my TRUE POSITION

If you're like me you know the pains of growing up in a small, closely-held manufacturing company. Where there is no accountability, process or guardrails. You know these experiences, having no HR or no filters or no process. On this episode I share four decades of my experiences from the shop floor to the front office.

Are you at a networking event and someone is overly friendly? Are they invading your space and immediately your best friend? Do they try and make you feel good about yourself? Well that's a red light to warn you this person could be an opportunist.

Are you scared of communicating? Does the thought of telling a vendor their quality is awful? How about telling a customer that you quoted the job incorrectly and you're going to have to charge them 30% more. Well on this episode I'll share some tips and tricks of what I've learned by being honest and authentic about clear communication.

Is your manufacturing company on a path for growth? Do you like process and planning? Are you afraid of change? Does your team collaborate well? Well War Room meetings might be just the ticket for your company.

Did you grow up in a family owned business learning that a thriving company should be debt free? Is that a good approach to growing your business? Is it even possible? In this episode I share my own feelings on debt and offer some unusual lending options.

One of the top three hardest things I've had to do in my career was to terminate a veteran employee. An employee who I worked with for 21 years. I knew him, his family, and many aspects of his personal life. AND I had to give him the bad news that we were parting ways. On this episode, I share the gut-wrenching task of firing a friend.

Do you get random texts from "Amazon" saying they can't deliver your product, or how about your credit card has been compromised and you need to call or click the link immediately to stop it. The hackers are getting smarter and we're vulnerable. On this episode I'm going to share what to look for and not do and my own experience of ACH fraud and how to mitigate it.

What happens when a foursome of manufacturing leaders get together for an open conversation about the future of manufacturing? Issues they're having right now? And how is the health of manufacturing in their respective businesses?

Does the thought of writing someone up give you anxiety? How about having to tell someone they need to correct an action or there is a potential of termination? These are not fun meetings to have. I've struggled with this my entire career. In this episode I'm going to share with you how I've gotten over the anxiety of having to discipline a team member.

Do your insurance rates continue to skyrocket? Is it because of excessive workers compensation claims? On this episode of my TRUE POSITION I'm bringing in a special Safety Guest to share tips on how to beef up your safety protocols and save some money.

When is the right time to move your business? There are so many reasons. Future growth is probably the biggest, with taxes, infrastructure, cost, and even a warmer climate. In this episode I'll be sharing all the business and personal reasons for making this decision. It wasn't easy.

How does a growing machine shop continue to buy CNC equipment when interest rates are double what they were 12 months ago? Will inflation continue to rise and will I not be able  to buy that sweet new CNC machine?  This week we have  a special guest - Ty Willis from ENGS Financial to help us with some best practice in borrowing.

So it's in the early 90's and I'm recently married, with a couple of kids, a house with a mortgage, two kids (and one on the way) and a minivan and coupe car. Working hard in the family machine shop  Thinking that someday I'll be getting this business. That's great! BUT…. I just realized that my single dad - who is the sole owner and President of CARR Machine - has had a serious gf for about 15 ye...