Warehouses have not changed much in 20 to 30 years, and even when businesses look modern from the outside, the reality behind the scenes is often chaos, spreadsheets, and a heap of decisions operators never expected to be making. 

In this episode, we sit down with Rob O’Dea from ShelfBot to unpack the real industry blockers that stop warehouses from taking the first step into automation, including fear of massive projects, over-engineered solutions, and the “consultant trap” of trying to solve 100% of the problem all at once. 

We talk about:

• Why complexity and integration risk (hello, SAP) can kill projects before they start 

• The 80/20 mindset, and why chasing the last 20% can explode cost and complexity 
• The human reality of picking, including the 10 to 15 km a day many pickers walk 
• The hidden costs and safety risks people miss, including fire suppression and lithium-ion concerns 

If you’re a manufacturer, 3PL, or e-commerce operator trying to scale without betting the business on a mega-project, this is a practical conversation about where to start, what to avoid, and how to reduce the fear factor.