BFB Technology Impact Accountability Statement

I’m saying this here and now, and I advise the tech giants that came before me to follow suit:

Technology is advancing at a pace none of us can slow down. There’s beauty in that which brings efficiency, independence, and life-changing innovation. But there’s also a real cost. We’ve watched jobs disappear, whole departments replaced overnight, and companies choosing automation, AI chats, offshore centers, and every new tech initiative imaginable just to stay competitive and save a major coin.

BFB may be tech-led out the gate, but we refuse to be reckless. We move with intention. We study the court like Kobe Bryant on game day, scanning the floor before we drive. Who wants to get dunked on? Not us. We prepare.

But preparation must include people, especially our seniors and our disabled community, who are being left behind in this rapid transition.

Not long ago, I walked into a fast-food restaurant because the drive-thru line was longer than usual. No greetings. No guidance toward the massive touchscreen menu. That’s fine, I figured it out and placed my order. But as I waited, an elderly woman walked in, clearly confused, standing there with cash in her hand and no idea where to begin.

Six employees—yes, I counted—saw her. No one stepped forward.

So, I helped her. She had cash, the machine only took cards, so I paid. It wasn’t Carbone; I wasn’t breaking the bank. But the principle? That stayed with me. I asked for the store manager’s info, followed up, and was told “staff should assist when needed.” Well… they didn’t, and I strongly believe that was their service standard.

And this is where accountability comes in.

Companies are sprinting toward automation, but what protections are they building to ensure all customers, every age, every ability - are included in this shift? Because if I witnessed that in a single ten-minute visit, imagine what’s happening nationwide.

And let’s talk about the other side: employees are afraid technology is taking their jobs. I hear the fear, but here’s the truth: tech doesn’t replace people who make themselves irreplaceable. Frontline workers are the legs of a company. You see everything. You hear everything. You can impact everything. But only if you care enough to act.

If I were the CEO of that franchise and learned an elderly woman was ignored in my store, I’d be livid. Because showing up just to clock in is not enough, not in this era. And if that’s the mindset, understand this: you cannot be shocked when you’re told your role is being “eliminated.” Automation is unforgiving when humans stop delivering the human part.

We can’t control the entire wave of tech evolution. But we can control how we show up, how we serve, and how we treat people. Those who rise with this shift will be the ones who go above and beyond, regardless of their title. And when I see someone like that, I have no problem pulling them out of their environment and giving them a position with me.

Businesses need to re-establish their standards. They need to revisit their expectations. They need to guarantee that someone’s grandfather, someone’s grandmother, someone’s disabled child is not left confused in a world moving too fast for them to keep up.

Tech is great. Tech is powerful. Tech is the future. But tech must also be accountable and must never be heartless. Tech must not become an exclusive club that forgets the people who built the world we’re automating.

This is the standard BFB is setting. This is the leadership I expect from myself, my company, and anyone innovating in today’s world.