UPS has spent 119 years building one of the world's most disciplined operating systems. But now the company is changing that machine from the inside: consolidating responsibility, restructuring operations, reducing costs, closing facilities and moving away from Amazon volume that no longer fits the economics of the business.

Noel Massie knows what that machine looks like from the inside. He spent 42 years at UPS, beginning as a college student loading trucks in 1977 and eventually becoming a president of five business units and Vice President of U.S. Delivery Operations. He describes a company where managers were given real ownership, frontline employees were trusted to make decisions, and culture was treated as an operating system rather than a poster on the wall.

Aaron Wolpoff, Chino Nnadi and Melissa Eaton use Noel's experience to examine a much bigger business question: Can a company become more standardized and efficient without becoming too rigid to respond when reality gets messy?

The conversation goes deep into UPS's long-running transformation, its volatile relationship with Amazon, the economics of unpredictable volume, the difference between standardizing guardrails and localizing judgment, and why Noel believes the company's biggest competitive advantage is ultimately its culture of ownership.

About the guest

Noel Massie is a former UPS executive with more than four decades of experience in operations, logistics and leadership.

He began working for UPS in 1977 while attending San Jose State University, initially taking a night-loading job to pay for college. He expected to leave UPS after graduation for a position at Hewlett-Packard, but the company convinced him to stay and promoted him into management.

Over the course of his UPS career, Massie became a manager, mid-level leader, president of multiple business units and ultimately Vice President of U.S. Delivery Operations. In his final role, he supported the company's domestic presidents and provided perspective on last-mile delivery, P&L, service levels and succession planning.

Today, he works as an author, executive coach and leadership consultant. His LinkedIn profile identifies his specialties as executive leadership, operations management, and supply chain & logistics.

What you will learn

Connect with Noel Massie:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelmassie/

Website - https://noelmassie.com/

Connect With the Show:

We Fixed It, You're Welcome

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod/

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and leave a review. Share it with someone who loves business strategy, operations, leadership, branding, or marketing.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold, and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice, or anything that would get us in trouble.

These are simply our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone is thinking, have engaging conversations, and explore ideas worth discussing.

If, by the end, we fixed it... you're welcome.

All trademarks, intellectual property, and brand elements discussed remain the property of their respective owners.

Can companies predict the future? Allen Nejah, founder and CEO of SunMan Engineering, joins Aaron Wolpoff and Melissa Eaton on We Fixed It, You're Welcome to explain why he built a connected, voice controlled car dashboard in 2005 and then watched the rest of the industry sell it fifteen years later.

This is a conversation about corporate innovation strategy and the distance between a good idea and a good idea at the right time. We get into why only 12% of advanced manufacturing companies ever commercialize an innovation at scale, why 95% of filed patents never earn a dollar, how quarterly earnings pressure quietly shrinks R&D ambition, why a corporate innovation lab has to be funded and measured differently from the rest of the business, and how large companies use patent litigation to push small inventors out of a market.

In 2005, Allen Nejah built a touchscreen tablet that lived in a car dashboard, connected to the internet, and answered when you spoke to it. He called the voice assistant Genie. The iPhone did not exist yet. Tablets did not exist yet. The carriers he pitched asked him whether he was trying to get people killed. Twenty years later every car on the lot ships a version of what he built, and he is not the one selling it.

Aaron Wolpoff and Melissa Eaton use his story to work through the question sitting underneath every innovation budget: how do you tell an idea that is wrong from an idea that is only early? The conversation runs from Ernst and Young's finding that just 12% of advanced manufacturing companies ever commercialize at scale, through the legal machinery large companies use to squeeze small patent holders out of a market, and lands on a practical playbook for funding, measuring and killing innovation projects without punishing the people who ran them. It is for founders, R&D leads, product people and anyone who has been asked to justify a project that will not pay off this quarter.

About the guest

Allen Nejah is the founder and CEO of SunMan Engineering, where he has spent more than 35 years doing product development and prototyping across automotive, aerospace, robotics and telecom. His team has delivered over 1,670 projects for clients including IBM, Sony, Samsung and Apple.

He is a serial entrepreneur and a professor at San Jose State University, and he holds patents on the connected car technology he started building in 2005. He is currently developing what he describes as the smallest transmission in the world, a robotic transmission his research suggests could increase EV range by 40%.

What you will learn

In this episode:

- The driverless car project Allen started in 2005, and the tablet he had to build himself because none existed yet

- Why carriers and automakers told him internet in the car would get people killed

- The Ernst and Young numbers sitting underneath most failed innovation programs

- Why engineers build from product to customer, and why that order has cost him millions

- Funding an innovation lab out of the cash cow instead of the operating budget

- Rewarding the kill and not just the win, and why "fail fast" usually is not fast

- The robotic transmission that could add 40% to EV range, seven years in and still waiting for a window

Connect with Allen Nejah

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allen-nejah/

Website: https://www.wefixeditpod.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and leave a review. Share it with someone who loves business strategy, branding, or marketing.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold, and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice, or anything that would get us in trouble. These are simply our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone is thinking, have engaging conversations, and explore ideas worth discussing.

If, by the end, we fixed it... you're welcome.

All trademarks, intellectual property, and brand elements discussed remain the property of their respective owners.

Apple has a new CEO. But should John Ternus try to change Apple — or protect what already works?

Chris Deaver, former Apple and Disney leader and co-founder of BraveCore, joins Aaron Wolpoff and Melissa Eaton to unpack one of the biggest questions facing Apple's next chapter: how do you evolve a company without losing the culture that made it great?

Chris brings an unusually close perspective to the conversation. He worked in leadership development at Apple and worked extensively with John Ternus over more than a decade as Ternus developed into the leader Apple ultimately chose to succeed Tim Cook.

The conversation explores why Steve Jobs and Tim Cook were so different, why that difference actually helped Apple, and why John Ternus doesn't need to become either one.

They discuss Apple's collaborative culture, the shift from "Think Different" to "Different Together," the company's approach to AI and privacy, the future of AR, the challenge of creating Apple's next major product category, and the pressure on a new CEO to deliver a "mic drop" moment.

Chris also explains why Apple's current transition is less about fixing a broken company and more about preemptively positioning a healthy company for its next phase.

In this episode:

What you will learn

"The culture is the gift that keeps on giving." — Chris Deaver

"For Apple, incremental is revolutionary." — Chris Deaver

"Apple's always been a company that is first about getting the principles right." — Chris Deaver

"We don't care about being the first, we care about being the best." — Chris Deaver

"You don't want to be educating the consumer about this. You want them to experience it." — Chris Deaver

"There's not really a broken per se." — Chris Deaver

"It's almost a preemptive, like, let's not let it break." — Chris Deaver

"Do you really wanna rush Michelangelo's sculpture?" — Chris Deaver

About our guest

Chris Deaver is the co-founder of BraveCore, a leadership and culture consultancy focused on helping organizations build cultures around co-creation and collaboration. His LinkedIn describes his work as spanning two decades inside organizations including Apple and Disney

Connect with Chris Deaver:

Linkedin -  LinkedIn

Website -  BraveCore

Connect with We Fixed It

, You're Welcome: Website-  https://www.wefixeditpod.com

Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

What happens when one of America's most iconic snack brands becomes a multi-billion-dollar acquisition that’s not as sweet as it once seemed?

In this episode of We Fixed It, You're Welcome, the team tackles Smucker's $5.6 billion acquisition of Hostess and asks why beloved brands like Twinkies, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, and Donettes have struggled since joining the Smucker's portfolio.

Joining the discussion is Rebeca Johnson, former VP of Marketing at Frito-Lay and a veteran CMO who has spent decades transforming legacy brands. Together, our panel explores why operational fit matters just as much as brand equity, how evolving consumer habits have reshaped the snack aisle, and what Smucker's could do to turn the Hostess situation around.

In this episode:

If you enjoy lively conversations about business strategy, branding, marketing, operations, acquisitions, and customer experience, this episode is for you.

Connect With the Show

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

🌐 Websitewww.wefixeditpod.com

📲 Follow Us

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and leave a review. Share it with someone who loves business strategy, branding, or marketing.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold, and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice, or anything that would get us in trouble. These are simply our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone is thinking, have engaging conversations, and explore ideas worth discussing.

If, by the end, we fixed it... you're welcome.

All trademarks, intellectual property, and brand elements discussed remain the property of their respective owners.

Research suggests that 30–50% of today’s work tasks could technically be automated. And yet most of us feel busier than ever.

So what’s going on?

In this episode, we sit down with author, AI strategist, and business coach Steve Ferman to unpack the “automation irony”: the more tools and systems we add, the less time we seem to get back. Instead of blaming the technology, we dig into the real blockers—governance gaps, cultural resistance, change management failures, rising expectations, and leadership blind spots that prevent automation from delivering the relief it promises.

This isn’t an anti-AI episode. It’s a pro-leadership one.

About Our Guest

Steve Ferman is a tech executive, AI strategist, and certified Scaling Up business coach with over 40 years of experience building, scaling, buying, and selling technology companies. Learn more: https://4pillarcoach.com

Key Topics & Takeaways

The Core Insight

Automation is not failing.

Leadership strategy is.

Companies often start with the solution — buying the newest AI tool — instead of identifying the operational bottlenecks they actually need to solve. Without executive buy-in, guardrails, and employee engagement, automation simply becomes another layer of work.

And when time is saved?

Organizations often fill it immediately with more output expectations, reinforcing the productivity paradox instead of relieving it.

Strategic Fixes Proposed

1️⃣ Start with Operations, Not Software

AI should solve clearly defined operational friction, not chase trends. Diagnose before you deploy.

2️⃣ Build Governance Early

Create AI councils, guardrails, usage policies, and clear expectations. Avoid AI sprawl.

3️⃣ Ask Employees First

“What are two tasks you hate doing?”

Automate those first to build trust and momentum.

4️⃣ Protect Reclaimed Time

Hard-code reclaimed hours into the operating model.

Allocate portions to:

5️⃣ Redefine Productivity

More output is not always better output.

Innovation, morale, and long-term sustainability matter.

6️⃣ Treat AI Like a New Colleague

Onboard it. Train around it. Clarify when human judgment overrides automation.

7️⃣ Keep Humans in the Loop

AI lacks empathy, emotional intelligence, and true reasoning.

The human element remains essential.

Who This Episode Is For

The Big Question This Episode Answers

Is automation actually freeing us, or are we just running faster on the same wheel?

Final Take

Automation can absolutely give us time back.

But only if leaders resist the temptation to immediately reinvest every reclaimed minute into higher output expectations.

The real opportunity isn’t just efficiency.

It’s reinvention.

If done right, automation shifts work from execution to strategy, from repetition to creativity, from burnout to innovation.

But that shift requires intentional leadership, cultural clarity, and guardrails.

Otherwise, we're stuck with the burden of knowing we'll never catch up, no matter how many time-saving tools we add.

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

Steve Ferman: https://www.linkedin.com/company/4-pillar-coach/ 

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!

Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.

See Privacy Policy at ⁠https://art19.com/privacy⁠ and California Privacy Notice at ⁠https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info⁠.

In this episode of "We Fixed It. You're Welcome," the hosts explore cultural and product differences between the United States and Canada. They discuss unique Canadian offerings like specialty sauces at Subway, higher quality fast food, and distinctive snack flavors.

The conversation delves into consumer preferences, brand loyalty, and government regulations affecting product quality and availability. The hosts examine why some American brands struggle to expand into Canada and vice versa, highlighting the importance of understanding local markets.

They also touch on the impact of government monopolies on alcohol sales in Ontario and the potential for cross-border product exchanges. The episode concludes with recommendations for Americans to explore Canadian products and for businesses to consider expansion strategies carefully.

See Privacy Policy at ⁠https://art19.com/privacy⁠ and California Privacy Notice at ⁠https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info⁠.

Are too many people being promoted into leadership roles? As a result, are companies becoming too top heavy? If we’ve created a system that values managers over executers, is this a recipe for disaster?

In this episode, we’re joined by Ron Hetrick, Principal Economist at Lightcast and one of the most influential labor economists in the country. Together, we unpack one of the most important questions facing today’s labor market: whether modern organizations are overloaded with managers and what that means for productivity, hiring, layoffs, and career paths.

Drawing on decades of labor market research and macro workforce data, Ron explains why middle managers are often the first cut during layoffs, how that decision can negatively impact companies, and why a contributor-based evaluation might be a better approach.

This dynamic conversation digs into provocative questions we’re all asking, challenges assumptions, and poses some very real solutions about improving our collective thinking about the labor force.

If organizations want stability, they must create career ladders where experts can grow financially without being pushed into management roles if it creates misalignment.

As Ron explains during the episode:

The farther your role is from creating revenue or protecting margin, the harder it becomes to justify during restructuring.

About the Guest: Ron Hetrick

Ron Hetrick is a leading labor economist and Principal Economist at Lightcast. He previously worked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and advises Fortune 100 companies, policymakers, and workforce strategists.
Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!

Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are

our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring.

By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.

For generations, a bite of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup meant one thing:

Milk chocolate. Real peanut butter. That unmistakable taste. Now, many loyal fans say something is different.

In this episode, we sit down with Brad Reese, grandson of H. B. Reese and self-appointed “Protector of Reese’s Brand Integrity,” to unpack a controversy that has caught the world’s attention.

Brad and others are upset about the current quality of Reese’s products under Hershey’s control, pointing to a shift in taste and either proven or alleged ingredient swaps. 

Emotions are high - people love Reese’s. They want real answers.

This isn’t just about candy.

It’s about trust, heritage, and a beloved company at a cultural tension point with its best customers.

What Sparked the Controversy?

Brad published an open letter to Hershey’s on LinkedIn calling out what he and many consumers observed:

While The Hershey Company has publicly stated that core ingredients have not changed, consumers began comparing labels and conducting side-by-side taste tests online.

The consumer pushback and Hershey’s response quickly went viral, drawing attention from major media outlets and even commentary from MrBeast while promoting his own line of Feastibles.

A Powerful Quote from Brad

“They’re stooping for pennies and passing up dollars.”

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

Brad Reese

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradreesecom/

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!

Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.

See Privacy Policy at ⁠https://art19.com/privacy⁠ and California Privacy Notice at ⁠https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info⁠.

What a season it's been! In the Season 3 finale, Aaron, Melissa, and Chino reflect on the biggest lessons, favorite guests, and most memorable fixes from an incredible run of problem-solving. We dig into three popular topics to see what's changed over time, and to add new observations and suggestions that are exclusive to this episode.

Melissa revisits Hired or Hustled?, where the team originally exposed unethical recruiters and job search scams. Since then, AI-powered deepfakes, fake candidates, and sophisticated employment fraud have transformed hiring into an even bigger trust problem. The conversation explores why verification has become more important than instinct and what both companies and job seekers must do to stay protected.

Aaron brings back one of the internet's most unforgettable branding moments: McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski's awkward burger video. Was it simply a bad day, or a missed opportunity to turn self-awareness into brilliant marketing? The panel explores how modern CEOs should approach public visibility and why embracing mistakes can sometimes strengthen a brand.

Chino follows up on the viral Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich experiment after experiencing it firsthand in Canada. While the product generated enormous online buzz, the rollout highlighted a deeper lesson: successful products can't simply be copied into new markets without adapting to local consumer behavior. The team discusses why experience matters more than imitation and how 7-Eleven still has the opportunity to evolve in a creative way.

The episode also features a brand-new listener submission about reinventing the Home Depot shopping experience through smarter technology, AI-assisted associates, and better customer service. The discussion highlights the show's recurring theme that the best solutions often combine technology with human expertise rather than replacing it.

Finally, Aaron, Melissa, and Chino close out Season 3 by thanking listeners, reflecting on what they've learned from each other and their guests, and teasing what's coming in Season 4, including conversations about sports, space, the future, and many more problems waiting to be fixed.

Connect With the Show

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We’re here to ask the kinds of questions everyone’s thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring.

By the end, if we fixed it, you’re welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic® and Wegovy® are transforming far more than weight loss. They're changing how people eat, shop, spend money, dine out, and interact with brands, creating ripple effects across retail, restaurants, healthcare, apparel, and the broader economy.

In this episode of We Fixed It, You're Welcome, Aaron Wolpoff and Chino Nnadi sit down with Lisa W. Miller, ex PepsiCo VP Consumer Strategy & Insights and founder of Lisa W. Miller & Associates, to discuss groundbreaking findings from her latest proprietary research on the rapidly evolving GLP-1 economy. With insights from more than 30 industry studies and a survey of 6,500 U.S. consumers, Lisa reveals what businesses need to know as consumer behavior changes in real time.

From the surprising rise of male GLP-1 users to the future of retail, employee benefits, and restaurant innovation, this conversation explores why companies that adapt early will likely have a competitive advantage while those that ignore these shifts risk being left behind.

What You'll Learn

• How GLP-1 medications are reshaping consumer spending habits

• Why restaurants, retailers, and grocery brands are being forced to adapt

• The surprising growth of male GLP-1 adoption and why most brands are missing it

• Why simply labeling products "GLP-1 Friendly" isn't enough

• How apparel companies and wedding retailers are responding to rapid weight loss

• The impact of GLP-1s on HR, employee benefits, and workplace policies

• The opportunities and risks businesses should prepare for over the next several years

• Why understanding consumer behavior matters more than following headlines.

About Our Guest

Lisa W. Miller is a Consumer Insights & Innovation Strategist with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations turn consumer insights into business growth. She previously served as Vice President of Insights at PepsiCo and Vice President of Innovation at Brinker International. Today, through Lisa W. Miller & Associates, she helps leadership teams translate research into actionable business strategies.

Connect with Lisa:

• LinkedIn: Lisa W. Miller

• Website: Lisa W. Miller & Associates

Connect With the Show

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends! Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should beconstrued as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We’re here to ask the kinds of questions everyone’s thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring.

By the end, if we fixed it, you’re welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.