Podcasts about Operational excellence

Welcome to Season 20 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. We're taking a deep dive with Brian LeComte, president and COO of Gold Medal Bakery, on what modern leadership looks like for a family bakery with a century-long history. Sponsored by Midera Food Processing. This week, Brian takes us inside the operations side of Gold Medal Bakery, from major equipment investments and facility expansion to efficiency, technology and workforce training. He shares how his team decides when to upgrade, when to build and how to prepare the bakery floor for what's next.

Your team can be productive, efficient, and incredibly busy—and still be focused on the wrong things.In this episode of Time to Reset, Penny Zenker sits down with John J. Murphy, global authority on change mastery, operational excellence, and leadership, to explore why leadership alignment is essential for sustainable business performance.John explains why many organizations mistake symptoms for root causes, how individual departments can become highly efficient while the overall business remains inefficient, and why leaders need to stop measuring activity and start examining the entire value stream. As John puts it, a leadership team is like an orchestra: everyone may know how to play their own instrument, but that doesn't mean they know how to play together.Penny and John unpack lean leadership principles, operational excellence, root cause analysis, customer value, organizational alignment, and the hidden “white space” where time and resources are often wasted. They also explore why standardization can actually create greater flexibility and how the same principle of controlling your inputs applies to today's use of AI.You'll discover:Why executive alignment has to come before organizational changeHow to distinguish symptoms from the real root cause of a problemWhy being busy doesn't necessarily mean you're creating valueHow departmental efficiency can actually hurt overall performanceWhy leaders need humility to recognize what isn't workingHow lean thinking helps organizations eliminate waste and improve flowWhy controlling inputs can produce better outputs in business and AIHow to refocus your organization on what creates real value for the customerJohn also shares a striking real-world example of executives discovering that a process taking 184 days contained surprisingly little actual value-added activity—revealing just how much opportunity can exist in the space between the work.If your organization is working harder but not necessarily moving faster, this conversation will challenge you to rethink focus, efficiency, alignment, and what “productive” really means.It may be time to stop asking, “How can we do this faster?” and start asking, “Should we be doing this at all?”Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://pennyzenker360.com/positive-productivity-podcast/

In this episode, Jeffrey discusses the leadership mistake of believing they must choose between innovation and operations.Email Jeffrey with any questions or feedback (jtefertiller@servicemanagement.us)Each week, Jeffrey will be sharing his knowledge on Service Delivery (Mondays) and Service Management (Thursdays). Jeffrey is the founder of Service Management Leadership, an IT consulting firm specializing in Service Management, Asset Management, CIO Advisory, and Business Continuity services.  The firm's website is www.servicemanagement.us.  Jeffrey has been in the industry for over 30 years and brings a practical perspective to the discussions. He is an accomplished author with seven acclaimed books in the subject area and a popular YouTube channel with approximately 2,000 videos on various topics.  Also, please follow the Service Management Leadership LinkedIn page

In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Nico Varano, CEO of SWTHZ who initially started as a franchisee and went on to help built the company into a fast-rising player in the contrast therapy and workout recovery space. Nico talks about his fairly unconventional path from finance into to the HALO sector, reveals why focus and simplicity drive SWTHZ's unit economics, and explains how a data-driven approach helps franchisees scale profitably. With over 100 studios and private equity backing, the company is redefining the recovery sector. Listen to learn more about how the franchise's unique model is attracting operators who want to roll up their sleeves and build real community, and to get insider insights on how to thrive in this fast-evolving segment of the HALO sector. On building a competitive moat in the space, Varano states, "We want to be focused on being the best at one thing . . . which is contrast therapy. When people think about sauna and plunge, SWTHZ should be the first thing that comes to their mind." Key themes discussed Franchisee to franchisor journey and leadership evolution Traits and selection of successful franchisees Focus on contrast therapy specialization Importance of proven unit economics before franchising Data-driven approach to operational improvements Community building and plus-one session strategy Optimizing studio size, suite count, and hours A Few Key Takeaways 1. From Franchisee to Franchisor. In-the-Trenches Leadership: Nico started initially as a SWTHZ member and then a franchisee, rapidly growing his portfolio to five studios and eventually stepping in as CEO. He has kept his hand in operations, signing leases and personal guarantees. This dual franchisee/franchisor perspective creates a unique level of authenticity and alignment with operators 05:12. 2. Hyper-Focused Modality Drives Brand and Economics: SWTHZ stands out by focusing on mastering contrast therapy (saunas and cold plunges) while competitors dilute their platforms with too many modalities. This tight focus builds a competitive moat, streamlines operations, and fosters brand clarity, ensuring customers immediately associate the brand with contrast therapy 07:22. 3. Relentless Data-Driven Optimization of Unit Economics: Nico and his team are obsessed with the numbers: every dollar of additional daily profit directly impacts franchisee success and brand reinvestment. The ongoing, data-heavy approach means constant refinement of unit economics, build-out costs, and suite count per location to ensure payback periods of under 3–3.5 years . . . a huge key to scaling 08:23. 4. Community Through Private Wellness. The Plus One Effect: Despite the private suite model, SWTHZ successfully builds community: 16% of sessions now include a "plus one," up from 7% earlier in the year. Whether it's date night, book clubs, or friends catching up, the company is quickly becoming a new social and wellness "third place," offering an alternative to cafes or group fitness hangouts 15:47. 5. Operator-Minded Partners Willing to Roll Up Their Sleeves: The most successful franchisees are present, engaged, and solution-oriented who are prepared to do everything from P&L analysis to cleaning a suite if necessary. Culture fit, passion, and operational grit matter more than a polished resume. "Own it, fix it, finish it" is the operating mantra 21:05. Resources: SWTHZ: https://sweathouz.com/ Nico Varano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicovarano/  Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

One Big Idea 4 - Driving Operational Excellence: From Algorithm-Free Organic Scale to Transformational Self-LeadershipIn this episode of One Big Idea, host Josh Elledge connects with Nikolas Hake, Scott Doggett, Carol Schultz, Andrew Lafuente, and Jane Monroe to break down the operational frameworks needed to scale modern businesses, refine organizational culture, and master executive self-leadership. Nikolas Hake, Founder and CEO of JUS Official Services, kicks off the conversation by detailing how emerging creators and brands can build compounding momentum without falling into short-term social media trends. Scott Doggett, Founder and Chief Servant Leader at the National Academy of Leadership Development, then shifts the focus toward corporate culture, exposing how executive perception directly impacts workforce engagement. Next, Vertical Elevation Founder and CEO Carol Schultz introduces the strategic deployment of a Chief of Staff to eliminate CEO burnout. Andrew Lafuente, Founder and Principal of Lafuente Sign and Awning, reveals how modernizing legacy B2B industries creates sustainable market differentiation. Finally, Entrepreneur and Keynote Speaker Jane Monroe closes the episode by mapping out the four dimensions of the self to help corporate executives lead with radical self-awareness.The One Big Idea That Helps You Win Online Without Following Algorithms with JUS Official Services' Nikolas HakeIn a digital landscape obsessed with immediate viral spikes, emerging creators and growing brands frequently dilute their positioning by frantically chasing fleeting algorithmic trends. Talent management expert Nikolas Hake explains that his "one big idea" directly targets this strategic error: long-term brand equity relies on building a structured, repeatable content engine that compounds over time. Many talent agencies focus exclusively on established names, leaving emerging professionals without structured guidance. By stepping in to provide early-stage support, transparent management, and flexible operational alignment, businesses can transition away from scattered, sporadic activity and anchor their brand around a single, highly cohesive value proposition.To build sustainable digital momentum, founders must shift from surface-level vanity metrics toward deep audience understanding and multi-channel alignment. Nikolas emphasizes that attempting to appeal to everyone ultimately erodes consumer trust. Instead, brands should prioritize message clarity, audit their communications across platforms, and focus on human-centric storytelling that creates real emotional resonance. By establishing structured content workflows and viewing digital visibility as a long-term marathon rather than a sprint, businesses can protect their core identity, navigate evolving software algorithms, and cultivate deeply loyal communities.Why Leadership Success Depends on Seeing People Beyond Their Job Titles with National Academy of Leadership Development's Scott DoggettMany executive teams attempt to resolve underlying corporate challenges like high employee turnover, low productivity, and team disengagement by rolling out new software tools or rigid corporate policies. However, leadership development expert Scott Doggett demonstrates that his core framework addresses a much deeper root cause: executive perception. When leaders subconsciously view their workforce through clinical or transactional labels—referring to employees merely as "resources," "leads," or "headcount to manage"—that underlying mindset inevitably seeps into daily operations. This dynamic erodes psychological safety, suppresses frontline initiative, and causes high-performing talent to disengage.To build an adaptable, human-centered corporate culture, Scott challenges executives to radically shift how they perceive their team members. When leaders intentionally view every individual as priceless—acknowledging their unique strengths, personal aspirations, and professional struggles—they unlock unprecedented levels of ownership, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration. Transforming corporate culture does not happen through static mission statements; it is forged through micro-interactions, such as practicing intentional presence in meetings, offering constructive feedback after errors, and replacing dehumanizing corporate jargon with empathetic language. By auditing their daily interactions, leaders can create an environment where talent genuinely thrives.Moving Beyond Micromanagement Through Strategic Delegation and Leadership with Vertical Elevation's Carol SchultzSmall and medium-sized business (SMB) CEOs frequently find themselves trapped in "operational overload," spending their valuable bandwidth managing daily meeting logistics, handling routine team communication, and putting out operational fires. Executive consultant Carol Schultz shares her foundational "one big idea" that solves this bottleneck: every CEO needs a Chief of Staff to serve as an operational force multiplier. Unlike a Director of Operations, who manages company-wide systems and department heads, a Chief of Staff focuses exclusively on managing the operations of the CEO's office. This crucial distinction allows visionary founders to reclaim up to 90% of their time, redirecting their focus toward high-level strategy, investor relations, and enterprise growth.Implementing a Chief of Staff requires a structured, multi-step transition process to ensure operational gaps are thoroughly documented before backfilling the position. Carol's proven framework involves auditing executive time, mapping critical operational tasks, and establishing clear delegation boundaries. Once implemented, this structure eliminates CEO burnout and prevents the executive from becoming an operational bottleneck. Paired with strategic authority-building tactics—such as establishing a streamlined press kit and securing targeted media guesting spots—CEOs can successfully step away from daily management minutiae and lead their organizations with clarity and vision.How Bold Thinking and Creativity Helped One Entrepreneur Beat the Competition with Lafuente Sign and Awning's Andrew LafuenteDisrupting a legacy industry does not require reinventing the underlying service; rather, it demands modernizing how that service is packaged, marketed, and delivered. B2B entrepreneur Andrew Lafuente outlines his "one big idea" on how he transformed a traditional manufacturing business into an agile brand serving major clients like Chase Bank, Trader Joe's, and Ralph Lauren. While traditional competitors in legacy sectors rely heavily on outdated word-of-mouth networks, Andrew embraced digital marketing, active social proof, and continuous competitive analysis to differentiate his brand, build trust, and capture market share.To convert industry analysis into scalable growth, leaders must view their competitors as a valuable source of market intelligence rather than a zero-sum threat. By regularly auditing market offerings, maintaining a polished and user-friendly digital footprint, and balancing local B2B accounts with high-profile national clients, legacy businesses can protect themselves against market downturns. Andrew highlights that maintaining strict attention to detail on digital channels—supported by proactive public relations, clear media kits, and strategic podcast appearances—allows modern founders to elevate their industry reputation, establish authoritative positioning, and drive predictable B2B revenue growth.Exploring the Four Selves Through a Journey of Self-Awareness and Leadership Growth with Jane MonroeTrue organizational transformation cannot occur until an executive learns the art of radical self-leadership. Keynote speaker and entrepreneur Jane Monroe introduces her core thesis on the road to leadership cohesion, which requires leaders to systematically explore and integrate four distinct dimensions of the self: the Known Self (public persona), the Hidden Self (private thoughts and boundaries), the Blind Self (unconscious behavioral blind spots), and the Mystery Self (untapped potential). Because executive ego often blocks self-awareness, leaders must actively build feedback loops to surface hidden blind spots before those unaddressed behaviors disrupt team dynamics.Unlocking the Mystery Self requires stepping far outside traditional comfort zones to dismantle limiting self-perceptions, much like Jane's own experience undertaking a 340-mile endurance kayak journey down the Missouri River. To cultivate leadership cohesion, executives must build a trusted advisory network—comprising coaches, mentors, or candid colleagues—who provide unvarnished, objective feedback. By prioritizing vulnerability over ego, normalizing continuous feedback within their corporate culture, and leading by example, business leaders can build resilient organizations rooted in mutual trust, psychological safety, and transformational growth.Links Mentioned in the EpisodeNikolas Hake on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolashake/JUS Official Services Website: https://www.jusofficialservices.info/Scott Doggett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdoggett/National Academy of Leadership Development Website:

Overstepping ownership rarely looks like overstepping. It looks like moving things along.You know how something could be improved, so you give your suggestion. Work gets done, progress is visible, but the person you were there to develop doesn't build the capability they need, and the improvement doesn't sustain.Every change leader, manager, and executive does this at some point. And when we take on ownership of what isn't ours, we end up the bottleneck.As a transformational change leader at Kaiser Permanente, Anna Pessah watches this play out every day with the internal consulting team she leads, and with the physician and operational leaders she supports.We break down this challenge and share the practices to use instead. Leaders don't need to stop helping or teaching. It's about getting clear about what each person owns, and adjusting how you help based on what that leader needs in the moment.When ownership sits in the right place, people grow, improvements hold, and you have the space to do what is actually yours to do.You'll Learn:How to make ownership explicit from the start, by contracting up front and saying out loud which hat you're wearing, coach or consultant or teacherWhy leaders learn good coaching practices best by being coached, and how making your own practice visible lets others model itWhy the pull to step in gets stronger the more you care about the outcomeWhy a new practice often swings too far one direction at first, and how to find the middle without abandoning itWhen asking coaching questions stops being helpful, and how to be directive without taking over the thinkingABOUT MY GUEST:Anna Pessah leads the internal consulting team that oversees the operating system at the North Valley Service Area of Kaiser Permanente, where she coaches physician and operational leaders on strategy, management systems, and the behaviors that support a culture of improvement. She is an industrial engineer from the University of Michigan and an ICF-certified coach. Anna brings a blend of systems thinking, operational improvement, and leadership development to help leaders generate insight, turn goals into action, and build habits that stick.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/83 Connect with Anna Pessah: linkedin.com/in/anna-pessah Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson Subscribe to my newsletter: kbjanderson.com/newsletter Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.comTIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:03:16 Why change leaders struggle to keep ownership with leaders05:22 When helping starts creating dependence06:15 Building capability instead of becoming the bottleneck07:12 Why doing more can make your job harder09:23 Getting explicit about roles and ownership11:25 Why new practices require reflection and adjustment13:17 Making your leadership practices visible16:03 How to give direction without taking over22:16 What happens when leaders operate at the wrong level24:05 The personal cost of staying in the weeds25:30 Why helping can turn into overstepping27:43 When coaching questions aren't helpful31:25 The power of listening—and leaving space36:46 Why humility is essential to learning38:18 Recognizing your own pull to control39:06 Simple practices for keeping ownership where it belongs Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Patrick Adams and Andy Olrich are joined by Dr. William Harvey to explore one of the biggest challenges in continuous improvement: sustainment. Together, they discuss why organizations can be great at launching improvement initiatives but struggle to maintain momentum and achieve lasting results.William identifies three fundamental conditions that influence whether improvement efforts stick: the work must feel meaningful, people must feel safe doing it, and they must have the time to do it. The conversation explores the critical role psychological safety plays in building ownership and engagement, along with how leaders can create trust by consistently listening to employees, removing obstacles, and following through on commitments.The discussion also dives into Toyota Kata and deliberate practice as practical approaches for developing problem-solving capability throughout an organization. William explains how small experiments, daily coaching, and shared responsibility between coaches and improvers can turn continuous improvement from a temporary initiative into an everyday habit.Whether you're leading a team, coaching problem solvers, building an improvement culture, or trying to prevent your latest initiative from becoming another "flash in the pan," this episode provides practical insights for creating an environment where continuous improvement can truly sustain.Key Takeaways:Sustainment requires meaningful work, psychological safety, and protected timeLeaders build trust by listening, removing barriers, and consistently following throughContinuous improvement must become part of the work—not something added on top of itToyota Kata builds problem-solving capability through deliberate practice and experimentationLinks:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drwilliamharveyhttps://www.findleansolutions.com/summit-2026/https://www.findleansolutions.com/ 

Are you building a business, or just a job?Thrivers, in our latest Women Thriving in Business mini-episode, we tackled the essential question: How do you build the business you actually want, rather than just creating a glorified job?Our expert panel broke down the transition from startup to sustainable enterprise. Here are the key takeaways from the conversation:Operational Excellence is Your FoundationAlicia Butler Pierre reminded us that documenting your "order to delivery" process is non-negotiable. True operational success isn't just about the final product; it's about the seamless customer experience happening behind the scenes. Nicole added a critical hiring trigger: if you are bogged down by admin, payroll, or vendor management, you're losing money. To scale, you must delegate these non-revenue-generating tasks so your energy remains focused on what actually brings in income.Build with the Exit in MindMichelle Seiler-Tucker challenged us to embrace "AIM" (Always Innovate and Market) to avoid complacency. She urged entrepreneurs to stop building a job and start building a sellable asset from day one. Using her "GPS Exit Model," she stressed that you need a clear destination, a current valuation, and a realistic timeline to build a business that attracts buyers.Cultivate a Lifelong MindsetEntrepreneurship is, at its core, about answering questions and solving problems for others better than anyone else. Our guests highlighted that success requires a strong support system, including backup plans for your family and finances—and the humility to ask for help. Fenyx Blue reminded us that entrepreneurship is a practice of lifelong learning. Don't be afraid to reach out to successful leaders for guidance; stay curious, keep learning, and keep innovating.Ready to take action? Listen to the full episode to hear these incredible women share the specific steps to build your dream business.Connect with guests featured in this mini episode:The Hidden Blueprint: How to Engineer Your Business for Success | Alicia Butler PierrePlanning, Partnership, and Purpose | Fenyx BlueBuilding a Legacy: Scaling a Business for a Greater Purpose | Tasha JonesThe EXIT RICH Way to Build Your Business | Michelle Seiler-TuckerBuild a Team to  Change and Scale Your Business |  Nicole GrinnellKeep Thriving!About the Show:Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.About the Host:Nikki is a strategist and transformation coach who believes life is too short not to do what you love. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs build sustainable companies and supports business leaders in developing the mindset, strategy, and connections to create thriving businesses and build legacy wealth.Nikki is the CEO of The Bladen Group and an alumna of North Carolina A&T State University and UNC-Chapel Hill.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode of the Lean Solutions Podcast, Natalie Howden is joined by Cindy Darnell, Steve Burgett, and Jordan Kimball for a preview of their sessions at the Lean Solutions Global Summit. Together, they explore how organizations can design better processes, reduce ambiguity, strengthen communication, and develop people through continuous improvement.Steve and Jordan share how their work at Gentex focuses on designing systems that make problems visible, reduce noise and chaos, and create the stability needed for people to become proactive problem solvers rather than constant firefighters. They also discuss how these principles can be applied beyond manufacturing to support and administrative environments.Cindy dives into DISC and how understanding different communication and behavioral styles can help leaders navigate change, strengthen teams, and support lean culture transformation. The conversation also explores the connection between people and innovation, the importance of understanding ourselves and others, and how Kata can become a powerful people development process.Whether you're leading change, improving processes, developing people, or building a stronger continuous improvement culture, this episode offers practical insights for creating systems that work better and teams that work better together.Key Takeaways:1. Design processes to make problems visible and reduce ambiguity2. Standardization and stability give people more room to problem-solve and innovate3. Understanding different communication styles can make change more effective4. People and innovation are better together when communication and systems support bothLinks: https://www.findleansolutions.com/summit-2026/https://www.findleansolutions.com/

Strong strategies don't fail because they're poorly written. They fail because they weren't designed with operational reality in mind. In this episode, Wayne Whitzell, Senior VP Strategic Accounts, SOLID Surface Care and First Vice Chair on IFMA's Global Executive Board, sits down with Amanda Muzzarelli, Global Operations Director at Macro, to explore what separates effective facility management leaders from reactive ones. Together, they discuss preserving institutional knowledge, creating psychological safety, developing future leaders and why understanding day-to-day operations is essential for successful strategy execution. They also examine how AI may reshape facility management workflows and why curiosity and leadership remain the profession's greatest competitive advantages.  Timestamps: 0:00 - Why role clarity is a gift 1:20 - Meet Amanda Muzzarelli 2:40 - From public affairs to facility management 6:10 - Why institutional knowledge lives in people 7:30 - Building psychological safety for knowledge transfer 9:00 - How to preserve institutional knowledge before it's lost 10:35 - Escaping the tactical mindset 11:10 - Why role clarity makes better leaders 12:10 - Leading global FM teams without micromanaging 13:15 - Developing leadership instead of doing everything yourself 15:05 - Self-reflection as a leadership skill 18:20 - Why great FM strategies fail during execution 20:45 - World Workplace 2026 21:15 - The biggest mistake strategists make 22:30 - Why facilities teams need a seat at the table 23:35 - Shadow systems and hidden operational knowledge 25:05 - How AI can eliminate repetitive FM tasks 27:10 - When will AI become part of everyday FM? 28:10 - Amanda's prediction: AI in FM within 3–5 years 29:20 - Why AI won't replace facility managers 31:05 - Who will lead AI adoption in FM? 32:10 - Why curiosity matters more than technical expertise 35:00 - Preparing the next generation of FM leaders 35:50 - Amanda's World Workplace sessions 36:45 - Closing remarks Resources from the episode: Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn Join us at World Workplace in Anaheim 17-19 November: https://worldworkplace.ifma.org/ Connect with Us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ifmaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFacilityManagementAssociation/Twitter: https://twitter.com/IFMAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifma_hq/YouTube: https://youtube.com/ifmaglobalVisit us at https://ifma.org

What separates a well-run rental business from an average one?In this episode, recorded live at the American Rental Association Show in Orlando, Michael Larsen is joined by Norty Turner, President and CEO of Sunstate Equipment, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, culture, operational excellence and building a business that can scale without losing its identity.Norty reflects on his 30-year rental career, which began behind the counter at Hertz Equipment Rental and later took him into leadership roles across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and India. He shares how those experiences shaped his leadership style and taught him the importance of listening, cultural awareness and creating an environment where people feel safe to challenge ideas.The conversation explores what Norty looks for when visiting a rental branch, from the condition of the ready line to the urgency and purpose with which employees move through the rental cycle. He explains why the fundamentals of rental remain remarkably consistent and how Sunstate is improving its most important operational processes using lean principles.Norty also discusses why most operational improvement programs fail when they are imposed from the top down. Rather than telling branch teams how to work, Sunstate involves the people performing each process in designing the solution, creating genuine ownership and a culture of continuous improvement.They examine the customer expectations every rental company must consistently deliver: safety, availability, on-time delivery and pickup, equipment uptime, accurate invoicing and technology that improves productivity.Throughout the episode, Norty returns to Sunstate's people-first foundation, inspired by founder Mike Watts' belief that employees should be treated with care and respect. He shares his ambition to preserve that legacy while also developing a high-performing culture where people achieve more than they believed possible.The conversation concludes with lessons from Norty's climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, including the Swahili principle of pole pole—moving steadily, one step at a time, supporting those around you and enjoying the journey along the way.This episode is essential listening for rental leaders seeking to strengthen their culture, improve branch performance and turn a long-term vision into consistent daily execution.

„Do things that don't scale.“Der Satz kommt aus der Startup-Welt von Paul Graham – gilt aber genauso für jeden Prozess in deinem Unternehmen.Denn Skalierung ist ein Multiplikator. Sie vervielfacht auch das, was nicht funktioniert.Und trotzdem ist der erste Reflex ambitionierter Ingenieure – gerade in Zeiten von KI – immer derselbe: automatisieren.Warum Automatisieren der letzte und nicht der erste Schritt ist, und welche vier Schritte des Algorithmus vorher entscheiden – darüber spreche ich in dieser Folge.Show Notes:>> Mentoring für Ingenieure: skool.com/mentorwerk>> No Zero Days – Buch für Ingenieure: nozerodays.de/buch>> Mentornotes Newsletter: mentorwerk.de/newsletter>> Tim bei YouTube: youtube.com/@schmaddebeck>> Tim bei LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timschmaddebeck>> Tims Buchempfehlungen: mentorwerk.de/buecher>> „The Algorithm“ von Jon McNeill>> „The Book of Elon“ von Eric Jorgenson>> „Das Ziel“ von Eliyahu M. GoldrattStichworte zur Folge:Prozesse optimieren, Prozessoptimierung, operative Exzellenz, Operational Excellence, Lean Management, Lean Production, Prozesse automatisieren, Automatisierung, Digitalisierung, KI im Unternehmen, Qualitätsmanagement, Verschwendung vermeiden, Komplexität reduzieren, Anforderungen hinterfragen, Durchlaufzeit reduzieren, Cycle Time, Engpass erkennen, engpassorientiertes Denken, Theory of Constraints, Eliyahu Goldratt, Das Ziel, The Algorithm, Jon McNeill, Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX, First Principles Thinking, Ingenieur Karriere, Führungskraft werden, Podcast für Ingenieure

Profit or cash. Efficiency or flexibility. Speed, or doing it right.Leaders feel like they have to make trade-offs like these all the time. But the choice often isn't real.Some contradictions are unavoidable. Others only look that way until you understand the real problem. The most effective organizations realize they don't have to pick a side if they can resolve the underlying tension.Olivier Larue has spent three decades helping companies do this, which he's documented in his three-book series The Toyota Economic System: a philosophy about people and society, the technical design that turns it into results, and the management practices that keep it alive through continuous learning.The real breakthrough is never the tools, optimizing one part of the system, or making unnecessary tradeoffs. It's how every part connects, and understanding the real problem to solve, so people remain the focus and results last.You'll Learn:How to tell a contradiction that's real from one that only looks real, so you stop choosing between things you can't afford to loseWhy an economic lens, not an operational one, changes where you look for the answerWhy the number and order of Toyota's seven wastes aren't arbitrary, and why the first one drives how you understand the restWhy declaring people "empowered" means nothing without the conditions that let them act on itHow respect for people extends to avoiding layoffs even in downturns, and why that matters in a world of AI and supply chain disruptionsABOUT MY GUEST:Olivier Larue was trained by Toyota Motor Corporation and has spent thirty years helping Fortune 500 companies design and implement industrial manufacturing solutions, including more than a decade as a consultant with TSSC, the Toyota Production System Support Center, and hands-on work in the biopharmaceutical industry. He is the founder and president of Ydatum, and the author of the three-book series The Toyota Economic System.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/82 Connect with Olivier Larue: linkedin.com/in/olivierlarue Purchase a copy of The Toyota Economic System (three-book series): https://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Economic-System-Environmental-StewardshipLearn more about Ydatum: ydatum.com Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson Subscribe to my newsletter: kbjanderson.com/newsletter Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com Join us on the Japan Leadership Experience: KBJAnderson.com/japantrip TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:02:43 How a NUMMI experience shaped Olivier years later05:14 Why call it the Toyota Economic System?09:42 Profit vs. cash: the trade-off companies get wrong12:32 Why Just-in-Time doesn't mean zero inventory16:30 What happens when company values and work conflict20:20 Why leaders have to “earn” how they manage21:42 Why Toyota's seven wastes are in a specific order23:38 The hidden cost of human waiting27:20 Why leadership skills alone aren't enough30:05 Why organizations keep repeating the same problems31:26 What Andon actually means for empowerment35:17 The leadership response that makes problems safe to surface39:16 Why Toyota can avoid layoffs during downturns44:30 The unanswered question about AI and economic growth48:30 How enthusiasm turns pull into push50:44 Why isolated improvements don't transform systems54:35 Refusing the either/or trade-off Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/

Message us!Imagine this: Your company's biggest customer is asking to triple their order size tomorrow. Are you happy, or are you terrified? Does your business have the infrastructure in place to scale at a moment's notice? In a new episode of Whitley Penn Talks, Whitley Penn Managing Directors Jake Baine (Digital Services) and Brandt Schaars (Deal Advisory) discuss five key indicators of business readiness:  Reliable dataOperational scalabilityDocumented processesStrategic leadership alignmentWillingness to invest in growth before it's requiredFrom digital transformation and ERP (enterprise resource planning) implementation to operational readiness, business strategy, and transaction readiness, this conversation explores how companies can use data, technology, processes, and financial insights to achieve their growth goals.  The discussion is inspired by our recent "What's Your Goal?" insight, which explores how to determine if your company's systems, reporting, people, and processes can support future growth opportunities. Fill out this form to have new episodes sent right to your inbox! Follow Whitley Penn on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X for more industry insights and thought leadership!

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Patrick Adams is joined by Rebecca Moyers, Director of Operational Excellence for the State of Missouri, for a preview of her session at the Lean Solutions Summit, The Feedback Advantage. Rebecca shares how the State of Missouri is using employee and customer feedback to guide process improvement, strengthen experiences, and focus limited resources on the improvements that matter most.The conversation explores how Missouri built an operational excellence community across 17 executive agencies, uses feedback to support both employee and customer experience, and applies omni-channel listening to better understand the entire customer journey. Rebecca also explains why organizations need to look beyond internal silos and consider whether every part of an experience connects seamlessly from the customer's perspective.Rebecca shares practical examples of collecting feedback through website interactions, surveys, call centers, and operational data, and emphasizes that organizations shouldn't ask for feedback unless they're prepared to act on it. Most importantly, she explains that these principles aren't limited to government or large organizations; teams in virtually any industry can use intentional feedback to improve processes, culture, and the experiences they create.Key Takeaways:Feedback helps organizations focus improvement efforts on what matters mostGreat customer experiences require looking at the entire journey—not individual silosEmployee and customer feedback become more powerful when paired with operational dataDon't ask for feedback unless you're prepared to act on itLinks:https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/https://www.findleansolutions.com/

Host Wayne Whitzell, Senior VP Strategic Accounts, SOLID Surface Care and First Vice Chair on IFMA's Global Executive Board welcomes Grant Sommerfeld, president of IFMA's FM Consultants Council and founder of Executive FM, for a conversation about the challenges facing facility managers today. Drawing on his experience leading FM transformations across healthcare, municipal government and higher education, Grant shares why many organizations remain trapped in reactive operating models and what leaders can do to break the cycle. The discussion explores the importance of data driven decision making, the communication gap between FM teams and executive leadership, and why facility managers need a stronger voice before major organizational decisions are made. Grant also explains how consultants can help organizations build internal capabilities, improve stakeholder communication and create more sustainable operating models that don't rely on individual heroics to succeed. Resources: Connet with Grant on LinkedIn Connect with Us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ifmaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFacilityManagementAssociation/Twitter: https://twitter.com/IFMAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifma_hq/YouTube: https://youtube.com/ifmaglobalVisit us at https://ifma.org

In this episode, Rob Sumter, PhD, FACHE, President, Saint Joseph Hospital; Executive Vice President and Market Chief Operating Officer, Ascension, discusses how disciplined execution, investing in people, and thoughtfully applying AI are driving long-term sustainability. He also shares why staying agile, communicating through change, and keeping patients at the center are essential to successful healthcare transformation.

Your leadership style isn't the problem. Your default is.The gap between how you're leading and what the person in front of you actually needs is one of the most common and most invisible places leaders get stuck. Most of us default to one mode and don't notice the mismatch until something breaks down.Suzie Bishop has spent over a decade at the Center for Leadership Studies helping leaders close that gap and strengthen their leadership effectiveness. Her new book, Situational Leadership, puts nearly sixty years of research into a practical framework for reading the situation, building leadership flexibility, and adapting your approach.Suzie walks through the four leadership styles, how to read what someone needs in a given situation, and how to adapt your approach to coach, develop leaders, and lead through influence.The best leaders don't pick one style and commit. They pause, assess the situation, and flex to have the impact you intend.You'll Learn:Why "leadership is influence" reframes how you lead, and why influence has nothing to do with manipulation or controlHow to diagnose what someone needs, and why one person can require four different approaches in the same conversationHow leadership flexibility and adaptability differ—and why knowing the styles isn't the same as knowing when to use themWhy only asking coaching questions can leave people stuck, and how to know when to step in with more directive leadershipHow the "power of the pause" helps you move from reacting out of habit to adapting with intentionABOUT MY GUEST:Suzie Bishop is VP of Product Development at The Center for Leadership Studies. She's a Certified Professional in Training Management, a Stakeholder Centered Coach, and a Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coach. Suzie is co-author of Situational Leadership: The Model for Leading Others, Navigating Change and Unlocking Performance and is currently writing her next book, Match: How to Meet Leaders Where They Are, with Marshall Goldsmith.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/81 Connect with Suzie Bishop: linkedin.com/in/suzie-bishop Purchase a copy: Situational Leadership: The Model for Leading Others, Navigating Change and Unlocking Performance by Suzie Bishop and Sam ShriverMatch: How to Meet Leaders Where They Are by Suzie Bishop and Marshall Goldsmith (November 2026)Learn more about The Center for Leadership Studies: situational.comFollow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson Subscribe to my newsletter: kbjanderson.com/newsletter Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com Join us on the Japan Leadership Experience: KBJAnderson.com/japantrip TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:02:52 Why leadership is influence, not control04:43 Creating the conditions without controlling06:51 What Situational Leadership looks like in practice07:35 Flexibility vs. adaptability: the critical difference07:48 The four Situational Leadership styles11:41 How to recognize your natural leadership tendency13:08 When asking questions isn't effective coaching16:46 How to be directive without taking away ownership17:37 The cost of not adapting how you lead21:37 Why organizations need a common leadership language24:05 Creating the conditions for people to ask for help25:24 The leadership challenge even top executives struggle with29:06 How to give direction without taking over30:33 Influence versus control when you have authority31:06 Three types of power that shape your influence32:51 Why trust is your most important source of power36:02 The difference between flexibility and adaptability37:08 Practice an intention pause before you respond Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/

Jaycee Pribulsky is Partner and Chief Sustainability Officer at Apollo, where she oversees the firm's sustainability efforts. Before joining Apollo, she was Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike, and earlier in her career held roles at Bloomberg, Citi and the White House. In this episode, she joins Jenn to make the case that the sustainability field has reached a turning point where aspiration alone is no longer enough and operational excellence is essential.Useful Links:Follow Jaycee on LinkedIn hereFind out more about Apollo hereRead Heatmap News hereSubscribe to Max Aitken's newsletter hereJaycee's book recommendation: The Fifth Discipline by Peter SengeClick here for the episode web page. This episode is also available on YouTube.For more insights straight to your inbox subscribe to the Future in Sight newsletter, and follow us on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Re:Co, a tech-powered advisory company helping private market investors pursue sustainability objectives and value creation in tandem. Produced by Chris AttawayArtwork by Harriet RichardsonMusic by Cody Martin

What does it take to create lasting improvement—not just better numbers? In this episode, Danilo Rodriguez Santos, maintenance leader at Vale, shares how the company's railway maintenance operation in São Luís, Brazil, used the Shingo Model to connect systems, leadership, and people on its journey to receiving Shingo Silver in 2025. Danilo explores how active listening, leadership humility, direct observation, and a focus on behaviors helped engage employees and build a culture capable of sustaining results. He also shares practical insights into developing systems, using KPIs and KBIs, and creating an environment where people feel empowered to improve every day.For more information, please visit https://shingo.org. 

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Shayne Daughenbaugh sits down with Seamus Maguire to explore one of the biggest reasons problem-solving fails, even in organizations with experienced people and proven Lean tools. Drawing from his new book, Finding Fact Before Fixing, Seamus explains how cognitive biases, assumptions, and the pressure to find quick answers often lead teams to solve the wrong problem.The conversation explores why hypothesis testing and experimentation should be at the center of every problem-solving effort, how leaders can ask better questions to uncover true root causes, and why collecting the right data is more important than simply collecting more data. Seamus also shares practical ways to challenge assumptions, use the scientific method in everyday problem-solving, and create a culture where teams focus on finding facts before implementing fixes. Key Takeaways:Challenge assumptions before finding solutionsUse hypothesis testing instead of educated guessesAsk better questions to uncover root causesCollect the right data—not just more dataLinks:linkedin.com/in/seamusmaguire?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ioshttps://www.routledge.com/Finding-Fact-Before-Fixing-How-Business-Professionals-Can-Avoid-False-Assumptions-When-Solving-Problems/Maguire/p/book/9781041130307https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/

Enterprise technology has long promised to unlock operational potential, but the trade-offs between monolithic ERP systems and fragmented best-of-breed stacks continue to slow organizations down in ways most leaders don't fully account for. In this episode of Enterprise Unleashed on Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Wiley Jones (Co-founder at DOSS) are joined by Jindra Zitek (Partner and Head of Scale at Stripes), a former McKinsey consultant and C-level operator whose career spans Chobani, HelloFresh, and a range of board and advisory roles across industry. Together, they unpack what it actually takes to build operations that are truly AI-ready, and why the answer starts with people long before it reaches technology. Jindra draws on firsthand experience leading through hypergrowth and crisis to make the case that both ERP consolidation and best-of-breed ecosystems carry a hidden coordination tax, one that only gets more expensive the longer organizations avoid naming it. He challenges leaders to stop framing AI as a job automation tool and start treating it as a lever for dignity and purpose, giving people the ability to focus on the work that actually requires human judgment. The conversation lands on what separates organizations that experiment successfully from those stuck in pilot purgatory: shared business objectives, cross-functional coalitions, and guardrails that free people to move fast without losing control. Wiley grounds the discussion in what Doss is seeing in practice, where the complexity of edge cases is finally collapsing, and where the real work of comprehension still cannot be skipped. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro  (02:29) Jindra Zitek's background across McKinsey, Chobani, and HelloFresh (04:16) Lessons from family, farming, and leadership (06:09) Why people should come before systems (10:28) The trade-off between ERP and best-of-breed tools (15:24) The hidden cost of technology choices (17:09) How company DNA shapes technology strategy (20:57) Eliminating the human tax of broken systems (21:49) Automation should enable people, not replace them (25:57) The rise of agentic operations (28:57) Building trust and control with AI systems (31:34) Measuring real ROI from AI investments (35:17) Building cross-functional teams for AI success (37:30) Creating guardrails for enterprise AI adoption (40:40) The first workflow to transform with AI (42:10) Finding business problems AI can solve (47:56) How AI changes workflow design and implementation Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Jindra Zitek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jindrazitek/ Connect with Wiley Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wileycwjones/ Learn more about DOSS: https://www.doss.com/ Learn more about Stripes: https://www.stripes.co/ Learn more about Supply Chain Insights: http://www.supplychaininsights.com Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry's Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Wiley Jones, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/beyond-erp-tradeoff-building-ai-ready-operations-1614 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Chris A. Klay, MA, PT, MHA, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Illinois Market, Hospital Sisters Health System, shares how physician recruitment, operational efficiency, and improving patient access are fueling growth across the market. He also reflects on his journey from physical therapist to health system leader and the importance of balancing quality, access, and affordability in healthcare.

Landing your product on a retail shelf is a massive victory, but bleeding out in year two due to operational failure is a harsh industry standard. Right now, the margin for error in large-scale fulfillment is razor-thin, meaning founders must adapt their entire infrastructure to keep pace with rapid retail demands. To break down what separates surviving brands from those that fizzle out, we pulled together a masterclass mashup featuring retail experts Matt Adams, Erin Wall, Grant Demers, Brian Salmon, and Katie Smith.We get into the tactical execution required to maintain your retail footprint long after the initial line review. The panel covers critical missteps in omnichannel promotional strategy, the cascading impact of minor point-of-sale setting adjustments on fulfillment loads, and the exact methods to properly forecast domestic replenishment. The key shift highlighted by the group is learning how to run directly toward problems, ensuring you always bring merchants actionable solutions rather than simply reporting a failure.Keeping up with massive retail volume is a grueling endeavor that will quickly expose any structural cracks in your communication pipelines. A seemingly harmless inventory tweak can trigger sudden thirty-truckload demands, forcing teams to scramble through weekends just to prevent empty shelves and missed deliveries. Viewers will walk away understanding the critical need for extreme operational transparency and why admitting your capability limits early will save your long-term buyer relationships.If you care about supply chain resilience, operational accountability, and building lasting trust with major retail buyers, you'll get a lot from this. Please subscribe to the channel and share this episode with anyone currently scaling a physical product business. What is the most difficult operational bottleneck your team has had to overcome to keep your product in stock?

Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/How many problems are actually visible in your organization?Research shows senior leaders see just 4%. The other 96% stay hidden — invisible, yet still there. And some aren't even recognized by employees as problems anymore, because they have become the norm.We all say we want psychological safety. But you don't get it by saying you want it. People-centered leadership is about creating conditions for people to speak up and highlight issues by how you, and leaders across your system, respond.Recorded live with a group of global leaders participating in my Japan Leadership Experience in May 2026, this special episode celebrates the sixth anniversary of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn. You'll hear Isao Yoshino, a 40-year Toyota leader and the subject of my book, reflect on three of the book's most talked-about stories.These examples bring two of Toyota's mottos to life, "bad news first" and "no problem is a problem," and show why a leader's response is what turns problems into a culture of improvement:How his manager's response to a huge paint-shop mistake in his first months at Toyota shaped how he saw a leader's roleHow andon — signaling a problem and stopping the line — changed the culture at NUMMIHow he found the courage to highlight his failing water ski boat business to President Fujio ChoWhether on the front line or in the boardroom, creating the conditions where bad news comes first, and support follows, is what builds a culture of excellence.You'll Learn:Why a leader's response to a mistake is fundamental to effective leadership and matters more than the mistake itselfThe two actions behind a bad-news-first culture: respond down to help, not blame, and signal up when something's off courseWhy andon is a leadership practice, not just a factory signal, that works from the shop floor to the executive suiteWhat the NUMMI turnaround shows about culture change: people adopt a better way when they discover it, not when they're toldWhy "thank you for this mistake" is the keystone move for building psychological safetyABOUT MY GUEST:Isao Yoshino spent forty years at Toyota, from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, where he helped shape the people-centered learning culture the company is known for today. He was a key leader in the Kan-Pro senior-management development program and led the training of the American managers at NUMMI, the Toyota-GM joint venture, where he hired John Shook. He is the subject of Katie Anderson's Shingo Publication Award-winning book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/80Order your copy of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.comFollow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjandersonSubscribe to my newsletter: kbjanderson.com/newsletterCheck out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.comJoin us on the Japan Leadership Experience: KBJAnderson.com/japantripTIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:02:18 Andon: Why a leader's response matters03:16 The paint mistake that shaped Mr. Yoshino's leadership05:28 Why Mr. Yoshino was thanked for his mistake09:34 The leadership lesson that lasted 40 years11:22 Why Toyota starts every leader on the front line12:18 Inside the early days of NUMMI17:13 Why workers were afraid to stop the line23:34 What changed the culture at NUMMI24:40 Why leaders only see 4% of problems25:16 Responding down instead of blaming25:50 Asking for help at the leadership level28:43 Why President Cho flew to a failing business34:17 The power of bad news first35:54 Mr. Yoshino's biggest leadership regret38:19 When doing it yourself becomes the problem39:05 The response that creates culture40:28 The two behaviors every leader needs42:02 Two questions to reflect on this week Learn more and apply for the November 2026 cohort of my Japan Leadership Experience: https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/Purchase a copy of "Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn" or gift a copy to your team: http://learningtoleadleadingtolearn.com/

On this episode of The Buzz, powered by Zebra Technologies, hosts Scott Luton and special guest co-host Amber Salley are joined by Rich Carey of MFG.inc to break down the biggest headlines shaping global supply chain. From the future of the USMCA and the health of U.S. manufacturing to separating AI hype from real-world value, this conversation delivers practical insights for supply chain leaders navigating constant change. What does the latest manufacturing data really tell us? Is AI bringing meaningful transformation to supply chains or just creating more noise? And how can organizations build resilient operations while developing stronger leaders? Scott, Amber, and Rich tackle these questions by exploring North American trade policy, manufacturing growth fueled by AI infrastructure investments, energy challenges, and the realities of autonomous supply chains. Rich also shares actionable leadership lessons from decades of operational excellence work, emphasizing servant leadership, trust, quick wins, and developing frontline leaders who can successfully lead change. If you're looking for practical strategies, not just buzzwords, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways. Key Takeaways Why the annual review of the USMCA matters for supply chain planning and business certainty. What recent U.S. manufacturing data reveals about growth, hiring, and AI-driven demand. The difference between real AI applications and the growing "AI noise" across the supply chain industry. Why autonomous supply chains still face significant hurdles around data, governance, and decision-making. How servant leadership, trust, and quick wins accelerate successful operational transformation. Why investing in frontline leaders is one of the most effective ways to improve manufacturing performance. Whether you're leading supply chain strategy, manufacturing operations, procurement, or digital transformation, this episode provides thoughtful perspectives on today's biggest industry trends while offering practical leadership advice you can apply immediately. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of where the industry is headed and how great leadership remains the competitive advantage that technology alone can't replace. Additional Links & Resources: Zebra: https://www.zebra.com/machinevision With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-12-July-2026 USMCA: Retail, manufacturing and apparel groups call for preservation: https://bit.ly/USMCA-Annual-Review US factory activity eases off four-year high; input prices remain elevated: https://reut.rs/3SNyfPv Turning Supply Chain Volatility into Competitive Advantage with o9 Solutions: https://bit.ly/SCN-At-Gartner-2026 The Autonomous Supply Chain: Why We're Not There Yet (And What It Will Actually Take): https://bit.ly/Amber-Salley-AutonomousEra From Planning to Decision Making: https://bit.ly/From-Planning-to-Decision-Making Mfg.inc: https://mfg.inc/ Connect with Rich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richcary/ Connect with Amber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambersalley/ Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/ Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now   Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join   Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry's Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Amber Salley, and produced by Trisha Cortes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-manufacturing-momentum-ai-reality-leadership-lasts-1610 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Connected FM, host Wayne Whitzell, Senior VP Strategic Accounts, SOLID Surface Care and Second Vice Chair on IFMA's Global Executive Board, welcomes Justin Hitt, Sr. Manager - Corporate Advisory & Solutions at Lincoln Property Company, for a wide-ranging conversation on facility management strategy, service delivery and the future of work. Justin discusses his experience leading IFMA's Museums and Cultural Institutions Council, the relationship between operations and sales, the importance of transparency in outsourcing partnerships, and how data can help facility managers communicate more effectively with leadership. Wayne and Justin also examine the growing role of AI, productivity tools and digital workflows in helping FM teams work more efficiently while maintaining a people-first approach to service delivery. This episode is sponsored by SiteMap®, powered by GPRS. Learn more at sitemap.com/ifma Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:28 Museum Council Roadshow 06:53 Assessing Clients And Culture Fit 12:50 Dashboards that Speak to the CFO 17:00 AI As Productivity Clones 20:26 How Providers Really Profit 26:33 Sales Ops Alignment Handoff 29:52 Wrap Up Connect with Us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ifmaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFacilityManagementAssociation/Twitter: https://twitter.com/IFMAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifma_hq/YouTube: https://youtube.com/ifmaglobalVisit us at https://ifma.org

Whether you use funeral home software, a cremation website, or the best funeral home software available, your marketing works best when it helps people solve real problems. This episode explains exactly how to create educational materials that hospice staff will actually keep, share, and remember.

Send us Fan MailAt MSP GeekCon, Joey Pinz sits down with Monica Ozaruk for a fascinating conversation about systems thinking, operational excellence, creativity, habits, and what really keeps MSP owners awake at night. Monica shares how her background in acting unexpectedly shaped her communication style and how her obsession with process optimization led her into the MSP world through ConnectWise consulting.From quote-to-cash workflows to habit stacking, Monica explains why successful MSPs need more than tools — they need clarity, consistency, and systems that actually work. She breaks down how many MSPs unintentionally create operational chaos and why “run state” — a calm, scalable business environment — should be the real goal.The conversation also dives into personal growth, mindset shifts, creativity returning later in life, wellness routines, and how habits create long-term success both personally and professionally.If you're an MSP owner, entrepreneur, operations leader, or someone trying to create more focus and structure in life, this episode delivers practical insights with real-world honesty.

What does it take to transform a highly engaged community into a lasting consumer brand?On Episode 311 of Where Brains Meet Beauty, Sincerely Yours COO & CMO Shelagh Wong and Coefficient Capital Partner Arpon Ray join Jodi Katz for a conversation about entrepreneurship, investing, and building brands that can stand the test of time.Shelagh shares how her background in management consulting shaped her approach to leadership, operations, and brand building, while Arpon discusses what investors look for when evaluating emerging consumer brands and the importance of finding businesses with a true competitive advantage.Together, they explore the launch of Sincerely Yours, the power of community-driven growth, the realities of scaling a creator-led brand, and why sustainable success requires balancing creativity, discipline, and long-term thinking.It's a thoughtful conversation about leadership, culture, growth, and what it takes to build a brand that resonates far beyond its initial audience.Thank you to our partner CEW. If you're looking to accelerate your career and expand your network, visit CEW.org and use code WBMB20 for 20% off your first year of membership.

Efficiency and cost savings aren't what makes operational excellence last. People are.The leaders who create enduring, high-performing organizations are after something beyond business results. They want a company where people end the day more capable, more confident, more energized than when it began. That's the difference between a workplace that wears people down and one that builds powerful people.Gary Peterson spent more than 30 years building that kind of culture of continuous improvement at OC Tanner. But the hardest part wasn't creating the systems or processes to get better outcomes. It was his own transformation — coming to see how, without meaning to, he'd become the leader getting in his people's way.Put people first, and the results follow. And the deepest transformation you'll ever lead is your own.You'll Learn:Why operational excellence only lasts when leaders focus on building people, not just cutting costs and eliminating wasteWhy the best leaders make an identity shift from being the expert with every answer to creating the conditions for others to solve problemsWhat it takes to move managers from enforcers to coaches and make continuous improvement something your team never fears, even as roles and headcount shiftHow to influence real organizational change when you have no authority to make anyone followWhy so many leaders give up on culture change too soon, and how long it really takesABOUT MY GUEST:Gary Peterson spent more than 30 years at OC Tanner, where he held leadership roles across manufacturing, marketing, and operations, most recently as Executive Vice President of Supply Chain and Manufacturing. He led the people-first transformation that earned OC Tanner the Shingo Prize and made it one of the few companies Toyota holds up as a global showcase for its system outside automotive. Gary is an Association for Manufacturing Excellence Hall of Fame inductee.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/79 Connect with Gary Peterson: linkedin.com/in/garypeterson Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson Subscribe to my newsletter: kbjanderson.com/newsletter Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com Join me on the Japan Leadership Experience: KBJAnderson.com/japantripTIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:03:44 Why Toyota saw something different at OC Tanner05:02 The real purpose of operational excellence07:19 How Gary knew the culture was changing09:00 Creating people who change the world12:13 The outcome every leader should want13:07 Two pillars that shaped the journey14:26 Breaking a culture of fear and control15:35 The five-minute habit that changed everything17:15 Redefining what it means to be a manager19:12 Why transformation takes longer than you think20:05 What to do when leaders don't support the change22:26 The experiment that almost got shut down24:19 Helping managers make the coaching shift25:23 When people outgrow their leaders28:28 Why improvement should never threaten jobs30:23 The manager who couldn't stop yelling32:23 The leadership habit that destroys ownership35:35 Becoming the leader you never wanted to be37:00 The habit that was holding people back38:01 The executive behavior that shuts people down40:07 Proving your worth vs. creating conditions45:37 Showing results isn't the same as showing people49:53 Where transformation really begins51:16 The question every leader should ask about their people53:34 When helping starts limiting growth55:14 The shift that made everything else possible

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Patrick Adams sits down with John Dyer to explore the thinking behind the Lean Excellence World Championship and why it has become one of the most engaging learning experiences at the Lean Solutions Summit.The conversation dives into how the competition gives participants and observers the opportunity to see Lean in action. From process mapping and visual management to problem-solving, teamwork, and customer focus. John explains why process mapping is the foundation of every successful improvement effort, how it helps teams visualize workflows, uncover hidden waste, identify bottlenecks before implementation, and create stronger future-state processes. He also shares why every organization, regardless of industry, can benefit from making process mapping a core part of its continuous improvement strategy.Whether you're new to Lean or looking to strengthen your continuous improvement efforts, this episode provides practical insights into learning Lean through hands-on experience and applying process mapping to improve any process.Key Takeaways:1. Process mapping is the foundation of improvement2. Lean is learned best through hands-on experience3. Customer focus drives better decisions4. Great Lean cultures embrace problemsLinks:https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/

Most financial advisors are visionaries — fast-moving sales-driven entrepreneurs whose back offices often can't keep up. In this episode, host Scott Heinila welcomes back Katelynn Graham, Founder and CEO of The Admin Effect, to talk about what it really takes to build operational excellence behind a growing advisory practice. Katelynn explains why operations should be viewed as an investment rather than an expense, how her firm embeds as an extension of advisor teams serving $15M to $200M+ in annual new assets, and why our industry makes it so unnecessarily hard to serve clients. She shares hard data on cycle times — why money movement that drags 50–60 days should be closer to 10–25 — and the tracking and dashboards that give advisors real visibility into their businesses. They also cover hiring mistakes advisors make, the difference between industry experience and back-office competence, her hands-on training course and new TAE Ops Leadership Lab, the journey from founder-led to operator-led leadership after hiring a COO, lessons from mentors like Alex Hormozi and Tony Robbins (push vs. pull motivation), and why AI won't replace advisors — but advisors who use it will replace those who don't.     **This is the Optimized Advisor Podcast, where we focus on optimizing the wellbeing and best practices of insurance and financial professionals. Our objective is to help you optimize your life, optimize your profession, and learn from other optimized advisors. If you have questions or would like to be a featured guest, email us at optimizedadvisor@optimizedins.com Optimized Insurance Planning

Most companies don't have a transportation problem. They have a management problem. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton, together with co-host Kim Humphrey, President and CEO of AME, is joined by Onu Okebie, CEO of HTL, for a straight-talking conversation on freight, entrepreneurship, and what it actually takes to build a logistics company from scratch in one of the most volatile markets in recent memory. From buying his first truck to completing five acquisitions in five years and growing HTL 15X, Onu brings a grounded, finance-first perspective to questions most operators avoid. Kim adds her continuous improvement lens to the mix, drawing connections between change management, organizational culture, and the kind of problem-solving mindset that separates companies that adapt from those that stall. The conversation covers a lot of ground: how the freight recession really unfolded and what's actually driving the current shift in pricing, why transportation remains the most mismanaged cost on a shipper's P&L, where human judgment stays irreplaceable even as AI reshapes logistics, and what it looks like to build a company where entrepreneurial instinct and operational discipline coexist. If you're leading through change, thinking about growth through acquisition, or trying to figure out how to position your organization for what's coming next in freight and technology, this one is worth your time. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (02:44) Onu Okebie's background and entrepreneurial origins (09:30) HTL's growth story and five acquisitions in five years (16:27) Lessons from M&A and how people embrace change (20:27) Balancing entrepreneurial culture with systems and scale (24:10) The freight market breakdown and what's driving the current shift (29:19) Human judgment vs. AI in logistics and why both matter (35:19) The five-year outlook and going AI-led as an organization (39:37) Key takeaways on mindset, people, and embracing change Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Onu Okebie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/onuokebie/ Learn more about HTL Freight: https://gohtl.com/ Connect with Kim Humphrey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlee-kim-h-5977474/ Learn more about AME: https://www.ame.org/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/how-entrepreneurial-leadership-drives-growth-innovation-supply-chain-1603 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if training your employees and leaders together was the fastest path to better performance and results? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with manufacturing leader and executive coach Luca Romano to discuss how training with Nicole and using the TILT assessment and SHINE Methodology gave him a structure for developing his team without making it personal or emotional.This conversation dives into key topics such as work culture, leadership, business strategy, team communication, and effective management practices, including how SHINE and TILT worked alongside EOS and Traction to help Luca's team increase on-time delivery from 51 percent to 91 percent in under two years.In this episode, you'll learn:How to train employees and leaders to improve performance and resultsHow the TILT assessment gives teams a shared language for behavior changeHow the SHINE methodology builds self-assessment into everyday leadershipWhat most leaders get wrong about training time and team developmentThis episode is for leaders, managers, business owners, and professionals who want to improve communication, strengthen organizational culture, and grow in their careers.Learn more about Vibrant Culture & how Nicole Greer can help your team succeed (like she did with Luca)

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode of the Lean Solutions Podcast, Catherine McDonald sits down with Kathy Miller to explore why successful transformations are driven by people, not just processes.You'll learn how trust, meaningful work, optimism, and strong relationships create lasting cultural change, why consistency is essential for leaders, and how simple daily leadership habits can increase engagement and continuous improvement across any organization.Whether you're leading a Lean transformation, managing a manufacturing team, or looking to build a stronger workplace culture, this episode offers practical insights for creating lasting change through people-first leadership.Key Takeaways:1. Great transformations begin with trust2. People need purpose—not just processes3. Culture changes through consistent leadership4. Positive psychology strengthens LeanLinks:https://more4leaders.com/linkedin.com/in/kathy-miller-mapp-mba-acchttps://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/

This bonus episode expands on the themes discussed in Episode 4 by taking a closer look at the practical safety challenges facing data center operators and EHS professionals. The conversation highlights how rapidly changing technologies are reshaping the data center environment. From AI-driven computing infrastructure and evolving cooling requirements to the widespread use of lithium-ion batteries, organisations must continually reassess risks and adapt operational controls. While many hazards are familiar, the scale and speed of technological change require safety professionals to remain agile and closely connected to operational teams. The discussion also highlights the growing use of technology to improve safety outcomes, including battery monitoring systems, video-based ergonomics assessments, and procedural compliance monitoring. A key theme throughout the episode is organisational complexity. Data centers often involve multiple stakeholders, including property owners, tenants, contractors, and end users, creating challenges around accountability, communication, and risk ownership. Success depends on strong collaboration, clear governance structures, and open communication between all parties involved. Looking ahead, the future of data center safety will require continuous learning, close collaboration between safety and environmental professionals, and a proactive approach to understanding emerging technologies. As data centers continue to grow in scale and importance, maintaining safe and resilient operations will become increasingly critical.

Have you poured months into a strategy your team couldn't bring to life? Or watched capable people work harder than ever, and still struggle to pull together as a team?High performance isn't about a better strategy, more talent, or longer hours. It's about how your team works together, every single day.Karina Mangu-Ward, author of Teams That Meet the Moment, has spent more than a decade helping complex organizations redesign the messy day-to-day of how people actually get things done together. Her belief: good everyday teaming habits are both good for people and good for results. You don't have to choose between them.Making this real doesn't require a reinvention. You just need the right structure and the intention to show up differently. In this episode, Karina shares simple, tangible practices you can use in your very next meeting or strategic project.You'll Learn:The three lies leaders tell themselves about teamwork, and why believing them holds your team backHow the framework of the "Even Over" ends the swirl when your team is stuck choosing between two competing optionsWhy creating a "Safe to Try" process gets a team unstuck when you're chasing consensus and certaintyWhat a steady team cadence unlocks when everything around you feels like an emergencyThe instinct nearly every high performer has to unlearn before they can build a team that thrivesABOUT MY GUEST:Karina Mangu-Ward is a partner at August Public, an organizational change consultancy that helps large, complex organizations build more human-centered ways of working, whose clients include PepsiCo, Planned Parenthood, and Sundance. She's the author of Teams That Meet the Moment: 9 Practices for Unlocking Performance and Growth in Uncertain Times. Karina's passion is helping groups navigate complexity, gain insight, and unlock highly complex challenges.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/78 Connect with Karina: linkedin.com/in/karina-mangu-ward Purchase a copy of Karina's book: Teams That Meet the MomentLearn more about Karina's company: aug.co Take the Team assessment: assessment.aug.co Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson Subscribe to my newsletter: kbjanderson.com/newsletter Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com Join us on the Japan Leadership Experience: KBJAnderson.com/japantrip TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:03:01 Why great strategy still fails04:13 The hustle culture myth that's burning teams out05:20 Everyday habits drive extraordinary teams07:11 Meeting the moment in uncertain times09:13 The "Safe to Try" mindset that breaks gridlock11:18 Setting guardrails without limiting innovation12:06 Why small bets outperform big risks13:29 Unlearning the need to have the answer15:17 Why sticky practices beat complicated frameworks17:16 Simple retrospectives that strengthen learning20:19 The surprising cost of treating everything like an emergency22:09 Using "Even Over" to make better trade-offs25:28 Intention over reaction in decision-making30:32 When perfection becomes procrastination31:53 Why working in public accelerates learning34:22 The power of stories over instruction37:08 Intention + practice = better leadership39:14 What trade-off do you need to make?

Will calls it the “Referral Factory,” and the name fits. This approach does not rely on one lucky call, one cremation ad, or one direct mail campaign. Instead, it creates a repeatable system that helps a funeral home, cremation provider, or online cremation services brand become the trusted resource healthcare workers remember when families need guidance. Don't miss out—check the full episode now!

KKR's Co-Head of Global Private Equity and Partner reveals the rigorous, long-term discipline required to drive real operational improvements.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Catherine McDonald and Shayne Daughenbaugh welcome Michael Parent to discuss SIPOC, one of the most effective tools for understanding and improving business processes. Michael explains how SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) helps teams define process boundaries, identify stakeholders, and maintain focus on delivering customer value.The conversation explores different approaches to building a SIPOC, including why Michael prefers starting with the customer before mapping the process itself. They also discuss how SIPOC fits into Lean and Six Sigma problem-solving, how it helps prevent scope creep, and why it serves as a strong foundation for process mapping, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement efforts.Whether you're leading a process improvement project or trying to better understand how work flows through your organization, this episode provides practical guidance on using SIPOC to create clarity and alignment from the start.Key Takeaways:1. SIPOC provides a high-level view of a process and helps clearly define project scope and boundaries.2. Keeping the customer at the center of the discussion ensures improvement efforts remain focused on delivering value.3. SIPOC serves as a powerful starting point for process mapping, stakeholder analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.4. The most effective SIPOCs involve the right mix of stakeholders and subject matter experts while avoiding unnecessary complexity and scope creep.Links:mparent@sixsigma-consulting.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/parent-michael/https://www.findleansolutions.com/summit-2026/https://www.findleansolutions.com/

Families no longer search for funeral homes the way they did ten years ago. They still use Google, of course, but they also ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI tools for recommendations. That shift creates a new question for funeral professionals: when a family asks a robot which cremation provider to trust, will your firm show up? In this episode of the Direct Cremation Podcast, host Tyler Yamasaki, CEO of Parting Pro, welcomes back Welton Hong, CEO of Ring Ring Marketing, gives funeral homes, cremation providers, and death care marketers a practical look at how AI search may affect local visibility, cremation advertising, and funeral website marketing. If your next case depends on how Google or ChatGPT summarizes your business, this episode is one you can't miss! ☝

Blue collar grit meets boardroom-level execution in this powerful conversation on what it really takes to build a home services business that lasts. Chris and Chad sit down with Chris Crew, President of Blue Collar Success Group, to unpack his journey from dropping out of school and becoming an electrician at 16 to helping grow an electrical service company from $3 million to a $30 million run rate. Chris shares the operational truths contractors cannot afford to ignore: pricing correctly, building a real sales system, protecting gross margin, training year-round, and resisting the temptation to chase shiny tools before mastering the basics. From weekly skill practice to implementing AI with purpose, this episode is a masterclass in disciplined growth for home service leaders who want profit, performance, and people moving in the same direction. If you're ready to stop guessing, tighten your operations, and build a business that can grow without losing its soul, this one gets straight to the point.   Additional Resources: Listen to To the Point, wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about To the Point Subscribe to CSTG on YouTube! Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Chad on LinkedIn Chad Peterman | CEO | Author Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Price correctly before chasing growth. Sales systems start with company culture. Gross margin problems hide in operations. Train year-round, not just slow seasons. Technology fails without proper implementation.

Southwest Airlines has spent the last several years modernizing one of the most complex operational environments in the world. In this episode of Technovation, Lauren Woods, EVP and CIO of Southwest Airlines, shares how the company transformed a period of operational disruption into a catalyst for long-term technology modernization and resilience. Lauren discusses Southwest’s investments in modern data platforms, predictive analytics, cloud infrastructure, AI-enabled operations, cybersecurity, and customer experience transformation. She also explains the technology behind major commercial changes, including assigned seating, new fare structures, and evolving digital experiences. Key topics include: Building operational resilience through proactive analytics Creating the data foundation required for AI at scale Leveraging machine learning across airline operations Modernizing legacy systems while maintaining reliability Leading large-scale organizational and cultural transformation This episode is presented by Celonis — Give AI the context it needs. Learn more at celonis.com/technovation

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits is the world's largest wine and spirits wholesaler, serving 47 markets across the United States, Canada, and beyond. For this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin mixes it up with Karli Sage, Vice President of Supply Chain Management Technology and Engineering at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Together, they discuss how to approach warehouse technology and automation to improve inventory visibility. The discussion highlights the unique challenges of managing thousands of SKUs, maintaining inventory accuracy, and scaling innovation across a complex distribution network.Learn more about our sponsor Dexory's Storage Health here. Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.Support the show

In this episode of Zero to CEO, I speak with Technology and Operations Expert Issac Hicks about why most AI projects fail — and how entrepreneurs can be part of the small percentage that actually generate real returns. Issac breaks down the gap between AI marketing hype and operational reality, explains why nearly 95% of AI initiatives never make money, and shows what successful AI implementations really look like inside growing businesses. If you're tired of gimmicks and want to understand how AI can truly drive revenue, efficiency, and scale, this episode is a must-listen.

Every industry talks about preparing for the future, but few spend enough time listening to the people who will ultimately shape it.  What often gets overlooked is that this generation may already be bringing exactly the mindset the industry needs: adaptability, systems thinking, technological fluency, and a willingness to challenge outdated assumptions. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott W. Luton and guest co-host Liz Raman, Founder and CEO of Supply Chain Gals, sit down with the winning team from the 2026 Supply Chain Gals Case Competition: Madeline Creasman, Founder and CEO of EverChain Solutions; Ashley Bailey, Inventory Analyst at InComm Payments; Thanmayee Maddipati, Global Supply Manager at Apple; and Katerina Folkin, Operations and Economics student at Minerva University. Drawing from backgrounds across agriculture, healthcare operations, entrepreneurship, procurement, technology, and global education, they explore what sets the next generation of supply chain leaders apart, and how younger professionals are navigating disruption with fresh perspectives shaped by diverse experiences, a global mindset, and a growing focus on sustainability and emerging technologies like AI. Along the way, they reflect on the role of curiosity, the importance of questioning long-standing ways of working, and why the strongest solutions are often those that balance today's operational realities with the needs of the future. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (02:17) Meet the 2026 Supply Chain Gals champions (04:21) Summer plans and personal introductions (07:27) How each leader found supply chain (13:37) The mission behind Supply Chain Gals (15:37) Inside the 2026 case competition (18:48) Solving a supply chain crisis under pressure (21:31) Playing to strengths as a team (22:06) The competition twist changes everything (24:23) Building a realistic supply chain war room (26:15) Why this team stood out (28:45) Are leaders underestimating young talent? (34:53) Information access creates new perspectives (38:55) Why communities like Supply Chain Gals matter (44:00) Advice for leaders and final takeaways Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Liz Raman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethramangrubbs/ Connect with Madeline Creasman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinecreasman47/ Connect with Ashley Bailey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-brantley056355/ Connect with Thanmayee Maddipati: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanmayeevmaddipati/ Connect with Katerina Folkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerinafolkin/ Learn more about Supply Chain Gals: https://www.linkedin.com/company/supplychaingals/about/ Learn more about EverChain Solutions: https://everchainsolutions.com/ Learn more about InComm Payments: https://www.incomm.com/ Learn more about Apple: https://www.apple.com/ Learn more about Minerva University: https://www.minerva.edu Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- From AI Pilots to Performance: How Supply Chain Leaders Are Scaling Agentic AI: https://bit.ly/49hCqIq WEBINAR- Amazon Supply Chain 101: Enabling efficiency and growth for businesses everywhere–and everywhere they sell: https://bit.ly/49r8N7D WEBINAR- The Expanding Role of Supply Chain Optimization Teams in Driving Business Impact: https://bit.ly/3PHRAAf WEBINAR- AI that moves at velocity: Cut through latency with agentic workflows: https://bit.ly/4x4626t This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/few-supply-chain-gals-winning-case-competitions-transforming-industry-1593 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us Fan MailSend us Fan MailIn this enlightening episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we sit down with Alexis Sikorsky, an accomplished author and strategic advisor who has successfully navigated the complex world of scaling and exiting businesses. With a rich entrepreneurial background that began in his teenage years, Alexis shares his journey from founding a banking software company in Switzerland to achieving a nine-figure exit with private equity.Listeners will gain valuable insights as Alexis discusses the common pitfalls founders face when preparing for an exit, emphasizing the importance of understanding the private equity landscape and the misconceptions that often cloud a founder's judgment. He reflects on his own experiences and the lessons learned during his transition from operator to advisor, revealing the critical steps entrepreneurs should take to position themselves for success.Throughout the conversation, Alexis introduces his APEX methodology, designed to help business owners assess their companies effectively and plan for growth. He highlights the significance of recognizing when a founder is stuck in operator mode and offers practical advice on how to shift towards a more strategic CEO mindset.As Alexis prepares to release his second book, he shares his vision for helping others navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship and exit strategies. This episode is a must-listen for founders and entrepreneurs seeking to build wealth and freedom while avoiding common mistakes.What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The journey from entrepreneur to strategic advisor- Key misconceptions about private equity and exit strategies- The APEX methodology for assessing business growth- Signs that indicate a founder is stuck in operator mode- The psychological impact of exiting a business and preparing for the next chapterFor more information on Alexis Sikorsky and his work, connect with him on LinkedIn and check out his books available on Amazon.Support the show

My guest today is Dan Loeb, the founder and CEO of Third Point.  Dan started Third Point in 1995 with a few million dollars, and today the firm manages over 24 billion across equities, corporate and structured credit, venture, and insurance.  He is best known for his activist work at companies like Sotheby's, Sony, and Yahoo, and for the public letters he has written to boards over the years. What I find most interesting about Dan is how much his approach has evolved across thirty years.  He came up as a credit and event-driven investor at Warburg Pincus and Jefferies, built Third Point, then layered in quality investing, thematic technology investing, and now a very large credit business that sits alongside the hedge fund. We cover how he thinks about the AI stack and the companies inside it he believes matter most, the difference between good and bad governance, what FTX taught him about due diligence, the Sony and Sotheby's stories, and the power of writing. Please enjoy my conversation with Dan Loeb. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  ----- Become a Colossus member to get our quarterly print magazine and private audio experience, including exclusive profiles and early access to select episodes. Subscribe at ⁠colossus.com/subscribe⁠. ----- ⁠Ramp's⁠ mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ramp.com/invest⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. ----- Trusted by thousands of businesses, ⁠Vanta⁠ continuously monitors your security posture and streamlines audits so you can win enterprise deals and build customer trust without the traditional overhead. Invest Like the Best listeners get a special offer of $1,000 off Vanta when you go to ⁠vanta.com/invest⁠.  ----- WorkOS⁠ is the infrastructure B2B and AI-native companies use to sell to enterprise. It covers everything enterprise security requires: SSO, SCIM, RBAC, Audit Logs, AI governance, and more. Trusted by 2,000+ fast-growing companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Cursor, and Vercel. ----- Rogo is the AI platform for finance. They're building agents for Wall Street that are trained to understand how bankers and investors actually do work: from diligence and modeling, to turning analysis into deliverables. To learn more, visit rogo.ai/invest. ----- ⁠Ridgeline⁠ has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Visit⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ridgelineapps.com⁠. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Timestamps: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like The Best (00:02:29) Dan Loeb (00:03:21) Mental Models Information Overload (00:06:50) Dan's Identity as an Investor (00:11:24) The End of Classic Event-Driven Investing (00:13:52) Evolving Strategy Over 30 Years (00:17:48) Return Opportunities in Today's Market (00:21:12) Sources of Alpha for Fundamental Investors (00:22:10) Good vs. Bad Governance (00:26:17) Writing as an Investing Tool (00:27:29) The Sotheby's Story (00:30:04) Activism Opportunities Today (00:31:03) Third Point's Evolution to 60% Credit (00:36:10) Dan as Sole Portfolio Manager (00:38:09) Value Investor Perspective on Today's Market (00:39:23) Investing Outside the US (00:40:33) The Sony Activism Story (00:43:59) Lessons from 30 Years of Investing (00:46:26) Danaher and Operational Excellence (00:48:48) Building the Insurance Liability Business (00:51:19) The FTX Story (00:53:07) Leading a Team Through Uncertainty (00:54:29) Where Third Point Is Most Contrarian (00:56:22) What Makes a Great Analyst Today (00:58:12) The Next 10 Years (01:00:24) The Kindest Thing

Matt Faircloth talks to Doron Levi as he shares how his unique background in development fuels his ability to spot off-market opportunities across the U.S., including multifamily, RV parks, and even historic venue spaces. Whether you're a passive investor, an operator, or an aspiring developer, you'll learn how to build a portfolio that withstands market shifts and creates lasting value. This isn't just about real estate, it's about transforming your mindset, relationships, and operational approach to scale smarter and faster. Doron Levi Current role: Commercial Real Estate Development & Acquisition Based in: Greater Philadelphia Where to find them: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doron-levi-67a4513b/ https://www.instagram.com/doronlevirei/ Book your free demo today at bill.com/bestever and get a $100 Amazon gift card. Visit https://m1.com/ for more info.  Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices