Manufacturing Happy Hour

You just can’t find the people these days, right? Anyone in the manufacturing, engineering, or construction industries knows that the top challenge right now is finding talent. There’s a shortage of willing and able workers in the U.S. – and immigration policies make it difficult to bring in talent from overseas.  In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we head to Washington D.C. for a special live panel discussion from the Celebration of Construction on the National Mall. Marsia Geldert-Murphey, ASCE President-Elect, Thayer Long, President of the Association for Print Technologies and Steve Hall, Executive VP of ACEC, explore the reasons behind the talent shortage, how public policy could help, and how organizations are trying to attract the next generation of workers.  In this episode, find out: What employers can do to grow their applicant pool How firms are trying to attract talent Why you need to move people to the opportunities How public policy could help  Why immigration rules need to be revisited  What drives young people  How organizations are reaching out to school and college-aged students  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: “When you look at countries like Germany, Belarus, South Korea, UAE, 30% of their graduates are STEM graduates. In the United States, it's 19%. It's a math problem. We just do not have enough people. So we have got to improve our immigration program.” – Marsia “There's a lot of drivers that motivate young people today, and I don't think they always think about engineering as a way of accomplishing those goals. So [we need] messaging like that to young people through STEM programs.” - Steve “If the government put a quarter of the amount of effort into promoting an apprenticeship and a career in the construction trade as they do by subsidizing and supporting college education, it’d have a tremendous impact to bring more people into our field.” - Thayer Links & mentions: Association for Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), an organization that’s advancing equipment manufacturers in the global marketplace. They're on a mission not only to help businesses succeed but to build a community so that the industry as a whole can make positive, lasting change. American Society of Civil Engineers, the nation’s oldest engineering society that represents more than 150,000 members in 177 countries.  Independent Electrical Contractors, a national trade association for merit shop electrical and systems contractors. American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), the business voice of America’s engineering industry, representing nearly 6,000 firms to advocate for policies at federal, state and local levels. 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. 

More and more voices are being heard as the manufacturing community grows online. And while this can only be a good thing, it does make it tougher for individuals to be heard above the noise. In this episode, we welcomed James Soto, CEO of Industrial Strength Marketing, to talk about his tactics for getting his message across and building trust in the community.  James explains why storytelling is so important, how different types of “noise” can hold manufacturers back, and why you need to fully understand channels to get the most out of them. He also shares his tips for succeeding with video content and discusses other ways to break through the noise online.  In this episode, find out: The early days of James’ career  The marketing problem in manufacturing What trust in storytelling looks like  Why you should leverage the power of stories  The different types of noise in the industry  Why you need to “scrape the guardrails” How to capture audience attention without video 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: “If you can be yourself and really get good at it, that’s what people relate to, you know? Just be you.” “I believe a lot in channel mastery. There's real science around both the structure of what you're creating and how you format it.”  “Fighting for the audience is so important because if they get what they want, your creative juices are flowing.”  Links & mentions: Industrial Strength Marketing, a full-service B2B industrial marketing agency, offering digital marketing solutions from web design to advertising Rolf And Daughters, an industrial-chic restaurant with clever New American dishes, communal tables & inventive cocktails in Nashville, TN Monday Night Brewing, a relaxed brewhouse offering craft beer, cocktails & snacks, including hummus & cheese platters Bearded Iris Brewing, a taproom serving rotating, old-world style beer infused with Southern  flavors in comfy digs…also Chris’ favorite brewery in Nashville The 5 Spot, an East Nashville neighborhood music venue with snacks & a full bar served in a relaxed hangout that hosts live bands & weekly dance parties The Basement East, a casual hangout for live music by nationally touring acts where you might run into Jack White Old Glory, a subterranean bar in Nashville, TN offering elevated cocktails served in a historic boiler room with iron & concrete 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. 

What does it mean to have an experience mindset? Tiffani Bova, keynote speaker, author and Growth and Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, joins Manufacturing Happy Hour to explain how manufacturing leaders can prioritize employee experience while still keeping customer experience front of mind, using research found for her book The Experience Mindset. When Chris saw Tiffani speak on the topic at a KUKA Robotics event, he couldn’t wait to get her on the show! In this episode, Tiffani shares why companies put customers’ needs first, why it pays off to prioritize your employees and why the C-suite view employee experience the wrong way. Plus, she reveals what manufacturers can learn from other industries and tells us the first steps to adopting an experience mindset. In this episode, find out: What it means to have an experience mindset Why customer experience can take priority over employee experience How manufacturing leaders can get the balance right Why positive employee experience aids customer experience Why manufacturing companies should hire outside the industry Why leaders should get out of the office The first steps to implementing an experience mindset The gap between C-suite and employee views on employee experience What surprised Tiffani about her research What manufacturers can learn from other industries 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: “My advice to leaders would be – get out of your office. Go into the plant, use the systems, use the software. Use everything.” “If our customers aren’t successful, we’re not successful.” “If you only look in the same pool for hiring, maybe you miss out on the opportunity to bring in new skills.” Links & mentions: The Experience Mindset: Changing the Way You Think About Growth, by Tiffani Bova Tiffani Bova, official website for keynote speaking, books, Tiffani’s podcast, and more Connect with Tiffani on LinkedIn Follow Tiffani on Twitter 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. 

This just might be our biggest episodes ever. Today's episode is a recap of the 2023 Celebration of Construction Equipment on the Nation Mall, hosted by AEM, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. You'll hear from a ton of folks from the big names in equipment manufacturing as we discuss topics impacting the construction industry and beyond. In fact, seeing as how this is a manufacturing-centric podcast, you'll likely find that there are many parallels there are between construction and manufacturing.In May 2023, the National Mall - the area right between the Washington Monument and the US Capitol Building - was covered with heavy equipment that was on display for all to see. This included some of the biggest earth-moving equipment from big names like Komatsu, Caterpillar, Bobcat, John Deere, and Volvo. All of this was done in an effort to showcase industry innovations like alternatively powered equipment, autonomous systems, as well as exhibits focusing on workforce development, safety, sustainable materials.All of these interviews were recorded live, from a stage on the Capitol Mall, where we interviewed construction industry leaders across 14 different panel discussions and fireside chat-style conversations. This episode is a highlight reel with some of the top insights and takeaways from those discussions. This compilation should give you a vibe of the event and the type of work that the Association of Equipment Manufacturers is doing. We also cover the type of collaboration that's needed between the the private sector and government to make meaningful progress toward getting folks educated and trained, filling jobs, and improving infrastructure. Finally, you'll hear some things we've never talked about on this podcast before. From aggregates to the recyclability of asphalt, we'll give you a nice behind-the-scenes into some of the processes and technologies that are big in the construction space.

This is a branding, marketing, and sales focused episode…but everyone needs to hear this! Our guest this week is Emily Wilkins, Founder & President of Marketing Metal, a company focused on helping radical job shops make big profits by creating a killer brand and building out a stupid simple marketing machine. Given this very loud mission statement, there's no better person than Emily to cover the strategies outlined today. In this episode, Emily shares the importance of focusing on a niche audience through the lens of her own story that led to her founding Marketing Metal.  We also cover tactics and strategies that job shops and other manufacturers should consider adopting using one of her recent projects, Manufacturing Champions, as an example.  Finally, Emily shares a short list of things manufacturers should start and stop doing when it comes to marketing, plus a few final tips and personal stories on leveraging your unique voice. In this episode, find out: How Emily got started in manufacturing marketing Why job shops sometimes forget their audiences First steps for building a brand The benefits of personal branding The best ways of identifying your audience The advantages of focusing on a niche audience What job shops should start and stop in their marketing Why job shops need to evolve online How to mix your personality into personal branding How Emily turns her struggles into strengths in her personal brand 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: “When you bring some personal elements to (your brand), you look more human. That’s something all of us need right now.” “When you’re talking about a very specific person, it’s a lot easier for them to identify themselves and for potential referrers to send you the right people.” “Stop taking any project that comes to your door. It’s hard to say no if you’re in a cashflow problem, but how much is that job that’s not a right fit going to cost you?” Links & mentions: Marketing Metal, building out meaningful, stupid-simple branding and marketing for machine shops, fab shops, OEMs, and systems integrators Manufacturing Champions, a community of up-and-coming voices in manufacturing that you can leverage to help tell your brand’s story The Southerner, southern–style dishes & cocktails are served at this relaxed lakeside venue with a comfy interior in Saugatuck, MI Pumpernickels, modern and upbeat restaurant and bar in downtown Saugatuck, MI and Emily’s other go-to destination for bourbon old fashioneds Taco + Bar, a community taqueria showcasing craft mezcal and agave cocktails alongside uniquely handcrafted tacos in Holland, MI Connect with Emily 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. 

John Dyck, CEO of CESMII, is making his long-awaited debut on Manufacturing Happy Hour. CESMII is a non-profit institute in the United States dedicated to smart manufacturing. Simply put, they’re democratizing the tools and technologies needed to bring smarter manufacturing operations to life. Smart manufacturing operations result in reduced costs, less complexity, and quicker time-to-value. All of these things make companies and the US manufacturing industry as a whole more competitive on a global scale.  In this episode, John shares his background, what led him to CESMII, and what he's learned after finding himself in many roles that have put him on the bleeding edge of manufacturing technology. John also talks about the state of smart manufacturing’s adoption in the US and why there’s a sense of urgency to accelerate it.  Finally, we discuss how to adopt smart manufacturing technologies, including both the technology itself and the mindset required to drive intelligent manufacturing innovations. In this episode, find out: John’s career history How CESMII democratize technology for the adoption of smart manufacturing The definition of smart manufacturing Why there’s an urgency around smart manufacturing How the US can catch up with European and Asian markets The outcomes of smart manufacturing How to adopt a smart manufacturing mindset How to find the right partners to guide the process How smart technology could prevent pilot purgatory Helpful personas you need on board when adopting smart manufacturing: Corporate supply chain leadership Manufacturing leadership Plant leadership Plant workers Operators Technology providers Vendors Systems integrators and consultants Machine builders Knowledge providers  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: “Using data to transform how we work and become more competitive and productive – that’s where manufacturing leadership is.” “We fundamentally believe that smart manufacturing as a mindset becomes the next generation of digital quality, digital improvement and digital safety.” “I’ve found myself gravitating towards the bleeding edge (of manufacturing). That’s allowed me to work with forward-thinking manufacturing companies, systems integrators and machine builders who are early adopters of technology.” Links & mentions: CESMII, the United States’ non-profit institute dedicated to smart manufacturing (SM), working to reduce cost, complexity, and time-to-value so all manufacturers can engage in Smart manufacturing Smart manufacturing Executive Council, created by CESMII to engage business and technology executives, thought leaders, and visionaries advocating for the transformation of the U.S. manufacturing ecosystem Smart manufacturing Mindset, CESMII’s monthly LinkedIn Live web series SOUTHTEC, a manufacturing technology series event and trade show, taking place in October 2023 in Greenville, SC Follow CESMII on LinkedIn Follow CESMII on Twitter Connect with John Dyck 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.

Additive manufacturing won’t solve your problems, but as our guest explains, it can make life easier. We’re back to our traditional format at Manufacturing Happy Hour and, on this episode, we are joined by Lisa D. Block, Chief Revenue Officer at Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies. Lisa explains her path into the industry, shares her experiences and busts some myths around additive manufacturing.  Plus, she shares how we can create workspaces where people thrive, with tips on personal development, talent acquisition and diversity, equity and inclusion. In this episode, find out: How Lisa entered the world of additive manufacturing The biggest misnomers around additive The importance of personal development Different families within additive Her top tips for talent acquistion Take-home moments from Lisa’s talks Why companies need to refocus on training new starters How to create workplaces where people can work at their best Why it’s time for a fresh perspective on diversity 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: “I believe that character is born in personal development.” “[Additive manufacturing] is meant to make jobs easier and more efficient so the company can 10x their production.” “People say ‘we've gotta get diversity, equity, inclusion experts. We've gotta do this, we've gotta do that’. There’s a whole lot of ‘we’ve gotta’ and very little ‘we’ve done’.” Links & mentions: Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies, pioneering the combination of 3D printing and machining Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn Follow Lisa on Instagram 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. 

How can your company achieve a complete, enterprise-wide digital transformation? In our first ever throwback episode, Bob Murphy - a former Senior Vice President at Rockwell Automation - provides some of the most down-to-earth advice for leading a transformation journey. We recorded this episode in May 2020, but even 3 years later, there are still some major lessons to be learned during this episode.

From self-awareness to consistency, from personal branding to trust-building, there are more than a few ways that manufacturers can break through the noise on social media. In this bonus episode, your host Chris Luecke explores how manufacturers can cut through the noise by creating engaging, insightful content so that you can build trust with your ideal customer audience. While this brand-building strategy is a long-term play, it can yield exponential returns if you have the patience.

From diversity to digital transformation, innovation and best practices, this episode is packed with expert insights on taking your manufacturing leadership game up a gear. Tim Dickson, Chief Innovation Officer at Generac, joins Manufacturing Happy Hour to discuss misconceptions around the job title, what his role actually entails and how he aims to improve his leadership qualities every single week. Plus, he shares what Generac does in detail, provides his ideas on innovation and tells us why he wakes up at 4am every morning.  In this episode, find out: What Generac does The new definition of a CIO How to drive digital transformation How Tim levels up his leadership skills Why he gets up at 4am The importance of diversity Secrets of the Milwaukee tech community What innovation looks like at Generac How to help your team transform 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: “If you’re going to drive change, you have to understand and articulate the value of what that change is going to do.” “Knowledge is key. What you can do with that knowledge is what brings something forward.” “You have to have best practices.” Links & mentions: Generac, a leading energy technology company that provides advanced power grid software solutions, backup and prime power systems for home and industrial environments Summerfest Tech, championing the Milwaukee regional business community while shining the spotlight on Wisconsin's growing reputation as a tech hub, hosted annually alongside the music festival by the same name Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators, by Suzanne Tedrick InspireCIO Leadership Network, home of WisconsinCIO and other leadership chapters Explorium Brewpub, craft beer and food, located in Milwaukee’s historic Pritzlaff Building and a local hangout for the tech community 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.