In today’s fast-paced business environment, CEOs and leaders often find themselves bogged down by operational tasks, preventing them from focusing on strategic growth. That’s where Vannin Chief of Staff comes in. Founded by Keziah Wonstolen, Vannin Chief of Staff provides tailored support to business leaders by offering a flexible, scalable solution to drive success. Whether it’s through full-time recruitment, interim support, or coaching, Vannin is revolutionizing how companies empower their leadership teams.
Based in Denver, Vannin has been helping businesses thrive for the past five years by matching leaders with seasoned chief of staff professionals who amplify their impact, streamline operations, and drive growth. The company’s services are designed to ensure that businesses, from startups to established enterprises, can operate more efficiently and with greater focus.
What Does a Chief of Staff Do?
The role of a chief of staff has become essential in modern organizations, but many are still unsure about its exact function. At its core, a chief of staff works closely with the CEO or business leader to drive strategic initiatives and manage the day-to-day execution of operations. The responsibilities can vary depending on the company’s size and needs, but generally fall into three key areas:
Alignment: Ensuring the company’s strategic direction is clear, with regular planning sessions to align leadership teams with long-term goals.
Execution: Overseeing day-to-day operations, monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), and ensuring that projects stay on track and deadlines are met.
Amplification: Helping to amplify the CEO’s vision, ensuring that the company’s values, messaging, and strategies are communicated effectively throughout the organization.
By taking on these responsibilities, a chief of staff frees up leaders to focus on high-priority tasks, from vision-setting to business development, while delegating the tactical and operational details to a trusted partner.
Chief of Staff vs. Executive Assistant: Understanding the Differences
While many people are familiar with the role of an executive assistant (EA), the chief of staff role differs significantly. While an EA focuses on managing the leader’s calendar, emails, and day-to-day logistics, a chief of staff is a more strategic partner who manages cross-functional projects and ensures the organization stays aligned with its vision. A chief of staff helps coordinate efforts across teams, drives key initiatives, and acts as a trusted advisor to the CEO, often handling tasks that would typically be spread across multiple executives.
For larger organizations, the line between a chief of staff and a Chief Operating Officer (COO) can become blurred, especially once a company reaches the $10 million revenue mark. In these cases, the COO typically focuses on operational excellence—managing talent, costs, and P&L—while the chief of staff takes on a broader, more strategic role, working closely with leadership teams and ensuring alignment across the business.
Flexible Solutions for Businesses of All Sizes
Vannin Chief of Staff provides a wide range of services to help companies optimize their leadership structure, regardless of size. The company offers three main solutions:
Full-Time Chief of Staff Recruitment: Vannin works closely with clients to understand their unique needs and recruits from a network of over 5,000 professionals to find the perfect fit. Whether a company is scaling rapidly or facing challenges in executing its strategy, Vannin’s team ensures that the right chief of staff is brought in to support the leader and drive company growth.
Interim Chief of Staff Support: For businesses in need of immediate help or those unsure if the chief of staff role is right for them, Vannin provides interim chief of staff solutions. These experienced professionals step in to manage ongoing projects, ensure smooth operations, and help leadership teams develop the right processes for growth. This flexibility allows companies to test the role without committing to a full-time hire.
Chief of Staff Accelerator Program: If a company has a promising internal candidate who could take on the chief of staff role, Vannin offers a coaching and training program. This accelerator ensures that internal candidates are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the role, providing them with mentorship and leadership development to help them thrive in the position.
When Should a Business Hire a Chief of Staff?
The decision to bring on a chief of staff is often driven by the realization that leadership is spending too much time on low-priority tasks or getting caught up in day-to-day operations. Keziah Wonstolen suggests that a chief of staff is particularly beneficial when a leader feels overwhelmed by operational responsibilities and is struggling to find time for strategic thinking and long-term planning. If leadership is bogged down with reactive tasks and projects keep getting delayed, it may be time to consider bringing in a chief of staff.
As companies scale, the role of the chief of staff becomes even more critical. For growing businesses, having someone to manage projects, improve communication between teams, and ensure that the company is aligned with its goals is invaluable.
The Rising Demand for Chiefs of Staff
In recent years, the chief of staff role has gained increasing recognition, with more companies acknowledging the value of having a strategic partner working alongside their leadership team. While the role was once common only in political environments, it has quickly become a staple in industries such as tech, professional services, and finance. As more businesses embrace the value of strategic leadership support, the demand for chief of staff professionals continues to grow.
Keziah Wonstolen has seen firsthand the impact a great chief of staff can have on a company’s success. With Vannin’s expertise and proven track record, companies of all sizes are now equipped to scale and succeed with the support they need.
Supporting Women Leaders
As a woman-owned business, Vannin Chief of Staff is committed to empowering women in leadership. Keziah, who has spent years working with women entrepreneurs and leaders, is passionate about supporting women who are scaling businesses. Through Vannin, she is helping elevate female leaders by offering tailored solutions that enable them to succeed in a competitive business world. By also being actively involved in women’s business networks like WBEC-West, Vannin is dedicated to providing women with the tools and resources to thrive.
Vannin Chief of Staff is changing the way businesses approach leadership. By offering strategic support tailored to the unique needs of each company, Vannin enables leaders to focus on what truly matters—growing their business, driving innovation, and creating lasting success. To listen to Keziah Wonstolen’s full journey on Women in Motion, click this link https://businessradiox.com/podcast/women-in-motion/vannin-chief-of-staff/ and visit www.vanninchiefofstaff.com.
About Women’s Business Enterprise Council-West (WBEC-West)
WBEC-West is a regional partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), a coalition of corporations, WBEs, and regionally focused women’s business organizations. As an affiliate organization, WBEC-West implements the certification standards of WBENC throughout Arizona, Colorado, Southern California, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Hawaii, and Guam. WBENC is the largest certifier of women’s business enterprises in the U.S. and a leading advocate for women business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs. WBENC certification is nationally recognized and accepted by more than 10,000 major corporations. We also support corporations in their efforts to include WBENC Certified WBEs in their supply chain.
