MakingChips Podcast

Breaking the Ceiling: Systems, Data, and the Truth About Scaling a Machine Shop, Ep #44 Manufacturing will humble you—no matter how good you get. I was talking with someone recently about how this might be the only industry where you can perform at a world-class level and still lose money on scrap. That’s just the […]

What does it really take to build a $50 million machine shop from scratch? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with David Dussault and Joel Lape, co-founders of P1 Industries, to unpack one of the most impressive growth stories I’ve come across in manufacturing. They started with a single used lathe […]

A second shift sounds like growth. More hours. More output. More revenue. But what if adding a second shift is actually the fastest way to multiply your problems? In this joint episode, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps tackle one of the most common ideas floating around machine shops right now: “Should we add a second […]

Larry Salazar, President and Co-Founder of NestSTEPS, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss what employees really want from their workplace. With more than 25 years at the intersection of technology, HR benefits and financial services, Larry shares why housing and homeownership have emerged as powerful tools for workforce stability and retention. The conversation explores evolving […]

In today’s conversation, Founder and CEO of Axion, Daniel First, will share his observations about how data-rich manufacturing environments are transforming the roles of quality and innovation. He’ll tell you how manufacturing leaders are starting to leverage AI to turn overwhelming streams of customer, device and service data into opportunities for faster product development and […]

What does the next generation of manufacturing ownership really look like? In this episode of MakingChips, we sit down with Mason Nicholas, a 21-year-old shop owner who’s building his business one machine, one customer, and one sleepless night at a time. His journey didn’t start with a formal apprenticeship or engineering degree. It started with […]

What happens when a shop that’s already running lights-out decides to push even further? The Lights Out team returns to Imago Manufacturing nearly a year after their first visit to see how Ryan’s lights-out vision has evolved. What they find is a shop that looks similar on the surface, same team, same footprint, but dramatically […]

With AI and other options available for getting insights from customers, what’s the point of the humble customer interview? And, how do you strategize these calls to get the most out of them? In this IMC Live session, Allen talks to Nihal and Stephanie, writers at Gorilla, to dig into how to get the most […]

What does it look like to build a manufacturing company where the primary purpose is to create joy through kindness? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Jean Pitzo of Ace Metal Crafts shares how that philosophy shaped her leadership approach and helped grow the company into a thriving, multi-division manufacturing organization. Her story challenges […]

Your shop isn’t struggling because you’re too expensive.It might be struggling because you’re still pricing like you’re afraid. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Mike Fritz breaks down one of the most dangerous habits in manufacturing: USING PRICE AS YOUR MAIN SALES STRATEGY. A lot of shops think lowering prices wins more […]

In today’s conversation, Co-Founder & CEO at Seurat Technologies, James DeMuth, will share how a different approach metal additive manufacturing can radically increase throughput, disrupt industry economics and reshape supply chains. He’ll offer his perspective on where additive manufacturing stands today, discus applications and share his perspective on what’s needed for U.S. manufacturing to stay […]

What happens when a college engineering student buys a CNC machine just to experiment… and accidentally builds an aerospace machine shop? That’s exactly what Nick Preece did. What started as a curiosity fueled by YouTube videos and garage tinkering quickly evolved into Preece Machining & Assembly, a fast-growing shop focused on complex, high-mix aerospace work. […]

What actually makes leadership work in a manufacturing environment? Is it KPIs, lean systems, and dashboards? Or is it something far more human? In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sit down with Jason Woodard, COO of Geislinger Corporation and author of Manufacturing Leadership That Works, to unpack the leadership principles that drive real […]

Today, we wanted to run a bit of a thought experiment on organic social. As an agency, we’ve often recommended that clients turn email or well performing paid social content into organic social posts for added engagement. But what if we’ve got it backwards? What if organic social is the lab for testing new marketing […]

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Skip Markley of Die Craft Machining & Engineering to explore a transformation story that spans more than two decades. Skip walks me through how he acquired a small shop running on manual equipment and carbon paper work orders and gradually evolved it into a […]

So many manufacturers find themselves stuck in break-fix mode, constantly reacting to machine maintenance problems instead of staying ahead of them. If this sounds familiar, what’s it costing your business, your team and your ability to plan for the future? In this episode, CMO of Limble, Paul Ross, shares insights not only from his own […]

Jason Woodard, COO at Geislinger Corporation, returns to The Manufacturing Employer to share insights from his new book, “Manufacturing Leadership That Works.” Drawing on 35 years of experience, Jason discusses why traditional leadership models fall short, the importance of holistic people-first management and practical tools like one-on-one meetings. He explains how investing in frontline operators […]

What happens when a childhood obsession with trains turns into a manufacturing business? In this episode of MakingChips Generation CNC, we sit down with Chris Huffman, a young shop owner who launched Huffman Machining Solutions at just 21 years old. Now 26, Chris is building his business one machine, one customer, and one calculated risk […]

Additive manufacturing has been “the future” of manufacturing for decades. And yet, for many shops, it still feels just out of reach—either too expensive, too complex, or too uncertain to justify. So where does it actually stand today? In this episode of Lights Out, we sit down with Mark Barfoot, VP of Global Sales at […]

What happens when you give customers a place to explore — not be sold to? In this episode, Peyton Warren and Allen Fennewald talk with Julie Runez of Lehnen Industrial Services about the Lehnen Lab — a space designed to de-risk automation decisions that’s become a powerful driver of trust, content, and pipeline. They break […]