Machine Shop Growth

Most shops quote aerospace work the same way they quote everything else. That's the problem. In Episode 33 of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps gets into the tactical details of how to stop underquoting and make aerospace work actually profitable — from choosing what to chase to pricing it right. Kirk introduces the Ideal Part Profile framework : a three-tier system to define the w...

Everyone talks about the opportunities in aerospace. Very few talk about the costs. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps breaks down what machine shops need to know before pursuing AS9100 certification—and why getting the certificate is actually the easy part. From inspection equipment and calibrated gauging to ERP systems, cash flow challenges, ITAR requirements, person...

From Machine Operator to Shop Leader: Manufacturing Career Advice for Young Machinists | MSG Episode 31 Most machinists start in the same place: Standing at a machine. Pushing a green button. Doing exactly what they're told. But what separates the people who stay there from the people who become programmers, supervisors, leaders, and shop owners? In this episode, Kirk Phelps shares the lesson...

You don’t start a machine shop by buying a machine. You start it by solving a problem. In this episode, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps unpack the reality behind building a machine shop from scratch—and it’s probably different than what most people expect. Everyone talks about machines. Very few talk about: • Cash flow pressure • Customer concentration risk • Investors and financing mistakes • The hidd...

Setup time is stealing more money from your shop than you think. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps digs deeper into standardization—specifically, tool holders, tooling storage, inventory systems, and the 80/20 rule that every machine shop should be using. Most shops don’t lose efficiency because people aren’t working hard. They lose efficiency because too many variabl...

Your shop may be busy… But is it actually growing? In this episode, Mike Fritz breaks down the 5 KPI’s every machine shop should track if they want more control over sales, production, profitability, and long-term growth. Most shops judge success by whether there’s money in the bank, parts are shipping, and customers seem happy. But that only tells part of the story. Without tracking the right num...

Before you buy the robot… Fix the process. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast: Operations Edition, Kirk Phelps breaks down what shops need to standardize before they ever think about automation, second shift, or lights-out machining. Because automation sounds exciting. But if your tooling changes every job, your workholding is inconsistent, your programmers are reinventing the whee...

A second shift sounds like growth. More hours. More output. More revenue. But what if adding a second shift is actually the fastest way to multiply your problems? In this joint episode, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps tackle one of the most common ideas floating around machine shops right now: “Should we add a second shift?” On paper, it sounds simple. In reality, it can create more complexity, more li...

Your shop isn’t struggling because you’re too expensive. It might be struggling because you’re still pricing like you’re afraid. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Mike Fritz breaks down one of the most dangerous habits in manufacturing: USING PRICE AS YOUR MAIN SALES STRATEGY. A lot of shops think lowering prices wins more work. But in reality, it often wins the wrong work. Mike...

The skilled labor shortage didn’t happen by accident. We built it. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps sits down with Andrew Skoog of Machinist X to unpack one of the hardest questions in manufacturing: How did we let the skilled machinist pipeline get this thin — and what do we do now? They dig into the real causes behind the shortage: offshoring and trade shifts gener...

The Truth About Aerospace Work for Machine Shops Aerospace manufacturing is often seen as the ultimate growth opportunity for machine shops. Higher margins, better customers, and long-term contracts. But here’s the reality: Aerospace isn’t just another industry. It’s a completely different way of running your shop. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Mike Fritz sits down with Dan E...

Young people aren’t avoiding manufacturing because they hate it. Most of them simply don’t know it exists as a career path. In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps sits down with Mike Franz of Shop Floor Coffee to explore why fewer young people are entering the manufacturing industry — and what shop owners can do to change that. They discuss the real reasons behind the tale...

You don’t need more leads. You need the right customers. In this episode, Mike Fritz breaks down one of the most important strategic decisions you’ll ever make for your machine shop: defining your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Most shops call themselves “job shops” and try to serve everyone. The result? Price pressure. Clogged capacity. Inconsistent margins. Your ICP changes that. We cover how to:...

Are you losing money on jobs in your machine shop without realizing it? In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps break down how to identify and fix the 20% of machine shop jobs that quietly destroy your profit margin. From legacy pricing and inaccurate burden rates to poor payment terms and customer concentration risk, we unpack the real reasons job shops stru...

You don’t have an OEE problem. You have a perfection problem. In this episode, Kirk Phelps breaks down Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and challenges one of the most ingrained beliefs in machining: that zero scrap equals a high-performing shop. We unpack Availability, Performance, and Quality—and explain how fear of scrap quietly kills throughput, adds downtime, and limits growth. This isn’t...

You don’t need more RFQs. You need a better sales system. In this episode, Mike Fritz sits down with Nick Goellner to break down what sales actually look like in manufacturing—and why most machine shops stall at the same revenue ceilings. We cover the real difference between marketing and sales, why prospecting is always important (but rarely urgent), and how to grow without hiring a sales team or...

You don’t need more machines. You need to stop wasting capacity. In this episode, Kirk Phelps breaks down why most shops misdiagnose growth problems and how operations—not sales—ultimately decide profitability. We dive deep into OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and explain how availability, performance, and quality reveal hidden capacity, wasted margin, and smarter paths to growth. Learn how...

2026 isn’t about staying busy—it’s about winning on purpose. In this episode, Mike Fritz breaks down a simple, proven framework to grow your shop using Top Line, Bottom Line, and People . Learn how to clarify who your shop really is, cut loser parts, focus on winner work, and pull the lowest-effort, highest-impact levers for growth. If you want to break through plateaus like the $2M ceiling and bu...

💡 “It’s not automation. It’s not another machine. It’s one thing that can touch EVERY part of your business.” This week, Mike sits down with Paul Van Metre of ProShop ERP to reveal the #1 system that impacts your shop’s top line, bottom line, and people. From replacing hours of manual tracking to discovering hidden profit leaks. This tool doesn’t just make you more efficient… it makes your entire...

What if your next big customer came with a whole shop attached? In this episode, Mike Fritz sits down with Mike Payne— shop owner, dealmaker, and host of By the Numbers- to pull back the curtain on how real machine shops grow through acquisitions. From understanding what makes a deal worth it to financing it without millions in the bank. This episode reveals the real-world strategies behind buildi...

Need a new operator yesterday? Or wondering if a recruiter’s worth the 20% fee? In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the messy, costly, and sometimes surprising world of hiring in machine shops. From sifting through 100+ job board resumes to building career ladders that keep people around, Mike and Kirk break down what really works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to finding good pe...

Hiring can make or break your shop’s growth, but how do you know when it’s the right move? 👀 In this episode, Mike and Kirk share their playbook for spotting the signs that it’s time to hire… and the costly mistakes to avoid if you pull the trigger too early. Should you automate first? Push more overtime? Promote from within? Or make that big hire now? Listen in before you post that job ad—you mi...

How do you attract the next generation of machinists and inspectors? Here’s a hint: it’s not just about offering more money or better hours. In this episode, Mike and Kirk are joined by Nush Ahmed, a young quality inspector who’s making waves in the manufacturing world—not just on the shop floor, but online too. She shares what helped her stay in the industry, how leaders can better support young...

When is the right time to invest in new equipment— before the job is booked or after the PO lands ?  In this episode, Mike and Kirk are joined by Greg Knox of Knox Manufacturing Solutions to dig into the real decision-making struggles shop owners face every day. They cover the critical difference between buying for capacity vs. capability, why conservative vs. entrepreneurial mindsets approach mac...

Episode 9: Growing Your Top Line We’re closing out our 3-part growth series with a deep dive into one of the most asked questions in manufacturing:   “How do I actually grow revenue?” In this episode, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps sit down with CSO Hank Westerkamp and CRO Steve Mazza to break down what’s really holding shops back from top-line growth—and how to fix it. You’ll learn: Why new customers...