In this episode of the Frontline Innovators Podcast, host Justin Lake welcomes Kelly Kluge, an expert in technology adoption and transformation. They discuss the critical role of frontline workers as problem solvers and thought leaders, emphasizing the need for organizations to embrace their insights and experiences. Kelly highlights the operational consequences of poor technology adoption, arguing that neglecting the input of frontline workers can lead to missed opportunities and hinder overall business performance. She advocates for a shift in mindset among leadership to recognize the value of these workers and invest in their development, rather than adhering to outdated practices that may no longer serve the organization effectively.

The conversation delves into the challenges of technology adoption, particularly for frontline workers who cannot afford to take time away from their duties for training. Kelly stresses the importance of rewarding frontline workers differently and adapting training methods to better suit their needs. They also explore the intersection of people and technology, with Kelly introducing her concept of "Mind and Machine," which focuses on how technology can enhance human capabilities rather than replace them. The episode concludes with Kelly's advice to stay curious and engaged with frontline workers to foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Host Justin Lake interviews Carlos Linares, founder and CEO of FoodOpsIQ and Third Wish Food Services, about using AI and technology to empower frontline food-service teams. Carlos explains his global experience, the idea of "virtual OPEX," and how voice-enabled generative AI can augment workers in kitchens and service roles.

They cover practical change management: designing with operations, running pilots, building trust, measuring baselines and KPIs, and keeping solutions simple to increase adoption. Carlos shares a smart-kitchen example that cut costs, improved safety and sustainability, and boosted staff engagement.

The episode highlights a people-first approach to digital transformation, arguing that AI should elevate frontline workers and the guest experience rather than simply replace jobs.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/HYIWYAOryDo

Carlos' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clinaresb/

Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.skyllful.com/podcast

In this episode of Frontline Innovators, host Justin Lake welcomes Anna Karousis, Senior Director of Change Management with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex technology and process change. Together, they unpack why frontline technology initiatives so often fail to deliver on their promised ROI, and what leaders can do differently to drive real adoption, trust, and long-term value. 

Anna brings a grounded, frontline-first perspective to change management, challenging common assumptions about automation, efficiency, and “go-live” success. This conversation is especially relevant for leaders responsible for large, distributed frontline teams who are expected to modernize operations while keeping the business running.

Key Points to Listen For:

The Hidden Cost of Poor Adoption:

Anna explains how failed adoption erodes not just financial ROI, but “people ROI”, damaging trust, confidence, and engagement among frontline workers. Why Automation Isn’t the Answer: The discussion reframes automation as a “dirty word” when applied to broken processes, emphasizing the importance of fixing workflows before digitizing them.

Measuring What Actually Matters:

Justin and Anna explore why organizations stop measuring ROI after implementation, and how defining success beyond “on time and on budget” changes outcomes. Frontline Reality vs. Leadership Assumptions: From technology literacy gaps to fear of making mistakes in enterprise systems, Anna shares real-world examples that highlight the disconnect between design decisions and frontline experience.

The Importance of Time in Change:

They break down why productivity dips are normal after go-live, why leaders must plan for them, and how setting realistic expectations builds trust. Super Users and Unspoken Leaders: Anna discusses the critical role of frontline influencers and change champions, and how investing in them can dramatically increase adoption and feedback loops.

“Act and Transact”: A Simple Phrase for a Complex Problem:

Anna introduces a powerful concept that captures the frontline challenge of modern enterprise systems: doing the work isn’t enough unless it’s accurately transacted in the system. Tune in for a thoughtful, practical conversation on what it really takes to make frontline technology investments successful—without disrupting the business or burning out the people who keep it running.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/B5shttps://youtu.be/Ek2A8FkudbYbH7YrXtA

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Y4Vjf3X97AXc5Re4TwIjq?si=_n4-Isq-TmmjxpJdQ4gH6w

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/act-transact-the-frontlines-role-in-enterprise/id1572329402?i=1000747020374

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/episodes/2a862722-82cf-4e5a-ba75-9b6b2d6051f5/frontline-innovators-act-transact-the-frontline's-role-in-enterprise-success---episode-127---anna-karousis

Anna's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annakarousis/

Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.skyllful.com/podcast

In this episode, host Justin Lake sits down with Heather Brizzi, IT Director of Generative AI Initiatives at a Wholesale Building Materials company.

Heather shares her insights on the transformative power of AI and its impact on both frontline and knowledge worker roles. With a career dedicated to integrating technology with process enablement, Heather's expertise provides valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of work.

"So whether it's software technology, whether it's automation technology, this is where, you know, for me, we have the opportunity to be able to meet people right where they are and identify 'How do we get better at the way that we work?'"

Key Points to Listen For:

AI and Job Transformation: Heather discusses the impact of technology on job roles, emphasizing that the way we work today will not be the way we work tomorrow due to advancements in AI and robotics.

Collaboration and Innovation: Heather highlights the importance of collaboration in solving problems and driving innovation, even across different industries and job roles.

Human and AI Coexistence: The conversation delves into how humans and AI can coexist, with technology serving people rather than replacing them. Heather introduces the concept of "cobots," which work alongside humans to enhance productivity.

Overcoming Resistance to Change: Heather addresses the resistance and fear that workers often feel towards technological advancements, and how understanding and upskilling can mitigate these concerns.

Future Skills and Workforce: Heather talks about the skills that will remain crucial in the future workforce and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to stay relevant in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Tune in to this enlightening episode to gain a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of work and what it means for both frontline and knowledge workers.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-brizzi/

Youtube - https://youtu.be/GACHs9CeZjM

Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week we have Justin Eubanks, Learning & Development Manager at Great Day Improvements on the Frontline Innovators podcast with host Justin Lake.

Justin is a developmental strategist with extensive experience using LEAN methodologies to engage, attract, and retain the frontline workforce in a variety of ways at Great Day Improvements. 

That's not how that works. What we have noticed is that the engagement has gone up and the more people that know about it, then the more people want to talk about it, engage, and ask questions."

Key Takeaways:

➖ Let the frontline know that change is not a threat - it is a motivational factor for you to excel

➖ Creating change agents on the frontline is beneficial to increase engagement and adoption

➖ You need to have a people-first mentality and culture

➖ You have to have continuous learning for manufacturing environments to succeed

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justineubanks/

Company Website: https://greatdayimprovements.com/

Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402

Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS

Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators

Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw

Youtube - https://youtu.be/yXGQO7jJVuk

This week on the Frontline Innovators host Justin Lake speaks with Jerry Ryan, Senior Solution Principal at Dell Technologies.

Jerry has over thirty-five years of information technology, management, and overall business experience including IT Management, IT Project/Program/End User experience primarily around Microsoft Technologies. He is currently responsible for services pre-sales activities to DoD entities including the U.S. Air Force and Navy.

Here's what it's going to look like when we're done, and here's how you're going to save money by transforming everything from the way you're doing it here to the way you're doing it.

And when you can show that to a customer, that usually gets them pretty well motivated."

Key Takeaways:

➖ Training your frontline has to be at the forefront in choosing the right device

➖ The more times you touch an asset as you're deploying it, there's more room for error 

➖ It's vital to understand how long it takes to procure devices for your frontline and how quickly they can get their essential apps 

➖ There are user experience implications when software is not up-to-date for the frontline

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-ryan-8587042/

Company Website: http://www.delltechnologies.com/

Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402

Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS

titcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators

Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw

Youtube - https://youtu.be/Bsir8NKBqtI

This week on the Frontline Innovators we're speaking with Don Jacobson, IT Business Partner for Innovation @ City of Las Vegas

Don brings 23 years of experience in municipal government with enterprise-wide initiatives, and he supports the city's many initiatives to become a model Smart City as well as the visioning for its Innovation District and associated programs and projects.

Key Takeaways:

➖ Anytime an organization grows, there's going to be potential for breakdown in communication

➖ Your frontline needs to know that their actions are contributing to a better community/public

➖ Technology ambassadors will help shift your organization's culture for the better 

➖ You need to give your frontline ample practice to adopt their new technology

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-jacobson-6050ab9/

Company Website: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/

Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402

Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS

Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators

Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw

Youtube - https://youtu.be/JmG8rnpCsxk

This week on the Frontline Innovators we welcome Julie Whitten, Sr. Director Change Management Strategy @ Sodexo. Julie has more than 25 years of experience in change leadership, marketing, and communications.

Julie is an empathetic leader who serves as an advisor to senior leaders and is a resourceful and creative problem-solver who drives business results with her strategic planning, organizational change management, and communications expertise.

Quote: "Maybe it's something that's coming down globally, maybe it's a structural reorganization type of change, You know that we kind of have to catch, receive and move forward with and we try to do that, you know, in the best way that we can with the people in mind. But most times, you know, whether it's a process change or a technology change, we have the opportunity to co-create that change together."

Key Takeaways:

➖ Everyone on the frontline has a different perspective

➖ At the end of the day - the frontline just wants to be included

➖ We often underestimate the amount of socialization needed for a change to go well

➖ You need to love your resistors, listen, understand, and validate

➖ We all go through an emotional journey around change

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewhitten/

Company Website: https://www.sodexo.com/en

Here's other ways you can listen:

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators

Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw

Youtube - https://youtu.be/vuF5cF9By_I

Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have Nea Christensen, Director IT @ ProAmpac | PMP, Process Improvement.

Nea has over 10 years of experience in providing executive-level information systems and technology leadership, leading innovative strategies and solutions-driven teams that drive business performance and efficiencies.

Nea oversees a portfolio of projects valued at $1.5 million and manages the PMO, Policy, and Documentation functions for the IT department.

Quote: "So one of the things that we do in continuous improvement is called 5 whys. And with it you go through and you say what problem that you have and then you say, well, why is that a problem? And then you answer it and you say, well, why is that a problem? And you want to keep kind of pushing to the point of actually finding what the problem is that everybody like, yes, that that's the problem. And then once you have that problem, you want to decide what to do with it."

Key Takeaways:

➖ You can have all the plans in the world, but you still need the humans to do them

➖ Let's solve the problem that we have at hand that we all agree is a problem

➖ Ranking problems helps to give objectivity and see the bigger picture

➖ Gaining trust from other departments will help the rollout be successful

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nea-christensen-56130028/

Company Website: https://www.proampac.com/en-us/

Here's other ways you can listen:

Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS

Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402

Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS

Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators

Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw

Youtube - https://youtu.be/XRyHrHPoin4

Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have Bill Padula, Executive VP of Strategic Consulting @ Evora IT Solutions. 

Bill brings over two decades of experience and a wealth of knowledge varying from enterprise mobility, to consulting large-scale IT deployment initiatives. We're excited to dig into his knowledge!

Quote: "To me the biggest challenge facing the workforce is that the providers and the the implementers don't always fully appreciate or understand the environment that the frontline works in or the mentality of the worker. The frontline's focus is on installing equipment, repairing the broken machine, putting a pipe in the grounds, whatever it is they're wrench turning work.

The mobile application that they use is just a tool that they have to have to do their job. But they don't really understand the technology behind it. They don't want to understand the technology. It's not that they can't, it's just their focus is on doing the job that they're going out to do and the app, device, and technology is really secondary."

Key Takeaways:

➖ A lot of the providers — big players just seem to not understand the frontline

➖ Don't just design a pretty app for an award - you have to make sure it's practical and functional

➖ The most distributed worker often represents the majority of your user population

➖ No user in the world wants to have to figure out five different ways to do something in a workflow

➖ It's always best when users can train on their device

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billpadula/

Company Website:  https://www.evorait.com/

Here's other ways you can listen:

Amazon Music -  https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS

Apple Podcast -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402

Spotify -  https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS

Stitcher -  https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators

Google Play -  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw

Youtube - https://youtu.be/wzgovyDeXnU

Find more episodes of Frontline Innovators at https://www.frontlineinnovators.com