The Manufacturers Network

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Aug 2026

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The Manufacturers’ Network is where manufacturing leaders, plant managers, and industry innovators come to talk straight about what’s working and what’s not, on the shop floor and beyond. Each week, host Lisa Ryan sits down with people who live and breathe this business: operations executives, HR directors, engineers, and founders who are building stronger teams and smarter systems in the face of nonstop change. Listeners gain real-world insights on: • Employee retention and workforce engagement • Automation, AI, and the future of skilled trades • Supply chain and operations leadership • Safety, sustainability, and company culture that lasts If you’re tired of generic “leadership talk” and want practical conversations from people who get it, this podcast is for you. New episodes drop every Monday and are short enough for your commute, sharp enough to shape your week. Subscribe and be part of the conversation that’s connecting manufacturers across industries, one story at a time.

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August 17, 202629 min

AI, Supply Chains, and Global Logistics: How Manufacturers Can Build More Resilient Operations with Phil Rees

What happens after your product leaves the factory may determine your profitability just as much as what happens inside it. In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , Lisa Ryan talks with Phil Rees , founder of ShipMax and a supply chain strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping manufacturers, retailers, and global brands improve fulfillment, warehousing, customs compliance, and international logistics. Phil explains why many manufacturers focus heavily on production efficiency while overlooking logistics decisions that quietly increase costs, delay shipments, and create unnecessary risk. He also shares how artificial intelligence is transforming warehousing and fulfillment, why companies should rethink inventory strategies, and what changing global trade regulations mean for manufacturers expanding into international markets. If you're responsible for manufacturing operations, supply chain management, distribution, procurement, or business growth, this episode offers practical strategies for building a more resilient, efficient supply chain. In This Episode You'll Learn The biggest logistics mistakes manufacturers make after products leave the factory Why HS (Harmonized System) codes have a major impact on customs clearance and import costs How manufacturers can reduce supply chain costs by minimizing border crossings When reshoring, nearshoring, or regional inventory makes financial sense How AI is improving warehouse management, fulfillment, inventory forecasting, and logistics planning What manufacturers should know about tariffs, customs regulations, and global trade changes Why supply chain strategy should be reviewed continuously instead of treated as a one-time project Practical ways manufacturers can begin using AI immediately to improve operations Key Topics Discussed Manufacturing supply chains Global logistics Warehousing Fulfillment Distribution strategy Customs compliance HS Codes International shipping Tariffs Reshoring Nearshoring Fourth-party logistics (4PL) Warehouse automation Robotics Artificial intelligence in manufacturing AI for supply chain management Inventory optimization Manufacturing operations Global trade Memorable Quotes "Supply chain compliance is a journey, not a destination." "Every time you cross a customs border, you add cost." "If you put garbage into AI, you'll get garbage out." "Manufacturers that aren't experimenting with AI risk falling behind." Why This Conversation Matters Manufacturers spend enormous resources improving production efficiency, yet many overlook opportunities to optimize what happens after products leave the factory. As tariffs evolve, customer expectations change, and artificial intelligence reshapes logistics, manufacturers need supply chains that are flexible, data-driven, and globally competitive. Phil explains why resilient supply chains depend on more than transportation. They require smarter inventory placement, better customs planning, AI-powered decision-making, and continuous adaptation to changing global markets. Whether you're shipping across the country or around the world, these strategies can help reduce costs, improve customer experience, and strengthen your competitive advantage. About Phil Rees Phil Rees is the founder of ShipMax , where he helps manufacturers, retailers, and growing brands optimize fulfillment, warehousing, logistics, and international distribution. With more than two decades of experience in global supply chain management, Phil specializes in helping organizations simplify complex logistics while preparing for future growth through automation and artificial intelligence. Connect Learn more about ShipMax: https://www.shipmax.co.uk Connect with Phil Rees on LinkedIn. 🎯Phil Rees | LinkedIn Connect with Lisa Ryan: https://www.LisaRyanSpeaks.com Learn more about Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People Amazon.com: Smart Plant: 9798995174707: Ryan, Lisa: Books Listen to more episodes of The Manufacturers Network Podcast: https://www.manufacturers-network.com/ Recommended For Manufacturing CEOs Operations Leaders Supply Chain Directors Plant Managers Logistics Managers Procurement Professionals Distribution Leaders Warehouse Managers Manufacturing Executives Business Owners Industrial Engineers International Trade Professionals

August 10, 202623 min

How Manufacturers Can Attract Gen Z Talent Through Apprenticeships with 2026 Apprentice of the Year Sarah Morgan

Why do so many manufacturers struggle to attract younger workers while companies with strong apprenticeship programs have candidates lining up? In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast , Lisa Ryan sits down with Sarah Morgan , Toolmaking Apprentice at R&D Leverage (an Adler Company) and the 2026 Apprentice of the Year recognized by the Mold Technologies Division. Sarah shares how a high school manufacturing tour changed the direction of her career, why apprenticeships are one of manufacturing's strongest recruiting tools, and what employers can do differently to attract, train, and retain the next generation of skilled trades professionals. Whether you're a manufacturing executive, HR leader, plant manager, educator, or parent exploring career options, this conversation offers practical insights into workforce development, mentorship, and succession planning. In This Episode You'll Learn Why high school manufacturing tours influence career decisions How apprenticeship programs help solve the skilled labor shortage What Gen Z employees look for in manufacturing employers Why visibility and outreach matter more than ever for recruiting The importance of mentorship and knowledge transfer before experienced employees retire How reverse mentoring strengthens relationships between experienced workers and younger employees Why manufacturing careers offer multiple career paths without requiring a traditional four-year degree How tuition reimbursement and continuous learning improve employee retention Ways manufacturers can partner with local schools to build future talent pipelines Key Topics Discussed Manufacturing apprenticeships Workforce development Skilled trades careers Toolmaking Plastic injection mold manufacturing Manufacturing career pathways Employee development Succession planning Knowledge transfer Reverse mentoring High school career exploration Manufacturing education Recruiting younger workers Gen Z workforce Manufacturing leadership Employee retention Manufacturing workforce shortages Memorable Quotes "We'll teach you if you don't know." "Recognition doesn't have to be a big thing. People notice when you care." "There are so many different jobs in manufacturing. You can find your niche." "I'm learning something new every day." Why This Conversation Matters Manufacturing companies across North America are facing an aging workforce, increasing retirements, and a growing shortage of skilled workers. Sarah's story demonstrates that attracting younger talent isn't simply about higher wages or better technology. It's about visibility, mentorship, career pathways, and creating opportunities for people who may never have considered manufacturing. Her experience also highlights the importance of structured apprenticeship programs, partnerships with schools, and transferring critical institutional knowledge before experienced employees retire. About Sarah Morgan Sarah Morgan is a Toolmaking Apprentice at R&D Leverage , an Adler Company, and the recipient of the 2026 Apprentice of the Year Award from the Mold Technologies Division. She is currently completing her Toolmaking degree while working full-time and serves on her local ITEC advisory board, helping strengthen partnerships between manufacturers and schools. Connect Learn more about R&D Leverage: https://www.rdleverage.com Connect with Lisa Ryan: https://www.LisaRyanSpeaks.com Learn more about Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2FVPZZ5 Listen to more episodes of The Manufacturers Network Podcast: https://www.manufacturers-network.com/ Recommended For Manufacturing CEOs Plant Managers HR Professionals Operations Leaders Manufacturing Executives Workforce Development Professionals Technical Education Leaders Career and Technical Education (CTE) Instructors Apprenticeship Coordinators Manufacturing Association Leaders Students exploring manufacturing careers Parents and educators

August 3, 202627 min

Why AI Pilots Fail in Manufacturing (and How to Fix It) with Russell Halper

AI pilots look great in a controlled environment. Then they hit the real shop floor and quietly fall apart. In this episode, Lisa Ryan talks with Russell Halper, founder and managing director of Insight Kitchen, about why so many manufacturing AI initiatives stall after deployment and what leaders can do differently before they ever write the first prompt. Russell's path here is unusual. He started a PhD in mathematics under a founder of chaos theory, moved into operations research (one of the earliest forms of data science), worked at UPS, then went in-house as an internal consultant for a major consumer goods manufacturer. From there, he spent eight years at a boutique Palo Alto consulting firm, helped grow it from 16 to 100 people, saw it acquired by a large global consultancy, and ran its West Coast Generative AI practice. Two years ago, he left to found Insight Kitchen, a boutique data science and AI consultancy focused on operational AI in manufacturing and supply chain. Key Takeaways for Manufacturing Leaders A pilot is not a proof point; it is a rehearsal for scale. Most organizations design pilots to prove AI works in a controlled setting. Russell argues the real work is designing the pilot to surface the change management, data, and complexity issues that will show up at full scale, before you ever roll it out plant-wide. A 95 percent solution can be a catastrophic failure. In operational environments, the last few percentage points of accuracy often carry the most real-world risk. Before adopting an AI tool, define what "good enough" actually means for that specific decision, because the threshold changes by use case. Watch for compounding error, not just error rate. If an AI model is 99 percent as good as your best people but making decisions much faster, small errors can compound quickly. Ask whether faster, slightly less accurate decisions are actually creating value or just creating a bigger mess sooner. Usage is your earliest warning sign. If the people on the floor are not acting on the AI's recommendations, you already have your answer. A model nobody trusts is not a decision-making tool, no matter how sophisticated it is. Your senior operators know things your data never captured. A 40-year machine operator who says "something's off with this machine" is picking up on signals that never made it into a sensor feed. When leadership overrides that instinct because "the dashboard is green," they lose the tribal knowledge as retiring workers walk out the door. "Clean data first" can be a stall tactic. Russell has seen organizations spend endless cycles perfecting data before doing anything with it. His advice: work the actual business problem and pull the data along with you. You will often learn more about your data by using it than by polishing it in isolation. Start with the business problem, not the technology. The mechanics of building a financial case for an AI project look almost identical to the case for any other software investment. Start with the outcome you want (efficiency, reduced reject rate, faster throughput) and work backward to whether AI is the right tool, not the other way around. Mid-market manufacturers may have a real speed advantage right now. Fewer legacy systems, more focused operations, and lower internal liability friction mean mid-sized manufacturers can often move faster on AI adoption than large enterprises, which are weighed down by legacy tech and internal politics. As AI gets better, ask whether your business is getting better with it. Russell's framework: track whether your organization's capability is compounding alongside the technology, or whether you are just layering new tools onto the same old process. Discussion Questions for Your Leadership Team Where are we chasing a "bright, shiny" AI tool instead of a defined business outcome? What does our frontline team know that never makes it into our systems, and how are we capturing it before they retire? If usage of a tool dropped to zero tomorrow, would we notice, and would it matter? About Russell Halper Russell Halper is the founder and managing director of Insight Kitchen, a boutique data science and AI consultancy that embeds AI directly into the processes that run supply chain, manufacturing, and revenue management operations. He holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of applied mathematics, operations research, and AI, having advised startups, private equity-backed SaaS companies, and Fortune 500 organizations across retail, consumer goods, manufacturing, high-tech, and logistics. Before founding Insight Kitchen, Russell was a partner at End-to-End Analytics (acquired by Accenture) and later led Accenture's West Coast Generative AI practice as Managing Director. Connect with Russell: Insight Kitchen: insightkitchen.ai LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/russellhalper About the Host Lisa Ryan, CSP, MBA, is the founder of Grategy® and Chief Appreciation Strategist. She hosts the Manufacturers Network Podcast and speaks to manufacturing, industrial, skilled trades, and healthcare audiences on employee retention, workplace culture, and the human side of AI and automation. Her newest book, Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People , explores how manufacturers can adopt AI without losing the judgment and tribal knowledge their people bring to the floor. Book Lisa Ryan for your next event, conference, or leadership training on AI, culture, and workforce retention: Website: LisaRyanSpeaks.com Email: lisa@grategy.com Connect and Subscribe Listen to more episodes of the Manufacturers Network Podcast Learn more about Grategy at LisaRyanSpeaks.com Get Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People : amazon.com/dp/B0GZMFBVZ2

July 27, 202627 min

The Recognition Mistake Costing You Your Best People with Michelle Kozin

Lisa Ryan sits down with Michelle Kozin, an organizational strategist who uses behavioral science to help manufacturers connect people strategy with business strategy. Michelle's background in change management started with large-scale ERP implementations, where she learned that the technology was never the hard part. The people were. In this conversation, Michelle and Lisa unpack why the same recognition can motivate one employee and completely miss the mark with another, why pay is rarely the real reason a skilled tradesperson walks out the door, and why role clarity might matter more than personality type when it comes to unlocking performance. They also look ahead to a shift already underway on plant floors: leaders who will soon manage AI agents alongside human teams, and what that means for trust, communication, and job design. What You'll Learn Why change triggers fear of loss, not fear of change itself, and what that means for how leaders communicate The difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, and why money is rarely the true reason someone starts job hunting How to recognize employees according to how they're wired, not how you'd want to be recognized yourself Why treating everyone "the same" often reads as unfair, and what real fairness looks like instead The difference between behavioral assessments and job assessments, and why role clarity solves more retention problems than personality typing does How AI and automation are reshaping job expectations the same way ERP implementations did two decades ago One question every plant manager can ask before their next one-on-one to build more trust this week Key Quotes Michelle Kozin on why people resist change: people aren't afraid of change itself, they're afraid of what they might lose, whether that's control, influence, or relationships. Michelle on recognition: a gift lands based on the person opening it, not the person giving it, and that means leaders need to know how each team member is wired before deciding how to show appreciation. Michelle on fairness: real fairness means matching your approach to the person in front of you, using the same standard of communication but a different path to get there. Lisa Ryan on AI and human judgment: machines will be right the vast majority of the time, but the small percentage where human judgment matters is exactly where tribal knowledge and critical thinking need to be protected and passed down. Actionable Takeaways for Plant and Operations Leaders Before your next one-on-one, ask yourself one question. How does this person want to be led, similarly to you or differently? Let the answer shape how you open the conversation. Audit your recognition approach by employee, not by policy. Some people want public praise. Others want a quiet handshake and a private word. Find out before you plan the next round of engineering week gifts or service awards. Separate role clarity from personality typing. Before investing in another behavioral assessment, make sure every person on your team can answer this: what does success in my role actually look like right now? Over-communicate during any transformation, especially the uncomfortable parts. Sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly builds more trust than protecting people from bad news ever will. Get ahead of AI-driven job redesign the way you'd handle any major system change. As AI takes on more tasks, job descriptions and expectations will shift. Name that shift out loud instead of letting people guess at what their role now requires. Watch for the quiet quitters. Most people disengage long before they resign. Treat consistent, values-aligned recognition as a retention tool, not an afterthought. About Michelle Kozin Michelle Kozin is an organizational strategist who helps companies and leaders connect people strategy with business strategy using behavioral science. She has spent 20 years using the Predictive Index methodology to help organizations improve hiring, define roles, and unlock performance through better leadership. Her work centers on how trust and connection form under pressure, particularly during periods of organizational change like digital transformation, technology implementation, and now the rise of AI in the workplace. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn or visit predictiveadvisors.com. About the Host Lisa Ryan, CSP, MBA, is the founder of Grategy® and host of the Manufacturers Network Podcast. She works with manufacturing, industrial, and skilled trades organizations on employee retention, workplace culture, and the human side of AI and automation. Her newest book, Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People , is available now on Amazon. Connect Explore more episodes of the Manufacturers Network Podcast Learn more about Grategy at LisaRyanSpeaks.com Get Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZMFBVZ2

July 20, 202633 min

When the Expert Retires, Does the Answer Leave with Them? with Brian Kaufman

Brian Kaufman is co-founder and chief product officer at Strudel, an AI startup that gives technical support teams real-time context when issues hit and detects error patterns before they become customer-facing problems. His background is in software product development and healthcare technology, but the problems he solves map directly onto what manufacturing companies face every day: institutional knowledge that lives in people's heads instead of in systems, and support teams solving the same problems over and over from scratch. Brian and Lisa dig into what it actually costs when undocumented knowledge walks out the door, how AI can serve as a partner to experienced technicians without replacing their judgment, and what a realistic starting point looks like for manufacturers considering AI-assisted support. Key Takeaways for Manufacturing Leaders The information exists. It just isn't findable. Most organizations aren't starting from zero. The knowledge is in old tickets, emails, PDFs, and people's heads. The first step is figuring out where it lives, not waiting until it's gone to wish you'd captured it. Start before someone gives notice. The best time to document institutional knowledge is before retirement is on the horizon. If the person with 30 years of experience is leaving in two months, you're already behind. Build the habit now. Ask the question nobody's asked. One of the most powerful knowledge-capture prompts: "What do you know that nobody's ever asked you about?" Experienced technicians have built sensory libraries over decades, knowing what a machine sounds like, feels like, and smells like when something's about to go wrong. That knowledge doesn't survive a standard exit interview. AI should be an investigator, not an oracle. Strudel presents troubleshooting suggestions as hypotheses grounded in real historic tickets, not confident declarations. When a technician is standing at a machine, that distinction matters. Build trust by showing your work, not by pretending to be certain. Machine context cuts investigation time dramatically. Knowing the model, firmware version, and configuration immediately narrows the problem space. A known defect affecting machines shipped between two specific dates becomes a one-step fix rather than a multi-hour troubleshooting process. Don't use LLMs for everything. Strudel uses traditional statistical analysis and machine learning for the heavy lifting, reserving large language models for last-mile summarization. The result is fewer hallucinations and answers that are easier to monitor and evaluate for quality. Your most skeptical expert is your most important early win. Find the team member with deep expertise who doubts new tools and figure out what task they hate doing most. Solve that one problem well, and you've turned your biggest skeptic into your biggest advocate. Start small, find wins, then expand. Don't try to solve everything at once. Pick one product line, one process, one team. Get good at that before scaling. Build in an early checkpoint to evaluate and adjust. Involve your people before you buy anything. Coming back from a trade show with a shiny new system your team had no input on is a reliable way to end up with a system nobody uses. Ask what's causing the most pain. Start there. Working top of license matters on the shop floor too. When your most experienced technician is answering the same question for the fifth time, that's a waste. Free those people up for novel problems, mentoring, and process improvement. About Strudel Strudel embeds directly into existing support ticketing systems and generates troubleshooting steps within 15 to 20 seconds of a ticket coming in, drawing on historical tickets and documentation specific to the machine, software version, and configuration in question. As more tickets are resolved, that knowledge becomes part of the system, making new staff onboarding faster and institutional knowledge more durable. Connect with Brian Kaufman Email: brian@strudel.io Website: www.strudel.io The Manufacturers Network Podcast features long-form conversations with leaders, practitioners, and experts across manufacturing, the skilled trades, and industrial sectors. Host Lisa Ryan, CSP, MBA, is a keynote speaker, author of 13 books, and founder of Grategy.

July 13, 202632 min

Why Women Leave the Trades (And What Stops Them) with Samantha Kaye Harris

Samantha Kaye Harris spent 27+ years in structural maintenance leadership at JFK Airport, managing teams of 100+ people in one of the most male-dominated environments in the trades. She started as a general maintainer, learned paving, roofing, sheet rock, and concrete work from the ground up, and earned her way into leadership one job at a time. Today she helps women in manufacturing, the trades, and industrial environments own their voice, stay in the room, and get paid for the value they bring. Lisa and Samantha dig into what it actually costs when women go silent on the shop floor, why psychological safety and physical safety are directly connected, and what plant managers and operations leaders can do right now to change the dynamic on their teams. Key Takeaways for Manufacturing Leaders Retention starts with safety, not perks. Women don't leave because the pay is bad. They leave because they don't feel safe speaking up, asking for what they need, or being heard without having their competence questioned. Fix the environment before you worry about the benefits package. The fear cycle is a real retention risk. Samantha describes a predictable pattern: a woman arrives, over-performs to prove herself, gets worn down by constant testing and second-guessing, goes silent, starts hiding, and eventually leaves. Recognizing where someone is in that cycle is the first step to stopping it. "Are you sure?" is a red flag phrase. Asking a leader whether she's sure, or checking her answer with another supervisor, sends a clear message about whose judgment is trusted. Leaders need to monitor this in their own behavior and in their teams. PPE that doesn't fit is a safety and morale issue. One-size-fits-all gear made for male bodies signals that women weren't considered when the workplace was designed. Getting the right fit is a practical step that communicates respect. Psychological safety connects directly to physical safety. When a woman is spending mental energy calculating how to avoid being dismissed, she's not focused on the work. In an environment with heavy equipment and real hazards, that's not just a morale problem. Don't send the complaint back to the floor. When a woman raises a concern and leadership takes it straight back to the crew, her colleagues often figure out exactly who said what. That's when isolation and retaliation start. Handle issues with confidentiality and intention. One woman in a safety or HR-adjacent role changes things. Having someone on staff who has actually done the work, who gets the environment, gives women a place to raise issues without fear of being laughed off or ignored. Community is a retention strategy. Women's groups, networking events, and peer connections within associations are growing fast because they work. If your industry association doesn't have a women's group, it's worth asking why not. Training boxes don't change behavior. Computer-based compliance training may satisfy HR requirements, but it doesn't change what happens on the shop floor. Real culture change takes conversation, modeling, and accountability. When women stop hiding, companies win. Samantha is direct about this: when a woman feels safe enough to fully show up, use her voice, and go after advancement, productivity goes up, teams communicate better, and the company starts attracting more skilled talent. The ROI is real. Samantha's Truth Methodology Samantha works with women one-on-one and through 30-day intensives to help them understand the internal patterns holding them back, learn where those patterns came from, and build the self-trust to use their voice, ask for what they want, and step fully into their power. Connect with Samantha Kaye Harris Email: info@samanthakayeharris.com (Note: Kaye is spelled K-A-Y-E) The Manufacturers Network Podcast features long-form conversations with leaders, practitioners, and experts across manufacturing, the skilled trades, and industrial sectors. Host Lisa Ryan, CSP, MBA is a keynote speaker, author of 13 books, and founder of Grategy.

July 6, 202624 min

Stop Competing on Price: How to Find and Tell Your Company's Story with Lauren Kwedar Cockerell

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 public relations working with B2B companies, with deep roots in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Her firm helps companies excavate what's already there, that unique thread hiding in plain sight, and turn it into messaging that resonates with customers, prospects, and the talent they're trying to attract. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "our people" and "our quality" aren't differentiators. Every competitor is saying the same thing. Lauren explains why surface-level answers won't cut it and how to dig multiple levels deeper to find what's actually distinctive about your operation. The "yeah, duh" trap. The things your team dismisses as obvious are often the most compelling to your buyers. The challenge is that it's hard to read the label from inside the bottle. The Thread: Lauren's four-stage methodology Excavate. Deep discovery through conversations, competitive review, and a close look at everything you've built Surface. Finding that through line, the offhand comment you almost threw away that turns out to be the whole thing Articulate. Translating the story into language that resonates across every channel and audience Activate. Putting it out into the world on your website, in media, in sales conversations, and in internal communications Where AI fits and where it falls short. AI can help you iterate content once you have a strong narrative, but it cannot create one for you. Without a distinctive source document, you are just replicating what already exists and creating volume no one is listening to. The new visibility equation. Trade journals, podcasts, and consistent digital content are not just good marketing. They are signals that AI-powered search uses to determine relevancy and authority. If your messaging is inconsistent or generic, the LLMs cannot distinguish you from a competitor either. Signs your messaging problem is costing you real money. You are losing deals on price alone, your salespeople are delivering inconsistent pitches, you are attracting candidates who do not fit, and the marketing firms you have hired just cannot seem to nail it. The first thing to do this week. Pull up your website headline, take away your logo, and ask: could this apply to any other industry? If the answer is yes, you have work to do. Connect with Lauren Website: KwedarCo.com LinkedIn: Lauren Kwedar Cockerell The Manufacturers Network Podcast is hosted by Lisa Ryan, CSP, founder of Grategy and Chief Appreciation Strategist. Lisa helps manufacturing and industrial organizations build cultures where people want to stay.

June 22, 202621 min

How Manufacturing Leaders Can Build Resilient Supply Chains, Strong Culture, and Smarter Automation with JC Carr

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 manufacturing with a growing social media following focused on the human side of industry. The conversation explores what manufacturing leaders are getting right and wrong about automation, digital transformation, workforce engagement, and operational growth. JC also shares lessons learned from working inside large-scale supply chain environments, including Amazon, and why community involvement, leadership accountability, and employee connection still matter in highly automated operations. If you’re a manufacturing executive, plant manager, HR leader, or operations professional trying to balance technology with people, this episode offers practical insight grounded in real-world experience. In This Episode: How JC Carr built a business during COVID selling exotic car lease deals What manufacturing can learn from Amazon’s supply chain systems Why automation should eliminate frustration, not human value The difference between digital transformation and culture transformation How manufacturing leaders can improve workforce retention and engagement Why simple tools often outperform expensive technology investments What manufacturers should consider during mergers, acquisitions, and consolidation The hidden risks of fragmented supply chains How community involvement strengthens leadership and workforce loyalty Why younger workers want purpose, connection, and impact from employers About JC Carr JC Carr is a Territory Account Manager at World Emblem, one of North America’s largest emblem and embroidery manufacturers. Having worked across nearly every department in the company, he brings a full-spectrum understanding of manufacturing operations and customer experience. He is also the founder of Whips Miami, an exotic car brokerage launched during college, and has built a social media following of more than 120,000 people by highlighting the human side of manufacturing, leadership, and modern industry. Connect with JC Carr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jc-carr/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jc.carr/ Company: https://www.worldemblem.com/ Key Takeaway Technology can improve efficiency. But manufacturing still runs on people. The companies that win long-term will be the ones that use automation to support human judgment, strengthen culture, and create workplaces where employees feel valued and connected.

June 8, 202635 min

How Great Leaders Create More Leaders with Scott Burgmeyer

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 experience in manufacturing, operations, consulting, and organizational development, Scott shares practical lessons from working with companies ranging from small manufacturers to organizations like Google, Procter & Gamble, and Bridgestone. The conversation explores: Why leaders struggle to let go and delegate How to transfer knowledge before experienced employees retire The difference between managing people and developing leaders Why employees need permission to think and make decisions The hidden cost of constantly answering every question yourself How emotional intelligence impacts operational performance Why strategic plans fail after the meeting ends The danger of confusing activity with results Succession planning mistakes that create tension and chaos How personal growth directly affects company culture and retention Scott also explains why leadership teams must stop focusing only on technical performance and start investing in the growth of people at every level of the organization. One of the biggest takeaways from this episode: Organizations rarely outperform the growth level of their leaders. Actionable Ideas from This Episode Ask more questions instead of immediately giving answers Create low-risk opportunities for employees to make decisions Focus on outcomes, not just activity Build leadership systems that continue beyond one generation Evaluate whether your strategic plan is actually moving key metrics Develop future leaders before you urgently need them Make professional and personal growth part of your leadership expectations Use feedback early instead of waiting until problems grow Scott’s “Growth Questions” When trying something new, ask: What worked? What didn’t work? What do I need to do differently? Connect with Scott Burgmeyer Website: Become More Group LinkedIn: Scott Burgmeyer on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa Ryan Website: Lisa Ryan, CSP / Grategy If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a manufacturing leader, operations executive, HR professional, or business owner working to strengthen culture, retention, and leadership development inside their organization.

May 25, 202625 min

What Happens When Your Business Outgrows Your People with Mike Krupit

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 from decades in Silicon Valley startups and explains why retention problems are often clarity problems, leadership problems, and culture problems disguised as “people issues.” The conversation covers: Why companies outgrow key employees and founders How poor communication quietly destroys trust The difference between employees who “get it, want it, and are capable” Why psychological safety matters on the shop floor What leaders miss when they blame workers for disengagement How to manage up when leadership refuses to change Why “this is how we’ve always done it” is dangerous in manufacturing The connection between AI, workforce change, and leadership adaptability Practical ways manufacturers can rethink scheduling, culture, and retention One of the biggest takeaways from this episode: You cannot build a future-ready company with leadership habits designed for the past. Mike also shares actionable ideas leaders can use immediately to evaluate whether they truly have the right people in the right seats before growth turns into chaos. Actionable Questions from This Episode What assumptions are we making that may no longer be true? Are we measuring outputs clearly enough for people to succeed? Do employees feel safe trying new ideas or making mistakes? Are leaders communicating enough, especially across shifts and teams? Is the organization growing faster than the people leading it? What is one thing leadership could change tomorrow? Connect with Mike Krupit LinkedIn: Mike Krupit on LinkedIn Website: Trajectify Connect with Lisa Ryan Website: Grategy / Lisa Ryan, CSP If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a manufacturing leader, HR professional, or operations executive who’s trying to build a stronger workplace culture while navigating growth and change.