Cameron Herold (1-800-Got-Junk? & COO Alliance) Mastering Work-Life Balance, Healing from Extreme Burnout & The Bucket List Mindset

In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Cameron Herold, the COO who helped scale 1-800-GOT-JUNK from $2 million to $106 million, to explore what happens when someone who built their identity around business finally decides to build a life instead. Cameron did not slow down quietly. He left 1-800-GOT-JUNK and spent four months not returning a single email. He journaled every day, made lists of everything he was good at and everything he was not, and came out the other side knowing exactly what he loved. Five years ago, he and his wife sold the house, the cars, and the furniture, packed two carry-on bags each, and have been living as nomads across 80 countries ever since. But the more honest part of this conversation is what came before all of that. The stress score of 435 on a scale where 250 means a 90 percent chance of a heart attack. The second son he barely connected with in the early years because a toddler was easier to take skiing than a newborn. The long road back to a relationship where that same son now texts him every few hours and spent the whole day with him in London this week. Kevin and Cameron also get into the moment Cameron realised he did not want his kids to describe him by what he did to make money. He wanted them to talk about his hobbies, his cooking, his travels, his sense of adventure. That reframe changed everything. This is a conversation about burnout, bucket lists, building real relationships with your kids, and why your business is not your hobby. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why Cameron scored 435 on a cardiac stress scale and what it forced him to confront How four months of journaling after leaving a hyper-growth company clarified the rest of his life What it cost him to prioritise his older son over his youngest and how they rebuilt Why being the first executive with kids changes a company's culture for everyone who follows How Cameron uses visualisation to transition out of work mode before walking through the front door What a Vivid Vision is and how to write one for your life, not just your business Why your kids will not want to spend time with you if work is your only hobby Top Takeaways: Your to-do list does not have your name on it. Delegate, automate, or stop doing it. You do not have to take care of your kids tonight. You get to. No kid wants to be friends with a parent whose only identity is their job. Build a bucket list now. Do not wait until you have earned the time to live. Reframe everything. Crumbs under the table mean your kids are still home. Presence is a practice. Phone away, transition ritual in place, eyes on the people in front of you. About Cameron Herold:Cameron Herold is the founder of the COO Alliance, a global community of second-in-commands operating across 17 countries. As COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, he helped scale the company from $2 million to $106 million. He is the author of seven bestselling books including Vivid Vision and Second in Command, and has been paid to speak in 30 countries over 800 times. He lives nomadically with his wife, travels with a bathroom scale in his carry-on, and wants his sons to describe him by his hobbies. Share this episode with a colleague navigating work-life balance, and comment below with the biggest lesson you took from Cameron Herold. Follow Cameron Herold: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronherold/ ⁠ Website: ⁠https://cameronherold.com/about/⁠ Books: ⁠https://cooalliance.com/camerons-books/⁠ Company: Chapters (00:00:00) - Cameron Herold on Ambition and Boundaries(00:01:21) - Former 1-800-Got Junk CEO Cameron Herold on Life(00:07:37) - The Importance of Fun in Life(00:09:06) - Tim Ferriss on Running Companies in His 20s(00:14:28) - Teaching Skills to Your Leaders(00:18:48) - While at 1-800-Got Junk, You Had Your First(00:20:17) - How To Get Through A Period of Burnout(00:23:49) - Having a Child Made Me a Parent(00:26:27) - Fathers Reflect On The Relationship With Their Kids(00:30:26) - George Clooney on Chores For Kids(00:34:17) - How to Transition From Professional Mode to Parenting Mode(00:40:00) - Cameron Herald: On Intentionality(00:43:29) - What If Your Life Ends Tomorrow?(00:45:06) - How Do You Want Your Kids To Describe You?