Unprofessional

Hosted by Hilary Corna

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160

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Hilary Corna, former Toyota executive and process expert, empowers service-based businesses to streamline operations and scale with clarity using the PDCA methodology. Unprofessional is a community-driven podcast for bold leaders seeking actionable strategies, fresh perspectives, and the tools to build streamlined, impactful businesses with purpose.

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August 18, 202612 min

[SOLO] Back From Vacation 5 Operational Trends I’m Watching as We Head Into Q4

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna shares five operational trends she is seeing as organizations return from summer and prepare for Q4. She explains why teams often come back to too many competing priorities, how unresolved process issues begin to look like people problems, and why growing companies can outpace the systems they rely on. Hilary also discusses the risks of automating inefficient processes with AI, why companies should begin reflecting on the year before January, and the practical steps leaders can take now to finish the year with greater focus and a stronger operating system. TIMESTAMPS [00:50] Returning from vacation and preparing for Q4 [02:09] Trend #1: Everyone is coming back to too much [02:45] Why prioritization matters more than moving faster [04:08] Trend #2: Process problems are starting to look like people problems [05:00] Questions to uncover the real source of operational friction [05:39] Trend #3: Growth has outpaced the company’s operating system [06:36] Identifying processes that haven’t kept up with growth [06:56] Trend #4: AI is exposing bad processes [07:52] Simplify before you automate [08:44] Trend #5: Learn from the year before January [09:29] Using PDCA to reflect, refine, and improve [10:27] Five actions leaders should take right now [10:59] Why doing a few things well beats trying to do everything [11:32] Upcoming programs and resources

July 20, 202620 min

Mashup of Best Episodes of 2026 So Far!

In this special mashup episode, Hilary Corna brings together some of the strongest moments from the podcast so far in 2026. The episode highlights key themes around proactive leadership, continuous improvement, operational maturity, and the hidden ways companies normalize inefficiency. From avoiding a “wait and see” culture to stopping the habit of rewarding firefighting, Hilary shares practical reminders for leaders who want to build healthier systems, reduce chaos, and create teams that improve before things break. To join The Ops Edge Academy waitlist, visit www.HilaryCorna.com or email team@hilarycorna.com TIMESTAMPS [00:50] Avoiding a “wait and see” culture [02:20] The hidden cost of waiting too long to improve [02:49] Three ways to build a more proactive culture [04:23] Why companies wait until something breaks [05:38] Stop rewarding firefighting [07:07] Why you can’t scale chaos [07:40] Improving while things are still working [08:27] When continuous improvement becomes corporate theater [09:33] The difference between looking like you’re improving and actually improving [11:30] Why employees lose trust in new initiatives [12:35] Real continuous improvement is consistent, not flashy [13:17] Most businesses don’t have a talent problem — they have a system problem [14:28] The three stages of organizational maturity [16:26] Why variability creates chaos [17:11] Three starting points for creating more clarity [18:06] How small process issues become company culture [19:23] Challenging “the way we’ve always done things”

June 27, 202640 min

Meghan Freed, CEO of FreedMarcroft

In this episode, Hilary sits down with Meghan Freed, CEO of FreedMarcroft, a Connecticut-based family and divorce law firm. They discuss the myth that entrepreneurship creates instant freedom, why employees should not be expected to “think like owners,” and how small operational issues can quietly become part of a company’s culture. From Toyota’s “Stop the Line” principle to the importance of surfacing problems early, this conversation is full of practical insights for leaders building teams, systems, and healthier workplaces. To join The Ops Edge Academy waitlist, visit www.HilaryCorna.com or email team@hilarycorna.com TIMESTAMPS [01:34] From practicing law to starting a firm [06:00] Learning how to run a business—not just practice law [11:53] Scaling the firm and building a pipeline for new lawyers [15:20] The myth that entrepreneurship creates immediate freedom [17:49] Why employees should not be asked to “think like owners” [20:23] Toyota’s “Stop the Line” principle and valuing employee time [24:09] How inefficiency becomes normal in company culture [26:31] Psychological safety, problem-solving, and “golden eggs” [29:40] Workarounds, process debt, and imperfect technology [35:31] “Happiness Matters”: Meghan’s leadership philosophy [38:39] Where to connect with Meghan

June 16, 202622 min

[SOLO] From Japan to Toyota The Childhood Story That Led Me to Kaizen

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna shares the personal story behind her passion for Japanese culture, process improvement, and Toyota. She reflects on how childhood curiosity, studying Japanese, taking a leap to work abroad, and eventually joining Toyota in Singapore shaped the work she still does today. Hilary also shares why she left Toyota, how her first book came to life, and why she still feels called to help organizations improve after nearly two decades. To join The Ops Edge Academy waitlist, visit www.HilaryCorna.com or email team@hilarycorna.com TIMESTAMPS [00:50] Hilary's origin story [04:30] Studying abroad in Japan and making meaningful connections [08:40] Moving to Singapore with no job and betting on herself [10:40] Landing multiple offers — and finally Toyota [14:20] Bringing Kaizen and PDCA from manufacturing to dealerships [18:10] How childhood curiosity turned into a lifelong calling [19:20] Why Hilary eventually left Toyota [21:50] Why the work still feels meaningful today

June 5, 202613 min

[SOLO] Reflections from EMP Why Growth Starts Feeling Heavier Than It Should

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna shares reflections after speaking at EMP (a highly competitive, MIT-based program connected to the origins of EO). After dozens of conversations with founders and leadership teams, one theme kept coming up: most companies aren’t struggling because growth stopped—they’re struggling because growth started to feel heavier than it should. Hilary explains the concept of “invisible drag,”why revenue growth can mask operational problems for a long time, and how complexity creates variability → friction → leadership dependency. To join The Ops Edge Academy waitlist, visit www.HilaryCorna.com or email team@hilarycorna.com TIMESTAMPS [00:50] Back from speaking at EMP (what it is + why it matters) [01:20] Why growth starts feeling heavier than it should [02:25] “Invisible drag” explained (the hidden accumulation) [03:35] Misdiagnosis: “people problem” vs operational maturity gap [04:35] The loop: complexity → variability → friction → dependency [05:05] Why real improvement is lots of small fixes (not one big leap) [07:00] What CEOs really want: leverage + less rescuing [07:30] Operational maturity isn’t control—it’s leadership freedom [08:05] If it feels heavy, you may have outgrown your old way of operating [10:00] A key check: are your processes evolving as fast as complexity/revenue? [11:00] 3 takeaways + questions to reflect on

May 20, 20268 min

[SOLO] Continuous Improvement Has Become Corporate Theater

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna calls out an uncomfortable truth: in many organizations, “continuous improvement” has quietly turned into corporate theater —a lot of activity that looks like progress, but doesn’t actually change anything. Hilary breaks down what real continuous improvement looks like day-to-day (stability, daily problem solving, psychological safety, and leadership maturity), plus how her team can help companies rebuild the system behind the work. To join The Ops Edge Academy waitlist, visit www.HilaryCorna.com or email team@hilarycorna.com TIMESTAMPS [00:50] The uncomfortable truth: continuous improvement has become corporate theater [01:39] “Rehearsing” improvement vs actually improving [02:36] The real standard: if behavior doesn’t change, improvement didn’t happen [03:30] Vulnerability + transparency: why leaders avoid showing the “mess” [04:30] Initiative fatigue: when employees stop believing it’ll stick [06:08] What real CI looks like (better questions + smaller daily problem solving) [07:37] Kaizen without sustained adoption = expensive performance

May 6, 202610 min

[SOLO] Inside The Ops Edge Academy Right Now

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna shares a real-time update from inside her Ops Edge Academy cohort—and a pattern she sees in almost every company trying to improve operations: the moment when “a few small fixes” suddenly turn into a web of dependencies. She explains why that discomfort is actually progress (not overcomplication), how scoping exposes the work that was already there, and what it looks like to shift from being busy to being coordinated. She closes with a simple question to help you spot whether you’re making isolated improvements—or coordinating a systemized shift. To join The Ops Edge Academy waitlist, visit www.HilaryCorna.com or email team@hilarycorna.com TIMESTAMPS [01:30] The moment every company hits: when “a few fixes” suddenly explode [02:20] Scoping exposes reality [03:10] The reframe: clarity doesn’t reduce work—clarity reveals work [03:30] From chaos to coordination: why one coordinated plan changes everything [04:00] “Busy” vs “coordinated” [05:00] Incremental change vs rushing the rollout [06:40] The execution truth: you won’t over-communicate—most teams under-communicate [07:00] The Toyota rule of thumb: tell people (at least) 10 times [08:00] The stall point: trying to implement everything in isolation [09:20] The closing question: isolated improvements or a systemized shift?

April 21, 20267 min

[SOLO] Why Your Company Only Improves When Things Break

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna explains why most companies don’t improve until something actually breaks—and how that creates a “firefighting” culture that feels productive, but quietly makes the business fragile. She reframes the problem as a behavior issue (what gets rewarded) , not just a process issue, and shares how healthy organizations build momentum by improving while things are still working. Hilary introduces PDCA as a simple habit (not a giant initiative), shows how small improvements compound over time, and closes with a practical challenge you can run this week to build operational “health” instead of constantly managing emergencies. TIMESTAMPS [00:50] The “sting” statement: most companies only improve when something breaks [01:22] The hidden cost: by the time you react, you’ve already paid the price [01:27] What “70% working” looks like (messy handoffs, inconsistency, rework) [02:03] Real consequences: lost clients, lawsuits, damaged social proof [02:32] You’re not alone—and why proactive improvement is the harder (better) path [02:57] The uncomfortable truth: it’s not a process problem, it’s a behavior problem [03:03] How organizations reward firefighting (and ignore prevention) [03:48] When your best people become expert “reactors” instead of system designers [04:13] The ceiling: you can’t scale chaos (more people/meetings won’t fix it) [04:40] What scalable companies do differently: improve when things are working [05:16] PDCA as a simple habit (Plan–Do–Check–Act), not a massive initiative

April 10, 20269 min

[SOLO] The Dangerous Phase No One Talks About When Your Business Looks Like Its Working

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna explains what she calls the most dangerous (and most ignored) phase of business growth: the moment when everything looks fine on the outside—clients are coming in, the team is busy, the reputation is growing—but internally, execution feels heavier than it should. She breaks down the subtle signs you’re relying on effort instead of design, why issues become “normal” and stop getting questioned, and the three hidden costs that quietly stall growth: decision drag, leadership bottlenecks, and repeated problems that never truly get solved. Hilary closes with the mindset shift that changes everything—and a simple way to identify where to start improving flow and repeatability. TIMESTAMPS [00:50] The question: “Things look good… so why does something feel off?” [01:50] Defining the “It Looks Like It’s Working” phase [02:08] What it looks like underneath: heroics, slow approvals, and normalized friction [04:30] The three hidden costs this phase creates [04:34] Hidden cost #1: Decision drag [05:07] Hidden cost #2: Leadership bottlenecks (unblocking vs leading) [05:38] Hidden cost #3: Repeated problems that never get solved—just handled [06:23] The shift: from “How do we get this done?” to “Why is this so hard?” [07:54] If you’re dependent on “lynchpin” people, it’s a repeatability problem

April 1, 20267 min

[SOLO] Why Your Business Feels Chaotic (Even Though You Have Smart People)

In this solo episode, Hilary Corna unpacks a common leadership frustration: “We have really smart people… so why does everything still feel chaotic?” She explains why this usually isn’t a talent problem—it’s a systems and clarity problem. Hilary breaks down how unclear structures create inconsistent decisions and misalignment, walks through the three stages of organizational maturity, and shares three practical starting points to reduce chaos by building consistency first. TIMESTAMPS [02:02] Most businesses don’t have a talent problem — they have a system problem [03:25] Stage 1: Early / reactive (it works… until it doesn’t) [03:59] Stage 2: Growing with friction (more people, more complexity, no shared systems) [04:28] Stage 3: Mature & structured (calmer, more predictable execution) [05:42] 3 starting points to reduce chaos and build clarity [05:45] Start point #1: Look for patterns, not people [05:53] Start point #2: Standardize how you solve problems [06:05] Start point #3: Create consistency before optimization