Amazon

Continuous Improvement Manager

Area Manager

Site Manager

Junior Site Manager

Syddansk Universitet - University of Southern Denmark

Junior Research Assistant

Kverneland Group Kerteminde A/S

Master Thesis Project

ForeFlight

Data Consultant

Odense University Hospital

Semester Project

Follow for daily posts about Lean, CI & Innovation | Continuous Improvement Manager @ Amazon

Hi!👋 Ivan here

I'm an industrial engineer with 7+ years of experience in Operations Management and Continuous Improvement.

I serve two main groups of people:

	• Business owners and executives who want to turn their broken processes into brilliant ones (and save so much damn money) through Kaizen and Innovation

	• Founders and consulting firm owners within CI, Lean or Innovation who want to promote their businesses and make LinkedIn a legit revenue channel

(DM me for the details) 


I started writing on LinkedIn in October 2023. 

Since then, I have been sharing actionable, educational, and entertaining content to support LinkedIn community members in their continuous improvement journey. This helped me grow my audience from 9,000 to 100,000 followers in a year.

Join my newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/ddQncJM5

Ivan Carillo

26 Kaizen Leadership Mantras

Here are the 4 principles that I believe are most powerful (and why):

1/ Gemba never lies; go and see for yourself.

I've seen leaders make terrible decisions because they trusted Excel sheets over their own eyes. The problems that cost us millions are often visible on the shopfloor, but nobody bother to look. Reports tell you what people want you to know. Gemba tells you what's actually happening. I think the moment you stop walking the floor is the moment you lose touch with reality. Your operators won't lie to you if you show up regularly, ask good questions, and actually listen to their answers.

2/ Without psychological safety, Kaizen dies.

I've watched brilliant Kaizen programs collapse because people were terrified to speak up. Companies that blame individuals for systemic problems get exactly what they deserve. Silence. Workers hide defects, skip reporting near-misses, and watch waste happen rather than risk looking stupid or getting punished. I think this is why most Kaizen initiatives fail within a year. You can't improve what people won't talk about, and people won't talk about problems in a culture of fear.

3/ The person doing the work knows it best.

I learned this the hard way early in my career when I implemented a Kaizen idea. The operators supported it, then immediately went back to their old method the moment I left. Every time I've ignored frontline expertise, I've wasted time and money solving the wrong problem. I think we underestimate how much knowledge lives in the hands and muscle memory of people who do the same task hundreds of times daily.

4/ Kaizen culture doesn't support strategy. Kaizen culture is strategy.

I spent years thinking CI was something that helped execute our "real" strategy. I was wrong. Companies with a strong Kaizen culture adapt faster, survive disruptions better, and outperform competitors with superior strategic plans. I think this is the principle most executives miss. Your competitors can copy your products in months, but they can't copy a culture where thousands of people solve problems every single day.

P.S. What's your fav one in the list?

Founder of Gemba Walk AI — I help executives cut waste and fix the broken processes costing them millions

Brutal truth: most Kaizen implementations fail within 6 months.

Here's why (and how to fix it):

Common failure pattern..

↓ Launch with great enthusiasm 
↓ Form improvement teams 
↓ Run some workshops 
↓ See initial results 
↓ Get distracted by other priorities 
 ↳ Kaizen activities fade away

The missing ingredient? 
Systems thinking.

Successful Kaizen requires these systems working together:

1/ Total Quality Management

+Customer focus throughout organization
+Process-oriented improvement mindset

2/ Just-In-Time Production

+Elimination of waste in all forms
+Flow-based operations

3/ Total Productive Maintenance

+Equipment reliability and efficiency
+Operator involvement in maintenance

4/ Policy Deployment

+Clear targets cascading from top to bottom
+Aligned improvement efforts

5/ Suggestion Systems

+Employee engagement in daily improvement
+Recognition of participation

6/ Small Group Activities

+Quality circles and improvement teams
+Collaborative problem-solving
 
Most companies try to implement Kaizen 
…without these foundations. 

Remember:

Success requires patience.

+Start with one system
+Build it thoroughly
+Connect it to others gradually

…and never stop improving!

Founder of Gemba Walk AI • I help executives cut waste and fix the broken processes costing them millions

Most companies create fantastic value stream maps.

Then file them away. (I've seen it dozens of times) 

Video credit to Krish Sengottaiyan. Give him a follow

Teams spend weeks mapping their current state. 

They identify waste. 
They draft the future state

Then ...nothing changes.

You know why?

No one is responsible for the customer experience.

Traditional organizations are function-based.

→ Finance reports to CFO 
→ Operations reports to COO 
→ Sales reports to CRO

Each leader knows their department.
But nobody understands how value flows end-to-end.

No single leader owns value stream performance.

"Everyone" is responsible = No one is responsible

VSM needs an owner with authority. 
One leader who can make decisions across silos.

CEO could, but they operate too high to manage CI.

So it's key to assign executive-level VSM ownership. 

Before you map your next value stream, answer this:

Who owns the complete customer journey?

If you can't name them...
save yourself the effort.

P.S. Does anyone in your organization have E2E accountability for value delivery?

The Higher Self Newsletter

Join 20,000+ followers of Higher Self, who are learning to access their Higher Self to drive change in life and at work.

Writer

Zella Life

Extensive research shows that nearly 90% of leadership success is driven by emotional intelligence (EQ) and strong soft skills. At Zella Life, our AI-enhanced coaching harnesses the power of emotional intelligence and cognitive behavioral science to help you and your team excel in every area of life.

For companies, our AI also mines pervasive themes across the board to identify the true wants and needs of your teams. This provides you with unique insights and enables smarter, more informed decision-making. Together, we can create a future where collaboration drives innovation and unites us.

Co-Founder

Mucker Capital

Mucker Capital invests in Seed, Series A, and "pre-seed" stage companies building defensible and scalable, Internet software and services businesses outside Silicon Valley.

I support portfolio founders accelerate growth & build scalable products.

Growth Advisor & EIR

Techstars

Techstars is the world's most active pre-seed investor, with a portfolio of 9k+ founders.

I support founders with lead generation, content creation, and product management.

Mentor

The Way Out

The Way Out (TWO) is a fair-chance employment platform helping veterans & justice-involved job seekers re-enter society successfully.

After approaching us with their MVP platform, the Disruptive Labs team and I transformed TWO into a complete portal for JIJS (and veterans too!) to find jobs and receive support services from support-service providers. Through a well-tested, robust architecture, the TWO platform enables employers to post jobs and review applicants; support-service providers to onboard, communicate with, and support their enrollees; and job seekers to craft resumes, find and apply for applicable jobs, and work with support providers that match their needs.

Key technologies: React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Redis, AWS, Docker, integration testing, E2E testing, CI/CD.

Investor

Nuooly, Inc.

Nuooly is an exclusive community enabling business-focused Independent Professionals (lawyers, accountants, etc.) to thrive and grow by providing new business opportunities, peer collaboration/support, and relevant learning content.

After investing in Nuooly and taking over its tech, we redesigned & rearchitected the platform, taking it from a problematic WordPress site to a fully-featured, secure platform for independent professionals to sign up, craft their profiles, and find and connect with each other.

Key technologies: AWS, TypeScript, Node.js, React, Next.js, Docker.

Disruptive Labs

Disruptive Labs is a Venture Studio focused on building and scaling technology companies.

Too many founders and innovators find their ideas fall apart due to sub-par digital products. So we created a system that offers them world-class design, development and content with no surprises and total flexibility.

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

HeyHome

HeyHome is your one-stop solution for all home-related needs. From ongoing maintenance to one-off improvements, from minor repairs to major renovations, we cover it all. We act as both a service provider and a knowledge resource, making sure you have the support and the information you need to make your home the best it can be.

From zero to MVP, the team and I put together a scalable platform to handle orders for a huge variety of local home services in a matter of weeks.

Key technologies: Stripe, React, Next.js, AWS, Docker, Twilio, Node.js.

Tilly 

Tilly empowers homeowners to unlock the full potential of their outdoor spaces. From quick curb appeal updates to transformative backyard renovations, our team of designers, horticulturalists, product specialists and construction coaches are by your side every step of the way. Think of Tilly as your trusted resource for all things outdoor living.

The Disruptive Labs team and I took Tilly's original MVP to the next level, migrating from WordPress with various fragile external integrations/plugins to a custom web app that handles the entire flow from purchase to a final yard design. Customers and designers can collaborate on each project and stay up to date on progress.

Key technologies: AWS, Docker, Next.js, React, PostgreSQL, Redis, TypeScript, Node.js, integration & end-to-end (E2E) testing.

Me Tyme

Me Tyme offered a behavioral health solution for SMBs providing access to short videos and interactive lessons to stop emotional stressors as they happened in real time.

In my role as Head of Product, I lead redesign efforts and supported our Disruptive Labs engineering team in the rebuild of Me Tyme's frontend platform, replacing an early-stage demo with a fully-fledged dynamic portal customized to each user's preferences.

Key technologies: Next.js, React, AWS.

Helping Leaders Ignite Change Through Inner Growth 🌱

There are truly two ways to live in 2025:

1. Striving endlessly for more. Feeling separate & disconnected.
2. Living fully in the present. Aware of our shared connection.

Most live stuck in the first.

Inevitably leading to stress, burnout, and a sense that something’s missing.

The bigger problem?

This way of living doesn’t just drain your energy, it costs you the deeper joys of life:

- A clear & peaceful mind.
- Meaningful relationships.
- A deep sense of fulfillment.

The truth?

You don’t have to sacrifice well-being for success.

Life doesn’t need to feel like a constant grind.

Your way forward:

Live (and lead) with presence, connection, and intention.

My goal is to help leaders and organizations:

- Embrace the present moment to lead with clarity & connection.
- Build emotional intelligence for stronger relationships.
- Shift focus from individual goals to shared progress.

The future belongs to those who lead with the heart, inspiring collective growth over individual ambition.

--

I am a husband, father and co-creator.

For 15+ years, I have been building tech companies and supporting leaders to:

- Improve lives
- Extend quality time
- Foster positive change

My deepest purpose in life is to touch and improve as many lives as possible.

To achieve this, I share everything I know and continue to learn over time.

It's up to you to decide how to use this knowledge to help others.

If you ever want to work with me, my door is open.

If not, take what you learn and pay it forward. 

We are all in this together!

Marco Franzoni

The real measure of your career isn’t your skill set.

It cuts much deeper 👇🏼

You’ve spent years honing your craft.
You’ve built trust, earned titles, carried weight.

But the thing that truly shapes your path isn’t expertise, it’s character.

7 moments that expose who you really are:

1. How you respond when a junior’s idea outshines yours
↳ “That’s brilliant. Let’s build on your suggestion.”

2. How you act when no one thanks you for extra effort
↳ “I’m glad the work landed well. The team made it happen.”

3. How you treat the intern when your calendar is packed
↳ “I’ve got 5 minutes now — what’s on your mind?”

4. Your tone when a colleague delivers bad news
↳ “Thanks for letting me know early. Let’s problem-solve together.”

5. The words you choose when giving tough feedback
↳ “Here’s what’s strong. Here’s one shift that could elevate it.”

6. Your patience when projects stall and momentum fades
↳ “Let’s revisit the ‘why’ and reset the next step.”

7. How you hold yourself when someone questions your integrity
↳ “I want to clarify, here’s what actually happened and why.”

Character may get you inside the room.
But it’s character that determines if you stay there.

And unlike skill, character is revealed in the smallest moments.

Every day is a chance to choose who you’ll be — what’s your choice today?


♻️ Please repost to remind others: character is the real career currency.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Mindful Leadership Advocate | Helping leaders live & lead in the moment | Father, Husband, & 7x Founder | Follow for practical advice to thrive in work and life 🌱

Your title doesn’t make you a leader.  

Your consistency does.  

It’s tempting to chase recognition,  
believing visibility equals value.  

But that mindset leads to:  
- Burnout disguised as ambition  
- Teams that mirror your stress  
- Progress without fulfillment  

Real leadership happens in quiet moments.  

Start here👇🏼  

1) Stay human.  
↳ Admit mistakes early.  
↳ Laugh with your team, not at them.  

2) Keep promises small — and keep them.  
↳ Follow through on the simple things.  
↳ Your word builds trust faster than status ever will.  

3) Empower others to shine.  
↳ Share your platform.  
↳ Celebrate contributions in public, coach in private.  

4) Listen before leading.  
↳ Ask one more question than you answer.  
↳ People don’t follow the loudest voice — they follow the one that hears them.  

5) Show grace under pressure.  
↳ Stay grounded when things fall apart.  
↳ Your calm sets the emotional temperature for the room.  

Your position might open doors for a while.  
Your presence keeps them open for good. ✨  

Which one will you practice today?  


♻️ Please repost to promote presence-based leadership.  
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

PEOPLE WONT
REMEMBER
YOUR TITLE.
THEY'LL
REMEMBER
HOW YOU MADE
THEM FEEL.

taplio

The Battle

Ivan Carillo

Marco Franzoni

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreIvan Carillo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMarco Franzoni's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Ivan Carillo

Marco Franzoni

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Ivan Carillo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMarco Franzoni's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreIvan Carillo's LinkedIn Performance