Episode
Ep. 591 - Twentyeight Health COO Mara Castro - How To Avoid These Deadly Traps in Operations Success
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2763
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://cooalliance.com/podcasts/
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Summary
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 by Genius 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 Highlights 00:22 – The unexpected journey from nonprofit roots to COO 02:37 – Why a career break fueled a powerhouse comeback 05:34 – The untold value of prior relationships for landing big roles 09:14 – Networking for introverts: How authentic connections really win 10:15 – The counterintuitive 90-day blueprint every new COO must follow 13:06 – The art of KPI clarity and not getting sucked into the weeds 17:50 – The hidden trap of too much complexity in health tech 33:23 – Why guiding, not micromanaging, unlocks leadership at scale 39:30 – The radical power of raising the white flag early About the Guest Mara Castro is the COO at Twentyeight Health, where she leads product, engineering, clinical operations, and pharm…