GOODLES

Building IT Around People and Trust

Every role I’ve held has taught me something different, but the common thread is people. It’s easy to measure IT success by how quickly tickets get closed. Over the years, I’ve found the better measure is whether people trust IT enough to come to you before a small issue becomes a big one. That has shaped how I work. I spend as much time listening as I do configure systems, and I treat every interaction as a chance to strengthen a relationship. At a fast-growing food company like Goodles, where priorities shift quickly and every team is stretched, that trust is what lets IT keep pace with the business instead of trailing behind it.

Simplicity Is Key to Operational Efficiency

In my experience, the most impactful decision is often choosing not to add complexity. Growing companies are tempted to solve every new problem with a new tool, and before long, data lives in a dozen places and no one is sure which version is right. I try to keep our environment as simple as the business allows: a small number of well-chosen platforms that work together, managed centrally and secured consistently. In food and beverage, information has to flow cleanly between teams and outside partners, and simplicity is what keeps operations connected. It’s also what lets a lean IT team support a fast-growing company without becoming a bottleneck.

Turning AI Potential into Everyday Practice

The technology is advancing quickly, but I think the biggest opportunity is adoption, not capability. The challenge is helping people see where those tools fit into their daily work. The teams that benefit most start with real, specific problems, such as summarizing consumer feedback, cleaning up data or drafting routine reports, rather than chasing broad transformation. At Goodles, we vetted tools for security and data privacy before rolling them out to every employee within my first year, along with clear guidelines for safe use. Since then, we’ve focused on teaching the fundamentals and encouraging colleagues to share what’s working. Small wins build confidence, and confidence is what turns experimentation into lasting change.

Adapting IT to Business Growth

In a fast-growing business, priorities change quickly, and IT has to be built to change with them. I’ve learned to hold plans loosely and relationships tightly. A roadmap is useful, but what keeps IT aligned is regular, honest communication with stakeholders about what’s changing and why. When a new need comes up, those conversations make it easier to reprioritize together and be open about trade-offs. I also choose systems that can scale and adapt, so a shift in direction doesn’t mean starting over. Alignment isn’t a one-time exercise. It’s an ongoing conversation.

A Career Built on Business Understanding

Be curious about the business behind the technology. Food and beverage is a fascinating industry, with complex supply chains, strict quality and safety standards, and products that end up in people’s homes. The more you understand how it all works, the more valuable you become. Spend time with operations, quality and sales teams, and ask questions. Build relationships across the company, because those connections will open doors throughout your career. And don’t be afraid to be a generalist. At growing brands, the ability to wear many hats is often what sets IT professionals apart.