The Art of Being Number Two: Insights from Fractional COO, Ginny Wood

In this episode of Peter Lohmann’s Podcast, I’m joined by Ginny Wood, former COO at LeadSimple and an experienced fractional COO who has guided multiple high-growth businesses through transformation and scaling.Ginny shares her career journey from early days as a programmer to becoming a trusted operational leader in PropTech and beyond. We explore how she approaches stepping into companies mid-stream, the importance of building a culture of speed, and what leaders should know about property manager blind spots. Ginny also opens up about taking a mid-career sabbatical, turning off the inner critic, and how EOS continues to shape business leadership today.If you’re a property management entrepreneur, real estate operator, or business owner looking to find the right #2 or explore fractional COO options, this conversation delivers practical insights and inspiration.00:00 – Intro02:17 – Ginny’s background and career11:39 – Where to start as a fractional COO16:36 – Sponsor: Julian Calvo (watch this)18:05 – Inspiring a culture of speed26:54 – Taking a mid-career sabbatical32:43 – Knowing when it’s time to move on36:51 – Sponsor: Crane38:15 – Property manager blind spots44:01 – Feedback and hard conversations52:33 – Turning off your inner critic57:33 – EOS1:00:58 – How to find a great #21:05:11 – Fractional COO options for property management companiesContact Ginny:Ginny on LinkedInHoffman InstituteThe Rise of the COO – Harvard Business ReviewContact Peter:Crane – Private PM Owner CommunityFree PM Newsletter RL Property Management