Manufacturing Happy Hour

Marketing, manufacturing, and life advice are the key themes in this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour. Jim Carr, CEO of CARR Machine & Tool, joins the podcast to impart his words of wisdom as a manufacturing trailblazer. We hear about his early days of bartending and marketing and the surprisingly transferable lessons he now applies to manufacturing.  One of Jim’s take-home points in this episode is the importance of getting out of your comfort zone, which is something he practices regularly. He also shares how he got started with branding and marketing on the manufacturing side and why he decided to push forward with social media (even when manufacturing leaders at the time were skeptical).  Jim also reveals the two core beliefs that keep him successful and why his passion for his work keeps him young.  In this episode, find out: Jim explains how the notion of manufacturing work being low pay is no longer the case Why your branding should match the clients and partners you aspire to work with What Jim learned from his background in hospitality that he applies to manufacturing How to know when to take the leap into a different industry/new business venture Why you need to expand your comfort zone and try new things Jim’s advice for dealing with tough economic times  How Jim applied his background in branding and marketing to manufacturing  Why consistency is essential when it comes to branding  Why manufacturers are typically hesitant to get involved with marketing  Jim explains why his passion for his work keeps him young The two core beliefs that Jim holds onto 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: “What holds people back in their careers is they're too concerned with what other people are going to think. You have to do what you feel is the right thing for you.” “I believe if you match your brand to the companies that you're trying to attract, it's good synergy.” “Consistency is really important. If you're only going to post 1-2 times a week, make sure it's consistent on the days of the week and the times that you post because people get used to seeing that.”Links & mentions: Perry’s Steakhouse: An award-winning, fine-dining restaurant in Schaumburg, Chicago   CARR Machine & Tool: An AS9100D aerospace machine shop that does high-value, high precision machining My True Position podcast: A podcast for manufacturing professionals full of actionable insights into high-level issues of running a small to mid-sized manufacturing company, hosted by Jim.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. 

Hospitality and the manufacturing industry couldn’t be further apart, right? But it turns out there are some universal lessons when it comes to delivering a great customer experience that apply no matter what industry you’re in. Whether you’re dealing with guests, customers, clients, or visitors, the “hospitality mentality” is key to success – says returning guest Josh Liebman, guest experience expert, podcast co-host of AttractionPros, and author of The Hospitality Mentality. Josh joined us back in episode 17 to talk about what manufacturers can learn from the amusement park industry. In this episode, he goes one step further to break down the mindset that manufacturers can borrow from hospitality. He explains how to create lifelong fans of your brand, the true cost of negative reviews, and how the “recovery paradox” can help you turn negative reviews into something positive.  We also hear his advice on creating memories as a business model, his advice for helping your team adopt the right mindset, and what he’s learned from the manufacturing industry.  In this episode, find out: Josh explains what he means by a “hospitality mentality” and why it applies to all different industries We hear what led Josh to write his book How you can apply the hospitality mentality to turn people into a customer for life The true cost of negative customer reviews and how you can use them to your advantage Josh’s advice for instilling the hospitality mentality in frontline staff in the manufacturing space Josh shares his advice for creating “raving fans” The top thing that has shifted in Josh’s mindset  Why we’re in the business of “creating memories” and how this can apply to manufacturing What Josh has learned about manufacturing over the years 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: “We've built into our culture service recovery. So not only are we canceling out a bad experience, we're regaining that satisfaction. We're regaining that trust, and in many cases, that leads to loyalty.” “I treat every single guest as an influencer, whether they have 10 followers or 10 million, because people who are of the demographic of the business that you're talking about, they visit again or they do business with you again. They influence others to do business with you.”  “The way we remember something turns into our action in the future. It becomes the way we perceive what that experience was, and that perception determines our satisfaction or our dissatisfaction, and that determines how we then share and broadcast that experience with others.” Links & mentions: The Hospitality Mentality, Josh’s book on how to create raving fans through your guest experience Toons, Chicago's friendliest neighborhood bar  Attraction Pros, Josh’s podcast where the top leaders, executives, and influencers in the attractions industry share their advice and experiences.  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. 

When leveraged correctly, AI can enhance human creativity and allow businesses to connect disparate systems and make informed decisions. So, what choices can manufacturing businesses take to ensure they’re using AI the right way? We all know some aspects of our jobs can feel robotic, so Concurrency Chief Technology Officer, Nathan Lasnoski, suggests leaving the manual tasks to AI so you can focus on creativity. On this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, he shares how AI can be used to boost your team’s creative abilities and explains why ROI should be your lodestar as you look to incorporate AI. Plus, he provides expert tips on how leaders can start making the right AI choices and tells us the similarities between its explosion and the Industrial Revolution. Nathan’s been involved with AI for EIGHT years – so he knows what he’s talking about!  In this episode, find out: Nathan explains how companies can focus on “real productive AI” and transform the way they think of AI in the context of their business Why ROI should be the “guiding light” of a business’ use of AI and why it is solving old problems in a brand-new way Nathan shares the story of how he and Concurrency began using AI, hiring their first data scientist around eight years ago before the AI explosion of 2022 How AI is automating intuition and connecting disparate systems to allow business leaders to make data-driven decisions with a holistic view Nathan outlines his comparisons between the AI revolution and the Industrial Revolution, exploring the positives of automating workplace processes with AI How the AI revolution has the potential to increase, not decrease, human creativity by taking manual tasks off our hands Nathan tells us the right questions executives should be asking themselves about AI, and why they need to focus on their present and future goals How the frontline workforce play a vital part in manufacturing leaders knowing which incremental and disruptive changes to make with the help of AI 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: “The bar has been lowered for businesses to get into the game.” “Even medium- and small-sized organizations can translate repeatable processes into automated processes and free up their teams to be more.” “AI gives us the opportunity to unlock what is really special about each person and bring it to the forefront of our organizations.” Links & mentions: Concurrency, Devs aim for client-friendly interfaces, full support, and smooth cross-device experiences, all while ensuring scalable global accessibility Brian Evergreen on Manufacturing Happy Hour, Episode 118 Defining “Autonomous Transformation” and Avoiding “Pilot Purgatory” Jeff Winter on Manufacturing Happy Hour, Episode 149 Thriving with AI: Artificial Intelligence Strategies for Manufacturers Central Waters Brewing, Iconic Wisconsin craft brewery with its original location in Amherst and a newer taproom located within the old Pabst Brewery campus in downtown Milwaukee Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn Find Concurrency on LinkedIn Follow Concurrency on Twitter/X 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. 

For manufacturing to succeed in 2024 and beyond, it’s crucial we empower our frontline workers. But how can technology and data enhance their work experiences, capitalize on their strengths and build a positive culture? We’re delighted to be joined by not one, but two guests in this episode. Joris Stolk, Plant Manager at Lagunitas Brewing Company, and Willemijn Schneyder, CEO and founder of SwipeGuide, join Manufacturing Happy Hour to explore the importance of the frontline worker and how technology can play an integral role in ensuring they are front and center to manufacturing’s future. They explore the benefits of empowering the frontline workforce to experiment and how to ensure scalability when testing new ideas. Plus, they take a look at the current landscape of connectivity in manufacturing and share unmissable tips on overseeing digital innovation. What we discuss with Joris and Willemijn: Joris explains how he met Willemijn and they share stories from their early meetings to how they continue to share and grow their journey today Willemijn shares why frontline enablement is essential as we head into 2024, and why labor shortages mean employee satisfaction and retention should be front of mind at all times Joris shares the story behind Lagunitas Brewing Company and tells us the true definition of a ‘connected brewery’, exploring how he uses data and technology to enhance work experiences The story behind the ‘Digital David’ persona and how it has helped Joris and Willemijn target real pain points How ‘the connected brewery’ places frontline workers at the center of its operations, digital experiments and expansions How Joris and Willemijn avoid pilot purgatory and ensure scalability when prioritizing experimentation in ‘connected breweries’ Joris and Willemijn describe a day in the life of the ‘connected worker’, exploring how the technological and data-driven aspects of their duties have evolved their roles Hear practical tips from Joris and Willemijn on overseeing an innovative digital initiative, exploring why clarity, excitement and support are integral to success Joris and Willemijn provide a macro view of how other companies are approaching connectivity and why there has been wholescale change in the past two to three years 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: “The enablement of the frontline workforce is about how we leverage the expertise and inherent skill sets people already have and use technology to expand them.” – Willemijn Schneyder “It’s fundamental that you know your people well. Do you listen to the right people and know what they’re struggling with?” – Joris Stolk “If you prioritize an engaged workforce, your climate and your culture will make progress.” – Joris Stolk Links & mentions: SwipeGuide, the frontline “how to” platform, including clear-cut instructions, checklists, and skills development Lagunitas Brewing Company, iconic craft brewery that first began in Petaluma, CA that is now part of HEINEKEN’s global operation with a large brewery and taproom in Chicago, IL Connect with Joris on LinkedIn Connect with Willemijn on LinkedIn 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. 

Most successful manufacturing processes start with some sort of roadmap, designed to outline goals and what you need to reach them.But how do you create a roadmap for an all-new, one-of-a-kind project? Brian Donahue, VP of Corporate Affairs at Canvus, says his roadmap creation consisted of commitment and creativity, not to mention a hard-working procurement team. Brian joins Manufacturing Happy Hour to share the incredible story of Canvus and how they repurpose disused wind turbine blades into functional art for public use, such as benches, tables and planters. He tells us how the company began, outlines their mission and provides expert tips for manufacturing leaders embarking on groundbreaking projects. In this episode, find out: How Canvus upcycles wind turbine parts to create functional products such as park benches, tables and planters Brian explains how he created a roadmap for a never-done-before manufacturing process and provides advice for those looking to do the same Why having the right procurement team, spending time on ideation and finding a suitable facility are the most important things when planning a brand-new manufacturing process Brian shares advice on how he identified standards and best practices despite never embarking on such a project before Brian tells us the number one leadership trait he looks for in new hires and explains his interview process We ask Brian whether Ohio is a hub for his sort of work, or whether Canvus’ location is based around convenience Brian says manufacturing leaders should be willing to pay above market price for resources when they embark on a custom product Brian explains how he collaborates with local artists and shares how you can get a Canvus project installed near you  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 need strong leadership that’s going to drive people, not give them a crutch, but actually make them better.” “The marketing team calls (Canvus) a brand, but I go lofty on them and call it a movement.” “Having the right people is going to get you so much further, faster, than just trying to fill slots on a manufacturing floor.” Links & mentions: Canvus, a manufacturer that uses retired wind turbine blades to build new functional art pieces Great Lakes Brewing, Ohio’s original craft brewery, serving 14 states and Washington D.C. with fresh, innovative, award-winning beers Connect with Brian on LinkedIn 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. 

Frontline operations platforms help manufacturing teams upgrade their processes. So what’s the story behind the world’s leading frontline ops platform and how do they simplify workflows for the manufacturers of today and tomorrow? You may have heard the phrase ‘a good engineer is a lazy engineer’. It’s certainly an exaggeration, but what is true is that manufacturers are always looking for shortcuts. That’s why Natan Linder took a step back from his previous venture to focus on building Tulip Interfaces. Natan, Co-Founder and CEO, joins Manufacturing Happy Hour to explain how Tulip provide tools and data to manufacturing companies and helps them become the flexible businesses they want to be. He shares why connection and composability are key as manufacturing moves forward and tells us why manufacturers leveraging data and tech will become the most competitive. In this episode, find out: How his time working with Samsung and Sun Microsystems has shaped his views and ideas around frontline operations and encouraged him to switch up his career plans and start Tulip Interfaces while still at Formlabs Natan explores how he navigates career changes, explaining the similarities, differences and decision-making behind his switches from mobile to 3D printing to frontline operations A deep dive into how Natan’s work “aims to fuse design and engineering to create novel human experiences” and why he finds it fascinating when tech changes people’s processes in the workplace Natan shares why the availability of more tools could help the industry attract more software engineers The problems within lean manufacturing which led him to write his book Augmented Lean to update it for the “reality we live in today”. When lean manufacturing first came into existence, the Internet didn’t exist! Natan’s thoughts on Industry 4.0 and why manufacturers who leverage data will be more competitive and successful  Why Natan believes his book and podcast have helped him create a “real ecosystem”, tell stories and bring his community together Why Natan believes the frontline operations category is important, attributing it to a lack of technological advancement in some manufacturing businesses 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: “Frontline operations platforms bring in a Platform as a Service (PaaS) to the people who are designing, building and operating production lines and operational environments.” “It’s going to be tremendously impactful that companies adopt an agile, composable approach.” “With the book and podcast, we wanted to have different ways to bring the community together and tell stories.” Links & mentions: Tulip Interfaces, the industry’s leading frontline operations platform, giving manufacturers a holistic view of quality, process cycle times, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and more Formlabs, the largest supplier of professional stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printers in the world Connect with Natan on LinkedIn 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. 

Performance management is critical to keep your manufacturing processes running smoothly. So, as the capabilities of technology continue to advance, how can leaders leverage tech and data to build strong, meaningful employee relationships and cut their turnovers in half? This feels like a classic episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, and joining the show is Mike White, Founder and President of Secchi. Secchi is a platform providing clarity for HR professionals and helping them make data-driven performance decisions.  Mike shares details of his career, from his early days in frontline work to the experiences that led him to create Secchi. He explains his simple philosophy, telling us why effective employee relationship management comes down to respect and treating people right. Plus, he explores how frontline teams are responding to leaders making data-led judgments. What we discuss with Mike: What Mike noticed when he first entered the world of frontline manufacturing with Johns Manville in 2006 Why great people management comes down to ‘treating people right’ and why Mike believes ‘everybody is a leader’ in their own way How Mike leads HR during economic ebbs and flows and how he continued prioritizing people during the financial downturn in 2008 Mike explains why we are ‘entering the age of the frontline worker’ and why AI and tech may not affect frontline work as much as we think How problems Mike encountered in the workplace led him to create Secchi, improving employee relationship management and cutting turnover in half How frontline employees respond to the fact that there is data on their performance, leadership and relationships Why ‘data, teamwork and courage’ are held dear at Secchi and how they relate to employee relationship management Mike explains how bad employees can chase off good ones, emphasizing the importance of rewarding great behavior in the workplace 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: “What I noticed is that most issues are completely solvable for people. It’s just treating people with respect. That’s where I came up with my philosophy that everyone is a leader.” “The frontline is like the O line. They have to go every day, grind, run into problems and fix things. They’re underappreciated.” “When you think about employee relationship management, you don't think about data. We want to bring this level of transparency with data that we're no longer making feelings decisions with folks. We're making data-driven decisions and letting great workers do great work.” Links & mentions: Secchi, generate instant performance reviews based on automated data, including attendance, warnings, and recognition Pete’s Pub, a laid-back neighborhood pub & restaurant located in a historical building in the heart of Milwaukee's Brady Street Follow Secchi on LinkedIn Follow Mike on LinkedIn 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.

Industrial distribution is so much more than just shipping boxes. It’s an essential part of the manufacturing process and, without it, customers would never see the products they need. But how has industrial distribution evolved? What does it mean to be a distributor today? And what does the distributor of the future look like? We can’t believe we’ve never dived into industrial distribution on Manufacturing Happy Hour, but better late than never! Here to shed some light is Nate Bucklew, a district manager with E&H Electrical Supply, an electrical distributor based in Louisville, Kentucky. Nate shares how his role has evolved into a fully-fledged service provider and explains why the customer is central to success in distribution. Plus, he tells us why Louisville is such a special place and leaves us with some unmissable tips on career progression.    What we discuss with Nate: How his family history of industrial work led him to pursue a career in manufacturing himself, working in a warehouse and returning to manufacturing full-time after graduation Nate explains why patience and building trust and strong relationships is integral as you lay the foundations for a progressive career in manufacturing Manufacturing is a distinct part of Louisville’s identity and plays a huge role in why it is a fast-growing city To instigate and execute a successful digital transformation, manufacturing leaders must help their teams understand the reasoning behind the change Nate explains why the product is irrelevant if it doesn’t reach the customer at the desired speed. Distribution is an often overlooked but incredibly important part of the manufacturing process Nate shares how industrial distribution has undergone a transformation and tells us why leaders in his field have seen their job roles expand and become service providers Why the future of the manufacturing industry lies with people and their abilities to learn and progress. Technology will also play a critical part as distributors work to build even stronger trust with customers Why the most important thing for industrial distribution is understanding and delivering what the customer wants 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: “We’re a people business. What we do is much more than just providing boxes.” “Everything we do is based around transparency and integrity as a baseline.” “We better be darn sure that, as we strive to solve our customers’ problem, we’re not poking another customer or distributor in the eye. It’s a nimble journey.” Links & mentions: E&H Electric Supply, a division of CED, E&H is the #1 source for automation & electrical supplies in the Kentuckiana area Repeal, Whiskey Row's only oak-fired steakhouse, located in downtown Louisville housed in the former site of J.T.S. Brown and Sons’ wholesale warehouse and bottling operations Connect with Nate on LinkedIn 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. 

There’s no doubt that Smart Manufacturing has a plethora of benefits for manufacturing organizations. It can help speed up your processes, improve your product quality and reduce your costs.But effective Smart Manufacturing adoption lies with the leader. That’s why host Chris Luecke asked seven industry leaders for their Smart Manufacturing tips and tricks on our latest bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, recorded at the Smart Manufacturing Experience at SOUTHTEC.They discuss how leaders can cultivate a Smart Manufacturing mindset through their organization, why it’s OK to start with small changes and why factory floor teams should be involved in discussions before leaders make Smart Manufacturing decisions.Plus, discover how you can leverage the benefits of Smart Manufacturing in four actionable steps.Head to the previous episode for Part 1.Guests in this episode include:Jeff Winter – Sr. Director of Industry Strategy, Manufacturing, Hitachi Solutions AmericaHabib Quazi – Director of Innovation & Business Transformation, ExxonMobilRick Van Dyke – Sr. Director of Supply Chain Engineering, PepsiCoRick Bullotta – Founder of ThingWorxSanjeev Heda – Principal Industry Consultant, IoT Division, SASSudarsan Rachuri – Federal Program Manager, U.S. Department of EnergyOlivia Morales – Solutions Architect, CESMII

Smart Manufacturing goes way beyond being just a buzzword. It’s a movement and mindset taking the industry by storm. But what does it really mean, what are the key benefits and how can manufacturing leaders get started today?Manufacturing Happy Hour host Chris Luecke asked industry experts these questions live at the Smart Manufacturing Experience at SOUTHTEC. In this special bonus episode, seven manufacturing leaders shared their own definitions of Smart Manufacturing, the secrets behind the successful digital transformations they’ve overseen and the best ways to adopt a Smart Manufacturing mindset.Stay tuned for part 2 with more inspirational manufacturing leaders next week!Guests in this episode include:Sudhi Bangalore – Founding Partner & CEO, Full-BoreMike Tomasco – VP, Pfizer DigitalPatrick Gaughan – Partner, Axiom Manufacturing SystemsAldo Ferrante – CIO, SORBA.aiMichael Clark – Director, OPC FoundationErich Barnstedt – Chief Architect, Standards, Consortia & Industrial IoT, Azure Edge & Platform, MicrosoftKatherine Cahalane – Founder & CEO, BennitAI