From Robots to Revenue: Marketing That Actually Works in Automation
Warehouse automation is no longer a question of if, but when. As supply chains face growing pressure from labor shortages, unpredictable demand spikes, and rising customer expectations, robotics is becoming a critical lever for speed, accuracy, and resilience.
Kait Peterson, VP and Head of Marketing at Locus Robotics, joins Greg to break down how modern warehouse automation is evolving from rigid, capital-intensive systems into flexible, scalable solutions that can adapt in real time. Drawing on 15 years in supply chain technology, Kait shares how robotics, data, and physical AI are reshaping fulfillment operations and why the next wave of adoption will look very different from the last.
Kait brings a unique perspective at the intersection of marketing, robotics, and human-centered leadership. From making hundreds of cold calls selling warehouse software early in her career to helping scale one of the most recognized brands in warehouse automation, she has seen firsthand how the industry has shifted from skepticism to rapid acceleration. Now at Locus Robotics, she helps translate complex automation systems into clear business value while championing greater inclusion across the tech ecosystem.
In this conversation, Greg and Kait explore:
Kait’s journey from supply chain SaaS into robotics and how early exposure to warehouse operations shaped her approach to marketing and leadership
Why flexibility is becoming the defining advantage in warehouse automation, especially for brownfield facilities that cannot afford disruption
How Locus Robotics differentiates through its Robots as a Service model, combining deployment, maintenance, and continuous optimization into a single offering
The role of physical AI and why data from billions of robot interactions is becoming a competitive moat in modern automation
What success looks like for customers, from improved throughput and accuracy to better worker retention and operational scalability
Why marketing in robotics is fundamentally different from traditional B2C and SaaS, and how understanding customer problems outweighs technical specifications
The shift from early skepticism to ROI-driven adoption and why automation decisions are now tied to short-term financial performance
How category creation is shaping the market, including Locus’s push toward a new “robots to goods” paradigm
The importance of change management and why the most successful robotics deployments focus as much on people as they do on technology
Why warehouse automation is still in its early innings, with the vast majority of facilities remaining unautomated
The debate between humanoids and purpose-built robotics, and why solving specific problems may matter more than mimicking human form
Kait’s leadership philosophy, from building teams rooted in curiosity and collaboration to avoiding common hiring pitfalls
Her perspective on increasing representation in robotics and why creating inclusive environments is critical to the industry’s future
For anyone building, deploying, or evaluating automation in supply chain operations, this episode offers a practical and forward-looking view of where warehouse robotics is headed and what it takes to succeed in a rapidly evolving market.
Learn more about Locus Robotics: https://locusrobotics.com/
Learn more about The Feminist Exec: https://www.feministexec.com/
Connect with Kait Peterson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitvinson/
Connect with Greg Toroosian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregtoroosian/