Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

Excellent customer experience is vital to the success of your manufacturing business, and marketing automation solutions can help you not only sell your business but maintain your customer base as well. In this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason discuss the importance of utilizing marketing automation correctly with B2B consultant and advisor, Todd Hockenberry. Author of Inbound Organization: How to Build and Strengthen Your Company’s Future Using Inbound Principles and host of “The Industrial Executive Podcast,” Todd shares how to customize your marketing automation to your customers and how to map customer behavior so that you can provide the best service to each individual. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Understanding how the conversation works between your business and the customer “Marketing automation is using technology to facilitate conversations so that you can build relationships.” Todd explains that it all begins with the conversation between you and the customer. Many businesses aren’t even aware that the conversation is happening - how a customer found the business, what they were looking for, if or how they found the solution to their needs, and how they interacted with the people and media of the business. Without some type of automation system in place, you won’t be able to map out the journey that your customer is taking - and how you can best meet their needs. The role of the salesman is changing in the fast-paced world that we live in. Automated marketing is a necessity, and it is extremely powerful - if done well. Just as no one has time to invite a salesman in to talk and show off a product, no one has time to participate in poor marketing. Todd encourages marketers to consider whether the tools they are using are achieving the results that they want. Email, free downloads, and website forms have all been automation staples of the past, but they aren’t effective at speaking to the customer. Emails go unopened, downloads go unread. Marketing isn’t about how you want to communicate with the buyer. It’s about how the buyer wants to communicate with you. Familiarizing yourself with how the buyer acts and what they want can help you better serve them. Personalizing your automated marketing systems to meet your customer needs Everyone processes information differently. Some people absorb a message better audibly, visually, or through actual hands-on experience. Your automated marketing strategy must take this into consideration and be customizable to the buyer. Todd explains that he uses a myriad of mediums to relay a message and provide opportunity for conversation. Personalized video messages, pop-up chat boxes, marketing personnel available to answer phone calls, texts, and emails are all ways to make that personal connection with the customer. The key is to make sure that your customer needs are being met. Automated chat-boxes - or chat-bots - are a useful tool, if handled correctly. If customer questions are being answered then all is well, but if they aren’t being answered, how long does it take for the customer to reach an actual sales rep? Immediacy is vital in our fast-paced world of communication. If you do provide a phone number, make sure that there is actually someone there to answer it. Time is money, and people don’t want to wait for information. Todd gives some excellent insight into the importance of immediate gratification when it comes to your customer, so be sure to listen to the entire episode! Mapping out the journey of your customer is an extremely helpful step in understanding how to best serve them. Match technology with the needs of your customer - don’t just go shopping for technology and implement it into your systems without knowing if it is what your customers need to better communicate with you and vice versa. People want a seamless, helpful experience that helps them achieve their goals. Being able to track what an individual has downloaded, what they have clicked on or opened in your website or emails, and what mediums they have used to contact you - if any - are all part of the map that helps you locate what to improve in your marketing system. Matching the persona of your business with the right customer base People want to see themselves when they go onto your website - but you also want to see your business values in your customer. All relationships are two-way, and Jim and Jason understand the importance of aligning company values with the customer for an excellent, long-term relationship. Jim, for example, has set up filters that keep those he may not want to work with at bay. He doesn’t list his available machinery on his website - instead, he promotes the core values of his company and highlights what makes Carr Machine & Tool unique. His goal is to get people into a conversation with someone on his team as quickly as possible - whether that be through a chat-box, email, or phone call so that the relationship is built before anything is sold. Finding the right marketing automation solutions for your business While there are numerous tools out there to help you track and map customer behaviors, you don’t need every bell and whistle to get started. HubSpot is a favorite of Todd, Jim, and Jason. Automated marketing is a continuous task, needing a high level of attention. HubSpot helps cut back on time spent logging information and allows you to see what each website visitor is clicking on, if they signed up for a newsletter, or if they have opened an email once, never, or several times. Being able to see what a customer is interested in will allow you to better market to them so that they are given only what they need. CRM systems are also extremely helpful in building the relationship between you and the buyer. Don’t just use CRM systems as a place to drop email addresses to send automated messages to. Know the behavior of a person and send them the automated message that will speak to them personally. Keeping track of previous customers is another helpful aspect of a CRM system. If someone who bought your product a year ago is on your website again, then you know to reach out to them and update them on the latest and greatest that your company has to offer. Here’s The Good Stuff! Creating an optimal customer experience through marketing automation. Guest speaker: Todd Hockenberry - expert B2B consultant and advisor. Are you tracking the online conversation surrounding your business and product? Misuse of automation marketing. Ensuring a personable customer experience with marketing automation. The power of customization. Mapping a value stream: following and anticipating the journey of your lead. Creating a seamless experience for your customer. Aligning your company persona with the ideal customer. Content management systems are vital to your company’s performance. Tools & Takeaways Pro Shop ERP Top Line Results This Week’s Superstar Guest: Todd Hockenberry Todd on LinkedIn Inbound Organization The Industrial Executive Podcast Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Jason and Jim both felt the need to fight against the perspective of nepotism within their family manufacturing businesses by proving their merit within their respective companies. Growing up in the family business had its perks, but it also came with the need to overcome the stigma that they were successful simply because of their bloodline. There was a lot to prove - to both themselves and others as they mastered the manufacturing business and took on greater leadership and responsibility. Guest speaker, Dietmar Goellner - Nick Goellner’s father - shares his own experience and insight into keeping nepotism out of the family business, while also mentoring his three sons within the company. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact The family business is still a business Dietmar grew up saturated in the heart and soul of manufacturing. His father immigrated from Germany in 1958 and founded Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME) in 1966. Dietmar is now the president, CEO, and co-owner of AME - as well as the president and CEO of Henning Inc. Dietmar was raised to become the next leader within his father’s manufacturing business, but he himself has taken a different approach with his own sons. Dietmar approaches the family business as a business - putting the needs of the company and team ahead of any desire to put a family member in a job where they may not need to be. “Being in the family might get you a job, but it won’t keep you a job,” he says. Having a managerial role in the company with shareholding and voting rights is earned by merit alone. It’s not a birthright. Dietmar never pushed his kids to follow his footsteps in the family business, but when one by one they said they were interested in pursuing their careers within the company, he took them in and placed them where the company needed them most. Each of his three sons joined the family business with unique talents, skills, and passions. Dietmar recognized this and placed them strategically within the company - where their aptitude met their passion and the need of the business. The needs of the company must be met - and that should come above the wishes of any individual. Treat the business like a business. Less micromanaging and more mentoring It is easy to micromanage any team - but especially a team made up of family members. Dietmar discusses the importance of fighting against the micromanagement of family members within the company. Coaching and mentoring are far more productive and impactful methods of training. Dietmar warns against ever forcing or coercing a person into a position that they either aren’t wired to take over or don’t even want in the first place. Not all family members who want a part in the business are going to want a leadership role. Mentoring begins with assimilation. Dietmar explains that with his sons, he explained the opportunity to be had by joining the company, but he also explained that they had to earn the right to vote and own shares. He did, however, include them in board meetings so that they could watch and learn what would be expected of them in the future. He also explained the importance of allowing family members to make mistakes and allowing for communication to be two-way. Whether you are the mentor or the one being mentored, you have a responsibility to communicate well. For Jim, that meant booking his dad’s schedule with a time-slot just for the two of them to go out and get martinis together and discuss business needs. Be sure to listen to the entire episode for more great insight into what mentoring and coaching the next generation looks like and how to keep from micromanaging your business. Fighting nepotism by sticking to your core values Core values are a key component of any company’s foundation. Dietmar encourages family businesses to communicate their stance against nepotism through their core values - and the determination to stick by them. At AME, the core value of servant leadership is vital. Anyone not displaying the humility that comes through leading by example is not considered for a place within the business - whether they are family or not. Arrogance and ignorance are two attributes that Dietmar doesn’t allow on the manufacturing floor. While he recognizes that everyone has flaws and that no one is perfect, he understands the importance of a humble and knowledgeable leader. When considering whether to promote someone - whether family or not - he looks to see whether the individual embodies the characteristics of a servant leader and also displays the manufacturing skills necessary to take the business to the next level. Dietmar explains that another aspect of a successful and healthy family relationship within a family business is respect. He warns against losing respect for one another over business issues and by not treating each other with professionalism in the workplace. Yes, you are family, but that doesn’t mean you can get away with disrespecting one another. Have a succession plan - but hold it loosely Having professionals come onto the board to help navigate succession plans and other business dynamics is hugely helpful. Dietmar suggests having an excellent attorney on board to ensure that you are getting it right when it comes to the details. Beginning the conversation early with family members about how the succession plan will work for the family business is important. Dietmar reminds listeners that arguments and misunderstandings will occur during the succession planning process. Be okay with that. Go in knowing that there will be miscommunication. Hold everything loosely and operate under grace. Be able to ask for forgiveness and forgive. Building a strong family connection while also making the right decisions for the future of the company can be difficult. Dietmar suggests that if there isn’t someone in the family who wants to take on the business, then look within the company for someone passionate and capable who does want the responsibility. Open communication and honesty should be the foundation of any succession planning. Be sure to listen to the entire episode for more helpful pointers on how to navigate the ups and downs of working with family in the family manufacturing business and how to keep nepotism at bay. Here’s The Good Stuff! The birth of The Boring Bar at MakingChips. Defining nepotism. Dietmar Goellner: president/CEO/co-owner of Advanced Machine & Engineering. Is it wrong to give your family jobs in the business? The issue of reverse nepotism. Placing family members in jobs that will impact them and the company. Less micromanaging - more coaching. Relating core values to the issue of nepotism. The dangers of arrogance and ignorance. Building strong communication between you and your family within the business. Don’t lose respect for one another! Having the succession conversation - and being willing to flex. Tools & Takeaways The Boss is Retiring... This Week’s Superstar Guest: Dietmar Goellner MakingChips Bio Dietmar on LinkedIn Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Jim and Jason both know the importance of fostering a great company culture within their businesses. Knowing where to begin and how to accomplish a thriving culture, however, can be daunting. In this insightful episode of MakingChips, Jim shares his personal experience building a company culture that won Carr Machine & Tool the Spark Award for Culture and Workforce Development. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact When the culture is great - the work is great When your team embraces the core values of your company, the result is hugely impactful. Jim and Jason have both discovered that when manufacturing leaders take the time to pour into their team and employees, more is accomplished and business goals are not only met, but exceeded. Your people matter, and how you communicate the mission of your company to them is key. Jim explains that learning to listen to your employees and making structured room for conversation is the foundation for company culture success. The core values of your company should be honed down to just a few. They should act as the internal compass of your business and be the why behind what you do. When your people are united behind a common set of core values and know that they are each valued and have a voice, making chips becomes that much easier. Mantra and motivation craftsmanship Every business should have a stated mission and vision. Jim took those building blocks and presented them to his team - with a twist. He sat down with his team and asked them what their mantra and motivation was. What was their why? He wanted to know what it was that inspired and motivated his employees to get out of bed every morning and come to work at Carr Machine & Tool. The process offered powerful insight that gave Jim the tools he needed to communicate effectively with his team and understand his employees on a deeper level. Jim knew that not everyone would have the same why and not everyone would understand what the company does in the same way. Jim explains that people’s answers change over time as well. For instance, not everyone on his team had the same answer for how the business actually made money. Jim encouraged his team to voice their differing perspectives so that he could better understand what areas he needed to clarify and unify his team. Structured round table discussions and reviews of the company’s goals, structure, and mantra help Jim keep a pulse on the health and vision of his company culture. Investing in the team is investing in the company Fostering a company culture where success is celebrated and failures can be discussed are aspects of investing in his employees that Jim deeply cares about. Group and individual successes should be noticed and celebrated, he explains. He also wants his employees to understand that mistakes will happen - and that is okay as long as everyone can learn something from them. “No one is perfect,” he says, and the culture he has built is one where everyone knows that someone else has their back when something goes wrong. Having fun together is also an important part of the company culture at Carr Machine & Tool. Jim organizes field trips for his team to conferences, IMTS, or group BBQs. Learning together and sharing a relaxed drink together helps build community. For Jim, the emotional and physical health of his employees is vital. He explains that when your people are healthy, they will be able to put forward their best effort. As a leader, he fosters emotional health by talking with his employees and encouraging open discussion. Sharing is key. As for the physical, Jim likes to supply healthy food options to his team throughout the day. For more tips on how to build up your people and create a thriving company culture, listen to the entire episode! How to begin changing the company culture Growing a company culture takes time. Jim utilizes professionals in the areas that he needs help. He organizes standups with financial advisors and makes sure that his team understands the systems, investments, and decisions that the company is making. Uniting his team behind common knowledge of the company’s net profits and sales keeps any guesswork at bay, and taking the time to discuss hiring decisions as a team helps build trust and unity. But where do you start? Jim encourages manufacturing leaders to simply begin the conversation with team members and employees. Giving your people the opportunity to speak and share is the perfect starting point. Structured dialogue can help foster a thriving culture while also keeping the focus on core values and business growth. “Everyone has a voice,” Jim explains, “and every voice is valuable.” As a leader, stay true to the decisions you make, limit distractions, and make it clear to your people that you are invested in them. Listen to the full episode for more tips on how you can set the example to your company and keep the culture thriving. Here’s The Good Stuff! Why laughter is better than caffeine. The criteria that won Jim’s company the Culture & Workforce Development Award. Manufacturing News: tips for company culture success. Empowering your team through strategic open communication. Crafting the mission and vision of your company. Encouraging emotional and physical health among your employees. Clarifying the why and how of your company. The importance of celebrating successes and discussing failures. Utilizing field trips to foster company community and learning. Hiring new team members as a team. Contributing to charity as a company. Utilizing professionals to help make sense of the details. The return on investment of pouring into your company’s culture. How to begin changing your company’s culture as a small manufacturing business. Tools & Takeaways 10 Tips for Changing Your Company’s Culture - and Making It Stick When the Workforce Becomes a Life-force w/ Tom Carmazzi Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Knowing when to start the conversation about family business succession planning can be tough. Jim and Jason understand that the dialogue surrounding the family business can be hard as it is - without throwing in who is getting what and when. In this episode of the MakingChips podcast, Jim and Jason share their personal experiences as well as some insightful tips to help the manufacturing leaders of the Metal Working Nation get the ball rolling and keep the business growing. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Knowing where and when to start the conversation While bringing up succession is uncomfortable, it is important to start planning as early as possible. The earlier you begin the dialogue, the better. Jim shares that he knew the conversation needed to be brought up with his dad when he realized that the woman his father was dating at the time may have ended up being his stepmother - and an inheritor of all he had worked hard to maintain and create in the family manufacturing business. Family situations can get sticky, which is why it is vital to start now. Navigating all the discussions that need to take place, the legal issues, and the development of a practical, workable plan can take time. For Jim, it took several years from the time he began the conversation with his father to the time everything was legally settled on paper. Jason shares that while his family situation wasn’t as difficult as Jim’s, his dad still realized the necessity to begin succession planning early in case of unforeseen or unfortunate events. It isn’t only about settling who gets what and when - it is also about preserving the future of the business. Keeping interests and priorities in alignment Jim knew that he didn’t want the amount of effort and energy he was putting into the family business to go to waste. It is important to understand and be honest with your family members about who has the greatest or equal interest in pursuing the future of the company and who is best equipped to handle the financial ups and downs. Jim shares that he didn’t want the business to be pulled out from under him by someone else when he was the one that had put the greatest amount of effort into the company and knew that was where his passion lay. Similarly, Jason shares that while he and his sister both owned shares in the family business, Jason and his wife had sustainable future plans for the company and held a greater level of interest in its growth. Both Jim and Jason walked through the succession planning journey with their families, taking into consideration that it would be difficult and at least a little bit painful for everyone involved. The priority, however, always had to be the success of the business. Listen to the entire episode for details on how Jason and Jim helped their families walk the path of succession planning to cohesive decision-making. Navigating the waters of appraisals and attorneys Jim stresses the importance of seeking professional help when building a family business succession plan. Understanding which appraisals matter for tax purposes, payment plans, and divvying shares is vital. While conversations can create plans that seem doable, having everything put into a binding, written agreement is key. Having a business appraiser, attorney, and corporate account present can help you and your family make sense of everything involved and what needs to be done to make your succession plan a reality. Jason explains the importance of understanding the fine print. You and your family probably won’t come to complete agreement on the first draft of the succession plan. Is what is being handed to you what everyone needs? Jason knew he didn’t want to be handcuffed in any way when he took over ownership of the family business, and so further work had to be done on the succession plan before he and everyone else was content with moving forward. Jim & Jason’s call-to-action Get the conversation going - no matter what. Yes, it can be uncomfortable - whether you are the one giving everything away or the one receiving. Yes, it can give rise to rifts and pains that no-one in the family will want to feel. Jim and Jason stress, however, that the longer you wait, the worse it gets. They suggest networking with peers that may be going through the same thing and collecting thoughts and ideas on how to navigate the succession waters so that you don’t drown when you go in to start the conversation. The important thing to remember is that you do not want something such as succession planning to be a looming impediment to your family business. The growth and success of your business should always remain at the forefront. Because if you aren’t making chips - you aren’t making money. Here’s The Good Stuff! Jason and Jim discuss their personal experiences with family business succession. The importance of beginning the discussion early! Continuing the dialogue. Balancing interest with priority. Navigating Appraisals. Getting started ASAP. Tools & Takeaways Family Business Succession Planning - Tips for Success Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Specific skills and savvy are needed to succeed in the manufacturing world, making a manufacturing startup difficult to achieve. Brandon Kane, however, knew he wanted hands-on work that made a difference in the world and began his own shop in the garage with his dad, Mike. Together, they have transformed a dream into reality through hard work, determination, and a willingness to learn. In this episode of the MakingChips podcast, Jim Carr and Nick Goellner explore what makes or breaks startup business endeavors and what we can learn from Brandon’s entrepreneurial spirit. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact   The statistics behind startups Entrepreneurship has many benefits. Most small business owners were inspired to create their own startup from a desire to work for themselves and be their own boss. Others had a passion they wanted to share with the world. The unfortunate reality, however, is that most startups don’t make it past their first couple of years. Jim and Nick share some surprising startup trends from the past few years. Most small business owners, for instance, are 50-59 years old - not young college graduates. The funding to start a business is often taken from the founder’s personal savings account, and family is usually a strong source of continued funding for the initial months of a small business. Learn more about the interesting statistics of startup businesses by listening to the entire episode! Inspired beginnings of a manufacturing startup Manufacturing is often seen as an industry that has a hard time inspiring the younger generation to follow in its footsteps and pave the way for the future. Brandon Kane, however, grew up watching his dad work in the manufacturing industry and fell in love with “hands-on” work. He attended a technical high school, learning skills that would help him late on when he decided to begin a manufacturing startup with his dad in their garage. Brandon’s dad, Mike, settled into his role as the visionary of the business - having seen needs in the industry that weren’t being met by the larger corporations and companies. While time is money, there should always be excellence in production, and Mike felt that smaller orders weren’t being met properly by the larger businesses. Mike helped Brandon begin a small business - Manufacturing Solutions - that saw a need and began filling it. Brandon’s love of design led him to experiment with CAM software on their first machines, creating a trigger for a firearm they use for hobby target practice. From there, the designs became more complex, and Brandon’s knowledge of software grew to produce prototypes, and he became more comfortable with different tool paths and CNC machines. Different learning paths - same passion for excellence Jim and Mike talk about the differences in the ways that they learned manufacturing skills as opposed to how the younger generation - such as Brandon - have picked up the skills needed to succeed. While it used to be popular to learn through hands-on experience with the machines themselves - learning to feel and listen to the tone of a machine and metal to determine whether or not the design would come out - Brandon learned through CAD-CAM software first. He and Mike purchased a video series on how to work the tools with the software, but much of the learning was done through experimentation and from mistakes made along the way. Mike explains that in a startup, you learn a lot through failure. He talks about the edge that modern technology can give a manufacturing startup by providing new software that can optimize a CNC machine to produce quality parts every time with a well-built design. Probing systems have also taken much of the guesswork out of machining, allowing for a more consistent product. Building the benchmarks for a strong foundation While there are many differences in the ways Mike and Brandon have learned the industry, they are united through the passion to produce quality products to fulfill a need and to inspire a positive atmosphere among manufacturing leaders. Much of their business's marketing has been done through word-of-mouth and through maintaining a strong social media presence on Instagram. Brandon loves sharing his day-to-day life with others, hoping that his business will inspire others to launch into their dreams with determination and hard work. Realistic benchmarks are important to any business, and Mike and Brandon have built theirs around practical goals. They both know that they would prefer not to compete with large, corporate companies and have tried to maintain steady growth without growing too big too fast. Mike wants to hire another employee with the same passion for learning and sharing the manufacturing industry. Brandon wants to become a bigger influence on social media and hopefully begin coaching others while also building the business he and his father have built. Be sure to listen to the entire episode for the rest of the inspiring story of a manufacturing startup done right. Here’s The Good Stuff! Surprising startup business trends. Brandon and Mike Kane: manufacturing entrepreneurs. Growing up inspired by design and hands-on work. Generational differences in learning and manufacturing application. Learning through failure. Marketing through word-of-mouth and social media. Shooting for practical benchmark goals. Creating a positive atmosphere and influence on the manufacturing industry. Tools & Takeaways Startup Statistics NSBA 2015 Economic Report Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business This Week’s Superstar Guests: Brandon & Mike Kane Brandon on Instagram Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Life often gets crazy busy, and it can be hard to fight the stress that easily sneaks in and overwhelms the everyday. Jason and Jim unpack the causes of major stress and give practical insight and tactics for overcoming the stresses that keep leaders from performing at their very best. Speaking from personal experience, these two manufacturing leaders share their personal tools and explore the need to prioritize your priorities. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Pinpointing the major causes of stress Stress can come in quietly and pile up quickly. Life changes, bad news, distractions, and inefficient processes are only a few ways stress can overtake your work, family, and life. Businesses grow, teams expand, and life gets busy! Jason talks about a time when stressful business news impacted his health. Stress not only affects how you view and approach work, but it also affects your health, relationships, and effectiveness as a leader. Understanding why you are stressed is the first step. The connectedness of the modern business world is one major cause of stress for many industry leaders. Technology has created the opportunity to be connected to everything and everyone at all times. Overstimulation can lead to incredible amounts of stress because there is never time to simply turn off and relax. How do you overcome the limitations of stress-induced scars and build a life of minimal distraction? Be sure to listen to the entire episode! Eliminating distraction and reducing wasted time Jason and Jim share some of their personal tools for combating the stresses that permeate all of life - from work to family. Exercise, essential oils, writing out thoughts in short notes or lists, spending time with loved ones and friends, and taking the time to relax and laugh can all help reduce stress. Even spending time with a pet or taking the time to relax and drink a glass of wine at night can help mitigate the constant stimulation that your mind lives in throughout the workday. But what steps can you take to cut stress in the bud and mitigate its presence at work and as a leader? Jason shares seven tools for doing just that. (7) Turn off notifications on your phone! It is easy to get caught up in group chats or conversations that could be had later or under better circumstances. Jason shares that he only leaves notifications on for family and team members vital to his current work. Otherwise, the conversation can wait. (6) Use your calendar to plan ahead. Book out the next couple weeks so that you know what to expect and where you need to be and what you need to get accomplished. Knowing your calendar can also keep you from overbooking yourself. Have a plan and write it out ahead of time. Jim and Jason have also learned to be careful with which calendar invites to accept. (5) Say “No” often. As a leader, you have a choice as to what processes, meetings, and jobs you need to be a part of. Know where to delegate and where to partake and be honest about how much time you have available for jobs and meetings that could be run and accomplished by someone else. Take responsibility where needed, but don’t overextend. Creating an efficient and stimulating environment Jason and Jim explore tactics for fighting stress that require you, as the leader, to take a step back and take the time to dwell in objective observation. It is easy to become comfortable in the status-quo and not realize that things need to be changed. Jason and Jim share the following tools for creating that efficient and life-giving environment. (4) Align yourself with great partners. Being willing to delegate the jobs that someone else can accomplish better than yourself is vital. Who on your team knows more than you about a specific job, or who do you know that has expertise where you don’t? Who has more time to give to a project? By delegating to the right people, you can grow your business by ensuring that everyone is giving their best work in their best arenas. (3) Create a routine for yourself. Habits and a normalized routine can help keep the guesswork out of the workplace. Setting aside the time to accomplish what needs to be done while also creating space for creative work can help keep your day moving steadily forward. (2) Take time to reflect on whether or not you have the right people in the right seats. Are your team members able to give their best in their current positions? Being willing to take a step back and observe whether or not a person, project, or conversation need to move forward as they are can be helpful. By simply moving a team member to a different position or by eliminating a project, you can create a more efficient path ahead for your business. (1) Focus on the “ultra” important. Distractions can take away the energy and time you need to be channeling into what is truly important to you, the team, and your business. Being willing to utilize the tools above can help keep you from giving in to the distractions that riddle everyday life. Fight stress through prioritizing Prioritizing can be difficult - especially when you have so many vital priorities as a leader. The last tool Jason and Jim discuss is the need to focus. Jim explains the need for a leader to be flexible in his priorities for the day while not losing sight of the ultimate goal. Your checklist of to-dos will change throughout the day, and that is okay. What really matters is whether or not you are accomplishing the ultra important and moving steadily along the path to your personal and business goals. Be sure to listen to the entire episode for a more in-depth look at the tools and tactics listed above. Everyone is different and will utilize unique stress-fighting tactics to overcome obstacles and distractions and create a healthy lifestyle. Taking the time to create in yourself the focus and endurance to combat stress will enable you to be a better leader. The important thing to remember is that, “If you're not making chips, you're not making money. And if you're too stressed, you're not making chips.” Here’s The Good Stuff! What to do when life is crazy. DMDII switched to MXD. What causes stress? Personal tools for eliminating stress in your personal life. Tactics for overcoming stress in the workplace. Prioritizing your priorities. Discovering what works for you. Tools & Takeaways Digital Minimalism Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

LinkedIn expert, Wayne Breitbarth, is back with more excellent insight into LinkedIn strategies to promote and grow your manufacturing business! Jim and Jason ask the hard questions about the worth of a premium account, when and how to say no to offending taggers and salesmen, and when, where, and how to post the good stuff. Be sure to listen the whole way through for all the tips and tricks to boost your business and put you on the leading edge of the manufacturing industry! Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact The premium life: LinkedIn strategies for greater coverage Is a premium account worth the cash? Wayne shares a helpful gauge to determine if it’s time for you or your business to bite the bullet for premium benefits. If you are running into what Wayne calls the “free wall,” then it’s time to pay. If trying to keep up with who has been viewing your profile is taking up all your spare time, then you may want to consider going premium. With the upgraded account, you can see the past 90 days of profile “stalkers.” Being able to go back and see who has been visiting your profile will help you determine who to reach out to and build relationship with. Another way to tell if it’s time for that premium account is if you are maxing out your search allowance for the month. A premium account will give you a wider berth for searching out the perfect people to build your business and professional alliances. Wayne suggests the “Sales Navigator/Professional” premium setting as the perfect “rocket-ship” to carry your profile to the next level. Dealing with unwanted attention Jim and Wayne both get frustrated and feel offended when someone tags them in posts that have nothing to do with them. Some people use tagging as a sales tactic to take advantage of others’ many followers. Wayne suggests that if this happens to you, untag yourself from the post. If it happens again with the same instigator, direct message that person, and politely - but firmly - ask them to stop. If it still continues, disconnect with that person. How do you respond when someone sends a connection request and within minutes of you accepting, direct messages you trying to sell you something? If there isn’t any effort being made to build relationship with you first, Wayne suggests disconnecting with that person. Learn why building relationship is important in establishing credibility before a sale and why pre-canned, automated systems aren’t the best tactic by listening to the whole episode! What to post and where to promote Earlier in LinkedIn’s history, one could post an article, and all of that person’s connections would be notified that an article had been posted. Articles, however, aren’t as profound as they used to be. Wayne explains that the tactic originally worked because LinkedIn was trying to garner quality material within its platform. Over time, however, people began cutting corners on the quality of their articles and began only posting a sentence from a blog post or a small paragraph. LinkedIn pulled back from the promotion of articles as the material deteriorated in quality. While it is important to include your latest blog posts and articles on your profile, make sure that your writing is of high quality. People viewing your profile will want to see professionalism throughout your material - including your writing. Excellent writing builds credibility. Wayne encourages the strategy of re-sharing articles that may be a month old and didn’t receive the attention it deserved. Unimpressive impressions What does a view or impression mean? Unfortunately, they aren’t as big of a deal as some might wish. Wayne explains that an impression or view is essentially someone sweeping by your post but not actually looking at it. The activity to get excited about is comments. Making sure you are active on your posts and promoting conversation is also helpful. A response to others on your own post still counts as activity that will help broadcast your post to even more connections. Personal pages are often more powerful than company pages because of the greater number of connections often found on personal pages. While posting on both will help generate greater activity, Wayne encourages users to focus their energy on their personal page. For more insight and tips on how to create the best content and broadcast it to the greatest number of connections, listen to the whole episode! Growing your business through LinkedIn isn’t as hard as you think. Here’s The Good Stuff! MakingChips News: Opinion articles to boost your competence. Understanding what it means to be a “change agent.” Wayne Breitbarth’s rise to LinkedIn success. The power of a premium account. Navigating the waters of unwanted tagging and sales. When and how to upload company content. Don’t be impressed by those impressions. Quality over quantity. Tools & Takeaways What Makes a Great Manufacturing Leader The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success This Week’s Superstar Guest: Wayne Breitbarth Wayne Breitbarth Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify *******************************************************************************************************

Gaining LinkedIn success is not as difficult as some may think. Utilizing the world’s largest database of professionals is key to marketing your manufacturing business and rising as a leader in the industry. Guest speaker, Wayne Breitbarth, is a LinkedIn trainer and shares his strategies and insights into the powerhouse of LinkedIn and how manufacturing leaders can effectively connect with other leaders, share their businesses, and expand their reach. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Why manufacturing leaders need to pursue LinkedIn Success LinkedIn is the largest database of professionals and business leaders that is available. As business leaders, LinkedIn is a powerful tool that can be used to market businesses, find competent employees, and connect with other influential industry leaders. An exuberant amount of time isn’t needed to establish yourself and your business on LinkedIn. Wayne explains that it is all about strategizing the processes and systems available on the platform and focusing on what matters to you and your company. Understanding the essence of LinkedIn The essence of LinkedIn is not only found in the opportunities of such a large database but in the opportunity to form relationships. Relationships are the foundation of any successful business venture. Wayne describes what your relationship status may look like on LinkedIn depending on the size and purpose of your company. Sometimes more is truly more, and sometimes it’s not. If you are selling a book or trying to reach a wide audience with a new podcast release, then you may want to accept all those connections with people you may not know. If your business belongs in a more niche atmosphere, then your number of connections may be smaller - and that’s okay. It is important to understand, however, that the search engine algorithms that rule LinkedIn like to see a large connection base. Wayne suggests creating a social media atmosphere on LinkedIn that is saturated with the people of your industry, whether that be followers, customers, or other leading manufacturers. To learn more about how to create and maintain effective relationships, listen to the whole episode! Strategizing your LinkedIn process Succeeding with your LinkedIn profile can be achieved through strategizing the tools that LinkedIn offers. Keyword optimization is a large part of making yourself known and finding the people you need to help grow your business. Include specific terminology in your headline, stories, and description. Stay away from broad terms such as “strategy” in your skill-set and include specified terms such as “Podcast Host.” Show off your unique professionalism and offerings. Your skill-set can be utilized through endorsements and recommendations. Search engines love using your list of skills as keywords. Make sure they reflect what you want to be known for. Wayne explains that recommendations and endorsements are gifts to you. Use them in business proposals and when sharing your business with others. Posting can be a confusing tool, but Wayne explains that success in posting is all about velocity. Tagging relevant people in your post will expand its reach. Be careful to not “spam” others with overabundant tagging, but instead talk with the people you plan to tag and explain that it is a strategy to help promote and grow the business. Velocity is gained through initializing and promoting activity on your posts. Use hashtags and comment on a post that someone else tags you in to begin a conversation. LinkedIn algorithms look for how fast your post is being responded to and how much activity is being generated by your post. The more activity the better. Creating an all-star profile Beginning a profile or revamping a stagnant one isn’t hard! Begin by understanding your audience. Who are you writing and creating your profile for? Headlines should be short but descriptive. If you have five jobs, then list all of them in your headline and title. Create stories that are relevant and captivating when describing your job positions. Ask yourself, “How can my job experiences benefit others?” Promote your strengths and don’t be shy about creating an eye-catching profile. For more insight into what makes a great LinkedIn profile, listen to the entire episode!   Here’s The Good Stuff! Is social media a distraction? Guest speaker, Wayne Breitbarth, is a professional LinkedIn trainer. Understanding the power of LinkedIn: the largest database of professionals in the world. Creating a strategic LinkedIn process. Optimizing the time you spend promoting your company. The essence of LinkedIn is relationship. Is more actually more? The art of tagging. How to create velocity in your posts. Effectively utilizing endorsements and recommendations. How to begin or revamp your LinkedIn profile. Tools & Takeaways Digital Minimalism Traction These Industries Will Face the Biggest Talent Shortages by 2030 This Week’s Superstar Guest: Wayne Breitbarth The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success Wayne Breitbarth Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Having the best workholding system is just as key as having the best tools! Jim Carr and Jason Zenger know the importance of keeping up with the game as manufacturing leaders. Growing up working the shop floor, guest speaker, Alvin Goellner, is the Business Development Leader of North America at Amrok Workholding. In this episode of MakingChips, he shares the latest trends in workholding systems and why you need to implement them for optimal efficiency and quality performance in your manufacturing business. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Optimizing your workholding process is vital to overall success The workholding process is all about how rigid you can make your setup - creating a solid foundation that will hold your material for optimal performance. Without a steady and rigid workholding system, your process will be riddled with chatter, less tolerance, and damaging vibration. While it is less of an investment to just keep upgrading your cutting and milling tools, it is still key to keep your workholding system up-to-date. The way your tool and materials are being held is vital to the outcome of the end-product. The workholding system must be rigid, robust, and competent at holding your material and efficient at resizing and holding different projects. Alvin explains that you can own the best cutting tools in the world, but without a competent workholding system, your product will not be the best on the market. The grid system evolution Alvin explains that over the years, he visited different manufacturing shops and studied the varying methods and machining solutions to the workholding process. He then went back to his own company - Amrok - and built the workholding systems that solved the problems he had found in his travels. The result was the 2-inch grid system, which has become an industry standard. While there used to be odd-sized grid systems with varying sized plates, Alvin found that most products can fit into the 2-inch grid plate. An incredibly efficient system, the hardened bushing, lock-tightened, slip fitted grid retains center distance tolerance because of its minimal clearance. 2-inch sub-plates are the common sub-plate, which allows for efficient adjustment of the numbers for varying projects. To learn more about the efficient and customizable applications of the 2-inch grid system, listen to the entire episode! Vise system optimization When projects become large a TRIAG modular vise system is the most efficient. With modular clamps that can fit almost any shape, the system boasts serrated base rails that mount on a standard, 2-inch grid and locate with dowel screws. This system enables the spindle to keep moving, thereby creating a more efficient process. The modular components can be loosened in seconds, and you don’t have to spend time indicating because of the dowel screw location. Listen to the full episode for more information on how the TRIAG modular vise system works and why it improves overall performance. What to implement now for immediate impact With so many options available on the current market, Alvin supplies three workholding systems that will instantly improve efficiency in the shop. First, optimize your foundation. Implementing a 2-inch grid system enables you to work with a lot of different system types, tools, and materials. Second, hydraulic, dedicated fixtures that automatically fit the part with a flip of the switch will save you time and energy. Third, introducing a low mix, high volume TRIAG system to your shop floor will prove invaluable. Center-less vises that mount on a rail are lighter and more efficient. Alvin explains that if you need to move from one sized part to another, the application is easy and fast, allowing you to produce more chips and earn more money. Here’s The Good Stuff! Manufacturing news: manufacturing jobs are steadily growing! Alvin Goellner: Business Development Leader at Amrok. The birth of Amrok created out of the need for a solid foundation. The versatility of a 2-inch grid system. Why optimizing the workholding process is just as important as upgrading your tools. How’s your vise grip? European vs. American workholding systems. The three most impactful workholding systems that you can implement today. Tools & Takeaways makingchips.com/workholding Amrok This Week’s Superstar Guest: Alvin Goellner Alvin Goellner Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

The team at MakingChips knows how important it is for the Metalworking Nation to optimize efficiency and productivity. Having the right tools for the job is at the foundation of a leading manufacturing business. Guest speaker, Tom Senger, gives the run-down on the latest and greatest tools to utilize on the shop floor. Tom is the manager of the Vending, Integration, and Productivity (VIP) program at Zenger’s. Helping customers integrate new operations, realize new levels of productivity, and bring in greater revenue is his specialty. Manufacturing runs in his blood, and he understands what tools to use to get the job done.   Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact   The latest trends in cutting tools can help you make more chips...and more money The tools you use can make or break the impact of your manufacturing business. Hosts Jim Carr and Jason Zenger know you need to be making chips. Being on the cutting edge of cutting tools is imperative to saving money. Tom gives several suggestions for what tools to use for what job and explains that several improvements are being made throughout the manufacturing tool spectrum. Consistency is one of them. Small diameter, multifunctioning drilling tools have seen huge improvements in all-around consistency. It’s no longer the case that you need specialized tools for each part of the job. Not only do multi-functional drilling tools save you a ton of space in your collection storage, but they also get the job done with consistent quality and efficiency. Invest in one tool that can serve multiple functions. Coolant through is the new buzzword Coolant through is being implemented across the tool board. This quality helps reduce wear and tear on your drill bits, improves lubricity, and saves you time and money on maintenance, especially with solid carbide spindles and bits. It also improves consistency. Tom shares about some of the utilization of coolant through on the shop floor. Flat-bottom drills are excellent because they don’t have to be followed up by an end mill. They have replaceable tips and a myriad of products that you can place on the high-speed, coolant through, steel body. The flexibility of this tool enables you to save on carbide costs, and it is incredibly precise with diameters down to a millimeter and a half. Coolant through is also improving the performance of turning and cutting tools, cut-off and groove tools, and milling tools. Fast and high-speed milling tools are seeing smaller diameters, indexable end mills, and dynamic milling processes with the help of CAD CAM software. Different high feed cutters are being utilized to create more corners, even up to 6, 12, and 16 corners with repeatable functions. Turning and cutting tools are being improved with higher feeds and a greater depth of cut. The coolant through allows for less load on the spindle. It’s much the same story with cut-off and groove tools. Tom explains that the coolant through allows for a cooler cutting zone, cutting the cutting time by almost half. Be sure to listen to the full episode for all the details on how and why these improved tools need to become your next investment! Coating, and tolerance improvements As Tom points out, coating is king. Products and tools are no longer simply coated in a layer of tin. Now, there are several layers of different materials being applied for improved performance. Post-treatment coating is especially valuable, coming over the top insert and applying a clear, shining, polished surface. The polish protects and preserves carbide function and strength, improving the shelf-life of the tool up to 25%. Tolerancing is also an obvious ingredient of a great tool. Improved molding technology paired with coolant through enables tools such as the solid carbide spindle coolant drill to function with consistent quality up to a thousand repeatability. Slim the carbide and save on cash Carbide is expensive, and the more you can save on the life of your carbide tools and bits, the better. Solid carbide end mills have been a staple, but Tom explains that many are moving away from solid carbide and choosing steel shanks instead. Different types of end mill heads can be applied to the shank, and many of them have been made smaller for improved performance. Investing in coolant through applications and the right coating can have a huge, positive impact on the shelf-life of your carbide collection, allowing you to work harder, longer, and better without the constant maintenance costs. For more insight into the latest cutting tool trends, be sure to listen to the entire episode! Here’s The Good Stuff! To make chips you need the right tools. Manufacturing news: exciting award nomination for Carr Machine & Tool, and sales summit for Zenger’s. Tom Senger, manager of Zenger VIP program. The latest and great cutting tool trends. Coolant through, small diameter, multi-functioning drills. The power of the flat-bottom drill. Holding tolerance levels. Yes, the coating does mean everything. High feed milling tools and dynamic processing software. Turning and cutting tool trends. Cut off and groove improvements Shrink fitting tools is the way to go. Tools & Takeaways Foxconn Disappointment This Week’s Superstar Guest: Tom Senger Tom Senger Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify