What happens when a VP of Operations becomes the translator between a founder's 3 a.m. ideas and the team that has to make them reality? Five years later, she's running the show. This week, we sit down with Carly Bedini, VP of Operations at iQ Offices, and her boss Kane Willmott for one of the most honest, hilarious, and heartfelt conversations we've had on this podcast. Carly came from nonprofits and events. She had no idea what coworking was. But she knew how to lead teams, manage chaos, and translate a founder's vision into operational reality. And that's exactly what she's been doing for Kane and his co-founder Alex ever since. In this episode, we talk about:

How Carly went from running We Day events in Canada to becoming Kane's operational translator
Why Kane now trusts Carly to speak at industry events more than he speaks himself
The GWA Atlanta Immersive—and why smaller conferences force everyone to show up and be present
How iQ is focusing on enterprise clients and broker relationships heading into 2026
Carly's 2026 goal: embrace AI and stop resisting Kane's ideas quite so hard

This conversation is proof that the best hires aren't always the ones with industry experience—they're the ones who show up authentically, lead with humor, and aren't afraid to challenge their CEO while making magic happen behind the scenes. If you're a founder wondering how to let go and trust your team, or if you're an operator building a culture where people actually love coming to work, this episode is for you.

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Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

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Carly Bedini on LinkedIn Kane Willmott on LinkedIn iQ Offices website

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175. Translating Vision into Reality: Carly Bedini on Leading Operations at iQ Offices