In this episode we discuss: Puzzle setting, not goal setting. We are joined by Radhika Dutt, Author, Speaker, Consultant.

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We chat about the following with Radhika Dutt:

1. What if traditional goal setting is actually limiting innovation rather than driving it?
2. How might teams think differently if they framed challenges as “puzzles” instead of targets to hit?
3. Are OKRs pushing organisations toward short-term optimisation instead of real problem-solving?
4. How can leaders create space for curiosity and exploration in environments obsessed with metrics?
5. What would change inside your company if teams focused on solving the right problem rather than just hitting the next KPI?

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhika-dutt/
2. https://www.radicalproduct.com/
3. https://www.radicalproduct.com/toolkit/#OHLToolkit

Radhika Dutt is the author of Radical Product Thinking: The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter which has been translated into Chinese and Japanese. The methodology she introduced in her first book is now used in over 40 countries. She is an entrepreneur, speaker, and product leader who has participated in five acquisitions, two of which were companies that she founded. She is currently Advisor on Product Thinking to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (Singapore’s central bank and financial regulator), and does consulting and training for organizations ranging from high-tech startups to multinationals on building radical products that create a fundamental change. Radhika has built products in a wide range of industries including broadcast, media and entertainment, telecom, advertising technology, government, consumer apps, robotics, and even wine. She graduated from MIT with an SB and M.Eng in Electrical Engineering, and speaks nine languages.

Radhika is now working on her second book – it’s about why goals and targets backfire and what actually works.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

14:25 — Introducing the concept of “puzzle setting”

24:06 — What puzzle setting actually means

26:46 — Why puzzles embrace uncertainty

27:49 — The Rubik’s Cube analogy

33:22 — The “Three O’s” of puzzle setting

35:17 — Turning growth goals into puzzles

38:08 — Breaking big puzzles into smaller ones

42:46 — The shift from proving to learning

47:25 — Building critical thinking into teams

54:44 — Real business impact of puzzle thinking

In this episode we discuss: The BizzOps Anti-Playbook. We are joined by Vessela Clewley, Strategy & Biz Ops Executive.

Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.

We chat about the following with Vessela Clewley:

1. What does it really take to step into leadership for the first time — and why do so many people underestimate the shift?
2. How do you build confidence as a leader when you don’t yet feel “ready”?
3. What’s the difference between managing tasks and truly leading people?
4. How can organisations better support first-time managers before they burn out?
5. What unspoken pressures do women in leadership roles carry — and how can we address them more openly?

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/vessclewley/
2. https://sbohub.substack.com/
3. https://sbohub.gumroad.com/l/TheSBOAntiPlaybook

Vessela is an accomplished fCOO with a Strategy & BizOps background. She brings the power of US-style Strategy & Business Operations to Europe.

She has an illustrious career spanning Hopin, WeWork, Uber and other start ups. She has won global awards by the likes of WeWork & McKinsey, relaunched products like UberExec, and negotiated 7-figure deals for Hopin on walks in Regents park.

She is known for bringing a strategic, analytical, systems-driven approach to building companies. Her approach brings clarity, breaks down silos, and unlocks revenue growth. She puts company over functions; analytics over ego; and outcomes over optics.

Vessela typically partners with Seed–Series B founders who value analytical decision-making and high-velocity execution.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

00:00 – Introduction & framing the conversation

~06:20 – The reality of becoming a first-time manager

~13:45 – Imposter syndrome & self-doubt

~20:30 – The responsibility shift

~28:10 – Feedback, difficult conversations & growth

~35:50 – Building confidence through action

~44:15 – The gendered expectations in leadership

~52:00 – Creating supportive environments for new leaders

~59:40 – Advice to aspiring leaders

In this episode we discuss: Collaborative AI for revenue teams. We are joined by Mylo Portas, CEO of Choras.

Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here.

We chat about the following with Donna McCurley:

1. What actually makes a podcast commercially sustainable — beyond downloads and vanity metrics?
2. How do you build creative systems that scale without killing originality?
3. What does it really take to grow an independent podcast network in today’s crowded market?
4. Where do most founders misunderstand the operational complexity of media businesses?
5. Is podcasting still early… or are we already in the consolidation phase?

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/myloportas/

Mylo Portas is the co-founder of Chora, an award-winning London-based podcast studio and network. He works with global brands, media organisations and creators to build distinctive, story-driven podcasts that cut through. Passionate about the intersection of creativity and commercial strategy, Mylo focuses on building sustainable podcast brands — not just shows.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.