MakingChips Podcast

Any business owner, CEO or President wants to feel confident that the dollars they spend will produce a positive return. But sometimes focusing on ROI too soon forces you to abandon your long-term business strategy in favor of short-term wins. In this conversation, we’ll look at how to measure marketing impact in two different business […]

Scott Gates, President of Awake Window & Door Co., joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss his innovative hiring model that employs formerly incarcerated individuals. Scott shares how this approach has grown Awake into a $30 million business while providing second chances and rebuilding lives. The conversation also explores the competitive advantages of this hiring strategy, […]

Every machine shop relies on outside processes—whether that’s heat treating, plating, grinding, or coating. But every time a part leaves your building, your risk profile changes. Quality, timing, and accountability become harder to control. In this episode of MakingChips, the hosts sit down with Charlie Hushek, owner of Phoenix Heat Treating and a newly minted machine shop owner, to […]

When tariffs, trade policy, and cash flow collide, manufacturers are forced to think creatively—or risk being crushed by uncertainty. That’s exactly where Mary Buchzeiger, CEO of Lucerne International and Lucerne Global Solutions, found herself. With skyrocketing tariffs on imported automotive components, Mary realized the solution wasn’t to absorb the hit—it was to rewrite the playbook […]

We’ve brought back Josh Rozman from a recent IMC: Live episode on call attribution. And if you’ve listened to that show, you’re probably also aware that Josh’s company, Oberlin Filter, has a pretty cool mascot that Josh has spearheaded. We want to dig further in, and really get to know Josh as a marketer and […]

Most people see Fabtech as just a trade show. But for those in the fabrication world, it’s where the entire industry comes together — to connect, learn, and see what’s next. In this episode, Casey Voelker sits down with Rick Snyder of Multipress and Matt Crosby of Pacific Press live from the Fabtech show floor. […]

When you’ve poured 46 years of your life into building a thriving precision machine shop—one that grew from a one-man garage to 50 employees, world-class equipment, and top-tier aerospace customers—you don’t expect it to end with burnout. In this deeply candid episode, I sit down with Cody Sisson, a lifelong machinist who built a remarkable business […]

As artificial intelligence creeps into so many facets of our personal and professional lives, it’s easy to lose sight of when it’s actually working in our favor. In this conversation, Co-Founder and President of SCOPE Recruiting, Friddy Hoegener, discusses the use of AI specifically in the context of recruiting for supply chain and manufacturing roles. […]

Finance doesn’t have to be a mystery—it can be your greatest advantage. In this episode of the Machine Shop MBA series, we sit down with Jon Hughes, Erik Skie, and Mike Estes from CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) to unpack the financial principles that separate high-performing shops from those that just get by. Together, they dig into how manufacturers can transform […]

You can collect data all day—but if you’re not using it to coach your team, you’re missing the point. In this episode of Lights Out, hosts Nick Goellner and Dave Vuyk wrap up their “Mindset Shifts for Lights Out Legends” series with one final transformation: moving from a monitored shop to a coached one. Drawing on lessons from Nick’s recent talk at the Automated […]

Today we’re stepping back from some of our more tactical discussions to talk about the industrial world at large. Donald Trump’s presidency has meant a lot of changes for industrial America, and we want to take an episode to talk about how.

How do you take a boring product in a declining industry and build a powerhouse business around it, all while refusing outside funding? In this conversation, Chairman and CEO of TerraSlate, Kyle Ewing talks through the gritty and sometimes unconventional principles behind his business model – from demanding prepayments, to mastering cold calls, to holding […]

Matt Granados, founder and CEO of LifePulse Inc., joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss how organizations can fix people problems by addressing underlying system issues. Matt challenges conventional approaches to workplace culture, arguing that sustainable solutions come from equipping individuals to solve their own problems rather than implementing quick fixes. The conversation explores how manufacturing […]

What happens when two brothers with a racing background decide to start a machine shop—with zero machining experience? You get Olson Custom Designs, a company that’s gone from two Haas machines in 2014 to nearly 90 employees today—serving medical, defense, and aerospace industries out of a world-class facility in Indianapolis. In this episode, we sit […]

In this episode of Buy the Numbers, host Mike Payne sits down with continuous improvement coach and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Brian Karp to dig into the metrics that matter most for manufacturing leaders. Together, they explore how data can be used not just to measure performance, but to transform culture, drive engagement, and spark […]

In this episode of IMC Live, Peyton and Allen talk with Taylor Corrado, senior director of brand marketing at Wistia, about how modern B2B marketers can get more from their video content. You’ll hear how Wistia repurposes its State of Video report across formats and channels — and how you can apply the same thinking […]

Most people think automation replaces welders. Graham Williams thinks it saves them. In this episode, recorded live at FABTECH, we sit down with Graham Williams of Vectis Automation to talk about how cobots are changing the game for small and mid-size shops — not by cutting people out, but by helping them do more, learn […]

In this powerful and deeply candid conversation, I sat down with Mark Heston, who first appeared on Episode 51 to share his story of buying and rebuilding an aerospace machine shop specializing in landing-gear components. At that time, the business was on an upward trajectory — improving culture, repricing work, and investing in growth. But […]

Need a new operator yesterday? Or wondering if a recruiter’s worth the 20% fee? In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the messy, costly, and sometimes surprising world of hiring in machine shops. From sifting through 100+ job board resumes to building career ladders that keep people around, Mike and Kirk break down […]

Relocating manufacturing operations from Asia to Mexico isn’t just about a change in location. It’s a bold strategy shift for manufacturers seeking greater control and speed. In this conversation, CEO of Tinker Tin, Matt Hannula, will explore everything from cultural differences to quality control to legal hurdles. And he’ll share actionable insights for any manufacturing […]