Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

What do you do when an employee resigns? How do you handle their departure in a dignified way? What do you do when you have to let someone go? You have to handle each scenario differently—and sometimes gingerly. So in this episode of MakingChips, we walk through navigating the exit process.  Paul Van Metre  joins us to share how ProShop ERP can make the transition easier.  Segments [0:26] Come see...

What do you expect from your employees? Do you expect them to think like an owner? Or just clock in and get their work done? Are they compensated for your expectations? In this episode of MakingChips, we'll cover the bonus incentive plan I've structured for my core team. I'll share the goals of the program, how to determine what behaviors to incentivize, what the reward(s) will be, and an easy way...

As our team begins to grow at Carr Machine & Tool, I believe it's time to hire for a middle management position. But what  is  middle management? What does a middle management role consist of? Will implementing this role truly solve our problems? Jason helps me talk through the challenges I'm facing in this episode of Making Chips! Any tips, tricks, or ideas to help me through this? Reach out at ...

How do you keep corporate culture alive when your workforce is completely remote? How do you focus your company on your values, mission, and goals? When a thriving company culture is  crucial  to retaining your employees, it can't be neglected. We dissect this problem we're facing because of the COVID pandemic—and 6 possible ways to promote and maintain your unique company culture—in this episode...

Is the labor shortage accelerating automation? Why is there a perception that automation is both risky and complex? How do you lead your elders with authority yet humility? To dovetail—or not to dovetail? These are the questions that we hash out with Michael Gaunce, the VP of Sales for Tooling and Workholding at SCHUNK. We take a deep look into the technical side of workholding and automation in t...

MakingChips is NOT a cult of personality. We want MakingChips to be about the Metalworking nation. We want to interview you . We want to talk about your problems and how to solve them. We hope we equip, inspire—and sometimes entertain— you . With that being said, some BIG changes are coming. What will the future of MakingChips hold? Listen to this episode to hear our game-changing update for the M...

Your people are the most important part of your business. If they're not, they should be. When you hire someone, it's always with the hope that they'll become a long-term part of the family, right? So you need to cultivate a workplace culture they want to stay and thrive in. So in this episode of Making Chips, we'll share nine simple tactics that you can implement immediately to transform your com...

What are the things you HATE about meetings? Moving into 2022, would you like to have better, more productive meetings that don't waste time and actually get things done? The MakingChips team is discussing the issue on this episode based on a book Nick read recently, called, "Death By Meeting." Learn 3 steps you can take to make your meetings powerful for 2022. Segments [0:32] Holiday experiences...

This is NOT another goal-setting podcast episode. You know, the kind that explains how to effectively set goals for the year… this one is about WHY you need to set goals. No tips and tricks. No newest approaches and apps. We're going to talk about the impact goal-setting can have on your life and business. Jim and Nick come along for the discussion because this is something important to me, person...

In our previous conversation with Jeff Taylor (episode 292) we introduced the idea of ESOPS (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) as a way to give true ownership to your manufacturing business employees. We invited Jeff back for this episode to tell us more of the journey he's been on with ESOPs and discovered that the outcome was more than he could have imagined. Going back to the beginning of the pro...

The "Great Resignation" as it's been called, has created a wide variety of circumstances that have impacted the American workforce. 55% of workers making under $30K/year say they will be looking for a new job soon. Has this impacted manufacturing? If so, what can we do as manufacturing leaders to mitigate the impact? This episode focuses on what leaders can and should be doing to build the kind of...

There is a paradigm shift happening in the industry: many skilled machinists are  retiring . As these long-term skilled machinists are leaving, they're leaving with intellectual legacy knowledge that's irreplaceable. Do procurement people sourcing machining parts know what the processes and procedures look like? Do they know the difference between a fabricated, turned, or machined, or five-axis pa...

Finding Solutions to the Supply Chain Chaos, #293 What is the root cause of the supply chain crisis? How can manufacturing businesses mitigate those risks and find realistic solutions that work in the short and long term? Tom Hilaris—the President & CEO of Ergoseal—joins us to share the three things they focus on: risk mitigation, communication, and culture. In this episode of Making Chips we offe...

What is an employee stock ownership plan ESOP? How does it work? How can it transform the buy-in of your team and lead to revenue growth? Jeff Taylor—the President and CEO of Crafts Technology—implemented an ESOP. Listen to this episode to hear about the impact it had on his business—and figure out whether or not it's right for yours. Employee buy-in can lead to profitability which can lead to Mak...

What does your hiring process look like? Do you even have a hiring process in place? In this episode of Making Chips, we walk through what each of our processes look like and share some useful strategies that anyone can implement. A streamlined process leads to better hires which leads to Making Chips! BAM! – Jason! What are your tips and tricks for the hiring process? Let us know! Send an email t...

What factors should you consider when forecasting? What questions do you need to ask to determine your next steps? Who gets to make those decisions? We walk you through some common questions to ask yourself—and your company—about your business. We'll also cover Miles and Snow's Typology of Defender, Prospector, Analyzer, and Reactor to see how your type impacts your decision-making process. Learn...

Nick jokes that I have a recession obsession—and it's true. Recessions are  painful . I want to make the experience less painful when a recession comes around again. So in this down-to-earth episode of Making Chips, I'll share the common causes of most recessions and 8 tips you can use to prepare yourself—and your business—for a recession. Preparedness is key to helping your business survive and t...

In round three with Titan Gilroy, we talk about why Titan decided to move his entire business from California to Texas. Was it a smooth transition? Was he able to retain his entire team? Titan also shares more of the "why" behind his business and his passion for serving his audience. Titan continues to go above and beyond the expected as he grows his academy. Listen to learn more. BAM! Segments [0...

In this episode of Making Chips, we dive back into the conversation with Titan Gilroy. This time, we talk about how Titan's TV show, "American Built," came to life. We also talk about how he almost gave up the TV show to do something he was passionate about—helping prisoners transform their lives and learn to become full-fledged machinists. This passion project eventually led to the creation of th...

This episode takes you (and us) to Texas to speak with Titan Gilroy. He calls himself an advocate for advanced manufacturing, and that's a huge understatement. He runs two academies that teach what it takes to be a success in manufacturing. His personal stroy demonstrates that becoming a success in the industry — individually or as an organization — doesn't happen overnight or without a significan...

According to a recent article in  Reuters , "The ISM said its index of national factory activity inched up to 59.9 last month from a reading of 59.5 in July. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in manufacturing, which accounts for 11.9% of the U.S. economy." Manufacturing is on the rise, yet every industry is struggling with an impaired supply chain. Will things get better anytime soon? How can...

Do your employees feel like they're a means to an end? I think a lot of team members don't realize—or believe—that we care about them. Some feel that when you hold them accountable to hit their numbers that data is all you care about. But that isn't always the case.  At the end of the day, we're all business leaders who need an efficient working environment. So where do we find a balance between d...

The U.S. labor market is still struggling despite record numbers of job openings. Businesses aren't able to hire as quickly as they need to. What's the holdup? Is there a lack of candidates in the market? Are people choosing not to return to work? In this episode of Making Chips we dissect what's happening—and a few things you can do about it.  Segments [0:18] Check out  ProShop ERP  for manufactu...

I wanted to differentiate myself among other machine shops in the area with the new Carr Machine & Tool location. The shop floor is where we make our money. I took extra steps in the process to create a new image for my shop. I wanted to present it in a way that was sophisticated, high-tech, polished, and professional—while remaining efficient.  That's where IMEC came in. I reached out to them for...

Everyone is familiar with the concept of networking. But how many people actually implement it to grow themselves and their businesses? In this episode of Making Chips, Jim, Jason, and I dive into how networking has impacted our businesses in unexpected ways. To hear the good, bad, and the ugly—give it a listen! Segments [0:18] Check out  ProShop ERP  for more information on manufacturing software...