The Manufacturing Executive

How do you convince both reps and execs in manufacturing that the CRM is not a deterrent but a path to next-level improvement? In this episode, I talked about how to overcome challenges to adopting a CRM with these three standout guests: Ron Pretzie, Sr. Enterprise Account Executive at Prolifiq Andy Keehn, Director, Demand Generation at Prolifiq Dave Sheer, Retired VP/CEO at The Steel Supply Compa...

Underlying supply chain problems, only exacerbated by pandemic disruption, have plagued every industry the past few years. But our guest today thinks we may be seeing the light at the end of a long tunnel. And now is the perfect time to shore up weaknesses exposed by the demand spike. Jim Pratt is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Forsyth Advisors, and an expert at solving sourcing problems a...

Additive manufacturing technologies are rapidly disrupting the old practices. The adoption rate is increasing, leading to exciting advancements in performance, GTM, and repair applications. Melanie Lang is the Co-Founder and CEO of FormAlloy and the Women in 3D Printing San Diego Ambassador, and she serves on the Executive Committee of America Makes. Join us as we discuss: - The flexible tech behi...

Welcome to a new era of robotics! Robots of the past were defined by their tasks. They went through pre-planned motions and they weren’t able to adapt to changes in their environment. Today’s next-gen robots, however, are hyper-intelligent, able to differentiate between people and objects, and adjust to changes in real time. Nan Li, Managing Director at Obvious Ventures, has spent a lot of his car...

The biggest obstacle to renewables is a lack of knowledge on the subject. But once everyone knows the money they can save while helping the environment… We’ll be living in an all electric-society. Today’s guest, Jack Nehlig, President at Phoenix Contact USA, joins the show to discuss these benefits and what the all-electric society means for manufacturing. Join us as we discuss: - What people need...

It's never been more costly to watch your people walk out the door. Today’s guest is Dan Johnston, Co-Founder and CEO, WorkStep WorkStep is a software platform that empowers companies to find and keep frontline employees for the long run. Dan has seen first hand how workforce retention can make or break a company and I’m thrilled to have him on the show. Join us as we discuss: How supply chain dis...

Too often, we’re having the wrong conversation about automation ROI. In a time when simply finding labor is the biggest challenge many manufacturers face, the ROI conversation around automation is now about much more than replacing labor costs. So says today’s guest, Scot Lindemann, CEO at Mission Design & Automation, who joins the show to explain how to make the conversation around automation a m...

It’s no secret why so many companies have sent their manufacturing overseas: It’s to save money. But are you really saving when the hassle costs you your ability to innovate quickly? Today’s guest, Martin DeBono, President at GAF Energy, joins the show to share his insights on how colocating R&D domestically can ultimately save you by helping you get innovative products to market faster than your...

Manufacturers aren’t typically marketing-driven companies. But they should be. Because their existing customer bases and referrals aren’t enough to cut it anymore. In this solo episode, I’ll be covering 8 guiding principles for marketing manufacturing in 2022 I’ll be covering: - The power shift from seller to buyer - Understanding who makes up the buying committee - Creating value to gain attentio...

Tell me a platform where you can post 15 times and have 40,000 followers. Today’s guest throws out a TikTok in five minutes before breakfast every morning — and has incontrovertible proof that it absolutely drove 100% of the preorders for a new product. In this episode, I interview Todd Clouser , Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Refine Labs, about the power of TikTok marketing in the trades. Join...

When it comes to improving your company's ethics and compliance… Any changes you make will only be as good as the culture supporting them. And today’s guest, Emily Miner, Senior Advisor in LRN ’s Ethics & Compliance Advisory Practice, joins the show to share the best ways to cultivate that culture. We discuss: The evolution of E&C Why ethics and compliance and organizational culture are inextricab...

Companies that go international are 20% more profitable on average. For most manufacturers, the only thing stopping them from reaping the rewards of going global is the fear of the unknown. But with a little guidance, you can make sure your international ambitions don’t get lost in translation. And there is no better guide than today’s guest, Wendy Pease, Owner of Rapport International, who joins...

Consumers adopt technology faster and adapt their behavior more readily than businesses do. How can we bring those positive consumer traits into manufacturing? In this episode, I interview Todd Leebow, President/CEO at Majestic Steel USA, about consumerizing the industrial supply chain. Join us as we discuss: - Traits of consumers that manufacturing should adopt - Why convention is the antithesis...

Content marketing is key in manufacturing, but video content is king. Let’s be honest, not everyone will sit down to read in-depth articles on a topic. They just don’t have the time. But a short video? Everyone has time for that. Jeff Long, Founder of True Focus Media, joins me to talk about why video content is an ideal way to showcase your expertise, demonstrate your products, increase leads and...

Founded in 1985, the Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the exchange of knowledge and advancement through tech. With over four thousand members across the globe, it’s a uniquely powerful force for the evolution of manufacturing. Our guests today are manufacturing experts, laser-focused on creating a courageous culture and fierce advocates for tra...

Anyone in the industrial sector knows that we need to get the next generation excited about manufacturing. But what about the generation after that? How about starting with a story? That’s how Megan Preston Meyer, Writer/Publisher at Meyer Publishing, is doing it with her Supply Jane supply chain children’s stories. In this episode, we discuss: - Why you need more than data — you need stories - Ho...

Manufacturing is the backbone of the modern world… But the manufacturing sector has been lagging severely in the marketing department for a long time. The good news? This only creates opportunity for you to get out ahead of your competitors. Today, I’m joined by Allison DeFord, Founder and Trailblazer at FELT Marketing for Manufacturers, for a discussion of 5 key concepts every manufacturer needs...

One of the biggest challenges in the industry today? Upskilling the country’s workforce for careers in advanced manufacturing. Training centers and technical schools need to step in to fill the skills gap, but many of them are still training for the jobs of yesterday. It’s time to modernize workforce education. Kathy Walker, Founder & CEO of eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute (eKAMI), join...

There’s no shortage of orders for most manufacturers out there — The problem is finding the talent to help fill them. How do we finally close the manufacturing skill gap? Mike Nager, Founding Member of the Solution Center within Festo Didactic, which helps students learn hands-on manufacturing skills through its innovative Learning Factory, believes it all starts with education — and manufacturers...

At the outset of the pandemic, trade shows were one of the many facets of business imperiled by the crisis. But every crisis presents an opportunity for innovation. And for today’s guests, Clive White, CEO, and Zach Person, General Manager, at Ensitech, a company that heavily relies on trade shows for garnering business, pushing past the initial pandemic panic ultimately paid off — fast forward to...

There are a couple of super easy ways to totally flop at a trade show: Not having a live demo. Not having enough personnel. Not prioritizing relationships. Not being selective with products. Not having strategic marketing on the other 363 days of the year. Not understanding the economics of the entire endeavor. Okay... more than just a couple. In this episode, I interview Gorilla76’s Matthew Scian...

What manufacturers should do is stop moaning about the lack of skilled talent and start partnering with grade schools (yes, as young as eighth grade) to show young people, especially young women, how amazing it is to build a career in manufacturing and engineering. But how? In this episode, I’m speaking with Meaghan Ziemba, Owner, Copywriter, and Copyeditor at Z-Ink Solutions and Host at Mavens of...

You probably don’t need another reminder that the pandemic changed the world — when it comes to manufacturing, the deepening labor shortage and increased supply chain difficulties are obvious. And there are two ways you can think about these issues: You can either hope that they’re temporary and wait for them to get better — or you can face the world as it currently is and do something about it. T...

Traditionally, marketing teams in manufacturing have depended on CRM supply data to get a picture of their customers. However, there’s an untapped well of customer insights that many overlook: IoT data from manufacturing facilities.  Using this data, marketers can target specific campaigns to specific customer bases and create messaging that truly resonates with customers. In this episode, I sit d...

If you think ecommerce isn’t for you, you’re wrong. You need to leverage ecommerce immediately (arguably with pricing, too) to increase your visibility and make it easy for your ideal buyer to make a buying decision on a Friday at midnight online.  In this episode, I interview Curt Anderson , eCommerce Evangelist for Manufacturers at Ecommerce MGMT , about why ecommerce matters so much for manufac...