The Frontline Factor: Hearts & Dollars

In this episode of The Frontline Factor, host Will Eadie sits down with Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships and Solutions at IPORT, recorded live on the show floor at NRF 2026.

Everyone is talking about AI on the frontline — but why isn't it delivering? Chris and Will dig into what's really getting in the way: fragmentation. Too many devices, too many apps, too many disconnected systems. And until that changes, no AI can do its best work.

The conversation covers what consolidation really means for frontline teams in 2026, not just one device, but one unified app where tasks, communications, SOPs, and operations all live together. When that foundation is in place, AI stops being a novelty and starts being transformative: trained on your workflows, your policies, and the habits of your best managers — and scalable across every location.

Will and Chris also get into how digital tools are finally surfacing the tribal knowledge that has always lived with your best people, and why that's becoming one of the most powerful levers in frontline performance.

Whether you're in retail, restaurants, hospitality, or any frontline operation, this episode is packed with practical perspective on where the industry is heading and what it takes to get ahead of it.

Hit play and join the conversation.
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Live from NRF 2026, Will Eadie sits down with Rogayeh Tabrizi, Founder & CEO of Theory+Practice, behavioral economist, and AI Leader of the Year, to explore a question reshaping frontline work: How do you turn data into decisions that actually move the needle?

Rogayeh brings a rare perspective — from particle physics at CERN to a PhD in Economics to building AI-powered solutions for the world's largest retailers and CPG companies. She breaks down why most organizations are drowning in dashboards, and what it takes to move beyond insight to true foresight.

The conversation covers causal AI, why agentic AI requires predictive foundations to be truly effective, and what the shift from execution to agency means for frontline teams.

🎧 A must-listen for business leaders and operations executives thinking seriously about AI in frontline execution.
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Live from NRF 2026, Will Eadie sits down with retail expert Edward (Ed) Durbin, SVP of Global Business Development at explic8, to tackle a critical question: How can retailers reduce friction for frontline teams to improve customer experience?

Ed shares why employee experience is the last mile of CX, drawing on decades of global retail and technology experience. He discusses what true in-store personalization looks like, differences he sees across UK and North American retail, and why frontline engagement directly impacts performance.

The conversation also explores real-time feedback, operational agility, and the growing role of agentic AI in helping stores respond faster and smarter. A focused discussion for retail leaders looking to strengthen frontline execution and drive better outcomes.
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In this season finale of The Frontline Factor: Hearts and Dollars, host Will Eadie talks with Mark Williams, Managing Director, EMEA & Global Customer Success at WorkJam, about what happens when a leader becomes the hero of transformation by turning vision into action and change into impact.

From his days leading global retail operations at Shell to empowering frontline organizations across EMEA, Mark shares how clarity, collaboration, and technology come together to deliver real results where they matter most: on the frontline.

It is a story of courageous leadership, connected workforces, and the lasting impact of leading transformation from the front.

🎧 Listen now and see how the right choice becomes the right outcome.
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Simon Hedaux, co-founder of Rethink Productivity, joins The Frontline Factor to dig into the realities of frontline productivity—and what really drives performance at scale. From employee engagement to process improvement, Simon shares why clear expectations and consistent training are just as important as cutting-edge technology.

The conversation spans retail’s toughest balancing acts: controlling labor costs without compromising customer experience, reducing shrinkage through better process design, and using data to eliminate non-value add tasks. Simon also explores how AI and automation will reshape retail labor management, offering a glimpse into the next wave of frontline optimization.

Packed with insights drawn from decades of advising retailers, this episode is a must-listen for leaders who want to boost engagement, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock lasting productivity gains.
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