Manufacturing Happy Hour

COVID-19 – better known as the Coronavirus – continues to spread and disrupt the global economy in the process. The manufacturing industry is not immune to its effects, especially as the virus’ origins and highest number of cases are in China, a country which plays a key role in almost every manufacturer’s supply chain.So whether the Coronavirus is a pandemic or not, what can you as a manufacturing leader do to understand its effects on your business and, more importantly, what actions can you take to keep running and growing your business? In this timely bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we’ll take a look at how the virus is impacting global supply chains and how leaders in operations, sales & marketing, and the C-suite can respond in turn.This episode barely scratches the surface of an issue worth discussing further, so make sure to join the Manufacturing Happy Hour Industry Community on LinkedIn to join the conversation. 

Veryable just might be the solution to the workforce shortage challenges we as manufacturing leaders are all too aware of. Veryable is an on-demand marketplace for manufacturing labor, essentially making it “The Uber of the Factory Floor.” You can ramp up and ramp down your workforce as needed, while operators that use the platform have the benefit of creating a flexible work schedule. It’s a win-win for both the manufacturers and the people that keep those plants running.Veryable CTO Noah Labhart jumps on the show this week to share his own story going from developer to company co-founder, as well as some stories about the Veryable platform that really showcase its power to bring manufacturing into the 21st century by taking on one of the biggest issues facing manufacturers today.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

A3 is the Association for Advancing Automation, and at the beginning of every year, they host their annual business forum. Michael "Sully" Sullivan from the automation industry talent search firm Miller Resource Group had the opportunity to attend this past January, and in this edition of "3 Quick Things," Sully shares his 3 biggest takeaways from the event. From evolving perceptions around automation's role in job creation to the economic outlook for the manufacturing industry in 2020, this bonus episode is great food for thought as manufacturing leaders continue to navigate the year - and decade - ahead.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Workplace safety: One of the most important priorities for any manufacturer. Joe Geng has spent his entire career focused on helping people stay safe even in the toughest of work environments through his work at Superior Glove, the largest producer of work gloves in Canada. Now, he’s captured some of his biggest findings on workplace safety through his new book Rethinking Hand Safety: Myths, Truths, and Proven Practices.In this episode, Joe takes us through his journey into the family business, and his most important findings about workplace safety, including how trust is the foundation of a safe work culture as well as the psychology behind wearing (and not wearing) proper PPE. You’ll hear plenty of stories from the new book and actionable tips that will allow you to assess the state of your culture of safety within your own business or operation.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Travis Sheridan really does have the coolest job in the world. As the former President of Venture Café Global Institute (and the current Chief Community Officer of Wexford Science & Technology), he’s traveled the globe helping establish innovation communities in cities like Warsaw, Tokyo, and Philadelphia. He’s basically the Anthony Bourdain of startups.In this episode originally recorded for the show Pubcast Worldwide, Travis shares his thoughts on innovation and whom it should benefit. From scalable venture-backed startups to solving systemic societal issues, we cover a lot of ground, including:Why failure shouldn’t be celebratedWhose human condition is being improved by technologyHow innovation and collaboration vary from culture-to-cultureWe’ll even take a deep-dive into some of the specific Venture Café communities Travis has helped establish, including St. Louis, Rotterdam, and Sydney. There are plenty of parallels between startup life and the challenges manufacturers face – regardless of where you are in the world – and Travis has the passport stamps to prove it.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

As 2019 draws to a close, we jump into another edition of “3 Quick Things” that’s all about gratitude. In this bonus episode, we cover daily habits for exercising gratitude that can help any manufacturing leader stay focused and think bigger as they lead their teams and businesses into the next decade.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned for all of our full-length episodes. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

As a manufacturing company, how is social media currently playing a role in helping your business grow? Is it generating leads? Is it engaging your existing customer base? Are you regularly participating in conversations on LinkedIn, or are you just posting from time-to-time, usually in the form of some arbitrary holiday post?Whether you answered yes or no to any of these questions, you’ll want to tune into this episode as Chris walks through 6 strategies that you as a manufacturing leader can use to build your brand, community, and funnel while strengthening your overall business. From advanced tactics to actions that any employee can take to start using social media more effectively, Chris covers the specific tools and habits you need to increase your online presence and keep your brand at the front of your customers’ minds at all times.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

With 2019 coming quickly to a close, we have a short episode for you this week to help you jumpstart the new year. In this first ever bonus edition of “3 Quick Things,” Chris takes lessons from the first round of Manufacturing Happy Hour interviews and distills those into easy actions you can take in 2020. From creating & communicating a vision for new manufacturing technologies to leveraging a community of mentors that can help you take your business to the next level, tune in for this quickie of an episode, and make sure to come back next week for another full-length edition of the show.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Anastasia Kraft loved her engineering career in project management but hated the bulky, made-for-men work boots she had to wear on job sites. Realizing that she wasn’t alone in this feeling, she created a company that would solve this problem for her and all other women in the industry…Ana is the Co-Founder & CEO of Xena Workwear, a new Milwaukee-based industrial apparel company that’s leveling the playing field for women in engineering, manufacturing, and construction thanks to their stylish steel-toe shoes. She believes that what you wear impacts your confidence at work, but more importantly, she’s on a mission to make STEM-related fields more accessible to women.In this episode, Ana shares her entrepreneurial journey of starting Xena Workwear, why female role models in industry are critical for getting girls interested in STEM, and how male allies can take an active role in supporting women in these industries. There are plenty of startup stories, travel tales, and Wisconsin beers to go along with these topics, so grab a cold one and join us for the conversation.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

Have you been hearing about “Digital Transformation” and “Smart Manufacturing” but want to know if these are anything more than buzzwords? Are you wondering how to start taking advantage of the Industrial Internet of Things in your manufacturing operation? Wouldn’t it be nice if someone just simplified and explained these topics in a way that you could understand them while hanging out at a bar? Well, our panelists answered all of these questions and more during our first ever LIVE episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, recorded at the unofficial Automation Fair 2019 Kick-Off Party in Chicago.We were joined by 3 experts in Digital Transformation for this episode – including Tom Gaudet from PTC, Beth Parkinson from Rockwell Automation, and Ryan Wasmund from Concept Systems – who shared their insights and examples of successful Industrial Internet of Things implementations throughout this beer-fueled discussion. And, in an effort to avoid excessive industry jargon, we kicked the conversation up a notch by playing “The Digital Transformation Drinking Game” from start to finish. Curious how that turned out? Then tune in to this week’s episode for actionable advice, starter tips, and a little bit of fun around Digital Transformation.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.