Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

Do you struggle with any pet peeves? We’ve compiled a list of three sales and marketing tactics that people utilize that drive us crazy: misusing lead capture forms, cold calls, and spammy LinkedIn connections. But instead of just complaining about these things, we’re going to share what anyone in sales or marketing should do instead. There’s a right way—and most definitely a wrong way—to do it. Find out which side you’re landing on in this episode of MakingChips! – Nick If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone you know! If you know someone who struggles with spammy sales tactics, it might be a nice way to nudge them in the right direction.  Segments [3:18] Bring a nanny on your vacation [4:15] The good things happening in our lives [5:57] Manufacturing news: Recession Unlikely in 2022 [14:30] Things that drive us crazy (other than Jason) [17:30] Pet Peeve #1: Misusing lead capture forms [21:40] Pet Peeve #2: The dreaded cold call [25:15] Pet Peeve #3: Spammy LinkedIn connections Resources mentioned on this episode Get The Boring Bar Newsletter - Text CHIPS to 38470 to subscribe! Don’t miss IMTS 2022! ProShop ERP Recession Unlikely in 2022 The Remedy by Pascal Dennis Claim Your Company at https://www.thomasnet.com/claim Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

Gino Wickman and Jim Collins popularized the term, “Right people, right seat” in reference to getting the right employees in leadership positions. But what if we take that terminology and apply it to customers? How do you decide what type of customer is the right fit for your manufacturing business? What type of customer will be the most profitable for your business? Those are the questions that we dissect in this episode of MakingChips. Don’t miss it! Any great tips I can use to find THE right customers for Carr Machine & Tool? Email me at Jim@MakingChips.com.  Segments [6:28] The definition of “right people, right seat” [7:22] What’s happening in our lives right now [10:35] Business News: Dow falls for sixth straight day [15:43] How do you decide who the right customer is?  [16:52] Step #1: Focus on solving problems [20:10] Step #2: Focus on sales not vanity metrics [23:15] Step #3: Get the word out about your business [26:14] Step #4: Improve your customer retention [28:14] Step #5: Track your analytics [32:14] How we filter our customers at Carr [36:07] What work is the most profitable? [39:02] Study your customer’s behaviors Resources mentioned on this episode Get The Boring Bar Newsletter - Text CHIPS to 38470 to subscribe! Dow Falls for a Sixth Straight Day After Another Wild Session Gaining Customer Traction: 5 Steps to Customer Growth Traction by Gino Wickman Good to Great by Jim Collins Don’t miss IMTS 2022! ProShop ERP Learn about Xometry’s Flex program Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

Do you struggle with time management? Do you find yourself overwhelmed and exhausted at the end of the week with an endless backlog of things to do? After a rough week of long workdays and back-to-back dinner meetings, I felt like a zombie. I thought it wise to dive into an episode about time management. So in this episode of MakingChips, Jason and I tackle mastering time management in three areas: your phone calls, your calendar, and your time off. Because if you’re not managing your time efficiently, you aren’t making chips efficiently, which means you aren't making money, are you? — Nick Do you have a great system for time management? Let us know! Email us at info@MakingChips.com Segments [2:23] What’s happening in our lives [8:57] Manufacturing News: China Opposes Semiconductor Bill [15:15] Tip #1: Schedule phone calls and Zoom meetings [22:17] Tip #2: Share your calendar to avoid availability ping pong [24:33] Tip #3: Time block your calendar to get work done [29:59] Tip #4: What’s required and what’s optional changes [35:36] Tip #5: Manage “out of office” time the right way [43:14] Jason is certified as a “Full Focus” professional Resources mentioned on this episode Schedule a meeting with Jason! Full Focus Planner ProShop ERP Xometry Don’t miss IMTS 2022! China Opposes Semiconductor Bill Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

“King Richard” is a movie about Venus and Serena’s dad, Richard Williams. I remember watching their rise in tennis and was fascinated by this movie that followed their path to success. Their father was a large driving force behind their successful careers. So in this unique episode of MakingChips, we talk about 7 takeaways from King Richard and how they can be applied to the manufacturing world. If you want to rise to the top, you have to make chips. Because if you’re not making chips, you’re not making money. BAM! Segments [3:01] The sacrifice(s) it takes to achieve success [6:25] What’s happening in our lives [9:21] Manufacturing News: Manufacturing Activity Slows [15:08] Takeaway #1: The importance of planning [18:41] Takeaway #2: What are you willing to sacrifice? [21:31] Takeaway #3: Hard work and tenacity can take you places [23:20] Takeaway #4: The more successful you are the more haters you’ll have [24:25] Takeaway #5: Don’t make success about getting in the spotlight [26:23] Takeaway #6: The power of a positive mindset [28:20] Takeaway #7: Make no excuses Resources mentioned on this episode The movie: King Richard U.S. manufacturing activity slowest in more than 1-1/2 years as workers quit Xometry IMTS 2022!  ProShop ERP The CNC Samurai Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

5S is a methodology that I decided to implement when Carr Machine & Tool moved to a new location. We were meticulous about each decision we made so that we could create a clean and safe work environment to lead to increased productivity. The 5 S’s consist of sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. In this episode of MakingChips, I share how we implemented 5S in our shop. Our process is something that any shop can learn from and implement. It’s time to get organized and make sustainable changes so you can safely and efficiently make chips. BAM! Segments [3:13] What is the 5S methodology?  [7:07] What’s happening in our lives [11:18] How we implemented 5S in our inspection department [21:04] How we implemented 5S on our shop floor [23:13] The two hardest S’s: standardize and sustain [30:50] Why we bought a floor scrubber to shine our epoxy floors  [32:45] Don’t forget to register for IMTS 2022!  Resources mentioned on this episode Xometry’s alternate option for quoting  Don’t forget to register for IMTS 2022!  Check out LISTA for custom workstations Trump, Seiri, Shitsuke and 3 Other "S" Words Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

There’s so much wisdom my generation needs to extract from our older colleagues before they retire. Many young people in this industry are naive because it takes time and experience to master a trade. I don’t want someone to retire and still have lingering questions I wished I would’ve asked. That’s why we NEED to document the wisdom of our elders. So how do I extract wisdom from my colleagues before they retire? In this episode of MakingChips, we talk through a few ideas you can use to learn as much as you can from your expert machinists.  We’d like to hear from you—How would you extract knowledge from peers? Reach out to info@MakingChips.com  Segments [3:25] A conversation about retirement [5:34] Why we never learned anything from our dads [7:21] Manufacturing news: Germany is in a recession [12:30] An impromptu ProShop ERP Shoutout [15:55] How to approach a conversation with a veteran machinist [18:52] Four ways to extract knowledge from veteran machinists [25:30] What inspired me to choose this episode’s topic [27:54] Don’t miss IMTS in September 2022! Resources mentioned on this episode Get 10% off Xometry EU ban on Russian energy would spark ‘sharp recession’ in Germany ProShop ERP helps you extract and codify knowledge  Make sure you’re at IMTS 2022 Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

How do gaming, programming, and the world of a machinist look intersect? In this episode of MakingChips, Steve Courchane—the CNC Samurai—shares his “origin story,” talks about how programming and gaming are aligned, and how to apply gamification to machining to motivate employees. Because if your employees aren’t making chips, you aren’t making money! BAM.  Segments [2:27] What’s going great in our businesses [4:37] Manufacturing news: Shoe manufacturing shifting to the US [8:00] Becoming the CNC Samurai: Steve Courchane’s origin story [15:02] The convergence of programming and gaming [19:37] The interface between Roblox and machining [24:37] Gaming: Attracting the next generation to manufacturing [26:08] How to apply gaming principles to motivate employees Resources mentioned on this episode Get The Boring Bar Newsletter - Text CHIPS to 38470 to subscribe! Grow your shop with Xometry - Get 10% off Connect with Steven on LinkedIn or follow him on Instagram Check out Roblox Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

If your business has been slow-growing or stagnant, can you ramp up your growth? Matthew Nix would know—he’s grown his family business by a 100x multiple and spent seven straight years on the Inc. 5000 list. But how do you grow from a small mom-and-pop shop to an acquisition and growth machine? In this episode of MakingChips, Matthew shares how they’ve scaled their business with a three-prong strategy and how you can, too. Segments [3:40] What’s happening in our lives? [6:16] Learn all about Matthew Nix [8:23] What Nix Companies looks like 100 years ago [14:47] How Matthew rapidly grew his business [20:28] The difference between growing and scaling [24:31] Nix Companies’ three-prong approach to growth [26:52] Should you provide your leadership team with equity? [32:22] How to use acquisitions as a growth tactic [35:58] Financial advice for acquiring businesses [40:10] Manufacturing news: lead times & pricing Resources mentioned on this episode Get The Boring Bar Newsletter - Text CHIPS to 38470 to subscribe! Don’t forget to book a hotel for IMTS 2022! Should Your Shop be an ESOP? Growing Your ESOP to a New Level Good to Great by Jim Collins Connect with Matthew Nix on LinkedIn Nix Companies Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

Today’s episode of MakingChips is recorded at a special LIVE Tri-State Manufacturing Alliance (TSMA) event in conjunction with the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership. We are joined by three amazing panelists: Leah Curry: The President at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana David Conner: The CFO at Anchor Industries in Evansville, IN Matthew Nix: President at Nix Companies in Poseyville, IN Each panelist shares their perspective on the importance of taking care of your people, implementing the right processes, and how to compel and measure performance. We also have the pleasure of announcing this year's Manufacturing Excellence Award. Don’t miss out on a unique perspective from manufacturing leaders in the trenches! Segments [0:33] Don’t forget to register for IMTS! [1:43] Learn more about each of us! [7:41] Successfully hiring and retaining top talent [25:10] Processes and procedures to meet customer demand [35:55] The PDCA process: Plan, do, check, and act [39:10] The impact of compensation and benefits on performance [44:44] Applying gamification to impact performance [49:01] How to recover culture post-COVID [52:43] Making processes adaptable when hiring and promoting [56:52] Presenting the manufacturing excellence award [1:02:31] Make sure to listen to the MakingChips Podcast! Resources mentioned on this episode Register for IMTS Keeping the Culture High in A virtual World Leah Curry David Conner Matthew Nix Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

We’re on a five-hour drive to a speaking event for the Tri-State Machining Association (TSMA) so we thought, why not do an episode on the importance of travel for manufacturing leaders? In this special episode of MakingChips, we cover the benefits of travel, the potential downsides, and how to use your time wisely when you’re on the road. Welcome to MakingTrips.  Segments [0:35] Don’t forget to book a hotel for IMTS 2022! [2:27] Welcome to our special edition: “MakingTrips” [3:16] Is travel necessary for a manufacturing leader? [7:04] Manufacturing news: The price of gas [11:23] The hidden benefits of travel [16:53] Use your time wisely when traveling [18:49] The dangers of traveling too much [21:14] You have to establish travel guidelines [23:41] Weighing the cost of travel against the ROI [26:07] Get out of your cave—go and see for yourself [28:20] Identify and connect with the decision-makers Resources mentioned on this episode Get The Boring Bar Newsletter - Text CHIPS to 38470 to subscribe! Book a hotel for IMTS 2022! Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube