Bottom Line Concepts is helping companies save jobs and protect employee benefits. How do they do this? They partner with companies – from manufacturers to retailers to professional sports organizations – to reduce their costs by auditing for refunds and negotiating for future savings. CEO Josh Fox jumps on the show today to share his story and walk us through Bottom Line’s performance-based business model. Josh shares stories and great examples from inside and outside of the manufacturing indus...
Apr 14, 2020•45 min•Ep. 15
Matthew Putman is a Renaissance Man for the 21st century. He’s a scientist, author, teacher, and jazz pianist, as well as the CEO of Nanotronics , a science technology company that brings together robotics, automation, 3D imaging, and artificial intelligence for powering factories. They’re on a mission to redefine manufacturing for the future. In this dynamic interview, Matthew provides an overview of Nanotronics’ Brooklyn Navy Yard Smart Factory, manufacturing supply chains and leadership in th...
Apr 07, 2020•41 min•Ep. 14
In our last full-length episode, Chuck Swoboda joined us for a discussion about innovation at Milwaukee Brewing Company. Since we recorded the show in front of a live audience, in this bonus episode, we’re answering your questions about innovation, covering everything from risk-taking to getting organizational buy-in on your innovative ideas. Make sure to check out our full interview in Episode 13, and subscribe to Chuck’s podcast Innovators On Tap ....
Mar 31, 2020•18 min
Chuck Swoboda had an illustrious career at Cree, Inc., and even as a retired CEO, he’s still keeping busy and learning. Chuck now hosts the podcast Innovators On Tap , a show that explores what innovation really looks like through interviews with leaders and change-makers across a range of industries. He’s distilled these lessons through his upcoming book The Innovator’s Spirit , which comes out on May 5, 2020. Chuck and I met up for a live podcast at Milwaukee Brewing Company in – you guessed i...
Mar 24, 2020•48 min•Ep. 13
Social distancing might be a thing right now, but that won’t stop Manufacturing Happy Hour from bring together a bunch of industry leaders for a drink! Tune in this week to hear live footage from the first ever “Virtual Happy Hour” hosted by the Manufacturing Happy Hour Industry Community . Over 10 marketers, systems integrators, recruiters, and professional association leaders gathered on Zoom for a conversation about the impact the Coronavirus is having on manufacturing, but also to share opti...
Mar 20, 2020•1 hr 9 min
COVID-19 – better known as the Coronavirus – continues to spread and disrupt the global economy in the process. The manufacturing industry is not immune to its effects, especially as the virus’ origins and highest number of cases are in China, a country which plays a key role in almost every manufacturer’s supply chain. So whether the Coronavirus is a pandemic or not, what can you as a manufacturing leader do to understand its effects on your business and, more importantly, what actions can you ...
Mar 09, 2020•14 min
Veryable just might be the solution to the workforce shortage challenges we as manufacturing leaders are all too aware of. Veryable is an on-demand marketplace for manufacturing labor, essentially making it “The Uber of the Factory Floor.” You can ramp up and ramp down your workforce as needed, while operators that use the platform have the benefit of creating a flexible work schedule. It’s a win-win for both the manufacturers and the people that keep those plants running. Veryable CTO Noah Labh...
Feb 24, 2020•46 min•Ep. 12
A3 is the Association for Advancing Automation , and at the beginning of every year, they host their annual business forum. Michael "Sully" Sullivan from the automation industry talent search firm Miller Resource Group had the opportunity to attend this past January, and in this edition of "3 Quick Things," Sully shares his 3 biggest takeaways from the event. From evolving perceptions around automation's role in job creation to the economic outlook for the manufacturing industry in 2020, this bo...
Feb 10, 2020•21 min
Workplace safety: One of the most important priorities for any manufacturer. Joe Geng has spent his entire career focused on helping people stay safe even in the toughest of work environments through his work at Superior Glove, the largest producer of work gloves in Canada. Now, he’s captured some of his biggest findings on workplace safety through his new book Rethinking Hand Safety: Myths, Truths, and Proven Practices . In this episode, Joe takes us through his journey into the family business...
Jan 20, 2020•32 min•Ep. 11
Travis Sheridan really does have the coolest job in the world. As the former President of Venture Café Global Institute (and the current Chief Community Officer of Wexford Science & Technology), he’s traveled the globe helping establish innovation communities in cities like Warsaw, Tokyo, and Philadelphia. He’s basically the Anthony Bourdain of startups. In this episode originally recorded for the show Pubcast Worldwide , Travis shares his thoughts on innovation and whom it should benefit. F...
Jan 13, 2020•53 min•Ep. 10
As 2019 draws to a close, we jump into another edition of “3 Quick Things” that’s all about gratitude. In this bonus episode, we cover daily habits for exercising gratitude that can help any manufacturing leader stay focused and think bigger as they lead their teams and businesses into the next decade. Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned for all of our full-length episodes. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty....
Dec 30, 2019•12 min
As a manufacturing company, how is social media currently playing a role in helping your business grow? Is it generating leads? Is it engaging your existing customer base? Are you regularly participating in conversations on LinkedIn, or are you just posting from time-to-time, usually in the form of some arbitrary holiday post? Whether you answered yes or no to any of these questions, you’ll want to tune into this episode as Chris walks through 6 strategies that you as a manufacturing leader can ...
Dec 23, 2019•23 min•Ep. 9
With 2019 coming quickly to a close, we have a short episode for you this week to help you jumpstart the new year. In this first ever bonus edition of “3 Quick Things,” Chris takes lessons from the first round of Manufacturing Happy Hour interviews and distills those into easy actions you can take in 2020. From creating & communicating a vision for new manufacturing technologies to leveraging a community of mentors that can help you take your business to the next level, tune in for this quic...
Dec 16, 2019•12 min
Anastasia Kraft loved her engineering career in project management but hated the bulky, made-for-men work boots she had to wear on job sites. Realizing that she wasn’t alone in this feeling, she created a company that would solve this problem for her and all other women in the industry… Ana is the Co-Founder & CEO of Xena Workwear , a new Milwaukee-based industrial apparel company that’s leveling the playing field for women in engineering, manufacturing, and construction thanks to their styl...
Dec 09, 2019•43 min•Ep. 8
Have you been hearing about “Digital Transformation” and “Smart Manufacturing” but want to know if these are anything more than buzzwords? Are you wondering how to start taking advantage of the Industrial Internet of Things in your manufacturing operation? Wouldn’t it be nice if someone just simplified and explained these topics in a way that you could understand them while hanging out at a bar? Well, our panelists answered all of these questions and more during our first ever LIVE episode of Ma...
Dec 02, 2019•48 min•Ep. 7
Like many entrepreneurs, Joe Carson was leading a successful career at a large company. After spending his first 5 years out of college at Rockwell Automation, he didn’t want to risk living with regret and couldn’t resist the startup urge any longer. Joe is the Founder of Pacific Blue Engineering , a Long Beach-based control systems integrator that’s been growing across California and beyond for over 4 years. In this episode, Joe walks us through his own journey of building Pacific Blue Engineer...
Nov 25, 2019•39 min•Ep. 6
SteamChain.io is fundamentally changing the way that equipment manufacturers and end-users collaborate with one another. Their new “Machine-as-a-Service” solutions not only improve machine productivity and performance, but allow businesses to accelerate toward mutual desired outcomes. Co-Founder Michael Cromheecke jumps on the show to dissect this new business model and illustrate where it’s already seeing success in the manufacturing sector. He shares the story of his own corporate-turned-entre...
Nov 18, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 5
Dr. Kris Ropella is Dean of the Opus College of Engineering at Marquette University, and a true enabler of the engineer of the future. In this episode, Dr. Ropella meets up with us at Caffrey’s Pub on Marquette’s campus to discuss how engineering education is evolving to incorporate more creativity, diversity, and leadership while better preparing engineers for the manufacturing industry and beyond. From ballroom dancing to learning through failure to the changing face of engineering, this episo...
Nov 11, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 4
How do you turn areas that were once manufacturing powerhouses back into regions with thriving economies? Brandon Cornuke & Michael Goldberg believe developing strong manufacturing ecosystems is a big part of the answer. Brandon Cornuke is the Vice President of Startup Services at MAGNET , a Cleveland-based organization that helps manufacturers in Northeast Ohio grow their operations, workforces, and startups. Michael Goldberg is a Professor of Design & Innovation at Case Western Reserve...
Nov 04, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 3
Krisztina “Z” Holly has had quite the illustrious career in tech and manufacturing. Her list of accomplishments includes creating the first ever TEDx events, working for multiple successful tech startups, spearheading innovation centers at USC and MIT, and currently, serving as the Founder & “Chief Instigator” for MAKE IT IN LA – LA Mayor Garcetti’s regional maker-focused non-profit – and her own podcast “ The Art of Manufacturing .” Z joins us on the show today to tell us how manufacturing ...
Oct 28, 2019•22 min•Ep. 2
Dan Voit is the CEO of Blentech , an industrial equipment manufacturer specializing in advanced cooking and mixing technologies based in Santa Rosa, CA. It’s no simple task to run a profitable manufacturing company in the middle of Sonoma County, but with cutting-edge technologies like their CookerCloud coupled with an ultra-strong company culture, Dan and the team at Blentech continue to find ways to win and grow. In our conversation, Dan walks us through his journey into the food sciences worl...
Oct 23, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 1
