Great businesses aren’t built by one person.

It Takes Two™ helps COOs, operations directors, integrators and operators and other second-in-commands in UK founder-led businesses become genuine strategic partners to their founder . We offer one-to-one Second-in-Command Coaching, joint Founder & Second-in-Command Coaching and The Engine Room™, a professional community for second-in-commands.

We’re Emma King and Julie Phillips. One founder , one COO, and nearly two decades of working out how to get the best from each other. Today, Julie and the leadership team run the day-to-day operations of Emma’s business, CHS Events.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about contributing more.

Engage with us

Who are you?

Two different roles. One shared ambition.

For founders: unlock more of the potential in your number two

You’ve built something brilliant, and you’ve got a capable person helping you run it. We help your second-in-command think more strategically , take greater ownership and bring you better-informed recommendations. It’s not about taking more off your plate. It’s about changing what reaches your plate in the first place, so what does reach you comes with the facts, the options and a clear recommendation.

For second-in-commands: make your contribution count

You might be a COO, Operations Director, General Manager, Chief of Staff or Integrator.

Whatever your title, you’re the person who turns the founder’s ideas into reality. We help you move from the person who keeps everything moving to the person who helps move the business forward. More influence. Greater impact. Not more work.

Who is your second-in-command?

They might be called your Operations Manager, Executive Assistant, General Manager, Chief Operating Officer or “the person who just gets stuff done.” The title doesn’t matter.

What matters is this: they’re your right hand. Your translator. The steady presence who turns your chaos into calm and your vision into action.

Your second-in-command is more than a helper. They’re your operational anchor. The yin to your yang. The person who brings your ideas to life and keeps the business moving when you step away.

But here’s the thing – most second-in-commands don’t arrive fully formed. They need clarity. They need confidence. They need mentorship.

That’s where we come in.

At It Takes Two, we don’t just support the visionary, we equip and empower your second-in-command to lead with confidence, so you can scale with peace of mind.

How We Help

No two businesses are the same but most growing teams hit the same friction points. That’s where we come in.

Whether you’re a visionary founder trying to get out of the weeds, or a second-in-command ready to lead with more clarity and confidence, our offerings are designed to meet you exactly where you are and get you where you want to go.

Mentoring Programme

Because it’s not lonely at the top — it’s lonely in the middle.

Business owners have masterminds, networking events, and high-level coaching. But what about your second-in-command? Who do they turn to for real support, skill-building, and perspective?

They can’t lean on you, not because you don’t care, but because your role is different. And they can’t turn to their team — that’s a recipe for blurred lines and bottlenecks.

That’s why our mentoring programme exists:

Support for both of you, delivered by people who’ve actually walked in your shoes.

Whether you’re the business owner looking to develop your operator, or the 2iC who wants to lead with confidence and impact – this is for you.

You can read more about our mentoring programme here

Let’s talk about what’s next.

VIP Strategy Days

One day. Big shift. Immediate traction.

These private, high-impact days are designed to unblock momentum fast, whether that means designing your org chart for scale, solving a key operational challenge, or mapping your next 90 days with crystal clarity.

Perfect as a one-off intervention or as a powerful catalyst alongside mentoring.

Included as a bonus when you join our full-year programme and pay in full.

Let’s talk how to make an impact – fast!

Bespoke & Online Training

World-class development for your second-in-command — in-house or online.

Until now, there’s been very little structured training for second-in-commands in small businesses. We’re changing that.

We currently deliver tailored, in-house training to teams who want to level up their leaders.

Watch this space! Soon, we’ll be launching our new suite of online courses for 2iCs who want to grow into confident, capable, self-led leaders.

Included as a bonus when you join our full-year programme and pay in full.

Book a call to talk through your needs and design a training experience that delivers real results.

Book a Call

Hear from Our Clients

Discover how It Takes Two has transformed the journeys of business owners and their second-in-commands through our impactful coaching and training programs.

Sign up to Our Newsletter

Forget the same old recycled leadership advice. Get thoughtful perspective, actual experience, and honest opinions straight to your inbox.

We send a weekly email about what it really takes to grow a business.

(And don’t expect all the polished stuff. This isn’t supposed to be a highlight reel.)

But founders and second-in-commands exist in very different realities, and pretending they don’t is a rubbish idea.

So we write separate emails, depending on the role you’re actually in.

Pick what you want to hear:

Founder / Visionary (with Emma)

For big-picture thinkers drowning in decisions, juggling ideas, and wondering if they’ll ever get out of the weeds
(without the whole thing falling apart).

Sign-up

Second-in-Command / Operator (with Julie)

For the right-hands turning all the chaos into efficient systems, holding everything together, and thriving on execution
(whilst thinking, “I wish there was a way to make this work better for all of us”).