From Overdue Invoices to Onshoring Wins: Vendor Strategy, Hiring Pains & Incremental R&D

Matt and Michael get candid about what it takes to scale manufacturing companies in 2025. Michael shares how “caring less” and enforcing reciprocity with customers—matching their cadence and demanding payment before implementation—has improved both cash flow and relationships. They discuss dealing with late invoices from billion-dollar corporations, the reality of tiered customer rules, and why sometimes dropping uphill battles (like bead-blast anodizing) makes everything smoother.

The conversation digs into vendor strategy: outsourcing only by referral, working with smaller shops as if they were part-time employees, and tracking accountability with a vendor Gantt chart. Matt pushes back, emphasizing long-term sustainable partnerships and highlighting the tradeoffs of Michael’s approach.

On the sales and marketing side, they cover reshoring trends, smart website conversion upgrades (mobile checkout fixes, email capture, weekly newsletters), and the ROI of focusing on conversion over top-of-funnel leads. In R&D, both hosts share incremental product improvements—from new grippers and all-metal push-to-fit fittings to quick design tweaks for field failures.

They wrap with company-wide updates: A3 certification prep, SOP consolidation, ISO/UL goals, and a renewed focus on employee career development through structured reviews. It’s an honest, practical look at balancing short-term tactics with long-term strategy in automation and manufacturing.