KANSAS CITY, MO — I just watched my teenager drive to school alone for the first time. After I cried, threw up a little and contemplated jumping in my car and following him, I got the text saying he made it just fine.
I also started wondering if the circa-2012 SUV he inherited had the necessary technology to get him safely from Point A to Point B. Oh, who am I kidding? My high school car had an FM radio, a paper map in the glove box and a driver’s side window I had to lean into if I wanted to “roll” it down.
The gaps between tech advances get smaller every day, and in our industry, technology is only as good as the workforce’s ability to keep up with it.
In season 14 of our podcast, Troubleshooting Innovation, Trina Bediako, CEO of New Horizons Baking Co., spoke about the importance of keeping teams educated and up to date on modern technology and automation. And on the pages of the April | Q2 2025 issue, you’ll see similar sentiments from leadership at Crown Bakeries, as well as Paula Marshall, CEO of The Bama Cos. And if that wisdom isn’t enough, we have a full feature dedicated to how upskilling through technology can create all-new opportunities for workers … while giving them more reasons to stay.
How are you tapping into technology to move your business forward? Shoot me a note and let me know. I’d love to hear your ideas (or thoughts on the feasibility of putting a 15-year-old driver in a car seat).
This story has been adapted from the April | Q2 2025 issue of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.
