Structure and Soul The case for human-first operational leadership

If you've ever felt like you're holding your entire business together with sheer willpower — this episode is for you.

Jen Wyatt is the founder of Elite BizOps and has spent over eleven years helping business owners build the operational systems that let them breathe again. She's a fractional operations expert, a soon-to-be author, and someone who brings a genuinely unique perspective to leadership — one shaped by an art and fashion design background, an MBA, life as a military spouse, and more than a decade of figuring out how people actually work best.

In this conversation, we get into all of it — the messy, the practical, and the refreshingly honest.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why her art background made her a sharper operational thinker
• The "my way or the highway" mindset and why it no longer works
• How to lead remote and hybrid teams with fairness and flexibility
• Using AI responsibly without losing the human touch
• What fractional leadership really looks like day-to-day
• The boundaries and systems she uses to protect her own time and energy
• Why her biggest leadership goal is to work herself out of a job

A few of our favorite moments: "Collaboration fosters innovation. The 'my way or the highway' mindset just fosters the status quo."

"The key commodity moving forward is going to be the human touch."

"In a vacuum, we can create any kind of story we want about any situation. Stop the stories. Keep it simple."

Connect with Jen: Find Jen Wyatt on LinkedIn and follow her newsletter on operational leadership. Her book on operational leadership is coming soon — one you'll want to watch for.

https://www.elite-biz-ops.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennferwyattmba/Connect With Us and Learn More about Leadership Portraits

Connect With Us and Learn More about Leadership Portraits

• Host: Jennifer Wright
• Podcast: Leadership Portraits
• Follow for more conversations that explore the stories, struggles, and insights behind modern leaders

www.LeadershipPortraits.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Lauren Fox, a seasoned project management leader whose path to leadership looks nothing like a straight line. Lauren opens up about her unexpected entry into project management, the challenges of leading high‑performing teams, and the personal work required to grow beyond people‑pleasing into a grounded, confident leadership style.

Together, they explore the realities of leadership — the emotional load, the role of boundaries, the messy middle of growth, and the courage required to hold space for both yourself and your team. Lauren shares how listening more deeply, understanding what people truly need, and redefining fairness transformed the way she leads. She also speaks candidly about therapy, grace, and the internal journey that’s shaped her more than any job title ever could.

This episode is full of heart, honesty, and practical wisdom for leaders at every stage — especially women who are unlearning old rules and choosing healthier, more sustainable ways to show up at work and in life.

• How Lauren “fell into” project management — and why it stuck
• Leadership growing pains and navigating strong personalities
• Setting boundaries at work without losing compassion
• Fairness vs. sameness: learning what each person truly needs
• Why listening is a leader’s most underrated skill
• How therapy and self-awareness shaped her confidence
• The power of genuine women’s networks
• What’s next as Lauren steps outside her comfort zone

• “People needed to be heard. They didn’t need me to assess it — they needed me to understand.”
• “Fairness isn’t giving everyone the same thing. It’s giving people what they need.”
• “If you’re walking around with yourself all day, don’t be the meanest voice in your own head.”
• “I’m not here to tell my team what to do — I’m here to make it possible for them to do what they do best.”

Lauren Fox is a seasoned project management leader with more than a decade of experience guiding teams and navigating complex transitions in the medical device industry. Though she leads today with clarity and steadiness, her path didn’t begin that way. She spent years overextending herself — saying yes, carrying others’ emotions, and pushing past her limits — until burnout forced her to rebuild her approach from the inside out.

Now, she brings that hard-earned wisdom into her work and her writing, including her chapter Boundaries Don’t Make You a B‑!$@& Word in Leadership Voices. She hopes her journey helps other women reclaim their energy, confidence, and boundaries one brave decision at a time.

Connect with Lauren:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/-lauren-fox/

• Host: Jennifer Wright
• Podcast: Leadership Voices
• Follow for more conversations that explore the stories, struggles, and insights behind modern leaders

www.LeadershipVoices.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/

Barbara (Bosslady) Heil-Sonneck

Let’s Collaborate for Impact and Growth” Opportunity Architect and Connector – Real Estate & Investments – Nonprofit Focus for Social Impact – CEO and World Traveler.

With over two decades of management experience and a focus on real estate investments, she is dedicated to driving community impact in all her endeavors. This commitment has led her to her current roles as a General Partner in multifamily real estate syndication and an Advisory Board Member in 2 companies.

At the heart of her professional journey is a commitment to strategic wealth building and empowering others through her expertise in organizational setup, fostering growth, and innovative thinking.

In her advisory roles, she leverages her knowledge to tackle operational challenges, teambuilding, collaboration and focus on investor relations.

If you would like to connect with Barbara you can find her at www.BarbaraHS.com or on LinkedIn: Barbara Heil-Sonneck

Her books are available on Amazon at:

Real Women in Real Estate

Powerful Female Immigrants

The Venus Approach to Real Estate

About Leadership Portraits:

Leadership Portraits is a curated collection of extraordinary individuals who have mastered the delicate brushstrokes of influence, resilience, and vision. Each portrait is a testament to the unique leadership styles that have shaped industries, communities, and legacies. Explore the nuanced narratives behind each face, and let these captivating images inspire your own journey of leadership excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse stories that define leadership in its myriad forms—captured, framed, and showcased for your inspiration.

To learn more about the leaders featured here go to www.leadershipportraits.com. You can read articles about the guests and view video clips.

If you know a leader who would make a great portrait, please use the nomination link to submit their nomination - you may nominate yourself.

https://leadershipportraits.com/nominations/

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-portraits

Connect with Podcast Host Jennifer Wright:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwrightexecuwright/