Purpose Before Profit: Heico Sandee Of Smart Robotics On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose-Driven Business
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Surround yourself with knowledgeable people and advisors who can evaluate your decision and your purpose. This keeps you from being motivated only by zeal.
In today’s competitive business landscape, the race for profits often takes center stage. However, there are some leaders who also prioritize a mission-driven purpose. They use their business to make a positive social impact and recognize that success isn’t only about making money. In this interview series, we are talking with some of these distinct leaders and I had the pleasure of interviewing Heico Sandee.
Smart Robotics Founder and CEO, Heico Sandee, holds a PhD degree and previously acted as program manager for robotics at Eindhoven University of Technology. With more than 15 years of experience in robotics development, Heico now leads Smart Robotics in developing intelligent, robot-independent software for flexible deployment of automated solutions.
Smart Robotics is a specialist-developer of robotics and automated warehouse systems. The pick and place robotic solutions offered by the company are engineered to improve overall capacity, increase the reliability of warehouse operations, and tackle issues related to the continuing labor shortage in the logistics industry. These solutions are driven by Smart Robotics’ tech-trinity hardware and software. Smart Robotics’ tailormade automation solutions help improve working conditions for warehouse floor workers by taking over repetitive and physically strenuous tasks, such as order picking, packing, palletizing, and sorting.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us your “Origin Story”? Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
My love for robotics, in particular, started at a young age. I became interested in mechatronics once I became aware that you need many different disciplines to develop a robot. Software, mechanics, electronics, physics, user experience, etc. This later influenced my decision to pursue a PHD in Control Systems — focusing on the multidisciplinary design, analysis, and validation of embedded dynamical systems.
Backtracking a little to undergrad, I loved groupwork — most students’ nightmare. However, working with a team develops needed skills to solve a problem, for example, collaboration, communication, and discipline. This is something that I greatly enjoy doing today — building a team with individuals who rely on each other’s diverse skill sets to overcome a collective challenge.
This inspired me to found Smart Robotics, a robotics company with many bright minds working together to solve the problems of task automation in Logistics warehouses.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
When my co-founders and I started pitching the idea of Smart Robotics, one of our business advisors started naming us as a temp worker agency for robots. Shortly after this kicked off, a newspaper picked up the story, which created enormous media attention. While this was exciting for us, it also brought with it a lot of unfamiliar situations to deal with, such as managing multiple teams of more than 20 people, fundraising, and the monthly deployment of multiple robots.
This early-stage journey had us brand the company as a reliable partner in creating a more human-centric workplace, setting off our mission of creating flexible robots. The first version of our solutions, temp worker robots, were installed quickly afterward — conducting many different handling tasks, from glueing tiles on a prefabricated wall to testing navigation systems. In the two years following that, we gradually focused more and more on Logistics.
We often learn the most from our mistakes. Can you share one that you made that turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
In simple terms, I learned that you can’t be everything to everyone. We thought we could tackle any automation challenge and find a solution for everything. Where this in theory might still be true, you only grow to be a leading company when you focus your efforts on a specific market or solution.
Narrowing down your focus doesn’t necessarily mean shutting out a group of people you could’ve helped. It simply indicates that you are starting to approach problems more deliberately, and there is a chance that this will encourage others to take a cue from you and tackle a problem for a group of people that is not immediately within your purview.
As a successful leader, it’s clear that you uphold strong core values. I’m curious what are the most important principles you firmly stand by and refuse to compromise on. Can you share a few of them and explain why they hold such significance for you in your work and life?
As defined from day one at Smart Robotics, the core values are flexibility, openness and involvement, innovation excellence, commitment, and being stronger together. These values are embedded in a few principles that guide my actions and decisions, shaping both my professional and personal lives.
1. Integrity & Inspiration: Every decision and action is rooted in ethical principles, ensuring alignment with the organization’s purpose. This commitment fosters a culture of trust and credibility, essential for sustained success. The ability to inspire commitment and dedication creates a work environment where individuals see their contributions as integral to a broader narrative.
2. Resilience & Long-Term Orientation: The unwavering commitment to a higher purpose provides the fuel for both me and my team to navigate difficulties with determination and perseverance. While short-term gains may be tempting, staying purpose-driven means prioritizing a long-term vision. Decisions are made with a keen awareness of their impact on the organization’s purpose over time, ensuring a legacy that outlasts immediate trends.
3. Adaptability & Agile Leadership: Recognizing that the journey may necessitate flexibility in strategies and approaches, this principle ensures agility in the pursuit of our shared goals. Quick adaptation to changing market conditions and emerging opportunities is not just a strategy; it’s a mindset. Encouraging a culture of experimentation and learning from failures ensures continuous growth and innovation.
4. Open Communication: Transparent and open communication is a non-negotiable principle. Fostering a culture where ideas and feedback are not just welcomed but actively encouraged ensures that every team member feels heard and valued. This two-way dialogue is essential for mutual understanding and collective growth.
5. Autonomy and Empowerment: By providing autonomy and the authority to make decisions, I trust in the abilities of my team to contribute meaningfully to our shared purpose. This principle nurtures a sense of ownership and accountability.
These principles collectively form the compass that guides my leadership journey. They are not mere ideals but active, lived values that shape every decision and action, contributing to a purpose-driven and fulfilling professional life.
What inspired you to start a purpose-driven business rather than a traditional for-profit enterprise? Can you share a personal story or experience that led you to prioritize social impact in your business?
My journey towards establishing a purpose-driven business, particularly in the realm of robotics and automation, finds its roots in a deep-seated awareness that unfolded during my college years and early career. Witnessing how many warehousing service providers heavily relied on manual labor for repetitive and physically demanding tasks was a poignant revelation. It struck me that individuals on the warehouse floor were subjected to tasks that not only posed immediate health risks but had long-term consequences, from physical ailments to mental health challenges arising from monotonous work.
This realization fueled my frustration, challenging the status quo that dictated humans undertake tasks that machines could perform efficiently. Engaging directly with warehouse workers, I sought to understand their experiences and aspirations. The feedback was inspiring and validated the need for a transformative solution.
From the industry’s perspective, the decision to pursue a purpose-driven approach was spurred by a strong belief in meeting market demands directly. Rather than starting with a new invention and tailoring it to fit a market, I adopted an approach that prioritizes identifying a market need and crafting a solution tailored to it. This customer-centric focus, deeply embedded in our company culture, ensures that our innovations speak directly to specific pain points.
The core motivation is not just to create technological solutions but to cultivate a work environment that not only enhances productivity but, crucially, prioritizes the well-being, health, and happiness of those involved. Smart Robotics, underscoring its commitment to reducing the mental and physical strain on employees, is more than a technological endeavor; it’s a pursuit of a humane and sustainable future in the world of work.
Can you help articulate a few of the benefits of leading a purpose-driven business rather than a standard “plain vanilla” business?
When you think about running a purpose-driven business, one of the most profound benefits is the impact it has on employees. It’s not just about the daily grind; it’s about creating a positive workplace culture, one where the team feels connected to a larger mission. At Smart Robotics, we’ve found that this not only improves job satisfaction but also instills a sense of purpose in what they do every day.
When it comes to technology, especially in the robotics industry, we’re all about collaboration. It’s not about replacing jobs; it’s about humans and robots working together. This collaboration enhances productivity and, most importantly, preserves and even enhances human skills. We see technology as a tool for empowerment, not as a threat to job security.
In terms of the technology itself, we prioritize user-friendly designs. The idea is to make automation systems easy to understand and operate. And beyond that, we are focused on reducing the mental strain on our human operators. We want our technology to be a support system, not a source of stress.
Now, looking at the bigger picture, purpose-driven businesses are inherently more adaptable. We’re not just reacting to market trends; we are committed to addressing broader societal needs. This makes us more resilient in the face of industry changes. It’s about long-term viability rather than short-term gains.
And what is the beauty of all this? It creates a team that’s not just working for a paycheck. They’re part of something meaningful, and that sense of purpose is what drives us forward. It’s not just a business; it’s a mission we’re all on together.
How has your company’s mission or purpose affected its overall success? Can you explain the methods or metrics you use to evaluate the impact of this purpose-driven strategy on your organization?
Being a product development company, fundraising has been a key metric for keeping tabs on our progress and success. Having raised the required funds necessary to support our mission and purpose has very positively contributed to, in turn, supporting our clients in tackling their pain points.
Together with short-term results, fundraising embodies a long-term outlook. In my opinion, this aligns with the key principles of being purpose-driven.
Naturally, our ability to establish a strong rapport with our clients is the second metric. The strong relationship that underpins our excellent market traction is primarily due to their belief in our mission and our ability to fulfill it.
Can you share a pivotal moment when you realized that leading your purpose-driven company was actually making a significant impact? Can you share a specific example or story that deeply resonated with you personally?
That realization for me happened when renowned retailers started to show interest in our solutions to enhance industry practices. Having customers choose us based on that reasoning is fantastic, whereas at first, I thought that customers would be choosing us ‘just for having the best fitting robot solution’.
Have you ever faced a situation where your commitment to your purpose and creating a positive social impact clashed with the profitability in your business? Have you ever been challenged by anyone on your team or have to make a tough decision that had a significant impact on finances? If so, how did you address and reconcile this conflict?
Throughout Smart Robotics’ early years, we successfully managed a diverse range of markets and use cases. With this, we could grow the company organically, solving many different automation challenges. But to have an influence, we would have to devote all of our attention to solving a very difficult problem while also taking care of one of the biggest demands in the market: picking in Logistics. Due to the complexity of the challenge, which required us to handle millions of different items, we needed to invest multiple years in our team to get our offering to the required capabilities. This was only made possible by the backing of multiple influential investors, who assured us of their support even when development took longer than anticipated.
At Smart Robotics, we hold each other accountable for making decisions that essentially benefit not only a single part of the business but also keep us on the trajectory of being value-adding.
By focusing on the long-term purpose, one can sometimes run the risk of losing focus on the short-term steps that need to be in place. Only with the right choices in the short term, stepwise, value can be created. I’ve learned that a balance between future vision and immediate actions is needed to set up a healthy and purposeful business.
The reality is that sometimes you need to sacrifice ideals to gain the profit the business needs to then again continue succeeding at being purpose-driven. It’s a tricky tightrope to navigate. It means saying ‘no’ to countless opportunities that come by, and that is always difficult. However, I’ve come to terms with needing to make decisions for the business and on behalf of the clients we serve.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who wish to start a purpose-driven business? What are your “5 Things You Need To Know I Order To Create A Highly Successful Purpose-Driven Business.” If you can, please share a story or example for each.
1. Surround yourself with knowledgeable people and advisors who can evaluate your decision and your purpose. This keeps you from being motivated only by zeal.
2. Choose a purpose that aligns one hundred percent with your outlook and build a team that shares that collective vision. To carry out a purpose-driven business, the outlook should be genuine and maintainable for you.
3. Define not only the end goal but also the steps towards it, and make sure that each step can be a success on its own. For example, designing automated picking systems speeds up the process but essentially solves physical and mental health strains for the people previously tasked with that action.
4. Be very critical in selecting financiers that match your purpose.
5. Think big. However, pace yourself to be patient and persistent. Making a lasting impact is a marathon, not a sprint.
I’m interested in how you instill a strong sense of connection with your team. How do you nurture a culture where everyone feels connected to your mission? Could you share an example or story that showcases how your purpose has positively influenced or motivated people on your team to contribute?
That’s the beauty of setting up a purpose-driven business; it happens automatically. Just because the purpose is what drives you and what gets embedded in the culture while making all choices with the overall purpose in mind.
Imagine we’re sitting down together two years from now, looking back at your company’s last 24 months. What specific accomplishments would have to happen for you to be happy with your progress?
I still don’t need to work to maintain our purpose; it is the thing that binds us and makes us all run for the same goal and make business decisions accordingly.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Innovating together, partners complement each other. Not competing but joining forces to realize the greatest innovation to drive a sustainable world, starting with a much more sustainable fulfillment process to enable further scaling e-commerce.
A diverse workforce sparks innovation that caters to the needs and challenges of a global and varied population.
How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?
Connect with Smart Robotics on LinkedIn for updates and insights: LinkedIn. Explore more about our solutions on the company website: Smart Robotics.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is an accomplished entrepreneur and visionary leader. He started his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., while attending Ohio State University and grew it to become an industry outlier before selling the business after 25 successful years. With the launch of his second venture, [re]start, a career development platform, Chad aimed to help people find meaningful career opportunities. Under his leadership, his team was recognized as a “Top Workplace” award winner for over a decade, twice being ranked the #1 small and medium-sized business to work for in Central Ohio. Chad sold [re]start in 2023, enabling him to focus on building an online community of high-performing leaders and continuing to make a positive impact in people’s lives.
Purpose Before Profit: Heico Sandee Of Smart Robotics On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose-Driven… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.