The Manufacturers Network

If your sales team keeps losing deals on price, the problem might not be your pricing. It might be your story. Lauren Kwedar Cockerell, founder and president of Kwedar & Co., a strategic communications firm based in Fort Worth, joins Lisa to talk about why so many manufacturers struggle to articulate what makes them genuinely different, and what to do about it. Lauren has spent 23 years in pub...

In this episode of the Manufacturers Network Podcast, Lisa Ryan sits down with JC Carr, Territory Account Manager at World Emblem and founder of Whips Miami, to talk about the future of manufacturing leadership, supply chain resilience, automation, and workforce culture. JC shares his unconventional path from launching an exotic car brokerage during COVID to becoming a rising voice in manufacturin...

Leadership development is not about creating people who can follow instructions. It’s about creating people who can think. In this episode of the Manufacturers Network Podcast, Lisa Ryan talks with Scott Burgmeyer about leadership growth, succession planning, emotional intelligence, and why so many organizations struggle to develop future leaders before it’s too late. With more than 30 years of ex...

Manufacturing companies don’t usually fail because of bad products. They fail because growth exposes leadership gaps nobody wanted to deal with. In this episode of the Manufacturers Network Podcast, Lisa Ryan talks with leadership advisor and Trajectify founder Mike Krupit about what really happens when organizations grow faster than their people, systems, and communication. Mike shares lessons fr...

E-commerce looks easy… right up until it isn’t. More orders. More customers. More growth. And then everything starts to crack. In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , I sit down with Ethan Giffin to talk about what really happens when e-commerce businesses try to scale. Not the highlight reel. The operational reality behind it. We get into fulfillment pressure, inventory accuracy, c...

Here’s what nobody says out loud. You can automate a facility, install the dashboards, optimize the flow… and still lose the people who make it all work. In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , I sit down with Rylan Pyciak to talk about what’s really happening inside modern supply chains. Not the polished version. The real one. We get into the tension between automation and human ju...

Lisa Ryan welcomes Paul Sippil, forensic 401K consultant and self-described 401K vigilante. Over 17 years, Paul has analyzed thousands of public retirement plan filings and documented more than 1,300 cases of apparent excessive fees. His central argument is simple and uncomfortable: most American employers, including manufacturers, have never seen the true cost of their 401K plan, and the structur...

Lisa Ryan welcomes Friddy Hoegner, founder of Scope Recruiting and a former procurement and supply chain leader. Friddy helps manufacturing and supply chain companies build the teams that actually keep operations moving and he does it from a perspective most recruiters simply don't have: he's lived the job himself. From Global Supply Chain to the Recruiting Desk Friddy's career began in Germany wi...

Lisa Ryan welcomes Rick Elmore, founder and CEO of Simply Noted, a 100% bootstrapped, handwritten mail automation company powered by patented robotics and AI-driven personalization. A former NFL athlete turned 9-patent tech founder, Rick scaled Simply Noted to $10 million-plus in revenue by combining manufacturing, automation, and disciplined sales systems, all without a single dollar of outside i...

In this insightful and practical episode, Lisa Ryan welcomes Sebastian Chedal, founder of Fountain City and co-founder of TestFox.ai. Sebastian helps executives implement AI strategies that actually work, focusing on one critical question: How do you join the 20% of AI initiatives that succeed instead of the 80% that fail? With 60% of his work in manufacturing and industrial sectors, Sebastian bri...

In this energetic and information-packed episode, Lisa Ryan welcomes Tony Gunn, who leads global operations at his new venture TGM Global Services after a successful five-year run with MTD CNC. Tony has spent two decades on shop floors and in boardrooms around the world, traveling approximately 300 days a year to over 60 countries, giving him an unparalleled front-row seat to the technologies, tre...

In this thought-provoking episode, Lisa Ryan welcomes Bruce Vojak, a leading authority on strategic innovation with a unique combination of deep and broad experience. As a business advisor, board member, senior fellow with The Conference Board, and author of two highly regarded books on innovation published by Stanford University Press, Bruce helps mature companies in mature industries survive and...

In this insightful episode, Lisa Ryan welcomes Dr. Joshua Tarbutton—Chairman and Chief Innovator at Bravo Team, an engineering firm specializing in custom automation solutions for manufacturers facing tough challenges. The conversation tracks Joshua Tarbutton's journey from childhood curiosity with Light Brights and exposure to structural engineering via his father, through military service, acade...

Manufacturing’s next big leap won’t come from machines, it’ll come from mindset. In this episode of The Manufacturers Network , Lisa Ryan talks with Vince Sassano , President of Strategic Performance Company and creator of Proto Track , about how manufacturers can build trust in data, connect generations, and drive meaningful change on the shop floor. With more than 30 years at the intersection of...

In this episode, Lisa Ryan sits down with Moustafa Moursy, founder of Push Analytics and a top-tier HubSpot agency partner, to break down what’s really holding manufacturers back from operational excellence, and how to fix it. Drawing on his hands-on manufacturing background and expertise in sales and project management, Moustafa Moursy reveals the most common process traps, why data-driven operat...

On this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast, host Lisa Ryan welcomes Joe Bockerstette , the leader behind Business Enterprise Mapping, a Phoenix-based consultancy renowned for helping manufacturers rapidly document workflows, identify bottlenecks, and implement impactful change. With four decades of experience in operations and supply chain management—including senior roles at PwC and pri...

In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast, Lisa Ryan sits down with Chris Hallberg, a veteran entrepreneur, business coach, and the original "Business Sergeant." As one of Colorado's first EOS Implementers, Chris has helped more than a hundred companies transform chaotic teams into aligned, accountable, and energized organizations. Together, they unpack the secrets behind building a pow...

Building a Legacy of Quality and Creativity in Manufacturing with David Socha In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast, host Lisa Ryan chats with David Socha, CEO of Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company. David shares how he built a family business focused on creativity, ethics, and global adaptability in the world of plush toys. Whether you're a manufacturing leader, entrepreneur, or curio...

Quick question, when's the last time your team truly celebrated a win? Not the "pizza in the breakroom" celebration. I mean real, meaningful recognition that made people feel proud and inspired them to keep going. Here's the truth: celebrating wins isn't just nice-to-have, it's fuel for your culture. When you do it right, your applause doesn't just pat people on the back. It keeps them engaged, lo...

Welcome to The Manufacturers Network Podcast! In this insightful episode, Lisa Ryan sits down with Jason Rolland, Senior Vice President of Materials at Carbon Inc., to explore the rapidly evolving impact of additive manufacturing on how products are designed, produced, and scaled. Jason offers an insider’s view informed by years of expertise in polymer chemistry, entrepreneurship, and industrial m...

In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , Lisa Ryan talks with Dag Calafell , a 25-year technology veteran helping global manufacturers modernize through Microsoft solutions. Dag shares how his early days as a developer at Parker Hannifin led him to his current role at MCA Connect, where he works with manufacturers to turn digital transformation into practical results. They dig into w...

Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/asklisaryan Here's something I know to be true: Employees don't just want to work for a Paycheck — they want to work for a purpose. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. And here's the good news: manufacturing companies are uniquely positioned to deliver exactly that. When you give back — to your employees, your community, and...

In this episode, Lisa Ryan talks with Laura Phillips , Vice President of Engineering and Procurement at Pella Corporation , about what it really takes to sustain a century-old company while staying future-ready. Laura shares how Pella’s culture of caring boldly , where truth, accountability, and collaboration coexist, continues to drive innovation and inclusion across 21 manufacturing sites and 11...

In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , Lisa Ryan sits down with Ben Wynne , Chief Technology Officer of Intrepid Automation , to explore how additive manufacturing and automation are transforming modern production—without erasing the craftsmanship and knowledge that built it. Ben shares how his team helps manufacturers digitize decades-old tooling, preserve tribal knowledge, and br...

In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , host Lisa Ryan talks with Sameer Narkar , Founder and CEO of Konnect Insights , a bootstrapped SaaS company that’s redefining how enterprises manage customer experience. What started as a small team of engineers in India has grown into a platform used by 400+ global brands in 35+ countries , managing over a billion customer interactions every...