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Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

Ep. 551 - FAN FAVORITE | Orangetheory Fitness Former COO Griff Long | The Truth About Building Outstanding Leadership Teams

Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

Second in Command with Cameron Herold

Business, Entrepreneurship, Careers, Management

4.9 • 225 Ratings

🗓️ 5 February 2026

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Are you tired of chaotic operations, burned-out teams, and the relentless pressure to execute big visions without breaking yourself in the process? In this can’t-miss fan favorite episode, Cameron Herold goes deep with Griff Long, former COO of Orangetheory Fitness, a leader who’s transformed personal growth and business results at some of America’s top brands.

If you’re a second-in-command, exhausted by firefighting and silo wars, this conversation will shake up your playbook. Griff shares battle-tested leadership secrets, why people (not processes) matter most, and how data-driven innovation is gripping the fitness world.

Skip another mediocre “growth” podcast. Listen now to avoid the #1 pain point for COOs: stagnant teams, missed opportunities, and burnout. This is your backstage pass to proven strategies and exclusive insights you won’t get anywhere else.


Timestamped Highlights

[00:00] – Why this episode is a fan-favorite (and why you need it now)

[00:28] – Griff’s devastating rookie mistake and how it reshaped his approach

[01:24] – The “double threat” that got Griff hired at Orangetheory

[03:09] – The surprising science and secrets behind Orangetheory’s addictively sticky workouts

[09:33] – Griff’s golden thread technique for obliterating silos and boosting buy-in

[13:00] – Why running corporate-owned studios is Orangetheory’s secret weapon

[16:02] – How Griff rebuilt the org chart and what every COO should copy

[19:20] – Laser focus vs. death by a thousand cuts: How to avoid competitive distraction

[25:19] – Griff’s top-three leadership lessons (and the #1 thing he’d tell his 22-year-old self)

[34:08] – The red/yellow/green “traffic light” playbook for direct reports and leadership development



About the Guest

Griff Long is the former COO of Orangetheory Fitness, blending 25+ years of hands-on leadership with a passion for measurable growth and elite team culture. Known for scaling fitness giants like PureBar and SoulCycle, Griff has rebuilt teams, crushed operational bottlenecks, and championed transformations using data and heart. He’s a US Triathlon Coach, a Six Sigma Green Belt, and a master at developing people before processes—essential context for any COO facing existential growth pains.

đź”— LinkedIn | Website | Facebook | Instagram



Mentioned Resources

  1. Six Sigma (Green Belt, Failure Mode Effect Analysis)
  2. Pure Barre
  3. SoulCycle
  4. Equinox
  5. Hertz
  6. Steve Case (Flex Car)
  7. Bridgewater State University
  8. InBody Scales (BMI tracking)
  9. Tony Robbins: State, Story, Strategy
  10. 1-800-GOT-JUNK



Important Links

  1. Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
  2. Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
  3. Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
  4. Take his 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

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Just a quick note before we dive in.

0:01.9

This is actually one of our older episodes, but we're bringing it back because it's one of the most downloaded ones we've ever released.

0:07.8

Clearly, it struck a chord with a lot of listeners, and I know there's so much value packed inside.

0:12.9

So whether you're hearing it for the first time or revisiting it, enjoy this fan favorite.

0:17.1

Focus on the people, then the process, and then the performance, but really understanding the people, where were their opportunities, whether it's personal or whether it's within their area responsibility.

0:27.9

So I think for me, first 30 days is just really focused on getting to know the people and making sure I understood that culture because I've stepped early on my career, stepped on some

0:38.3

landmines by going in there like a bull in a China shop and do it this way. But for me, it was

0:42.8

really about just listening and learning and figure out where the opportunities were.

0:52.2

Welcome to the Second and Command podcast, produced by the C.O. Alliance and brought to you by its founder, Cameron Harold.

1:00.7

In the Second in Command podcast, we talk to top COOs who share the insights, strategies, and tactics that made them the chief behind the chief.

1:09.9

And now, here's your host, Cameron Herald.

1:16.7

Griff Long is an avid health and wellness enthusiast. He blends his passion for fitness with

1:21.7

his drive to develop world-class organizations as the head of operational development and

1:26.1

innovation at Orange Theory Fitness.

1:28.3

Griff has over 25 years of experience in transforming startup organizations into multi-million

1:33.1

dollar corporations and has served leadership roles in both enterprise and consumer businesses

1:37.3

across the country, including the COO of Peer Bar, DP of Operations for Equinox, senior

1:43.4

vice president of SoulCycle, and senior

1:45.3

director of operations for Hertz. A graduate from Bridgewater State University with a bachelor's degree

1:50.1

in business, Griff also prioritizes his own physical health and wellness as a U.S. Traathlon Association

1:55.6

coach, CrossFit coach, Running Coach, Sean Delaney facilitator and Six Sigma Greenbelt. So a classic

2:02.3

underachiever. Thanks for being on the Second Command podcast. Thank you for having me.

...

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