Radical Job Shop Show

Most machine shops are built around equipment. TORQ Manufacturing was built around people. When Kyle and his team designed this facility, they weren't trying to create the biggest shop. They were building the kind of manufacturing company they always wanted to work for. The result is a modern contract manufacturing operation that combines precision machining, fabrication, assembly, and problem...

If you're managing 3–5 vendors just to get one assembly built, this is what it looks like when it’s done right. Welcome to Teltron Manufacturing — a fully integrated machine shop combining sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, welding, forming, finishing, and assembly under one roof. No handoffs. No finger-pointing. No chasing vendors. In this episode of the Radical Job Shop Tour, Emily visi...

In this Chairlift Conversations episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins rides up Mammoth Mountain with Patrick Lee and Keith Lee of Liberty Manufacturing, Teak Ackman, Jesse Randall, and Will Whitman of Seven Star Machine Engineering to talk about building a machine shop from scratch, growing into contract manufacturing, and finding opportunity in machining. The conversation...

In this Chairlift Conversations episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins rides up Mammoth Mountain with a group of manufacturing professionals from across the machining industry—including Justin Wilkins of MillerKnoll, Paul Clauss of Toolpath, Ethan Patane of Centric Iterations, Matthew Matyash, Paul Van Metre of ProShop ERP, and David Liu of finalREV.What starts as casual co...

In this Chairlift Conversations episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins talks with Jason Erickson, a mechanical engineer, side-business owner, and aerospace professional navigating the overlap between engineering, entrepreneurship, and manufacturing. Jason shares his experience running a machine shop while working in aerospace fasteners at Click Bond, along with the challeng...

In this special Chairlift Conversations edition of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Al Whatmough to talk about the idea behind the Machining Summit—and how a simple moment on a ski lift turned into one of the most unique events in manufacturing. Al shares how the concept started, why traditional trade shows weren’t cutting it, and what happens when you design an e...

In this episode of the Radical Job Shop Show, Emily Wilkins visits Spectrum Machine & Design in Windsor Locks, Connecticut — a high-precision aerospace and defense manufacturer specializing in critical aircraft engine components. From five-axis mill-turns and pallet automation systems to 100% inspection processes and electron beam welding solutions, Spectrum isn’t just machining parts — they’r...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Lance Locker and Casey Lambs, co-founders of FeedLogic — a Northwestern University startup using vibration analysis and machine learning to help CNC machinists optimize feeds and speeds, reduce chatter, and extend tool life. What started on a collegiate Formula Racing team has turned into a manufacturing technology ve...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show , host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Chris Braniecki , co-owner of IQ Manufacturing , a high-mix CNC job shop that scaled from one machine in a barn to 20 CNCs and 25 employees , running two shifts, seven days a week. Chris shares the unconventional path that led him into shop ownership — from building a patented tennis ball machine prototype to re...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Jim Mayer, founder of The Manufacturing Connector and a longtime advocate for people-first manufacturing culture. Jim has spent decades inside machine shops, distribution, and manufacturing organizations of every size—and he’s seen firsthand what separates shops that thrive from those that struggle. In this conve...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Pete Vellenga, founder of Lightspeed Solutions, a new manufacturing and engineering consultancy helping companies bring products to market through design for manufacturing (DFM), prototyping, and early-stage production. With more than 35 years in manufacturing, Pete shares what pushed him to finally go all in on...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Steve Michon, owner of Zero Tolerance CNC, a precision tooling and plastic injection mold shop known for its craftsmanship, honesty, and people-first leadership. Steve shares what it really takes to build a shop where truth matters, mistakes become teachers, and going the extra mile isn’t optional—it’s the standa...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show , host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Phil Miller, owner of Star Machine , a precision CNC job shop built at the intersection of advanced manufacturing and Amish craftsmanship . Phil shares how trust, integrity, and self-awareness shape the way he leads his team, serves his customers, and makes decisions for the long term. From running a high-tech m...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Ted Wilcome, Co-Founder of Innov8 Manufacturing, a shop that’s grown from one CNC in a tiny room to more than 16 machines in just five years. Ted is an engineer-turned-entrepreneur who got tired of begging shops for quotes and reasonable lead times — so he built the machining partner he always wished he could find. To...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Paul Hendricks, president of Creston Industrial Sales and co-founder of the Advanced Manufacturing Expo (AME). Paul shares the story behind AME’s origin, his journey from construction to owning a top industrial distribution company, and the leadership philosophy that’s helped him build a thriving business and communit...

In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, we're talking with Johnny Goode, President of MSP Manufacturing—a precision machine shop serving the aerospace and defense sectors. Johnny's story is anything but ordinary—from law enforcement and the military to leading a shop with legacy programs and cutting-edge tech. We talk about how telling MSP's story helped land high-value customers, why compan...

In this first episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, host Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Tony Gunn to talk about creativity, vulnerability, and what makes a shop truly radical. They dig into the evolution of job shops, the role of AI and robotics, generational dynamics, and the soul of the manufacturing industry. Tony also shares raw personal stories—including the moment he decided to show up f...