Fixer Founder Friction | How Saying “No” Breaks Trust

Fractional COO Ben Speich on learning that leadership isn’t about saying no — it’s about showing how.In this episode of Fixers and Founders, Benjamin Speich, a Fractional COO and EOS integrator, shares his journey from being a curious child to becoming a fixer in the business world. He discusses the importance of aligning vision and operations, the challenges of working with visionaries, and the significance of trust and humility in relationships. Benjamin also reflects on his experiences with failure, the systems he implements for success, and the freedom that comes with being a fractional COO. He concludes with advice for his younger self and shares a surprising fact about his role as a family cook.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Fixers and Founders02:14 The Journey of a Fixer04:27 Aligning Vision and Operations08:11 The Role of Visionaries10:22 Learning from Failures11:12 Building Trust in Relationships14:05 Handing Off Responsibilities15:56 The Importance of Scorecards18:02 The Ups and Downs of Being a Fractional COO19:36 Advice to My Younger Self21:11 Surprising Facts About Ben22:39 OutroConnect with Benjamin Speich:https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminspeich/https://www.speichconsulting.com/Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s CabinUsed with permission under a non-exclusive license.Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.comSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntcynthiascabinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntcynthiascabin