Second in Command Podcast: Ep. 526

Guest: Dr. Melonie Boone, COO of Adesia Nutrition
Host: Savannah Brewer for Cameron Herold
Date: November 11, 2025
Episode Theme: Secrets to Scaling a Mission That Saves Lives

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the unique challenges and fulfillment of running operations for a profoundly mission-driven company: Adesia Nutrition, whose goal is to end childhood malnutrition globally. Dr. Melonie Boone shares her journey from consultant to COO, the emotional realities of working in a field where every product can profoundly impact a life, and the practical, people-centered leadership strategies she uses to keep her team aligned and effective through periods of dramatic change.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Company and Mission Deep Dive

[02:58]

• Adesia Nutrition is focused on eradicating global childhood malnutrition, producing fortified nutrition products.
• Their flagship product, a fortified peanut butter called "Pumping Up," can literally save a life with each box delivered.
• Products also serve pregnant/nursing mothers and school-age kids.

  “Our true goal here and what we fight for every single day is to make sure that no child has to die from being malnutritioned.” – Dr. Melonie Boone [03:43]

2. Personal Mission & Emotional Connection

[04:39]

• Melonie’s move from consulting to COO was fueled by deep personal reflection and her mother’s legacy of giving.
• Her consulting work at Adesia evolved into a full-time operational role after she helped define the COO job itself.
• The transition demanded both personal and familial sacrifice, including relocating from Chicago to Rhode Island.

  “How do you live her [my mother’s] legacy? How do you complete the work that she wasn’t able to complete?... Here I sit, very excited, and it’s not easy, but it’s an amazing role and amazing opportunity.” – Melonie [07:19]

3. From Consultant to COO

[10:13]

• Initially brought in to resolve “people issues” and organizational bottlenecks, Melonie’s work soon encompassed HR, procurement, strategy, and CEO coaching.
• Her cross-departmental experience (HR, operations, finance, marketing, etc.) gave her a holistic perspective ideal for the COO position.

  “I just had all of these different dynamics of coaching and then you layer in my education... I’ve worn all these different hats.” – Melonie [10:42]

4. Navigating the First 90 Days

[14:44]

• Early ground rules: Clear external (CEO) vs. internal (COO) division but intentional communication across that blurred line.
• Immediate challenges: Two major business disruptions within 180 days — stopping production is catastrophic in their context, requiring agile leadership and emotional resilience.

  “What got you here won’t keep you there... I have been making these adjustments to how I work, how I manage my team, how I manage my relationship, how I continue to build trust.” – Melonie [17:25]

5. Balancing Operational Rigor with Mission-First Mindset

[19:44]

• The CEO’s guidance during volatility: “Don’t retreat. Keep fighting with me.” – [20:29]
• The COO/CEO relationship hinges on transparency, absence of ego, and (sometimes difficult) feedback loops.
• Melonie admits the transition from consulting to hands-on operational leadership in a plant/office environment required humility and adaptation.

  “Sometimes you have to humble yourself and really listen,” – Melonie [21:38]

6. Leveraging Diverse Experience and Education

[22:29]

• Melonie’s unconventional COO path (HR, business psychology, operations, law) offered agility in problem-solving but required discernment for which “hat” to wear and when.

  "You have to know when to wear what hat, and you can’t wear them all at the same time." – Melonie [26:50]

7. Staying Connected Across Multiple Departments

[28:17]

• 14-15 departments report to Melonie. She relies on:
  • Weekly written updates from every department
  • Biweekly one-on-ones with direct reports
  • Frequent walkarounds and direct engagement with front-line staff
  • Focusing intentional time to “learn the business” in-person, across all shifts.

  “You just have to be thoughtful and intentional about your time... But I thrive in that environment.” – Melonie [30:00]

8. Tracking Team Morale and Engagement

[28:17], [37:34]

• Departmental morale updates are mandatory every Friday.
• HR leadership and managers conduct on-the-ground “temperature checks.”
• Leadership is required to do regular walkabouts; Melonie personally meets night and day shifts.

  “Everyone who’s in a leadership role is required to do these walkabouts... you need to make sure that you’re prioritizing the people.” – Melonie [37:53]

9. Implementing Effective Systems Change

[35:00]

• Adesia takes a cross-functional, bottom-up approach before system rollouts.
• Stakeholder demos, user-experience testing, and visible employee input are key.
• Example: Adopting Paycor as the HRIS for streamlining HR and performance management.

  “You need the input from others and you learn a lot... There needs to be an impact, a positive impact on the business, a cost savings that doesn’t sacrifice time, productivity, and things like that.” – Melonie [36:19]

10. Building Inclusive and Fun Culture

[42:11]

• CEO Nathan leads company-wide fun activities (bingo, trivia, bagel funds).
• Melonie fosters open-door policies, creating informal space for conversation in her office.
• Aligning on “fun” as a cultural value is key to balance high performance with human connection.

  “If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing something right.” – Melonie [42:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On scaling impact:
  “Every time you see one box, one container, one truck leave, you know that it is going somewhere to help a child in need.” [03:21]

• On personal calling:
  “I went back to the hotel and I called my husband, and I was like, ‘I would do anything to work there. But that’ll never happen…’ And then weeks later, I was building the job description for the role I now have.” [06:35]

• On leadership evolution:
  “Everyone wants the seat at the table…but you don’t really know until you get in it how you need to shift and change.” [17:00]

• On tough transitions:
  “The relationship [between CEO and COO] is so critically important...if you can’t have those conversations, if you can’t be transparent with each other… it’s not going to be successful.” [20:42]

• On learning vs. numbers:
  “Anyone can show me the numbers, but what does it mean?” [23:03]
  “Go out on the plant floor… There’s stories behind [the numbers]. There’s lives, there’s nuance, there’s context.” [23:51]

• On managing scale:
  “How do you keep the pulse on all that?”
  “I have invites to all the meetings… I drop in where I need to...You have to stay really, really connected to the people and the business.” [28:17]

• On system change:
  “We’re not making decisions by consensus by any stretch, but you need the input from others…We have to talk to the people who are actually using the systems to make sure it makes sense for us.” [36:04]

• On morale and presence:
  “I cannot be a COO that stays in my office and goes to meetings and goes home…I have to be out, and that’s actually tough for me. I am very introverted and socially awkward.” [38:10]

Important Timestamps

• Intro & Mission: [02:58]
• Personal Why & COO Journey: [04:39]
• Consultant to COO Story: [10:13]
• First 90 Days & Crisis Leadership: [14:44]
• CEO Relationship/Advice: [19:44]
• Value of Diverse Experience: [22:29]
• Departmental Oversight & Workflow: [28:17]
• Team Morale Systems: [37:34]
• Company Culture and Fun: [42:11]
• Looking Ahead / Closing Advice: [45:24]

Closing Words & Takeaways

Dr. Melonie Boone’s Advice:

For aspiring COOs:

“Learn the business and learn all parts of the business. Raise your hand. Volunteer. Do the stuff nobody wants to do...It’s not just about the numbers. Know the story, know the context, know the nuance and weave that into your decision making.” [47:39]

For CEOs:

“You may find someone like myself who’s not on a conventional path that’s going to do some amazing things for your organization. Keep an open mind and have those upfront conversations so that you align early in the role.” [48:13]

Listen to learn how deep operational expertise, emotional intelligence, and mission alignment come together for meaningful impact and organizational scale.