Fun fact: this episode exists thanks to a few pints and a little Radical Candor in the wild. Our audio engineer Nick met today’s guest, Chloé van Bergen, VP of Operations at Secretly Group, at his brother’s stag do. One loud London pub and an honest conversation later—we knew we had to get her on the show. Join Kim and Amy for a candid conversation with Chloé about what it really takes to lead change inside a legacy-driven music company. She gets real about navigating unionization, confronting indifference, and learning—sometimes the hard way—that being “nice” isn’t the same as being kind. From UK-style politeness to Dutch directness, Chloé shares what worked (and what didn’t) when rolling out Radical Candor across continents. Spoiler: no sugarcoating here — just straight up kind and clear.
Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast.
Episode Links:
Transcript
Chloé van Bergen | LinkedIn
Nick Carissimi
Secretly Group
Secretly Canadian | Info
Granny Alice
Avoid The Feedback Sandwich | Radical Candor Podcast 5 | 15
Toxic Positivity | Radical Candor Podcast 5 | 27
Navigating Radical Candor and Cultural Differences
How To Navigate Feedback Conversations On Diverse Teams | Radical Candor
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect | Will Guidara
Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building | Claire Hughes Johnson
Pivot: Eight Principles for Transforming your Business in a Time of Disruption | Will Page
Secretly Group: Workers at Indie-Music Company Begin Efforts to Unionize | Rolling Stone
Secretly Group Union Earns Contract In Major Milestone for Indie Music Organizing | Rolling Stone
Connect:
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LinkedIn
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Bluesky
Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Kim and Amy introduce Chloé van Bergen, VP of Operations at Secretly Group.
(00:01:04) From Stag Do to Podcast Guest
How a chance meeting at a UK pub led to Chloé joining the show.
(00:05:25) What Is Secretly Group?
The structure, history, and collaborative ethos of Secretly Group.
(00:09:05) Discovering Radical Candor
Being introduced to Radical Candor and the mindset shift it inspired.
(00:10:42) Struggling with Direct Feedback
Using Radical Candor to move past the fear of being too blunt.
(00:12:43) Giving Feedback Across Borders
Navigating cultural differences in feedback styles across countries.
(00:17:25) Practicing Vulnerability Through Action
Building confidence by starting to speak up, one moment at a time.
(00:20:07) Pandemic Leadership & Operational Overhaul
Navigating starting during COVID and legacy infrastructures.
(00:25:13) Rockstar vs. Superstar: Rethinking Growth
Learning not everyone wants to climb—some excel where they are.
(00:29:50) Unionization During COVID
How a union announcement led to a company-wide listening reset.
(00:34:57) Adapting to AI & Industry Shifts
Staying open by staying honest—even without having all the answers.
(00:36:28) Kind ≠ Nice: Facing Hard Truths
How kindness isn’t niceness—and can slow down change.
(00:39:33) Chloé’s Radical Candor Tip
Having the courage to say the thing, even if it feels uncomfortable.
(00:42:46) Conclusion
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