In this unfiltered second half of their conversation, Dwayne Kerrigan and Vaneli Martinov dive deeper into the mindset, systems, and soul behind exceptional operations leadership.

Vaneli—EVP of Operations for the world-renowned Wellington International—opens up about what it really means to lead from the front lines: managing 500+ seasonal staff, navigating crisis in real-time, and mentoring a team while raising a family.

From hiring with heart to dealing with "energy vampires," from picking up trash alongside the CEO to gamifying motivation in a 16-week event sprint, this episode is a masterclass in human-centered leadership.

She doesn’t hold back on the pressures, pivots, and personal sacrifices that come with the job—but also shares the mindset shifts, values, and rituals that keep her grounded and inspired.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The true nature of operations: structure in chaos

01:30 – From intern to executive: building your network with humility

04:15 – Work ethic, boundaries & the generational shift in expectations

07:00 – AI, the future of education, and what’s changing fast

10:00 – Adapting to AI: how Vaneli's team is preparing

12:00 – Company counselor: when leadership means emotional availability

15:00 – Empowering your team instead of enabling dependency

17:30 – Spotting energy drainers and culture mismatches

18:30 – What it actually takes to get fired by Vanelli

20:00 – Why most problems are rooted in miscommunication, not incompetence

21:00 – Building better onboarding, systems, and structure

23:00 – Hiring 600+ people in 3 months: inside the chaos

24:30 – Culture, compensation & the shift from scrambling to stability

25:45 – How gamification, incentives & recognition drive retention

28:00 – When your CEO leads by example (and picks up trash)

30:00 – Leadership on the ground vs. from the tower

33:00 – What Saturday nights with 10,000 people look like

35:00 – Vanelli’s operational bumper sticker: Hustle, pivot, repeat

37:00 – Fear vs. courage in leadership

39:00 – How motherhood redefined her priorities and definition of fear

42:30 – Business as a gladiator sport—and a spiritual journey

44:00 – Why leadership reflection is crucial for sustainable growth

45:30 – How to get in touch with Vaneli

Key Takeaways & Resources:

1. Leadership Is Emotional Labor

Vaneli embraces the role of “company counselor,” knowing that guiding people through emotional and professional bottlenecks is part of her value—but she’s also learned to set boundaries to avoid burnout.

2. Hiring 500+ Staff? Culture Is the Glue

They’ve moved from scrambling to stability through better pay, returning managers, incentive programs, and weekly recognition rituals. Culture wins over resumes.

3. Operations = Chaos + Calm

You can plan all you want, but execution is where the real work begins. Flexibility and adaptability are key to thriving in operations.

4. Don’t Confuse Fear with Failure

Vaneli explores the difference between being fearless and being courageous. She still feels fear—but leads with action anyway.

5. Modern Leadership = On-the-Ground Leadership

Their CEO leads by example, works beside the crew, and gets real-time feedback from front-line staff. Leadership isn’t about distance—it’s about presence.

6. AI Is Coming for Admin—Not Empathy

While they’re just starting to adopt AI tools, Vaneli acknowledges its potential for operations—but believes people will always be at the core of execution.

Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan

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What does it take to run 500 events across 16 weeks and still make it home for bedtime stories? In this powerhouse episode, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with Vaneli Martinov, Executive Vice President of Operations for the world-renowned Wellington International.

Vaneli opens up about the reality behind high-performance leadership—juggling relentless operations, motherhood, and building a career from the ground up. From her early days as an intern at the most expensive golf club in the world to project-managing $200M developments, her story is a masterclass in grit, grace, and grounded leadership.

You’ll learn how she balances chaos with calm, leads massive teams with empathy, and why being the "swan on the surface, but paddling like hell underneath" is one of her greatest strengths.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The Swan Mentality: Grace above, chaos below

01:10 – Meet Vaneli Martinov

03:00 – Managing 500 events in 16 weeks

05:45 – Operational teardown + seasonal rebuilds

07:00 – Balancing career, marriage & motherhood

08:45 – Living in fight-or-flight: Thriving in chaos

10:00 – Hustling her way from intern to executive

14:45 – Saying yes before you’re ready

17:00 – Early career lessons in elite service & proactivity

21:00 – Building trust through “nothing is beneath me” leadership

23:00 – Predictive thinking vs reactive firefighting

26:00 – Scaling up from operations grunt to strategic executive

29:00 – 80–100 hour weeks: Was it worth it?

31:00 – Redefining hustle with purpose and family in mind

35:00 – The truth about toxic relationships and healthy ambition

38:00 – The hidden challenges of being a woman in male-dominated leadership

44:30 – How Vaneli leads with feminine strength and authenticity

48:00 – Modeling the right leadership style through lived experience

52:00 – Networking with purpose vs performative connection

Key Takeaways & Resources:

1. Say Yes Before You’re Ready

Vaneli’s career is built on courageous action—even when she didn’t feel ready. She leaned into the unknown and learned through doing.

2. Leadership Is Earned Through Action

She models respect by showing up in the trenches. From hauling trash to handling investors, no job is beneath her—and that credibility compounds.

3. Early Career: Hustle + Humility Wins

What set her apart wasn’t grades—it was drive. Her advice to young professionals? Show up curious, proactive, and willing to do anything.

4. Learn to Anticipate, Not Just React

Whether managing elite clientele or massive operations, success lies in predicting needs and solving problems before they arise.

5. Redefining Feminine Leadership

Vaneli rejected the “bulldog boss” stereotype and leaned into emotional intelligence, empathy, and warmth—without sacrificing strength.

6. Balance Isn’t Static—It’s Intentional

As a wife, mother, and exec, she’s constantly pivoting. Her north star? Show up with positivity, and choose grace over perfection.

Connect with Dwayne Kerrigan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedwaynekerriganpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwaynekerriganpodcast/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwayne-kerrigan-998113281/

Website: http://www.dwaynekerrigan.com

Disclaimer...

In Part 2 of this masterclass conversation, former Navy SEAL and leadership architect Rich Diviney returns to go deeper into the strategies behind his new book The Masters of Uncertainty—and delivers real, actionable frameworks for leaders who want to scale, perform, and lead better under pressure.

Dwayne and Rich explore how to literally reduce fear using a neuroscience-backed process called Moving Horizons, how to train your brain to handle chaos like a SEAL, and how to architect team trust with the 4 C’s of Trust framework. From building high-performance cultures to instilling behavior-based identity in teams, this episode is packed with takeaways for any business owner, leader, or parent navigating complexity.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro to Moving Horizons: Why the brain craves certainty

02:00 – The DPO framework: Duration, Pathway, Outcome

05:30 – Real-world example: SEAL training and horizon-setting

07:00 – Using cold plunges to practice focus under stress

09:00 – Coaching children using horizon-picking

11:30 – The neuroscience of dopamine, motivation, and why we quit

13:00 – How to shift your horizon in real time

15:30 – Eliminating fear by narrowing focus

18:00 – Learning to appreciate the moment without losing performance

21:00 – Can Moving Horizons help with mental health?

24:00 – Fear as a risk assessment tool (not something to eliminate)

26:00 – Why Part 3 of the book is a surprise gift for entrepreneurs

27:30 – Dynamic Subordination: The new leadership model

29:30 – Creating trust: The 4 Cs (Competence, Consistency, Character, Compassion)

34:00 – How most companies fall short on trust

37:30 – Building character and compassion in your culture

40:00 – Behavior = the bridge to trust

42:30 – Culture values vs. culture behaviors

44:30 – How to rewrite company values using “I Am” statements

48:00 – Mapping core attributes to job behaviors

50:00 – Redefining success as the exploration of human potential

53:00 – Final thoughts: You're not too busy, you’re stuck in certainty

Notable Quotes:

“Fear is not the enemy. It’s a risk assessment tool. The goal is not to eliminate fear—but to work with it.” – Rich Diviney

“If you’re too busy, it’s probably because you’re hiding in certainty. That’s the enemy of scale.” – Dwayne Kerrigan

“Our goal in life is to use life to explore our potential. That’s the real definition of success.” – Rich Diviney

“You can’t make anyone trust you. All you can do is behave in a way that earns it.” – Rich Diviney

Tools & Resources:

• Rich Diviney’s assessment & attributes work: www.theattributes.com
• Assessment tool use promo code KERRIGAN15: https://hub.theattributes.com/
• The Masters of Uncertainty – https://learn.theattributes.com/mastering-uncertainty
• The Attributes Book (2021) – foundational read on human performance
• “Moving Horizons” method – how to reduce fear through micro-goals
• The 4 Cs of Trust Framework: Competence, Consistency, Character, Compassion
• Culture Architecture with “I Am” Statements
• Dopamine and Motivation: How to manage goal-setting energy

Actionable Takeaways:

1. Use “Moving Horizons” to reduce overwhelm → Set micro-goals with a defined Duration, Pathway, and Outcome (DPO).
2. Teach your team how to lead themselves → Empower...