The hardest part of rolling out new tools in retail isn’t the technology. It’s getting frontline teams to believe in them.

In this episode of Frontline Fridays, host Ron Thurston sits down with Missy Pool, executive leader, board member, and former senior operator at Apple, Ralph Lauren, Gap Inc., and West Elm, to unpack why most adoption efforts break down on the floor, and what great leaders do differently.

Drawing on decades spent leading in stores, not just designing strategy from HQ, Missy shares why adoption fails when leaders move too fast, force change without listening, or treat rollout as a compliance exercise instead of a trust-building moment. She explains why the most successful transformations are peer-led, collaborative, and grounded in real frontline realities, and how slowing down under pressure often leads to faster results.

Ron and Missy dig into the tension between technology and human connection, the role of vulnerability in leadership, and why acknowledging mistakes can accelerate adoption rather than derail it. They also explore how data, storytelling, and frontline proof points help teams see technology as an enabler, not a threat.

If you’ve ever rolled out a new system that looked great on paper but didn’t stick in stores, this episode offers a grounded, experience-led playbook for doing it better.

How to Inspire Employee Adoption Without Forcing It. — Season 2, Episode 9 is available now.

🎧 Watch on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrohqoj-V_gskdgonZVHPSVNYO0K2mtpO

👤 Missy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/missy-pool-3437427/

👤 Ron:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronthurston/

💡 YOOBIC:https://yoobic.com |https://www.linkedin.com/company/yoobic/