In this episode of Sweet but Fearless, Mary Sullivan, co-founder, sits down with Jane Dalesandro, AI Operations Strategist, to explore the critical role frontline employees play in shaping the customer experience and building a company's reputation.

As businesses rush to embrace AI and automation, Jane challenges leaders to think carefully about what they're automating. The goal shouldn't be to replace the human connection that makes a customer experience memorable. Instead, automate what happens behind the desk, not the customer experience itself. When used thoughtfully, AI can reduce employee burnout, streamline operations, and give teams more time to deliver the unique value customers can't get from technology alone.

Jane also shares insights from her upcoming book, The Floor You Carry: How I Built a Career in the Job Nobody Takes Seriously, releasing November 1. She reminds us that some of the best leaders begin their careers in customer service, where they develop essential leadership skills: emotional control, accountability, communication, empathy, and the ability to make decisions under pressure.

It's a conversation about recognizing the leadership potential of frontline employees, using AI with intention, and remembering that your greatest competitive advantage may be the people who interact with your customers every day.

ABOUT JANE DALESANDRO:
LinkedIn – Jane Dalesandro
Book – "The Floor You Carry: How I Built a Career in the Job Nobody Takes Seriously"

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Sharitta Marshall, founder of Visionary Development Consulting, about how leaders can use AI as a tool to strengthen, not replace, their skills, judgment, and experience.

AI may be powerful, but it isn't smarter than you. The real opportunity comes from understanding how AI is changing your industry, influencing your everyday life, and where it can best support your decision-making process.

Sharitta encourages leaders to think of AI like a vehicle: it can help move you forward, but where you end up depends on where you're going, what you're trying to accomplish, and how intentionally you use it.

This conversation is a practical reminder that effective leadership in an AI-driven world isn't about having all the answers, it's about asking better questions and knowing when technology can help you make smarter, more informed decisions.

ABOUT SHARITTA MARSHALL:
LinkedIn – Sharitta Marshall
Website – Visionary Development Consulting
Book – "The Unwritten Rules Are Meant to Be Broken: Breaking Barriers, Thriving in Corporate Spaces, and Redefining Success as a Black Leader"

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this episode of Sweet but Fearless, Mary Sullivan talks with Lina Viner, founder and creator of The Rewire Method, about mindset, entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to create lasting change.

Lina shares why our belief systems can either move us forward or keep us stuck and how changing the way we think can change the way we live. Through The Rewire Method, she works with individuals to identify behaviors and thought patterns that no longer serve them, building new routines and creating mindset shifts designed to last.

Lina also talks about the mindset entrepreneurs need to succeed: being comfortable with uncertainty, taking responsibility, solving problems creatively, and learning from failure. She shares how she built a successful business, stepped away, and then created another in a completely different industry.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful idea: be curious about where you are, get clear about where you want to go, and ask yourself what is keeping you from living the life you really want.

It's a conversation about believing in what's possible, developing the mindset to pursue it, and having the courage to rewire the way you approach what comes next.

ABOUT LINA VINER:
LinkedIn – Lina Viner
Website – Lina Viner
The Rewire Method

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless