Building a Future-Ready Operations Team (with Ashley Connell)

Hi star lovelies! I am excited for another edition of our Visionary Rebels interview series. Today, I'm sitting down with Ashley Connell, CEO of the Prowess Project and expert Ops matcher for $500K-10M B2B Service CEO's. Listen to hear our wonderful conversation about building a Future-Ready Operations team, the AI Tools every CEO needs in operations, and how these tools can transform entrepreneurs into high-growth businesses.

This conversation uncovers why having a strategic operations partner—be it an Online Business Manager (OBM), Director of Operations, or Mini COO—is the secret ingredient to building a future-ready operations team, implementing strategy, and future-proofing with AI.

If you're a founder, agency leader, or multi-million dollar business owner struggling to turn big vision into real-world results, this episode delivers actionable strategies and mindset shifts to help you find your missing puzzle piece.

Episode Highlights

The Power of Future-Ready Operations

Learn why ideas alone aren't enough and how the right operations expert can bridge the gap between dreaming and doing. Ashley explains the crucial qualities you need beyond the job title to find your next-level COO or strategic integrator who can implement, automate, and scale as you focus on your zone of genius.

The Visionary-Integrator Relationship

Kim and Ashley explore the essential dance between the visionary, who holds the long-term strategy, and the operations lead, who brings structure, systems, and execution. Find out how this relationship unlocks exponential growth and ensures you stay in your creative, high-impact role.

Adapting to the New Era in Business

With rapid shifts in the business landscape, including AI, marketing, and publishing, learn what it takes to build resilient, adaptable operations—so your business not only survives, but thrives, through ongoing change.

Key Quotes

1. "You can make it up, but you can't make it happen."
2. "By bringing them into your dream, you are multiplying the impact and the likelihood that you will reach where you want to go."

Key Questions Answered

1. What does an operations partner actually do for a visionary CEO?

"[The operations expert] does all the technology, manages the team, builds out the systems, future proofs the business through AI...sky is the limit if you allow someone to come into your business with that ops genius." — Ashley Connell [1:53]

2. How should you decide between hiring an Executive Assistant (EA) and a Director of Operations/OBM?

"For an EA, the client is the CEO, the visionary, point blank. For the ops person, integrator, whatever we're going to call them, the client is the business." — Ashley Connell [18:25]

3. What is the most important skill to look for in a future-ready operations right hand?

"Actually, I'm going to go ahead and say the top skill above operations and systems and planning...your ops person has to have emotional intelligence." — Ashley Connell [24:01]

Fun Facts from This Episode

1. Ashley’s team at Prowess Project uses an innovative matching algorithm modeled after Match.com and LinkedIn to pair visionaries with their perfect operations partner.
2. AI-fluent operations experts can get you 70% of the way there in almost any aspect of your business, freeing you to focus on what you do best.

Connect with Ashley!

• Website: https://www.prowessproject.com
• LinkedIn & Promo: @ashleyconnellceo (Comment 'Kim Woods' for $500 off!)
• Podcast: Listen to Ashley's Podcast, The OBM Opportunity on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

Additional Resources

• Listen to the September Forecast 🍂: Navigate the energies of the month with an in-depth guide here. You can also check it out on Spotify or wherever else you get your podcasts!
• Listen to the Strategic Pivot Series 🔄: Want to listen more about how to pivot and rebrand your business? Check it out on Spotify or ListenNotes!
• Unlock the Vault 🏦: To dive deeper or join the community, email Kim and her team at team@kimwoods.com for your unique Intuitive Success Signature!
• The Hub of Cosmic Insights 💫: For the latest updates, blogs, social media posts, and announcements, visit the Your Star Strategy Center

Take Action

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