95. Leading with Grace: Vaneli Martinov on Mastering Chaos and Building Legacy

What does it take to run 500 events across 16 weeks and still make it home for bedtime stories? In this powerhouse episode, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with Vaneli Martinov, Executive Vice President of Operations for the world-renowned Wellington International.

Vaneli opens up about the reality behind high-performance leadership—juggling relentless operations, motherhood, and building a career from the ground up. From her early days as an intern at the most expensive golf club in the world to project-managing $200M developments, her story is a masterclass in grit, grace, and grounded leadership.

You’ll learn how she balances chaos with calm, leads massive teams with empathy, and why being the "swan on the surface, but paddling like hell underneath" is one of her greatest strengths.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The Swan Mentality: Grace above, chaos below

01:10 – Meet Vaneli Martinov

03:00 – Managing 500 events in 16 weeks

05:45 – Operational teardown + seasonal rebuilds

07:00 – Balancing career, marriage & motherhood

08:45 – Living in fight-or-flight: Thriving in chaos

10:00 – Hustling her way from intern to executive

14:45 – Saying yes before you’re ready

17:00 – Early career lessons in elite service & proactivity

21:00 – Building trust through “nothing is beneath me” leadership

23:00 – Predictive thinking vs reactive firefighting

26:00 – Scaling up from operations grunt to strategic executive

29:00 – 80–100 hour weeks: Was it worth it?

31:00 – Redefining hustle with purpose and family in mind

35:00 – The truth about toxic relationships and healthy ambition

38:00 – The hidden challenges of being a woman in male-dominated leadership

44:30 – How Vaneli leads with feminine strength and authenticity

48:00 – Modeling the right leadership style through lived experience

52:00 – Networking with purpose vs performative connection

Key Takeaways & Resources:

1. Say Yes Before You’re Ready

Vaneli’s career is built on courageous action—even when she didn’t feel ready. She leaned into the unknown and learned through doing.

2. Leadership Is Earned Through Action

She models respect by showing up in the trenches. From hauling trash to handling investors, no job is beneath her—and that credibility compounds.

3. Early Career: Hustle + Humility Wins

What set her apart wasn’t grades—it was drive. Her advice to young professionals? Show up curious, proactive, and willing to do anything.

4. Learn to Anticipate, Not Just React

Whether managing elite clientele or massive operations, success lies in predicting needs and solving problems before they arise.

5. Redefining Feminine Leadership

Vaneli rejected the “bulldog boss” stereotype and leaned into emotional intelligence, empathy, and warmth—without sacrificing strength.

6. Balance Isn’t Static—It’s Intentional

As a wife, mother, and exec, she’s constantly pivoting. Her north star? Show up with positivity, and choose grace over perfection.

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Website: http://www.dwaynekerrigan.com

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