A CIO’s role stands as a defining thread in a company’s success trajectory. A CIO sets the direction and is the driving force leading the organization towards its goals. One such exemplary journey of leadership and growth can be found in the story of Little Caesars Pizza, a company that has experienced an incredible rise in success under the stewardship of Anita Klopfenstein, a phenomenal business leaders and inspiration for thousands of young women entrepreneurs.
Anita Klopfenstein is extremely passionate about technology and how it can be applied to solve practical issues. This passion led her to study computer science and start a career in IT. Over the past 25 years, the leading lady has held a number of senior positions in technology across numerous businesses. Her career has mostly been in the quick service restaurant sector; she has held IT leadership positions at Panera Bread and, more recently, Little Caesars. She oversees IT operations for all Ilitch-owned companies, such as Ilitch Sports + Entertainment.
Anita currently holds the crucial role of CIO with Little Caesars Pizza and Ilitch Owned Companies, where she is in charge of managing every facet of the business’s IT operations and infrastructure. She was also instrumental in creating and putting into action the company’s progressive digital strategy.
Little Caesars Pizza: The Industry Pioneer
Incorporated on May 8, 1959, Little Caesars Pizza holds a long legacy of being a pioneer in the pizza industry. It is renowned for HOT-N-READY pizzas, and its unique business model makes it an exciting place to be.
Little Caesars Pizza’s dedication to innovation and customer care encouraged Anita Klopfenstein to take a position there. It was exciting to consider spearheading the technological advancement of this game-changing idea. The company continues to provide its clients with cutting-edge new goods and services, such as the Pizza Portal, the first heated self-service mobile order pickup station in the business.
Further, Anita adores the company’s dedication to giving back to the community. The company operates two full-time, mobile pizza kitchens that they refer to as “Love Kitchens,” and they travel the nation every day serving hot meals to those in need. Seeing a company that is so devoted to the areas in which it operates is really encouraging.
The Team and Talent at Little Caesars Pizza
Anita Klopfenstein is incredibly fortunate to work with such a talented and dedicated team of industry leaders at Little Caesars. The team is extremely passionate about the work, agile, and committed to delivering the best possible experience for the customers.
The following attributes are highly valued by the inspirational woman on her team:
- Passion: She values employees who are dedicated to changing the world and who are passionate about what they do. True passion cannot be learned, but new abilities may always be acquired.
- Teamwork: When employees are able to operate well together as a unit, real magic happens.
- Creativity: The only way to ignite breakthrough ideas that propel our company forward is through creativity.
Creating a Positive and Progress-Focused Work Environment
Little Caesars has a robust culture and set of values that affect everything the company does. They are selfless, creative, goal-oriented, and never give up. They also serve others. The whole team is kind, resourceful, protective of the company’s distinctiveness, modest, and always having a good time. They also treat each other like family.
Establishing a culture where everyone is appreciated and feels at home is crucial. This can be achieved by encouraging an atmosphere of candid dialogue and teamwork. Programs for sponsorship and mentoring may help put women and other underrepresented groups in touch with seasoned leaders who can offer advice and assistance.
Anita’s Take on the Leadership
Maintaining real connections between teams and your company’s culture can be challenging in today’s globalized workplace. The good news is that it gives us access to a vast talent pool and enables us to provide colleagues with the support and flexibility they require to give their best work. We take precautions to be aware of the physical separation between certain coworkers and take measures to connect often.
Building a reliable network of other CIOs is crucial. This enables you to share knowledge about a range of business, IT, and team leadership-related issues. I also devote a lot of effort to getting input from the team as a whole and from other team members. When I coach and mentor someone, I frequently learn more from them than they do from me!
How do You Stay Resilient in a Challenging and Dynamic industry?
Anita and her team make a concerted effort to cultivate enduring bonds with their technology suppliers. This ensures that when new technology is being developed, they are collaborating with product teams. The teams have the opportunity to leverage new technology to advance their businesses by competing in company hackathons.
To stay resilient, the IT team strives to maintain a culture of agility, adopts a service-oriented attitude, and strikes a balance between reactive and proactive work.
The Futuristic Roadmap
The company has strategically charted a path to look for innovative strategies to improve the experience for guests, fans, and colleagues. They look to their guiding strategies of providing value, quality, and convenience whenever we are innovating. There is a world of possibilities for innovation, and with the guests in mind, they are excited to look toward the future.
Words of Wisdom
Anita shares her piece of advice with all the industry leaders in the same domain: “I believe everyone genuinely wants to do the best job possible. And it’s our responsibility as IT leaders to uncover that person’s hidden talent, encourage, acknowledge, and support them so they can give it their all. Because you have such great faith in them, they will want to make sure they succeed. Individuals must also believe that their work matters. Don’t just give the project to me. Don’t give the work to me. Please clarify for me. What is the purpose of my actions? How will it affect the company? If you are able to assist a squad in that way, they will move mountains for you. But if they do, and you don’t value and appreciate them, you’re going to get quiet quitters. So find out what motivates your team and how you can have fun. Look for ways the team can come together.”