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Building Operations That Run Without You — with Dr. Huri Mendoza

Building Operations That Run Without You — with Dr. Huri Mendoza

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Episode: Building Operations That Run Without You — with Dr. Huri MendozaGuest: Dr. Huri Mendoza — Global Operations Executive & Project ManagerEpisode SummaryDr. Huri Mendoza has spent more than two decades turning around and scaling manufacturing organizations across the automotive and nutrition sectors — on the ground in Germany, the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Romania, China, India, and Lithuania. In this episode, he sits down with Justin to unpack the operational playbook behind worldwide programs that saved more than $500 million and drove double-digit annual productivity gains.The conversation is a masterclass in fundamentals: why turnarounds start with hours of silent observation on the shop floor, where mid-market manufacturers should actually deploy AI (and where they shouldn't), how to build a continuous-improvement culture that survives after the champion leaves, and why the most important question in operations isn't what or why — it's how do we make this happen?What You'll LearnWhere to start when you walk into an underperforming operation — and how to tell a quick win from a six-month projectWhy "expensive chaos" is what you get when you automate a process that isn't standardized firstWhat AI realistically costs a $50–200M manufacturer, and why execution — not the tool — creates the valueHow to build a lean academy and CI culture that sustains itself (10,000+ people trained, 2,000 projects a year)The "rolling 100 days" — a simple cadence for deciding not just what to do, but what not to doHow to de-risk a big CapEx line launch by front-loading the questions a simulation would force you to answerWhy relationships and the "how do we make this happen?" mindset separate leaders who execute from those who stallEpisode Highlights & Timestamps[00:02] Welcome & guest introduction — Huri's background across automotive, nutrition, and global operations[02:30] Walking into a turnaround — silent observation, going to the Gemba, and finding your own information instead of accepting "this is the problem"[04:00] One-piece flow & Chaku Chaku — cutting inventory, overproduction, and space by forcing flow; overcoming the "we've always done it this way" resistance[08:00] The discipline of watching — the TPS-for-executives lesson: four hours of observation before a single suggestion[11:00] AI & digital tools for the mid-market — what's realistic on a modest budget, why big companies already have the data, and where AI genuinely helps smaller manufacturers[16:00] "Automate chaos and you get expensive chaos" — why you need a standard baseline before layering on technology[18:00] Building a lean academy that lasts — training standards, defined roles (who owns the pull system?), the "is vs. should" gap, and creating a learning ladder[24:00] Reactive vs. proactive projects — controlling the firefighting so your people have time for improvement; how thousands of small measures added up to millions in savings[29:00] The hardest decision — deciding what you're not going to do, and the "rolling 100 days" cadence[31:00] De-risking a big CapEx launch — high/mid/best-cost country strategies, regional supplier frameworks, and using FlexSim simulation[34:00] The real value of simulation — it's the front-loaded questions (packaging, cycle times, operator travel), not the software; turning the "perfect" solution into a future-state value stream map[39:00] "What do I have to do to get us in business?" — the mentor question that reshaped how Huri thinks about relationships, and why how is the question that connects people[43:00] Include everyone — from CEO to operator, everyone has eyes and ideas; problem-finders vs. solution-finders[45:00] Wrap-up & how to reach HuriKey TakeawaysShut up and watch. The first move in any turnaround is hours of silent observation on the shop floor — not ideas from the desk. The information is already there; go find it.Standardize before you automate. AI and Industry 4.0 amplify whatever you already have. Without a standard workflow, you just get more chaos, faster.AI gives you data and ideas — not execution. For mid-market manufacturers, the opportunity is real (often low-five-figures to start), but only if you know what you'll do with the information and who will execute.Culture is a system, not a person. Define roles, standardize training, pair novices with experts, and build a learning ladder — so the results stick long after the champion moves on.Deciding what not to do is the hard part. There are always more problems than people. Run improvement on a quarterly cadence — a "rolling 100 days."The value of simulation is the questions. Front-loading the details (packaging, takt time, operator travel) before the steel is cut is what de-risks a launch — with or without the software.Lead with "how." Ask how do we make this happen? in the right room, with the right people, and you turn execution into a team sport.Memorable Quote"The tools have been ...
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