AI Isn’t the Problem. Culture Is.

AI isn’t the barrier in distribution.

Culture is.

In this episode of Confessions Beyond the Food, Nancy sits down with Ian Heller — AI expert and Chief Strategy Officer at Distribution Strategy Group — to explore what’s really slowing adoption across foodservice, sales, and manufacturing.

They unpack:

• Why this AI shift is fundamentally different from past technology cycles
• The growing gap between leadership urgency and frontline skepticism
• How AI challenges the traditional identity of the sales rep
• The fears reps don’t openly admit — from exposure to irrelevance
• Why “AI isn’t accurate” may be more about control than data
• The leadership mistakes that stall real adoption
• How culture quietly overrides strategy inside organizations

This conversation goes beyond technology — into trust, identity, and the uncomfortable truths shaping the future of distribution.