Lean Built: Manufacturing Freedom

Jay and Andrew talk about the power of deletion and the joy of 3D printing. They discuss the importance of embracing the development process, even when it includes ideas that don't work out. They offer insights on how to effectively engage with influencer marketing (there's a way to do it and a way not to do it). Plus Andrew reveals his trade show strategies. 

Andrew and Jay talk about keeping the right amount of inventory without causing a bottleneck, the awesomeness of vertical lift modules (and just generally turning square feet into cubic feet), avoiding monuments in the shop, and how kanban is not just cards ... it's a system for exposing weaknesses.Book discussed:New Manufacturing Challenge: Techniques for Continuous Improvement by Kiyoshi Suzaki.

Andrew and Jay delve into the depths of lean maturity (or the absence of it), discussing how small companies can avoid reinventing the wheel, skillfully use redundancy, adhere to fundamental lean principles, and deliver answers right where the questions are most likely to be asked.

Andrew's just got a new lathe and we talk about it in this episode. There are plenty of challenges, including moving the shop layout. We also talk about how new employees help you find problems, and Rock Fuel University.

Jay and Andrew talk about rigging, how money eases the way, making our environment serve us, relationships vs profit, establishing value through the right comparison, and much more.Books mentioned:Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense by Rory Sutherland.The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design by Marty Neumeier.New Manufacturing Challenge: Techniques for Continuous Improvement by Kiyoshi Suzaki.

Andrew and Jay talk about building in margin, feeding your interest and curiosity, doing life-giving things, why you might not want to tie up funds in overstock, why technology should never be the bottleneck, and more.Book mentioned: New Manufacturing Challenge: Techniques for Continuous Improvement by Kiyoshi Suzaki.

Jay and Andrew talk leadership development, hiring when you don't need people, utility players vs bench players, where KPIs (key performance indicators) are useful and where they aren't, why the best expeditor is no expeditor, where to place a lathe, and more.Books mentioned:The New Manager's Handbook: 24 Lessons for Mastering Your New Role by Morey Sterner.How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients by Jeffrey J. Fox.The Story of the Paratroops by George Weller.

Andrew and Jay discuss some of the lessons from 2023. Topics include the need for lean to be flexible, how lean should align with a company's culture, the importance of intentional lean practices, setting diverse goals for different companies, establishing and executing measurable goals for employees, fostering employee ownership in their respective areas, and delegating tasks to enable more time for creative pursuits.Books mentioned:The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Workbook 25th Anniversary Edition: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Paperback by John C. Maxwell.Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman.

Jay and Andrew discusses Andrew's new company truck (which he bought in the least lean environment possible), how buying ahead to appease short-term tax write-offs can be a long-term bad investment, avoiding long term accounts receivable, cash flow vs cash position, trusting employees with their own credit cards, same day shipping and package tracking, and how prototyping is not necessarily lean.They also begin a conversation on what they want to improve in 2024 as they look back on 2023, which will continue in next episode.

Jay and Andrew talk about Andrew’s forklift and how he’s applying “digital training wheels,” how robots and automation can lead you astray, seeing how pain and expense add up, using AI to make expertise scalable to a wider audience, and much more.