The Value Creators Podcast Episode #67. Useful Robots Are Here: Automation, Ethics, and Entrepreneurial Innovation with Marianela Nanninga

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The robots are here. Are they useful? Are they ethical?

In this episode of The Value Creators Podcast, Hunter Hastings speaks with Marianela Nanninga, CEO of ToDo Robotics. Marianela shares her journey from global tech sales to building one of the most innovative commercial robotics ventures in the U.S. Focused on usefulness over hype, she explains how robots are transforming hospitality, healthcare, and food service by performing real work—with real ROI.

From AI-driven cleaners in 24/7 casinos to chip-delivering restaurant bots, this episode explores the entrepreneurial mindset, systems integration, and human-centered design needed to lead in the robotics revolution.

Key insights include:

• Why “Usseful Robotics” is about integration, not hype
  
• How automation complements (not replaces) human work
  
• What ethical deployment really means in practice
  

Whether you’re leading innovation, exploring automation, or rethinking operational strategy, this conversation is filled with insights for the future.

Resources:

➡️ Learn What They Didn’t Teach You In Business School: The Value Creators Online Business Course

Learn more about ToDo Robotics

Connect with Marianela Nanninga on LinkedIn

Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn

Subscribe to The Value Creators on Substack

Knowledge Capsule

1. Robotics Must Be Useful to Create Value

• ToDo Robotics focuses on function, not futuristic promises.
  
• Robots must perform real, repetitive tasks—consistently and measurably.
  
• Vaporware is eliminated through deep operational integration.
  

2. ROI Is Tangible and Immediate

• In hospitality, robots often pay for themselves in 6–9 months.
  
• In casinos, ROI can exceed 600% as a result of 24/7 usage.
  
• Consistency in cleaning and data reporting boosts guest satisfaction.
  

3. Automation Doesn’t Replace—It Elevates

• Robots handle repetitive tasks; humans focus on high-value areas.
  
• Workers are retrained to operate, manage, and maintain robots.
  
• Job turnover in cleaning is high—robots help stabilize labor demand.
  

4. Mapping and Deployment Are Precision Work

• Each location is custom-mapped with sensors and LIDAR.
  
• Robots adapt to environmental changes with alternate path logic.
  
• Staff are trained not just to operate but to troubleshoot and manage.
  

5. Integration Is the New Frontier

• The value isn’t just in navigation—it’s in API-level integration.
  
• ToDo Robotics integrates with POS, table management, and logistics systems.
  
• Robots can now host guests, guide them to tables, and sync with restaurant ops.
  

6. Customers Co-Create Innovation

• Clients request new robot capabilities—customizations become R&D.
  
• Use cases evolve from direct experience and frontline needs.
  
• Co-creation is part of ToDo’s development process.
  

7. AI and Machine Learning Improve Daily

• Commercial robots receive software updates every 2–3 months.
  
• Each update improves sensors, behavior, and precision.
  
• Robots learn from their environments to optimize over time.
  

8. The Tipping Point Is Near—but Not Here Yet

• Customer adoption is growing, especially among younger users.
  
• Robots are becoming normal in restaurants, casinos, and care centers.
  
• But true mainstream integration is still in progress.
  

9. System Integration Is Entrepreneurial Craft

• ToDo Robotics acts as a systems integrator, not just a seller.
  
• Real value comes from combining hardware, software, and support.
  
• Project management is essential to long-term success.
  

10. Ethical Deployment Matters

• Robots should relieve humans from drudgery, not eliminate them.
  
• Companies must define the ethical limits of automation.
  
• Transparency, purpose, and human benefit are central values.
  

11. Robotics Creates New Career Paths

• Housekeepers become robotics supervisors and troubleshooters.
  
• ToDo Robotics partners with universities to train future operators.
  
• Certifications will drive a new labor market segment.
  

12. Founder-Mode Companies Operate Differently

• Marianela manages expectations while staying hands-on.
  
• She adapts robots to operations—not the other way around.
  
• Founders who get into the details on the ground create better value alignment.