Emily answers a listener named Dallas, a longtime tree company owner, who’s struggling to get traction applying for Chief of Staff roles after his business closed. She talks about being seen as overqualified, how to preempt concerns on a resume and in interviews, and ways to use founder experience as an advantage. Emily gives examples like using a simple explanation on LinkedIn and resumes, referencing candidates moving from CEO roles, and how to address the “overqualified” issue directly with hiring managers.

Get in touch with Emily:
Want help repositioning your founder experience for a Chief of Staff role? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here.

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Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.

Time Stamps:

00:25 Listener Question Setup

01:22 Why You Seem Overqualified

02:57 Resume and LinkedIn Reframe

04:25 CFO Story Example

05:57 Practice a Calm Talk Track

06:53 Founder Experience as an Asset

08:22 Family Business Dynamics

09:44 Get Feedback and Target Fit

11:52 Disarm Concerns and Wrap Up

Veer Sawhney talks about his transition from working as a personal aide at the White House to becoming Chief of Staff at an investment firm. He shares how skills like anticipating needs, managing high-pressure situations, and helping his principals stay focused have been key in both government and business roles. Veer also explains how he expanded his role to support the venture team and what he looks for in founders and investments.

Link Mentioned:
Connect with Veer via email.

Get in touch with Emily:
Want to chat with Emily? Book a quick clarity call here.

Free Leadership Resources

LinkedIn

Website

Newsletter

Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.

Time Stamps:
00:53 Inside the White House Role

02:05 Running Comms and Events

03:50 Working with Chiefs of Staff

05:17 From Politics to Investing

08:11 Landing the Chief of Staff Job

09:41 Transferable Chief of Staff Skills

20:09 Protecting Focus and Managing Interruptions

25:58 Building Trust and Expanding Scope

31:08 VC Work, Advice, and Wrap Up

Tips for keeping conversations going as Chief of Staff, like following up after a listening tour and spotting ways to help teammates. Examples include offering to QA an automated process or noticing patterns such as a lack of people management experience, then coordinating training. Early on, it's important to follow up on small things, even if they're only a big deal to one person.

Get in touch with Emily:
Want to turn conversations into action as a Chief of Staff? Book a clarity call w/ Emily here.

Free Leadership Resources

LinkedIn

Website

Newsletter

Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.

Time Stamps:

00:25 Why Listening Tours Matter

00:58 Setting Up Intro Meetings

01:59 Avoid One and Done Chats

03:21 Research Then Reconnect

04:50 Turn Insights Into Initiatives

07:19 Right Size Your Follow Ups

09:40 When to Relaunch the Role