Welding Business Owner Podcast

Hosted by Kevin Johnson

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Episodes

119

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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EN-US

About the show

We discuss with other business owners how to start and grow your welding business. Our guests range from single owner operators up to people who manage teams of 50+ with decades of experience. We discuss how they got started, strategies for growth, team management, bidding and winning jobs, downfalls to avoid and lots more!

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60 recent

November 2, 202651 min

Shady PM Trashed My Job Site to Avoid Paying Me - Marisa Mitchell - Mars Fabrication

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Kevin sits down with Marisa Mitchell, owner and custom metal fabricator behind Mars Fabrication in Knoxville, Tennessee. Marisa shares the raw, behind-the-scenes reality of walking away from a full-ride graduate school scholarship to weld for $15 an hour, building a business out of a rented outdoor shed, and dealing with hostile job-site project managers who questioned her skills and tried to steal thousands from completed jobs. We dive deep into how Marisa navigated contractor disputes, why she strictly enforces a 75% deposit rule on custom builds, and how old-school networking beats paid digital ads for high-ticket trade clients. We also break down the long-term physical wear of fabrication, tool recommendations (ArcCaptain vs. Hypertherm), and the deliberate decision to keep a business solo to protect time freedom. Key Takeaways: Handling Hostile Job Sites: How Marisa tackled project managers who tried to withhold a $6,500 final draw and trash her job site. The 75% Deposit Rule: Why solo trade operators need to protect their cash flow and stop taking low upfront deposits. Landing High-End Clients: How direct networking with interior designers, architects, and handing out physical brochures drove 20+ railing projects in a single neighborhood. The Physical Toll of Trades After 30: Managing joint strain, carpal tunnel risks, and why lifting heavy in the gym is critical for welding longevity. Solo Freedom vs. Managing Crews: The intentional choice to avoid payroll headaches and retain control over your schedule. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Female Business Owners in Custom Metal Fabrication 01:13 – From Fine Arts Sculpture to Welding: Turning Down Grad School for $15/hr 05:11 – The Shed Era: Rolling a Welder Outside in the Dead of Heat 07:30 – Landing 20 Railings in One Neighborhood Through Referrals 09:48 – Guerrilla Marketing: Metal Business Cards and High-End Print Brochures 11:27 – The Breaking Point: Handling Undervaluation & Going Independent 13:23 – Confronting Stereotypes on Job Sites: "You're Not a Welder" 15:45 – Custom Learning Curves: Trial, Error, and Not Freaking Out Over Mistakes 18:11 – Why Marisa Teaches Hands-On TIG, MIG, and Stick Classes 21:27 – The $6,500 Nightmare: Why Mars Fabrication Switched to 75% Deposits 28:37 – Kevin’s Worst PM Story: Setting Boundaries with General Contractors 34:29 – Grinding After 30: Joint Pain, Prevention, and Shop Ergonomics 38:19 – Favorite Shop Tools: Plasma Cutters, ArcCaptain vs. Hypertherm, and Torches 42:24 – Surviving Economic Slowdowns: Glassblowing, CAD Work, and Side Hustles 46:38 – Why Marisa Stays Solo: Avoiding the Trap of 80-Hour Workweeks 49:44 – Crucial Advice for Welders Looking to Go Full-Time Connect with Marisa & Mars Fabrication: Website: https://www.mars-fabrication.com/ Instagram: @mars_fabrication Email: marisa@mars-fabrication.com Subscribe to the Channel: If you enjoyed this conversation, hit the Subscribe button, give this video a Thumbs Up , and drop a comment below sharing your biggest takeaway from Marisa's journey! Tags / Keywords: welding podcast, custom metal fabrication, female welder, trades entrepreneurship, architectural railings, welder business pricing, contract disputes construction, welding business tips, shop ownership, Mars Fabrication, trades business growth

October 6, 20261 hr 37 min

Lonnie Smith – War, SWAT Raids, Addiction, and Building Crosstrades

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to lose everything, hit rock bottom, and build back a thriving business? In today’s episode, we welcome Lonnie Smith III of Crosstrades LLC and Run Welding. Lonnie takes us through his incredible journey: starting out in custom car audio, contracting in Iraq during the war, working as a pipeline welder, surviving a SWAT raid on his home, and overcoming severe addiction. Today, Lonnie restores and customizes welding machines for clients across all 50 states, runs a custom parts e-commerce shop, and hires recovering addicts to give them a second chance. Key Takeaways: The real trade-offs between pipeline travel income and local business equity. Technical breakdowns of Lincoln vs. Miller engine drives. How to structure business workflow around ADHD and neurodivergent processing. Creating scalable second-chance training initiatives within trade shops. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 01:08 – High-End Custom Cars & Military Contracting in Iraq 07:25 – Entering Union 798 & Pipelining 10:45 – Finding a Niche in Welder Machine Repair 15:00 – Addiction, SWAT Raid, Rehab & Fresh Start 20:45 – Building Crosstrades LLC from Scratch 31:20 – Mentorship & ADHD Management Systems 38:30 – Viral Videos & E-Commerce Growth 1:10:25 – Machine Honest Reviews: Lincoln SA-200 Breakdown 1:26:50 – Implementing AI & Systems in Fabrication Socials & Links: Website: runweldingparts.com Facebook: Crosstrades LLC Phone: 570-665-8007 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/189bi4pWnX/?mibextid=wwXIfr crosstradesllc.com https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLddy9AH/ https://youtu.be/2V4SDnp7HIY?feature=shared https://www.instagram.com/p/Da4CDs3lejq/?stkn=d2ttMDM1czNzanZp

September 28, 202617 min

Fabricator Olympics Video Recap

Send us Fan Mail If you guys ever wondered what the Fabricator Olympics is like in person, here's your chance to see it. This week's episode is a recap of the 2025 Fabricator Olympics. Don't forget, virtual tickets for the Welding Business Summit will be available October 2.

August 17, 20262 hr 26 min

Down to His Last $10: How an ADD Kid Built an Aerospace Welding Empire

Send us Fan Mail From being told he would fail without college to welding pure gold for GE Aerospace and running a nation-wide fabrication business, Josh Wolfe’s story is a masterclass in blue-collar grit. In this episode of the Welding Business Owners Podcast, Josh Wolfe (host of the Speaking of Skilled Trades podcast) sits down with Kevin to share his journey from an ADD high schooler struggling to fit into standard classrooms to building a successful career in high-stakes TIG welding and metal fabrication. We dive deep into taking pay cuts to chase experience, surviving the absolute rock-bottom moments of business ownership, passing the trade down to his three kids, and a candid, unfiltered discussion on how AI, automation, and robotics are coming for small-town fab shops. If you are a welder, fabricator, trade student, or blue-collar business owner looking to scale, this conversation is packed with real-world advice you can't afford to miss. 🔥 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Finding Peace in Chaos: How struggling with ADD in traditional high school led Josh straight into career-technical education and welding. Experience Over Dollars: Why taking a $3/hr pay cut early on unlocked massive opportunities in aerospace TIG welding for GE. The $10 Turning Point: Putting his last $10 into his Ford Focus to beg for a job while struggling to heat his house. Passing the Torch: How Josh trained his kids to become aerospace welders making top-dollar right out of high school. The AI Threat to Fab Shops: A real debate on automation, $100k welding robots, and what small shop owners need to do to survive. 📌 TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro & The Reality of Skilled Trades 1:30 - Struggling with ADD & Finding Welding in High School 6:42 - My First Production Job & "Chasing Experience, Not Dollars" 9:30 - Taking a $3 Pay Cut to Master TIG Welding 12:55 - Landing a GE Aerospace Welding Job (Welding Pure Gold) 17:41 - Stepping Out on My Own: Starting a Miscellaneous Steel Business 23:33 - Down to My Last $10: The Turning Point in Business 35:20 - Leaving Business to Become a Welding Instructor 45:35 - Flying Across the Country & Losing Passion for the Game 55:00 - Raising 3 Aerospace Welders & Reopening the Shop 1:17:40 - Has Social Media Helped or Hurt the Trades? 1:23:00 - AI & Robotics: Is Automation Coming for Your Fab Shop? 2:12:10 - The Value of Human Craftsmanship & Advice for Young Welders 🔗 CONNECT WITH JOSH WOLFE: Instagram & TikTok: @wolf_cte Podcast: Speaking of Skilled Trades (Available on Spotify) 📲 SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THE SHOW: Subscribe to the YouTube Channel for weekly welding business advice! Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify: https://www.weldingbusinessownerspodcast.com/ Follow on Instagram: WeldingBusinessOwnersPodcast #WeldingBusiness #SkilledTrades #Welder #Fabrication #TIGWelding #AerospaceWelding #BlueCollar #AIinTrades #BusinessOwner #CareerTechEd

July 27, 20261 hr 24 min

Is AI About to Replace Welders? (What Fabrication Will Look Like in 5 Years) with Adam Heffner from Hero Machine

Send us Fan Mail The rules of metal fabrication are changing faster than ever. Between AI estimators, computer vision for welders, and cobots running production lines, traditional shops are facing a massive crossroads: adapt now or get left behind. In this episode, Adam Heffner (Hero Machine Co. & Maker Table) breaks down what’s coming next for fabrication, why plasma cutting is losing the battle to fiber lasers, and how smart shop owners are using AI to scale their output without adding massive overhead. ⏱️ Video Chapters 00:00 - The 3-Second Reality Check on Automation 01:30 - Trade Show World Tour: FabTech & Ag Fair Plans 06:40 - Why Hero Machine Co. Paused in 2020 (And the Comeback) 15:20 - Laser vs. Plasma: The Brutal Financial Math 20:20 - Importing Machinery: Scams, Tariffs, & Support Traps 34:30 - What Overseas AI & Robotics Labs are Building Right Now 42:00 - Computer Vision, Weld Puddle Tracking, & Cobots 56:00 - How Adam Trained ChatGPT to Do the Work of 3 Estimators 01:01:30 - SEO Secrets: Why Gemini Beats Chat GPT for Website Traffic 01:05:00 - Building Custom CAD Plugins & In-House AI Data Centers 01:16:00 - What the Modern 3-Man Fabrication Shop Will Look Like

June 29, 202658 min

Scott - Yellowstone Metal

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the dream of owning your own welding business starts feeling more like a nightmare? This week, Kevin sits down with Scott, owner of Yellowstone Metal (formerly Splice Welding & Design), to talk about the realities of entrepreneurship that nobody posts on social media. After building a successful architectural metal business, Scott made the rare decision to leave business ownership and become an employee—only to discover he simply couldn't do it. The conversation dives into burnout, rebuilding from scratch, moving fabrication shops, pricing custom work, and why being a welding business owner is equal parts problem-solving and perseverance. Whether you're growing your shop, feeling overwhelmed, or wondering if the grass is greener somewhere else, this episode offers an honest look at what it really takes to build—and rebuild—a business. In This Episode: Why Scott moved his fabrication shop six different times The hidden costs of relocating a welding business Leaving entrepreneurship to become an employee—and why it didn't last Lessons learned from rebuilding a business from scratch How marketing has changed over the past decade Why specializing too much can actually hurt your business The biggest mistakes shop owners make when pricing work Dealing with customers who think every repair is "just a five-minute weld" Why custom fabrication will never compete with mass-produced products Managing cash flow during major business transitions The mindset every welding business owner needs to survive the ups and downs If you've ever questioned your pricing, your business decisions, or whether you're the only one dealing with these challenges, this conversation will remind you you're not alone. Connect with Scott: Instagram: @salvation_garage YouTube: Salvation Garage Facebook: Yellowstone Metal 🎙 The Welding Business Owners Podcast is dedicated to helping welding and fabrication shop owners build more profitable businesses through real-world conversations, practical advice, and lessons learned from people who've been in the trenches.

June 8, 202625 min

How AI Will Change Welding Businesses Forever

Send us Fan Mail Artificial Intelligence is changing faster than most of us can keep up with—and whether you love it or hate it, it's already starting to impact the welding and fabrication industry. In this episode, I sit down with Dan Cocks from DC Built to talk about how we're actually using AI in our businesses today. From creating customer renderings and speeding up design work to building software, solving problems, and automating repetitive tasks, we share the tools and workflows that are helping us get more done with less effort. But the conversation doesn't stop there. We dive into the future of fabrication and discuss what happens when AI starts working alongside robotics, cobots, laser welders, CNC equipment, and automated material handling systems. Could a small shop one day have the output of a much larger company? How close are we really to that becoming reality? Whether you're already experimenting with AI or you're still trying to figure out what all the hype is about, this episode will give you a practical look at where the technology is today—and where it's headed next. Topics we cover: • Using AI to create customer renderings and concepts • Chat GPT, Claude, and other AI tools • Prompting techniques that get better results • Building software and automations with AI • AI agents and workflow automation • The future of robotic welding and fabrication • How AI could impact small welding businesses • Why technology is becoming more accessible than ever If you're a welding business owner, fabricator, shop manager, or anyone interested in where the trades are headed, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. #WeldingBusinessOwnersPodcast #WeldingBusiness #Fabrication #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #ChatGPT #WeldingShop #Manufacturing #Automation #Robotics #SmallBusiness

May 18, 20261 hr 23 min

Josh Hutie - Tradesman Experience Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Welding Business Owners Podcast, I sit down with Josh Hewitt — entrepreneur, HVAC company owner, host of the Tradesmen Experience podcast, and cofounder of Blue Collar Insiders and True Pros. This conversation goes way deeper than just welding or HVAC. We talk about what actually makes a blue-collar business succeed long term: leadership, culture, communication, job costing, hiring, sales, customer experience, and learning how to think like a business owner instead of just a technician. Josh shares hard lessons from growing multiple companies, getting stuck in the same problems most trades business owners face, and what it really takes to build a team that cares about the customer as much as you do. We also dive into why so many businesses stay chaotic even when they’re busy, the danger of “out-earning” your mistakes, and how systems and leadership completely change the game. If you own a welding business, fabrication shop, HVAC company, or any blue-collar business, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can apply immediately. Topics we cover: Leadership and company culture Hiring people who actually care Why most trades businesses stay stuck Job costing and understanding your numbers Customer experience and communication Building systems that scale Sales without feeling “salesy” Managing teams and accountability Why being busy does NOT always mean profitable The Welding Business Summit & Fabricator Olympics Check out Josh Hewitt: Instagram: @bluecollarinsiders Blue Collar Insiders Tradesmen Experience Podcast Learn more about the Welding Business Summit: WeldingBusinessSummit.com

May 5, 202646 min

Dan - DC Built

Send us Fan Mail Trying to build a welding business while working a full-time job? That’s exactly what Dan from DC Built is doing—and in this episode, we break down what it really takes to grow a welding business on nights and weekends. This isn’t theory. This is what it looks like when you’re juggling a day job, limited time, and still trying to build something that actually makes money. We get into: How Dan balances a full-time job while growing his welding business How to decide which jobs are actually worth your time Pricing when you can’t afford to waste hours on low-profit work The biggest mistakes guys make when starting on the side What’s helping him build real momentum without going full-time If you’re trying to turn your welding skills into a real business—but you’re stuck working a job during the day—this episode will give you a more realistic path forward. — 🎯 This episode is for: Welding business owners working a full-time job Side hustle welders trying to grow Fabricators looking to make more money with limited time — Subscribe for more real-world advice on building a profitable welding business, pricing your work, and growing without wasting time. #WeldingBusiness #SideHustle #WeldingLife #Fabrication #TradesBusiness #SmallBusiness

April 20, 20261 hr 51 min

Tyson - Fine Iron

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your welding business starts succeeding… but your life starts falling apart? In this episode, Tyson from Fine Iron breaks down the reality most shop owners don’t talk about. He went from a high school biology teacher to building a fast-growing fabrication business—but the growth came at a cost. Long days, constant pressure, and a business that completely took over his life. Eventually, he hit a breaking point. Instead of pushing harder like most guys would… he did the opposite. He downsized. Cut the team in half, rebuilt his systems, and started focusing on efficiency instead of just more work. What came out of that decision is a completely different kind of welding business—leaner, more profitable, and built to actually support his life instead of consume it. We also get into: How he rebuilt his shop after burnout Why “more employees” isn’t always the answer Using tech like laser welding and 3D scanning to do more with less The shift from chaos to systems that actually work How he turned new tech into a second revenue stream And what most welding shop owners are doing wrong when they try to grow If you’re running a welding business and feel like you’re constantly chasing your tail… this one’s going to hit home.