Manufacturing Happy Hour

• 226: Building a Community of Machine Shop Entrepreneurs Featuring Russell Winter, Founder of US MFG

  When like-minded entrepreneurs sit down to swap stories, advice, and connections, it’s a major win for everyone. This is one of the great things about manufacturing because this industry thrives on collaboration, not just competition.In this episode, we hear from Russell Winter, Founder of US MFG, who’s on a mission to connect entrepreneurs in the machine shop space together, while also acquiring shops from retiring owners that would have otherwise gone out of business. With the number of machine shops steadily declining, people like Russell are breathing new life into the space with technology and innovative ideas. Russell shares his story of how he got started, how he chooses whether to acquire a new shop, the red flags to watch out for, and the two main things he looks at when accessing a business. We hear more about his efforts to build bridges in the community and his thoughts on inspiring the next generation of manufacturing business owners. In this episode, find out:Russell shares an overview of how he buys machine shops and brings them together with softwareRetiring owners of machine shops who don’t have a clear succession plan often close their doors for good unless someone like Russell steps inHow Russell decides which machine shops to acquire by looking at finances and culture to find red flags Why bringing people in with more experience is a huge part of succeeding in this space How Russell finds mentors and collaborates in his network Advice for entrepreneurs looking for business opportunities What led Russell to realize he needed to change the mission of US MFG to a more community-focused approach How do we create awareness in the next generation of manufacturing business ownership?The skills and knowledge we need to prepare young people for a future in manufacturing and business ownershipWhy shop classes in high schools are a growing trend and what this means for the industry How Russell’s company teaches important skills like financial literacy through his shops Russell shares the first major project he remembers manufacturing Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“The cool part about these shop classes is their instructors are often very mutual and collaborative with the industry that's around the high school. They'll have a board of business owners saying, 'This is who we're looking to hire. Can you teach them more turning work or a specific software?'”“Something that I've worked on developing a lot more is a mindset of trust but verify as opposed to just trust. Going over things with a fine-toothed comb, actual financials, and setting clear expectations at the beginning really pays off.”“There's a saying: if you want investment, ask for advice. And if you want advice, ask for investment. People are always going to give you advice because there's something to improve on, and if you're willing to take it and learn and grow and actually put it into action, then they're like, 'Oh, I see an investment here.'” Links & mentions:US MFG partners with entrepreneurs to acquire, operate, and grow manufacturing companies within a collaborative networkSCORE Business Mentoring, providing free business advice for starting or growing a small business...

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• 225: From Enterprise Engineering to Owning a Small Manufacturing Business Featuring Amorphic Brewing Founder Ron Hockersmith and a BROADcast For Manufacturers, Live from Milwaukee, WI

  What happens when a former engineering leader decides to open a brewery? In the true spirit of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we talk all about beer in this episode. Recorded live from Amorphic Beer in Milwaukee, WI, we sit down with the Founder, Ron Hockersmith, to learn about what makes their beer special and the company a success even as the hype around craft beer fades. We’re also joined by the brilliant hosts from A BROADcast for Manufacturers, Kris Harrington (CEO of GenAlpha) and Lori Highby (CEO and Founder of Keystone Click), for a 4-way entrepreneurial chat about manufacturing, engineering, leadership, and of course, beer. In this episode, we take a look at the early days of Amorphic Beer and Ron’s career background before he stepped into the brewing world. Ron has taken all the great parts of leading a team from his engineering days and applied them to his business today, and it’s safe to say that’s been a great move for Amorphic. We hear about the team, the operations, the scientific approach to margins and recipes, and some surprising beer facts along the way.In this episode, find out:A little background on Ron’s career and how he came from healthcare manufacturing and defense contracting to start his own breweryIntroduction to the hosts of A BROADcast for Manufacturers podcast Why Ron opted for lean manufacturing principles without the formality to run his breweryWhat a background in engineering taught Ron about leadership and why he runs Amorphic Beer like an international engineering organizationWhat makes the leadership and management of Amorphic Beer different and successful even as the hype around craft beer dies down Why trust in your employees is key to success Ron shares the main differences he’s experienced since working for himself vs. as an employee in a major organization Facts on beer, music, plants, and sports for the “I just learned that…” segment How recent tariffs on Canadian aluminum may have a huge impact on Amorphic Beer in the future Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:"We run this like it's an international engineering organization." "Don't try and hire for the perfect team because you'll never find the perfect people to fit into the perfect cogs... Find what your people are very good at and then build your organization around that.”"No-one's ever worked for me that I don't trust. Doesn't matter if I'm working in defense contracting for GE or at the brewery,  trust them, empower them to do the right things.”Links & mentions:Amorphic Beer, Milwaukee WI brewery where beer is “engineered through scientific experimentation”A BROADcast for Manufacturers, a podcast run by Lori, Kris and Erin exploring stories and manufacturing insights that challenge the status quoMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

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• 224: The Role of a State Chamber in a Manufacturing Ecosystem with Mike Johnson, COO Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  Manufacturing is a hotbed of activity, interest, and innovation right now and states like Nebraska are leading the way. As part of our Made Here series, we toured Nebraska’s manufacturing heartland to hear stories from leaders, experts, and innovators who want to spread the word about the opportunities and community benefits of manufacturing.We round off our Nebraska tour with Mike Johnson COO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who shares a wider perspective on how manufacturing is impacting local communities, the economy, and the individuals who make it all happen. We talk about why manufacturing opportunities are great for people from all walks of life, with some inspiring stories about women in the space becoming role models for future manufacturers. Mike also explains the role of a Chamber of Commerce and why we should celebrate and showcases manufacturing careers for the benefit of all. We hear a great example of Nebraska doing this with its annual competition for the coolest innovations in Nebraska – featuring a fire-breathing drone and an all-terrain wheelchair. In this episode, find out:A summary of what we’ve heard and learned as we round off the Nebraska tour of our Made Here seriesWe recap on the last time Mike was on the show and how perceptions of the industry have changed sinceOld perceptions of the dirty and dangerous stereotype of manufacturing are changing, leading more young people to consider it as a career Why rural Nebraska is writing a playbook for reinvigorating manufacturing and the impact this has on the economy and communityThe role of education institutions in training and encouraging more to consider manufacturing careersThe best ways to connect with the local community and involve everyone in the manufacturing sceneWhy we’re seeing more women in manufacturing plus some inspiring stories from MikeHow a Chamber of Commerce can act as a conduit for manufacturers to share their voice on what the industry needs The coolest things made in Nebraska, including a fire-breathing droneEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:”The chamber of commerce is the conduit for manufacturers of any shape and size across the state to convene and partner on what the voice of this industry in this state needs right now.”“State departments are starting to see that when manufacturers automate, they make more stuff, more stuff made means higher wages are paid to people, higher multipliers than hitting the local communities. And so the state can see higher tax revenues and then in the future, lower tax rates.”“I think it's really important for young women to see that “I can do this” and I don't have to be a big dude to be able to do this type of work.”Links & mentions:NE Chamber, delivering economic and workforce growth, a competitive business climate, and a network of leaders with the connections and know-how to help Nebraska businesses succeedNebraska Manufacturing Competitiveness Study, January 2024Coolest Thing Made in NebraskaMake sure to visit

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• 223: The State of Automation Halfway Through the Decade, Live from the 2025 A3 Business Forum

  Take your mind back to five years ago. Many of us were celebrating the start of what we thought would be an exciting decade for automation. And well… it’s certainly been different and not quite how most of us expected.Now, we sit squarely in the middle of a decade that has pushed automation and AI front and center of so many industries now. So how close were our pre-pandemic predictions on automation? And more importantly, where is automation headed next?This episode was recorded live at the 2025 A3 Business Forum, co-hosted by Jake Hall aka the Manufacturing Millennial, and features five conversations with industry leaders helping to shape automation’s future. We look at robotics, AI, machine vision, motion control, and the broader tech and manufacturing industries, plus we swap predictions on the second half of the 2020s.This week’s guests include:Peter Zafiro, General Manager at LinMot USAChristelle Keefer - Global Business Development Manager, Education at ABBJuan Aparicio - Founder & CEO at Reshape AutomationDavid Dechow - Machine Vision & Automation Solutions Architect at Motion Automation IntelligenceAlex Shikany - Executive Vice President at A3Jake Hall will be joining us for Automate 2025 in May, so don’t miss the chance to grab tickets and learn more here.In this episode, find out:Why 2025 A3 Business Forum is the perfect spot for a conversation about automationWhat the convergence of technologies has meant for automation’s applications in manufacturing and beyondPeter explains the biggest pain point that LinMot was experiencing and how automation became key The role of motion vision today and how it’s evolved with the help of automationWhy now is the best time in history to be involved with automation How STEM education paves the way for the growth of robotics The biggest hurdles to getting education institutions on board with STEMSome of the top non-profit organizations to keep an eye out for How AI has developed over the first half of the decade  Two ingredients that every successful application should have in the world of AI Examples of AI deployed successfully and where this is likely to change in the future How elements of vision tech have accelerated in the past 10 yearsAlex’s perspective on automation’s evolution throughout the first half of this decade The biggest things we’re looking forward to in 2025 and beyond What to expect at Automate 2025, which this episode’s co-hosts Chris and Jake will be attending in MayEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:"This is the best time there is in this industry. It's the convergence of all these technologies, whether it's robots, cobots, linear motion... the difference-maker will be how you introduce automation to your employees and make it easier to do more fun jobs." - Peter Zafiro"Schools are starting to realize that the students need to be exposed to STEM way earlier than just high school. High school is too late. College is too late. Let's get those kids exposed at an earlier age to the amazing field of manufacturing." - Christelle Keefer "Behind every robot, there are a lot of people. There are people selling the robots. There are people installing the robots. There are people maintaining the robots." - Juan Aparicio "No one I...

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• 222: A Bootstrapper's Guide to Re-Industrializing America with Jim Belosic, CEO of SendCutSend

  Is venture capitalism and manufacturing the perfect match for America’s new industry boom? Or will the industry bootstrap its way to success on the slower path? The verdict’s clear in this episode with Jim Belosic, the CEO of SendCutSend.Jim shares a down-to-earth take on succeeding as a manufacturing business with a mix of VC and bootstrapping. Rather than aiming for the dot-com boom level of success and all the private yachts that come with it, a slow and steady approach is ideal for manufacturing businesses, says Jim.We hear a little background on SendCutSend’s start and laser-focused approach to customer service, plus why Jim is such a big fan of the bootstrapping route. We hear his opinion on why manufacturing might be making a comeback, how to raise the visibility of the industry to plug skill gaps, and why we may need to “chill out” a bit when it comes to AI.In this episode, find out:Why bootstrapping is a great alternative path to industrialization and why Jim believes VC doesn’t belong in manufacturing How the future of entrepreneurship is changing back to traditional family-led routes Jim shares his background in manufacturing as a sign shop artist and what he learned about the effects of new tech on industry Why we’re due for a re-boom in the manufacturing world and how new technology plays a central role Outsourcing abroad – the next phase – why we’re due for a re-boom because the tech is even betterHow manufacturing can become more visible and enter the digital era with help from younger generations Why it’s not enough to only be a good manufacturer today, you also need to be a good marketer tooHow manufacturers can make simple changes to their digital presence to move in line with what customers want Why teaming up with local competitors can be mutually beneficial Jim explains why investing in and paying your staff well is the number one important thing to do in this industry Why you shouldn’t compete on price but instead on the quality of the service and the value your customer receivesEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“The way to success in manufacturing is you can't just be a good manufacturer. You actually have to be a good marketer too.”“A lot of people look at their competitors and want to burn them down. That usually just ends up with both of you catching on fire. So instead, try and be friendly.”“We’re poised for a manufacturing re-boom because the technology is even better now. This newest generation of machines is set up so well with alarms and error control, communication, and reliability, you're not just upgrading your speed or the reliability of the machine, you're upgrading your entire workforce.”Links & mentions:SendCutSend, online sheet metal fabrication service; get custom parts delivered in just a few days (upload STEP or DXF files for instant pricing)A Bootstrapper’s Guide to Re-Industrializing America, Jim’s article that inspired this episodeMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

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