The Manufacturing Executive

Welcome to a new era of robotics!Robots of the past were defined by their tasks. They went through pre-planned motions and they weren’t able to adapt to changes in their environment.Today’s next-gen robots, however, are hyper-intelligent, able to differentiate between people and objects, and adjust to changes in real time.Nan Li, Managing Director at Obvious Ventures, has spent a lot of his career watching the evolution of robotics, and in this episode, he explains what this new era of robots means for the manufacturing industry.Join us as we discuss:- The differences between the robots of yesterday and the robots of today- What autonomous vehicles have to do with advances in robotics- How robot systems are becoming more financially accessible Subscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

The biggest obstacle to renewables is a lack of knowledge on the subject.But once everyone knows the money they can save while helping the environment…We’ll be living in an all electric-society.Today’s guest, Jack Nehlig, President at Phoenix Contact USA, joins the show to discuss these benefits and what the all-electric society means for manufacturing.Join us as we discuss:- What people need to know about renewables- The trends in autonomous vehicles- How anyone can take advantage of the latest advancements in robotics  Subscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

It's never been more costly to watch your people walk out the door.Today’s guest is Dan Johnston, Co-Founder and CEO, WorkStepWorkStep is a software platform that empowers companies to find and keep frontline employees for the long run. Dan has seen first hand how workforce retention can make or break a company and I’m thrilled to have him on the show.Join us as we discuss:How supply chain disruption and labor shortages are connectedWhy the manufacturing labor force looks different today than it did a decade agoThe opportunity cost associated with turnover in workforce populationsSubscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

Too often, we’re having the wrong conversation about automation ROI.In a time when simply finding labor is the biggest challenge many manufacturers face, the ROI conversation around automation is now about much more than replacing labor costs.So says today’s guest, Scot Lindemann, CEO at Mission Design & Automation, who joins the show to explain how to make the conversation around automation a more fruitful one for everybody.Join us as we discuss:- The unseen returns of automation- Why automation is a journey of continuous improvement, not a destination- Scot’s take on labor on the current state of labor in manufacturing Subscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

It’s no secret why so many companies have sent their manufacturing overseas: It’s to save money.But are you really saving when the hassle costs you your ability to innovate quickly?Today’s guest, Martin DeBono, President at GAF Energy, joins the show to share his insights on how colocating R&D domestically can ultimately save you by helping you get innovative products to market faster than your competitors.Join us as we discuss:- The difficulties with overseas manufacturing- Why reshoring (and specifically, colocating R&D domestically) can help address both the supply chain challenges and the labor shortage- How Martin is putting his advice into practice Subscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

Manufacturers aren’t typically marketing-driven companies.But they should be.Because their existing customer bases and referrals aren’t enough to cut it anymore.In this solo episode, I’ll be covering 8 guiding principles for marketing manufacturing in 2022I’ll be covering:- The power shift from seller to buyer- Understanding who makes up the buying committee- Creating value to gain attention and trust- Turning the knowledge of your industry experts into marketing assets- Capturing demand where it already exists- Creating demand in the rest of your audience- Communicating regularly with your sales teams- Measuring resultsSubscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

Tell me a platform where you can post 15 times and have 40,000 followers.Today’s guest throws out a TikTok in five minutes before breakfast every morning — and has incontrovertible proof that it absolutely drove 100% of the preorders for a new product.In this episode, I interview Todd Clouser , Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Refine Labs, about the power of TikTok marketing in the trades.Join us as we discuss:- The potential for TikTok videos to educate students and new tradespeople- Stunning stats and anecdotes of Todd’s TikTok success- How to cultivate relationships with TikTok influencers- Advice for getting started on TikTokSubscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

When it comes to improving your company's ethics and compliance…Any changes you make will only be as good as the culture supporting them.And today’s guest, Emily Miner, Senior Advisor in LRN ’s Ethics & Compliance Advisory Practice, joins the show to share the best ways to cultivate that culture.We discuss:The evolution of E&CWhy ethics and compliance and organizational culture are inextricably linkedThe importance of understanding the differences in the experience of culture for various individuals across your company Subscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

Companies that go international are 20% more profitable on average.For most manufacturers, the only thing stopping them from reaping the rewards of going global is the fear of the unknown.But with a little guidance, you can make sure your international ambitions don’t get lost in translation.And there is no better guide than today’s guest, Wendy Pease, Owner of Rapport International, who joins the show to share her tips for going global.Join us as we discuss:- How to decide where to do business internationally- The steps to break into a market in another region- The value of professional translation — domestically and abroadBe sure to check out these important resources:- Exporting readiness checklist- Wendy’s Linktree, which features all her important links, including a few free chapters of the books and all her socials.- Global Marketing Show podcast- Manufacturing Case StudySubscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.

Consumers adopt technology faster and adapt their behavior more readily than businesses do. How can we bring those positive consumer traits into manufacturing?In this episode, I interview Todd Leebow, President/CEO at Majestic Steel USA, about consumerizing the industrial supply chain.Join us as we discuss:- Traits of consumers that manufacturing should adopt- Why convention is the antithesis of innovation- What changes when we recognize that manufacturing is technology- Supply chain opportunities exposed by COVIDSubscribe to The Manufacturing Executive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Manufacturing Executive in your favorite podcast player.