OVER DEZE AFLEVERING
Jonny Waite had a plan: build a profitable agency on the back of AI with as little human hiring as possible. Nine months in, he'd already thrown that plan out.
Not because it failed — because he found a better one.
Jonny is the CEO and Co-Founder of Recho, one of the only full-service Reddit-specialized agencies in the US. In this conversation, he gets into what it actually took to scale a new business at an accelerated rate: why his first hire was a director instead of a delivery person, how he built two layers of management inside nine months, and why over-relying on AI for a customer service business nearly diluted everything that made the agency worth hiring.
The conversation goes deeper than startup tactics. Jonny makes a clear-eyed case for what AI can and can't do — why it's an accelerant for people who are already good, not a replacement for people who aren't, and why the companies that cut staff and called it AI transformation are now quietly reversing course. He also gets into what it means to know your value proposition clearly enough that every decision — including AI adoption — becomes easier to make.
This is a direct conversation about building the operating infrastructure before you need it — not after.
Operating Discipline with Terri Wilson — candid conversations with CEOs and senior leaders about organizational performance under pressure.
Listen: opdiscipline.com/podcast
Connect with Terri D. Wilson on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/terridwilson/
Visit the Operating Discipline website: http://opdiscipline.com/
Listen to Operating Discipline on these podcast platforms:
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbUwY45jbStUKsa2v7mALQ
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/033qMnr5bIiui03nulsvfc
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/operating-discipline-hosted-by-terri-d-wilson/id1896857928
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f3e88a4a-38f4-48b1-9827-8207876d4a95
#OperatingDiscipline #TerriWilson #Leadership #OrganisationalDesign #BusinessOperations #LeadershipDevelopment #ScalingBusinesses #CompanyCulture #OperationalExcellence #HRLeadership #TeamAccountability #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #ManagementStrategy #FounderMindset
Operating Discipline is the podcast for leaders who are ready to take a hard look at how their organisations actually work — not just what their strategy says on paper. Hosted by Terri D. Wilson, each episode is a candid conversation with founders, executives, and operators about how decisions get made, how accountability is held, and how work really flows inside growing businesses.
Terri brings over 30 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience to every conversation. She's worked across industries helping leaders build the systems, structures, and cultures that allow businesses to scale without breaking — and she knows that most organisations don't struggle because of bad strategy. They struggle because of how they actually operate day to day.
Whether you're navigating rapid growth, building a team you can trust, or trying to close the gap between the business you want and the one you're running, Operating Discipline gives you the frameworks and real-world examples to lead with intention. This is the show for leaders who are serious about execution, not just ideas.
