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Operating on PURPOSE

Operating on PURPOSE

By: Sarah Wilson and Penny Cook
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We’re two fractional COOs who have spent our careers inside growing, complex businesses helping founders and leadership teams turn strategy into execution. While we share the same seat, we bring very different operating lenses, including different instincts, backgrounds, and approaches to solving the same problems.

Alongside candid conversations between the two of us, we interview operations leaders, founders, and practitioners who live in the execution layer of business. This is a space for thoughtful, real-world discussions about how the work gets done right.

2026 Sarah Wilson and Penny Cook Economics
Episodes
  • Unlocking Vendor Value

    Unlocking Vendor Value
    Jul 14 2026

    The conversation focuses on the strategic relationship between operations teams and vendors, emphasizing the value of treating vendors as partners rather than just suppliers. It provides insights on negotiating vendor relationships, leveraging vendor expertise, and building a strong, mutually beneficial partnership.

    Reach out to Penny Cook or Sarah Wilson on LinkedIn to connect! Visit our website: Operating on Purpose

    OP Website
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    15 mins
  • Inventory Turns: A CEO Metric

    Inventory Turns: A CEO Metric
    Jul 7 2026

    The conversation delves into the challenges of managing cash flow and inventory, emphasizing the importance of understanding inventory turns, leveraging business size, and owning the number. It also highlights the narrative behind inventory numbers and the impact on cash flow.

    Reach out to Penny Cook or Sarah Wilson on LinkedIn to connect! Visit our website: Operating on Purpose

    OP Website
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    12 mins
  • MVP-When are you ready to launch?

    MVP-When are you ready to launch?
    Jun 30 2026

    In this conversation, Penny Cook and Sarah Wilson discuss the challenges of overdelivering and the importance of launching a minimum viable product (MVP). They provide insights on defining the scope, avoiding feature overload, setting a realistic timeline, and establishing clear decision authority to protect the MVP line.

    Reach out to Penny Cook or Sarah Wilson on LinkedIn to connect! Visit our website: Operating on Purpose

    OP Website
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    14 mins
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