Lean Built: Manufacturing Freedom

Andrew and Jay talk about why relationships matter a lot in business. Sometime more than products, systems, or raw talent. They dig into the practical value of local relationships for staying informed and connected as decisions get made around you. From there, the conversation ranges across manufacturing, housing, leadership, parenting, and team dynamics. They also discuss when a product is finish...

As 2026 begins, Andrew and Jay take a look at one of the most dangerous traps for founders and small shop owners: becoming the hero who always steps in to save the day. Andrew introduces a personal document he titled “Andrew Is Fired,” a deliberate decision to remove himself from roles that feel productive but quietly limit growth. The conversation explores why constantly “going above and beyond”...

In this end-of-year episode, Jay and Andrew unpack all kinds of things: Why business owners are wired to over-promise at the buzzer The difference between employee thinking and owner thinking Calendars, automation, and why “the best calendar is sometimes no calendar” Paying people well, shutting down between Christmas and New Year’s, and using PTO wisely Net terms, cash flow, and refusing to be a...

What happens when a rush job collides with holiday shipping chaos and failure isn’t an option? In this episode, Andrew walks us through a real-world manufacturing crisis involving last-minute customer demands, specialty tooling delays, weather-related shipping failures, and nonstop overtime. Along the way, Jay and Andrew cover: the true cost of rush orders (beyond the invoice), why duplication and...

Jay and Andrew discuss real-world shop challenges like air quality, ventilation, coolant selection, and bandsaw blade performance. The conversation expands into capacity planning, why running at 100% utilization is a hidden liability, and how maintaining margin and flexibility allows shops to respond quickly when customers need help. Along the way, they touch on safety systems that fail when alert...

Tiny improvements won’t move the company forward unless leaders also make the big decisions .  Lean is life-changing, but you can’t lean your way into a clear vision. You have to choose it. That means looking honestly at customers, pricing, equipment, automation, space, and your team, and fixing what really bugs you at the highest level. That lesson is at the crux of this jam-packed episode which...

It's Cyber Monday, and Andrew and Jay dive into year-end strategy, the real cost of Black Friday sales, and why deep discounts often hurt more than they help. They also discuss how lean manufacturing practices literally saved an entire 60,000 sq ft facility after a major fire.  Elsewhere, Andrew shares the importance of using LinkedIn with intention, how handwritten notes beat (or should be combin...

Andrew opens with a simple shop-floor idea that changed how their teams celebrate progress: a six-inch clear tube filled with colored marbles. That playful visual turns into a deeper conversation between Jay and Andrew about the power of collective improvement, the limits of mental capacity as organizations grow, and the art of estimating through Fermi numbers. They move from marbles to antennas,...

When Jay asks what machine someone should buy to start a small job shop, Andrew gives a direct answer: without committed, repeatable work, he wouldn’t buy anything. But both Jay and Andrew do offer their recommendations, and that opens a broader conversation about the unstable economics of prototypes, customers who send sketches instead of CAD, and why certain jobs are better routed to services li...

In this episode, Andrew and Jay take a walk down memory lane. What starts as Andrew revisiting old shop photos turns into a conversation about the hidden value of reflection in a culture obsessed with constant improvement. The two discuss how looking back fuels gratitude, strengthens company culture, and reminds teams that today’s “normal” was once hard-won progress. They also share practical idea...

Fresh off the Gemba Summit in Belfast, Andrew shares lessons from across the pond with Jay. What starts as a deep dive into lean culture at the Titanic Belfast turns into a candid conversation about scaling small businesses, visiting your vendors, and rethinking what it means to “fix what bugs you.” Andrew and Jay unpack how lean principles evolve when your company outgrows the two-second mindset....

How do you lead your company through the chaos and cadence of a production year without burning out your team or yourself? In this episode, Jay and Andrew unpack Andrew’s “Four Quarter Business Rhythm” document, his framework for understanding seasonal production cycles, planning proactively, and preparing his team to thrive when it's go-time. From practical PTO policies to government fiscal-year...

Andrew and Jay dive into the art of optimization, from shaving seconds off CNC cycles to teaching kids the power of one-piece flow. Andrew shares how tuning a Brother machine saved 13 hours across a 5,000-part run and reflects on when optimization really pays off. The two discuss lean principles in action, shop tours, and the balance between efficiency and creativity before discussing the value of...

In this episode, Jay recounts the story of a stolen trailer from his tiny home business, leading into a broader discussion on trust, theft, and logistics nightmares. Andrew follows with reflections on manufacturing safety, freight failures, and the unexpected lessons of customer service—both good and bad.

Jay and Andrew kick off with a quick story about “the yips” — that sudden moment when everything you know just disappears — and use it to launch into a deeper discussion about what makes great shops tick. They unpack why even pros break down under pressure, how systems and habits keep you grounded, and why finishing what you start matters more than chasing shiny new projects. From compressor failu...

Running a business means living in the tension between control and chaos—and this week, Jay and Andrew talk about both. From tariffs and supply chain headaches to the quirks of wire EDM and CO₂ lasers, they explore how  shops adapt when material costs, sourcing, and technology throw curveballs. Along the way, they swap stories about spotless autobody shops, frustrating e-commerce platforms, websit...

This episode of the Lean Built Podcast starts in the shop but ends up on stage. Andrew  and Jay begin by discussing machining decisions—when to model details in CAD versus when to let CAM and shop standards handle them, edge breaks, chamfers, and the balance between aesthetics and efficiency. But midway, the conversation takes a turn into music...concert stories, 90s Christian rock, ska bands, art...

What’s better: a locked-down, push-button system or total control over every parameter? In this episode, Andrew and Jay wrestle with that question across the shop floor and beyond. They start with Haas’ robotic pallet loader and the limits of locked waypoints, then branch into the bigger design dilemma—do customers really want simplicity, or do they crave flexibility? Along the way they swap stori...

Jay and Andrew unpack the recent sale of Heller to DN Solutions and what it reveals about brand value, culture shifts, and the economics of high-ticket, low-volume machines. They move from industry news to the shop floor, comparing palletized workholding with soft jaws, weighing costs against flexibility, and sharing how small changes can unlock significant productivity gains. Along the way, they...

Scarcity sells. But at what cost? In this episode of Lean Built , Jay and Andrew dig into the world of false urgency, hype marketing, and smoke-and-mirrors business tactics. From eBay nostalgia to NFT mania, they unpack how artificial scarcity (and a lot of other practices) can undermine trust while genuine value builds it. Along the way, they share stories of radical honesty in business, saying n...

This week’s conversation covers a little bit of everything. Andrew shares stories from his trip to Japan, including what he noticed at Matsuura’s factory and a clever little chip briquetting machine that has everyone asking questions. Jay talks about viral video surprises on Instagram and YouTube, and the two compare notes on carts, pallet wrapping, and what lean looks like in real shops versus th...

In this solo debrief, Andrew recounts his visit to Matsuura’s plants in Japan, where he observed firsthand the discipline and detail that define Japanese manufacturing. He describes how Matsuura trains new employees years in advance, the precision of their hand-scraping process, and the consistency achieved by grinding every pallet on a single master machine. He also discusses the innovations he s...

Jay and Andrew swap stories about the constant balancing act between buying, making, renting, borrowing, and outsourcing. From renting camera lenses for product shoots to resisting the emotional pull of a first CNC machine, they dig into the real-life decision-making that keeps a shop lean (or clutters it up). You’ll hear about scissor lift negotiations, the pain and payoff of liquidating unused g...

Andrew and Jay unpack a thought-provoking article from The Systems Thinker on the tension between learning and performance. How do you actually learn from failure? Is it a given that you will? The conversation ranges from morning meeting rituals and positive failure culture to the dangers of over-relying on data. Along the way, they talk chipped tools, misordered pipe, customized packaging, AI-ass...

Jay and Andrew discuss the true cost of doing business with “big name” clients who act like bullies. You know the ones. They demand unfair terms, they're slow to pay, they're quick to add red tape. Jay shares a personal story about walking away from a prestige customer that wasn’t worth the stress, cost, or collection headaches. Andrew adds cautionary tales, including lessons from a fellow shop ow...