‘Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: Execution, Leadership and the Fractional COO’ - with Wendi Pannell

BONUS EPISODE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to the wonderful Wendi Pannell, Founder of Pannell Consulting, about what really happens inside tech companies as they grow — and why execution so often becomes the problem. We talk about the point where companies should be flying, strong teams, clear vision, but everything still seems to rely on the founder. Wendi shares what’s actually going on in those moments, and how to break the “founder bottleneck” that slows everything down.We get into why strategy isn’t usually the issue, what strong operating rhythms actually look like in practice, and the leadership and structural shifts companies need to move from early growth into something more sustainable.Wendi also shares her advice for CEOs navigating change, and we share our mutual love of Dolly Parton.A really practical conversation for anyone building, scaling or leading in tech.About Our Guest: Wendi Pannell is the founder of Pannell Consulting and a seasoned COO with over 25 years of experience spanning global enterprises like GE, high-growth startups, and her own SaaS venture, Lightstance. Known for her practical, no-nonsense approach, Wendi jumps in alongside leadership teams to turn organizational complexity into clarity and bridge the gap between business strategy and execution.Whether she is streamlining operations for technical leaders or helping small businesses scale with discipline, Wendi’s work is grounded in the belief that intentional action and shared purpose are essential for meaningful growth. Beyond consulting, she is an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech and a passionate advocate for empowering women in technology.Audiences and clients value Wendi for her ability to translate emerging tools—especially AI—into concrete business gains while maintaining a human-first perspective. When she isn’t guiding teams toward their next breakthrough, she is likely mentoring students, cheering on her three sons, or crafting a competitive charcuterie board.⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/wwp/⁠⁠https://wendipannell.com⁠