Let Me Introduce Myself
Hi, I'm Karen!
I'm an advisory COO to high-performing business owners who are dealing with growing pains on their teams and in their operations — and want to manage this growth in a sustainable, equitable way.
WHO I HELP & HOW
My clients all share a similar story: there seems to come a time when the force of success (more customers, more clients, more complexity) causes breakages in everything that had been "good enough" in the back office. And they quickly find that they spend more time fighting fires than doing the work that gets them to their goals.
Turns out, there's a way to build systems to keep their main thing the main thing. I believe that managing distractions and protecting priorities is the Hidden Work of Leadership — and I have evidence-based tools & frameworks to help them reach their goals and achieve the impact they want.
MY QUICK BIO
For 25+ years I’ve guided teams through high-stakes/high-uncertainty situations, from software product management at the dawn of the internet — to counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan.
And as a COO, I’ve helped clients achieve 7-figure launches, roll out new product lines and architect full-team reorgs — and build strong, equity-centered business practices and teams. I help all kinds of businesses — fully digital, hybrids, service-based, e-comm, brick & mortar — and my clients are world-wide.
MY APPROACH & PHILOSOPHY
My approaches are specifically designed to not engineer dependency on me. My mission is to equip owners with the operational confidence and knowledge to solve future problems on their own. My methodology is built on “listening first” and true collaboration — which not only results in a better result and a better experience — it also builds trust and buy-in when we're dealing with a team.
Let Me Introduce Myself
Hi, I'm Karen!
I'm an advisory COO to high-performing business owners who are dealing with growing pains on their teams and in their operations — and want to manage this growth in a sustainable, equitable way.
WHO I HELP & HOW
My clients all share a similar story: there seems to come a time when the force of success (more customers, more clients, more complexity) causes breakages in everything that had been "good enough" in the back office. And they quickly find that they spend more time fighting fires than doing the work that gets them to their goals.
Turns out, there's a way to build systems to keep their main thing the main thing. I believe that managing distractions and protecting priorities is the Hidden Work of Leadership — and I have evidence-based tools & frameworks to help them reach their goals and achieve the impact they want.
MY QUICK BIO
For 25+ years I’ve guided teams through high-stakes/high-uncertainty situations, from software product management at the dawn of the internet — to counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan.
And as a COO, I’ve helped clients achieve 7-figure launches, roll out new product lines and architect full-team reorgs — and build strong, equity-centered business practices and teams. I help all kinds of businesses — fully digital, hybrids, service-based, e-comm, brick & mortar — and my clients are world-wide.
MY APPROACH & PHILOSOPHY
My approaches are specifically designed to not engineer dependency on me. My mission is to equip owners with the operational confidence and knowledge to solve future problems on their own. My methodology is built on “listening first” and true collaboration — which not only results in a better result and a better experience — it also builds trust and buy-in when we're dealing with a team.
Certified
Equity-Centered Leader
Certified
Equity-Centered Coach
Certified Equity-Centered Leader
Certified Equity-Centered Coach
I Want You to Know My Values
My core values are how I prioritize work, make decisions, and collaborate with teammates and clients. I put these in play every day, and I learn every day how to do better.
I believe that every human being deserves to be safe and loved. I believe that Black Lives Matter, and I’m committed to elevating entrepreneurs from communities that have been marginalized — and dedicated to creating a welcoming, equitable experience for all.
Ownership
I own my boundaries and I’m responsible for resourcing myself. I ask for what I need. This value reminds us to recognize our own contribution to the situation (even if it’s just how we are perceiving the situation).
A Curious Lens
I lead with curiosity, empathy and objectivity (but without naiveté). Seek first to understand. This value reminds us not to over-rely on our intuition (or assumptions) which center our own identities and biases, instead of the person we are working with.
Transparency
I commit to communicating expectations: no mind-reading & no hidden yardsticks — and I ask for the same. It’s where everyone can do their best work. This value reminds us we aren't mind-readers (and we shouldn’t pretend to be). Neither is anyone else.
Agreement
I use and model invitational language that prioritizes finding agreement & seeking consent. I bake consent into my mentoring, my proposals, my projects, my recommendations and my consulting advice. This value reminds us we don’t tell, we invite — and we ask for consent before proceeding.
Accountability
I do what I say I’m going to do, so that others can rely on my word. This value reminds us to step up or speak up, because downstream progress relies on us keeping our word.
This whole value chain reminds us to think systemically and to realize individual performance is a product of systems. My protocols and practices (formal and informal) dovetail from putting these values into practice. They guide and shape my work.
As Featured In...
"Karen was a trusted advisor and A-level executor
in my business. She created the operational infrastructure that allowed our company to scale
to 7-figures — reducing team burnout and overwhelm in the process.
She overhauled internal systems and replaced them with stronger ones (project management to technology to hiring processes), which positioned us for fast and sustainable growth."
Selena Soo, CEO / Impacting Millions
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Karen for more than a year and I love her no-BS approach.
She brought the right structure into our business to help us as we scaled to 50 locations.
I highly recommend Karen to help you build the right foundation so you can achieve your goals.
Karen, You’re amazing at what you do and more people need to know about you!"
Jamie Seamans, Co-Founder / Garage Kings
Pocket COO Services &
Business Operations Strategy
You’re in the right place if your growing business isn't quite ready to hire a full-time COO, but you want C-level strategic advice to draw on through your next chapter.
On this Site, We Explore:
• Defeating Shiny Object Syndrome
• Equity-Centered Business Practices
• Goal-Setting, Delegation, Meeting Management & more
The Hidden Work of Leadership
If you don't have the bandwidth for another newsletter — this is the one that gives you back your time.
Start Here:
• What I mean by the Hidden Work of Leadership (and how it impacts you hitting your goals) (The Video)
• How to Integrate Your Values into Your Hiring Process (Read Here)
• #GrowthPlans - Articles for Building & Leading Growing Business & a Strong Team. (Library Dashboard)
© 2025 KAREN SERGEANT • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED