Ep. 532 - Next Level Planning Group Managing Partner Richard Scheele – The Untold Secrets Behind Leading a Rapidly Growing Organization
Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold
Second in Command with Cameron Herold
4.9 • 224 Ratings
🗓️ 2 December 2025
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, co-host Sivana Brewer sits down with Richard Scheele, CFA, CFP, Managing Partner at Next Level Planning Group and former COO Alliance member.
Richard takes us inside more than a decade of leadership evolution, from starting as an intern to stepping into the Managing Partner seat of a fast-growing financial planning firm. He shares candid stories about redefining his role, building systems around EOS, and learning to lead beyond his comfort zone. The conversation explores what happens when you outgrow your title, how teams mature into strategic thinkers, and why clarity—real clarity—changes everything.
You’ll hear how Richard and his team rebuilt their communication rhythms, created a shared playbook for decision-making, and shifted their mindset around accountability and alignment. It’s an honest, practical look at what it really takes to scale without losing culture, trust, or your own sense of direction.
Whether you’re a second in command stepping into bigger shoes or a CEO looking to strengthen your leadership infrastructure, this episode will spark ideas you can use immediately.
Timestamped Highlights
00:00 The leadership lesson Richard wishes he’d learned earlier.
02:10 Richard’s growth from intern to Managing Partner.
04:12 Why changing his title was critical for true alignment.
06:25 How EOS reshaped communication and accountability.
08:40 The value of an outside implementer for early EOS adopters.
11:03 Richard’s background in teaching economics and how it shaped his leadership style.
13:18 Creating a decision-making playbook for future clarity.
15:45 Balancing vision, strategy, and the daily operational grind.
18:20 How curiosity and vulnerability strengthen team culture.
21:03 Turning strategy into a team-driven discipline.
23:30 The evolution of Next Level Planning Group’s internal structure.
27:05 Richard’s biggest lessons from leading a rapidly growing organization.
Resources Mentioned
About the Guest
Richard Scheele, CFA, CFP, is the Managing Partner at Next Level Planning Group, where he leads daily operations, strategic initiatives, and organizational coordination. Starting his career as an assistant portfolio analyst, Richard moved through roles in service, analysis, and financial planning before stepping into leadership. His background in teaching economics and his analytical approach to decision-making shape the way he develops talent, drives alignment, and supports long-term firm growth.
About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn
Important Links
- Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
- Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
- Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
- Take Cameron’s leadership course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
- Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi
The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold and co-hosted by Sivana Brewer. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | So we started implementing EOS in 2020. |
| 0:04.4 | And I had the integrator title. |
| 0:08.0 | And before that, I was our financial planning manager. |
| 0:12.3 | And we just kind of left the financial planning manager title there for a while. |
| 0:17.5 | And at some point, we're just kind of like, this doesn't really fit. We're talking to people |
| 0:21.7 | outside of the business and like, where are we talking to this manager? And so the other partners |
| 0:27.3 | and I talk about, you know, we should probably change the title to reflect the actual responsibilities. |
| 0:33.8 | And we just integrator didn't, wasn't known to everybody. And what we eventually settled on is kind of managing the day to day of the firm as a partner so let's go with managing partner |
| 0:45.4 | welcome to the second in command podcast produced by the co-O Alliance and brought to you by its founder, Cameron Harold. |
| 0:59.0 | In the Second in Command podcast, we talked to top COOs who share the insights, strategies, and tactics that made them the chief behind the chief. |
| 1:07.7 | And now here's your co-host, former CEOO of a multi-eight-figure remote company |
| 1:12.6 | and alumni member of the COO Alliance, Savannah Brewer. |
| 1:20.9 | Our guest today is Richard Shield managing partner at the Next Level Planning group. With over 20 years of experience in financial |
| 1:29.2 | planning and wealth management, Richard has built a reputation for leaving with integrity, |
| 1:34.3 | strategy, and client-first advisory. In this episode, we dive into how Richard helped implement |
| 1:40.1 | EOS at his firm and the impact it's had on clarity, alignment, and decision making. |
| 1:46.1 | He breaks down the three-core function of his role and how they serve as a compass for |
| 1:49.9 | leadership. We also talk about what's kept him deeply engaged for almost 13 years, |
| 1:55.3 | ultimately rising to managing partner after starting as an intern, and the major internal ships they've made to |
| 2:02.5 | strengthen their team and operations. If you're a leader focused on vision, longevity, |
| 2:07.1 | and building a values-driven team, you'll want to stick around for this one. |
| 2:14.0 | We are live. Welcome to the show, Richard. Yeah, pleasure to be here. Let's go ahead and start with giving us a little bit of background about the next level planning group. What do you do and who do you serve? Yeah. So we are a comprehensive financial planning firm. We help people make and execute great financial |
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