that. In this episode, Michael gets into what organizational discipline actually looks like when your client demands nothing less than outstanding: • Why clarity of selection criteria is the foundation of everything — culture, quality, and performance • How Forbes Global Properties evaluates fit across 40 countries and why cultural alignment matters as much as capability • Why real estate transactions are 80% the same around the world — and why the 20% difference is where the real work is • What it takes to build and sustain relationships across a global network when trust is the product • Why having the hard performance conversation is the discipline most organizations avoid longest This is a direct conversation about what it means to build a global organization around a single, uncompromising standard. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. 🎙️ Listen on all major podcast platforms 🌐 opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

7. 

   8 Sept 2026

   SE01 E13 The Room Will Tell You | Amy Riordan

   Most leaders have an open door. Amy Riordan has built an environment where people actually walk through it. Amy Riordan is the CEO of Sachin Babi, a luxury occasion wear brand operating across wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels — with a new location opening in Houston. She has spent her entire career in fashion and beauty, moving deliberately from sales to marketing to operations before stepping into the CEO role. In this episode, she makes the case that a leader's most important operating decision is the environment they create — and that environment is built not through policy, but through every interaction, every conversation, and every moment where a leader chooses to listen rather than wait to speak. This episode covers: • Why an open door means nothing if people don't feel safe walking through it — and what actually creates that safety • How Amy structures her leadership team around complementary strengths rather than expecting everyone to be a Swiss Army knife • Why internal competition between divisions is a structural problem, not a culture problem — and what one unified sales meeting changed • What active listening actually requires — and why most leaders are composing their response while the other person is still speaking • Why the leader's job is to find the right people, put them in the right seats, and remove what's in their way • How to address performance issues without letting them fester — and why waiting is always more costly than the conversation The room will tell you. Most leaders just aren't letting it. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

8. 

   1 Sept 2026

   SE01 E12 Invite Dissent | Dr. Sunny Cooke

   Most leaders say they want honest feedback. Dr. Sunny Cooke has spent nearly two decades building an organization where people actually give it. Dr. Sunny Cooke is President Emeritus of MiraCosta College, where she served as president for nearly 20 years — first within a multi-college district, then reporting directly to a publicly elected board of trustees. In this episode, she makes the case that the most important thing a leader can do is create the conditions where dissent is not just tolerated but actively invited — and where people are called in, not called out. This episode covers: • Why surrounding yourself with yes people is the fastest way to disconnect from what's actually happening in your organization • The difference between blind loyalty and genuine commitment to an organization's values • Why consistency matters more than good intentions — and what it looks like when leaders say one thing and do another • How to call people into difficult conversations rather than calling them out • Why values that aren't lived aren't values — they're wall art • What self-awareness actually requires of a leader, and why it never stops being work • The moment Sunny had to take a public stand on social issues — and what that decision taught her about leadership under pressure This is a direct, honest conversation about what it actually takes to build an organization where people tell the truth. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

9. 

   25 Aug 2026

   SE01 E11 Common Sense Isn't a Standard | Josh Couts

   Josh Couts didn't walk into Arrow Electric and assume everyone understood why they showed up to work. He made them figure it out together — and then built the systems to make sure it held. Josh Couts is the President of Arrow Electric, a family-owned electrical contractor based in Louisville, Kentucky with 150–175 employees operating across commercial, industrial, and traffic markets — including Churchill Downs and major highway infrastructure across the region. He came to Arrow after 23 years at a similar company in Nashville, where he watched a culture built on genuine care for people grow a business from $5–6 million to over $100 million. He brought that same operating philosophy to Arrow — and immediately put it to work. In this episode, Josh gets into what it actually takes to build an organization where people know why they're showing up — not just what they're building. This episode covers: • Why the first thing Josh did as president was take the leadership team offsite to answer one question: why are we doing this? • How Arrow built communication norms and behavioral norms that go deeper than core values — and why that distinction matters • Why "common sense" is one of the most dangerous phrases in an organization — and what explicit standards actually require • The paycheck story — what a second-generation owner handing out checks on Friday taught Josh about what people actually remember • Why one-on-ones are sacred, birthday calls are non-negotiable, and what "my door is open" really means when someone tests it • How to scale a people-first operating model from 175 employees to 700 — and what has to be discipled down for it to hold Care. Communicate. Consistent. Three words. One operating system. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

10. 

    18 Aug 2026

    SE01 E10 Process is the Product | Kevin Iden

    Most service businesses hire for experience. Kevin Iden hires for potential — and trains everyone from scratch. Kevin Iden, President of Iden Dealer Services, has built a 300-person, 37-location automotive reconditioning and detailing operation across Washington state. His business runs on one operating principle: consistency at scale requires process, and process only holds when everyone follows the same recipe. In this episode, Kevin gets into what it actually takes to build and sustain a frontline workforce at scale: · Why hiring people without experience produces better long-term results than hiring people with bad habits · How SOPs become the foundation of quality, consistency, and scalability across 37 locations · Why promoting from within requires knowing who wants what — and building accordingly · What it means to support employees whether they're building a career, using this as a stepping stone, or somewhere in between · Why the manager's job is constant conversation, not periodic correction This is a direct, practical conversation about what operating discipline looks like when the product is the process — and the process has to be right every single time. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

11. 

    11 Aug 2026

    SE01 E09 Share The Scoreboard | Suresh Narayanan

    Most leaders say they're transparent. Few share the scoreboard. Suresh Narayanan, President of Maintenance at Flyhouse, has a simple belief about organizational performance: if the team can't see the score, they can't win. He makes the case that financial transparency isn't a risk — it's the most powerful alignment tool a leader has. In this episode, Suresh gets into what it actually looks like to operationalize transparency: • Why sharing financials — down to net profit — changes how employees engage with the business • How tying people to performance outcomes creates ownership that no culture initiative can replicate • Why you can never overcommunicate as a leader — and how to build the cadence that makes consistency possible • What the scoreboard reveals about whether a team is actually working together • Why getting people open to change is harder than the change itself — and where most leaders underestimate the work This is a practical, direct conversation about the gap between saying you're transparent and building the systems that prove it. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. 🎙️ Listen on all major podcast platforms 🌐 opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

12. 

    4 Aug 2026

    SE01 E08 Culture Doesn't Scale Itself | Kelley Brine

    Most organizations believe they have a strong culture. Few have built the systems to prove it. Kelley Brine, President of Rose Valley Management, oversees approximately 10,000 units and $2 billion in assets under management. She came into her role during a period of significant growth — and her focus has been singular: building the operational discipline needed to scale culture without losing consistency. In this episode, Kelley gets into what it actually takes to make culture stick as an organization grows: • Why accountability is structural — and how simple, specific actions carry it further than complex leadership initiatives • How succession planning becomes a growth strategy when done deliberately • Why promoting from within requires a pipeline, not just intention • The difference between setting people up for success and setting them up to fail • Why when a hire doesn't work out, the first question should be about the organization, not the person This is a direct conversation about the gap between saying you value people and actually building systems that prove it. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure 🎙️ Listen on all major podcast platforms 🌐 opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

13. 

    28 Jul 2026

    SE01 E07 The Role Before the Position | Ron Henry

    Most organizations don't have a succession problem. They have a thinking problem — and it surfaces every time a role opens and urgency replaces strategy. Ron Henry, Chief Succession Officer at Ministry Transitions, has spent five decades in executive search and succession planning — responsible for placing over 800 people in new roles and guiding organizations through their most consequential leadership transitions. In this episode of Operating Discipline, Ron gets into what it actually takes to position an organization for leadership continuity: · Why the role you think you need filled is rarely the role you actually need filled — and what it costs when CEOs skip that conversation · The rainmaker problem: what happens when one person carries 90% of the business and the organization has never built around anything else · Why reactive hiring is a structural failure, and what succession planning demands from a CEO before a transition happens · How to hire for where the organization is going — not where it is today This is a direct conversation about the people decisions that determine whether organizations sustain performance under pressure — and what breaks down when those decisions get made reactively. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

14. 

    21 Jul 2026

    SE01 E06 The Hard Part - Making It Stick | Joseph Martin Part - 2

    The decision was made. The three-week pause was called. The engineers came to Las Vegas. Now came the harder part. This is Part 2 of Joseph Martin's conversation with Terri Wilson. Part 1 covered the decision to rebuild Kinectify’s technology stack from the ground up using AI. Part 2 covers what happened next — and what nobody tells you about leading a transformation from the inside. Joseph gets into what emerged when the engineers were finally in the room together: the choke points nobody anticipated, the friction between moving faster and everything else that surrounds speed, and why increasing output by 400% created an entirely new set of operational problems to solve. He also gets into why leaders who delegate transformation away never actually get it — and why showing up alongside the team, not above them, is what separates the companies that change from the ones that talk about changing. This conversation closes with a direct challenge to CEOs navigating AI adoption: most companies aren't moving too fast. They're moving too slow — with no real strategy, hiding behind committee meetings and PowerPoint decks while the people doing the actual work wait for someone to get in the room with them. Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

15. 

    14 Jul 2026

    SE01 E05 The Decision to Disrupt Yourself | Joseph Martin

    Most technology companies talk about staying current. Joseph Martin had to decide whether to actually do it — and at what cost. Kinectify is an anti-money laundering SaaS company built for the gaming and financial services industries. When generative AI arrived, Joseph and his co-founder faced a question most CEOs quietly avoid: do we stick with the technology we've built and the business we've grown — or do we stop, step back, and rebuild from the ground up? This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. It covers the decision — what made it necessary, why it was harder than it looked, and what principles drove it. Joseph gets into what it actually means to live the values you sell to clients, why delegating transformation never works, and the internal tension that came with asking engineers to change not just what they build but how they think about building it. The result: a 400% increase in delivery speed. And a recognition that they were still only at step one. Part 2 covers the execution — how they actually made it stick. Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Terri and the Operating Discipline podcast team Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

16. 

    30 Jun 2026

    SE01 E04 Leadership Leaves Fingerprints | Troy Asberry

    What do people remember about a leader long after they're gone? Troy Asberry, Chief Operating Officer at Lion Energy, has spent nearly four decades leading organizations — 22 years in the military and 35 years in business. His answer is consistent and specific: not the growth numbers, not the acquisitions, not the stock price. They remember the fingerprints. In this episode, Troy makes the case that operating discipline starts before the first day of work — and extends far beyond what shows up on a scorecard. · Why hiring is the easy part — and why onboarding the whole person, including their support system, is where operating discipline actually begins · How intellectual curiosity became Troy's primary filter for identifying leaders worth developing · What "Tea with Troy" revealed about where communication breaks down that town halls never will · Why good numbers from a leader are never the whole story — and what forces the conversation most organizations delay too long · The fingerprints leaders leave behind — and why people remember culture long after they forget the growth metrics This episode closes with one of the most powerful stories in the series — a reminder that what leaders do in small moments outlasts everything else. Operating Discipline with Terri D. Wilson Conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure. Listen on all major podcast platforms opdiscipline.com/podcast I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Terri and the Operating Discipline podcast team Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

17. 

    23 Jun 2026

    SE01 E03 Stay in Your Lane | Todd Dawson

    What happens when a successful business expands beyond what it truly understands? In this episode of Operating Discipline, Terri Wilson sits down with Todd Dawson, Founder and Managing Partner of WorldBridge Partners, to discuss two costly attempts to enter a new business line that ultimately resulted in a $600,000 loss and years of recovery. Their conversation explores the tension between opportunity and discipline, the dangers of scaling without the right infrastructure, why CEOs rarely receive honest feedback, and the role ego can play in some of a leader's most expensive decisions. This is a candid discussion about growth, execution, succession planning, and the hard-earned lessons that come from operating outside your lane. I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Terri and the Operating Discipline podcast team Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

18. 

    16 Jun 2026

    SE01 E02 Turning Global Acquisitions into Scalable Growth | Peter Smith

    Peter Smith is scaling a $25 million global communications company — through acquisition, across multiple countries, in an industry being reshaped by AI. He makes it sound measured. It isn't. Translate.One provides language services and technology to organizations in regulated, high-stakes industries — pharma, medical devices, legal. The kind of work where an AI translation error isn't a minor inconsistency. It's a real problem. In this episode of Operating Discipline, Peter gets into what it actually takes to integrate acquired companies across different countries, cultures, time zones, and technology stacks — without losing what made those companies worth acquiring in the first place. He also gets into how his organization is navigating the AI transformation reshaping his entire industry, and why responsible adoption requires more discipline, not less. The conversation goes deeper than strategy. Peter talks about why people adapt to change at different speeds and what you have to accept as a leader when you can't control that pace. Why technology integration — not culture — is the hardest part of global acquisitions. And why patient, consistent leadership is what separates organizations that scale effectively from those that grow their problems alongside their revenue. No highlight reel. Just a direct account of what global integration actually requires — and what happens when you're willing to be honest about how long it takes. Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Peter Smith describes what it actually takes to integrate acquired companies across multiple countries — and why technology integration, not culture, is the hardest part, and why patience is the leadership discipline most organizations underestimate.I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Terri and the Operating Discipline podcast team Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

19. 

    9 Jun 2026

    SE01 E01 Scaling Empathy Without Losing Accountability | Chris Conefry

    Chris Conefry runs a company most people have never heard of — and it may be one of the most human businesses in existence. Gain Servicing operates at the intersection of legal, medical, and financial systems, coordinating care and financing for personal injury patients — people who, in Chris's words, have been through the worst thing of their lives. At 110 employees and $150 million in revenue, the company has scaled on two operating principles that sound simple and are anything but: empathy and accessibility. In this episode of Operating Discipline, Chris gets into what it actually takes to instill those principles across a growing organization — across every email, every follow-up call, every treatment coordination — and why the line between holding accountability and finger-pointing is one every leader has to actively manage. He also shares the personal insight that became his operating philosophy: that every person who interacts with you should leave the conversation feeling better than they did before. Not as a soft aspiration — but as a daily discipline that shapes culture, drives retention, and changes how relationships are built at scale. This is a direct, honest conversation about what genuine empathy looks like inside a real business — and why it's harder to sustain at 110 people than it was at two. Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs about organizational performance under pressure. Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast Chris Conefry describes what it took to scale a company built on empathy and accessibility from 2 people to 110 — and why holding accountability without losing the human connection is harder to maintain at scale than any operating system. I hope you enjoy this episode! Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly. – Terri and the Operating Discipline podcast team Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/ Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/ Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95 #OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses. Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Contact Operating Discipline - Hosted by Terri D. Wilson

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.