What does it take to launch a manufacturing startup? And how do you finally walk away from it when it’s time?

Nick Pinkston, CEO and Founder of Volition, is back on the show for round three of our three-part series. In this episode, we take a closer look at Nick’s previous ventures, including Plethora, to get an idea of what it’s like to build a company and then close the door to it.

Nick shares the top things he wished he’d have known earlier in his career, what he’s learned from previous business experiences, and some advice for others. He also gives his take on the investor world and explains why VCs are no longer as scared to touch manufacturing as they once were.

It’s been a fantastic mini-series with Nick, and he’s been full of brilliant insights into the startup world, investment, and the future of the industry. Be sure to catch up on episodes one and two with Nick if you haven’t already.

In this episode, find out:

What Plethora did in the manufacturing space
Why Nick decided to leave his position as CEO
The most important lessons he took from Plethora
Why Plethora shut down
What you need to do before scaling a startup
Why VCs are less afraid of manufacturing these days
What Nick wishes he had known earlier in his career
What’s currently working for Volition
Why Nick learned to love the management side of running a startup

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:

"You get what you put in.”
“I wish I would have been somewhere where there were lots of mentors who could actually tell you how it works. I just had this huge shift when I moved to San Francisco and met real founders.”
“Your reputation is everything in this kind of field.”

Links & mentions:

Volition, one of the largest marketplaces for industrial components

Make 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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