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There is a widening disparity in the manufacturing industry: Insanely busy shops and shops that are barely treading water. In any business, there will always be companies that thrive and grow and those that don’t. But successful shops are doing something differently. In this episode of MakingChips, Kelsey Heikoop shares four things you can do differently to get more business and make more chips....

Titan Gilroy wanted to create a platform where aspiring machinists could hone their skills, share their work, and connect with leaders in the industry to get hired. So he launched CNC Expert. You can share projects, get hired (or hire someone), receive free training to get certifications, and much more.  CNC Expert certifications are based on real-world skills and aren’t just a piece of paper....

Lights out manufacturing isn’t only a large topic of conversation but it’s also the way of the future. Shops around the world are embracing automation. Are you? If you haven’t become part of the automation conversation, don’t miss our first lights-out-focused episode with Special guest Titan Gilroy. He shares how automation has progressed, the mindset you need to embrace to be successful, and how...

Ken Parent keeps it real. Ken launched Parent Manufacturing in 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Navigating running a small shop and providing for his family hasn’t been an easy road. Instead of shying away from the reality of entrepreneurism, Ken shares the good, the bad, and the ugly on LinkedIn. The response has been overwhelming.  In this episode of MakingChips, we chat with Ken about...

Did you know that we all operate from one of three root motivations? The majority of the decisions we make are because we’re striving for respect, value, or approval. When you know your root motivations as a leader—and in turn learn your team’s—it can help you become a better leader. Dennis Humphrey Ph.D. LCPC joins us in this episode of MakingChips to share how to narrow down your root...

I’m Mike Payne, the President and Owner of Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication and the first guest host for MakingChips Seasons. When I first bought my company, I had to take on many of the HR functions. Enter Thrive PEO: Jon Scoggins came into the picture and took a lot off my plate.  So in this episode of MakingChips, Jon joins us to share what a PEO is and how it can not only benefit...

We know that 2023 is going to be a challenge. After all, a recession is being purposefully orchestrated. The Fed is trying to curb inflation. And truthfully, recessions are a normal part of the economic cycle. Will a recession negatively impact the manufacturing industry? Or will we be left untouched? Will a recession actually lead to new opportunities for the metalworking nation? In this episode...

Reflecting on the past and learning from it helps shape our future decisions as leaders—both personally and professionally. I’ve worked in my family business for 25 years and recently spent some time reflecting on what I’ve learned.  So in this episode of MakingChips, I share 10 things I’ve learned during my time at ZENGERS. You need to learn and grow alongside your team. If they aren’t learning...

As a manufacturing leader, one of the most important things you can do is hire the right people. As I’ve been working through the recruiting process, I started to realize that it closely parallels the sales process. And if you excel as a salesperson, you’ll find it easier to recruit than you think. In this episode of MakingChips, we talk about recruitment in manufacturing. Because if you can't...

This is a good time of year to start thinking about your sales pipeline and hunting for new business. Prospecting is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business—but it’s also something that everyone hates—even salespeople. So what is the concept of “Fanatical” prospecting? How do you bite the bullet and get started? We share some tips in this episode of MakingChips. Because...

Have you read the book, “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin? The book talks about the mindset of Navy SEALS and how the techniques they employ in and out of combat can be embraced by leadership. So in this episode of MakingChips, we break down some of the facets of extreme leadership and share how they’re applicable to the manufacturing nation....

We believe that there are three components to running a great manufacturing company: People, process, and performance. And properly managing each of these areas will drive the success of your business. In this episode of MakingChips, we moderate a panel at the CV Manufacturing Conference with special guests Mike Allison and Ryan Howard. We cover everything from finding and retaining top talent to...