Mit Vyas: Insights on Learning from Toyota, Entrepreneurial Success, and Mindfulness Practices

Managing Director of Gemba Automation

Episode page with video, transcript and more

Joining us for Episode #472 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mit Vyas, managing director for Gemba Automation. He started his career at Toyota and worked for other large corporations. He founded Gemba Automation, a company that has helped customers in software, medical devices, fashion, and construction develop profitable and sustainable businesses.

Mit holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

In today's episode, we discuss what Mit learned working at Toyota, how that's been applied through Lean Startup thinking, and why the practice of meditation has been so important to him.

Questions, Notes, and highlights:

• I already gave part of the answer by mentioning Toyota… but tell us more about your Lean origin story?
• First job at Toyota – Process Engineer at Toyota was my first “real” job. The experience there was the springboard to the rest of my career.
• Inputs & outputs? — not telling you the answer?
• “What the actual facts” are out in the factory floor
• “Making your thinking visible?” – Problem Solving A3
• A3 coaching and questions?
• What do you know and how do you know it?
• Foundations? How can you learn problem solving if you don't know what the standard work or Takt are?
• What does the word “Kaizen” mean to you, to Toyota?
• What does “Challenge” mean at Toyota? What does it mean to you?
• Leading with humility?
• How do you apply PDCA thinking in your company? To starting a company?
• What's the problem statement that led to the company as a countermeasure?
• Lean Startup concepts?
• Minimum Viable Product? Minimum Viable Service?
• Have you found good product / market fit?
• Check and Adjust — pivot or persevere?
• Calming your nervous mind?
• Power of meditation – You've been meditating… what have you learned from that practice?

The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in its 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare industries. Learn more.

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.