Ep. 591 - Twentyeight Health COO Mara Castro - How To Avoid These Deadly Traps in Operations Success

How do you actually scale without losing yourself or your team in the chaos?In this conversation, Sivana Brewer sits down with Mara Castro, COO at Twentyeight Health and former Warby Parker trailblazer, to dissect what it takes to build, lead, and sustain high-performing teams in brutally demanding, mission-driven environments. Expect raw takes on leadership, the dangerous myth of “just do more,” and what it really means to earn trust as a COO.If you’ve ever wondered why some leaders quietly burn out while others keep their team charging ahead, you cannot afford to miss this episode. Hear exclusive, battle-tested insights you won’t find in any COO playbook. Don’t settle for “what everyone does” and listen now before these lessons become your competitors’ next unfair advantage.Sponsored byGenius Network - An exclusive community for highly successful entrepreneurs, connecting you with top-tier leaders, strategic insights, and powerful relationships to help you grow your business faster and smarter.Learn more: https://www.geniusnetwork.com/Timestamped Highlights00:22 – The unexpected journey from nonprofit roots to COO02:37 – Why a career break fueled a powerhouse comeback05:34 – The untold value of prior relationships for landing big roles09:14 – Networking for introverts: How authentic connections really win10:15 – The counterintuitive 90-day blueprint every new COO must follow13:06 – The art of KPI clarity and not getting sucked into the weeds17:50 – The hidden trap of too much complexity in health tech33:23 – Why guiding, not micromanaging, unlocks leadership at scale39:30 – The radical power of raising the white flag earlyAbout the GuestMara Castro is the COO at Twentyeight Health, where she leads product, engineering, clinical operations, and pharmacy for a fast-scaling women’s telehealth platform. Previously, the first employee at Warby Parker, she helped build and scale one of the most celebrated brands in DTC history, before driving expansion at Evolve in hospitality tech. Her results-driven, human-focused approach makes her a standout leader in growth and transformation.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteMentioned ResourcesWarby ParkerEvolveDale Carnegie – "How to Win Friends and Influence People"Lean Six Sigma – DMAIC frameworkSlackNetflixAbout the Co-HostSivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedInImportant LinksConnect with Cameron: Website | LinkedInExplore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via DelphiThe Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.Sponsored byGenius Network - An exclusive community for highly successful entrepreneurs, connecting you with top-tier leaders, strategic insights, and powerful relationships to help you grow your business faster and smarter.Learn more: https://www.geniusnetwork.com/