Buy the Numbers

Can you be successful if your “plan” is not successful?🤔 Yesterday, I received an incredibly gracious email from an entrepreneur who thanked me and a few others for guiding him as he transitioned from the corporate world to business ownership. Thing is, his journey has not taken shape according to his plans but has just as big potential with opportunity he never planned for. 🎉 His journey isn’t all that unique. When stepping into ownership, it’s easy to get laser-focused on what you believe will work. However, success can come from opportunities you hadn’t initially planned for. You need to thrive with perseverance and adaptability.💫 Here’s a few ways you can keep your mind open to the unknown. 🔍 Stay Curious → Keep learning about emerging trends and technologies. This is why shows like IMTS - International Manufacturing Technology Show and podcasts like MakingChips are so important! 👂 Listen to Feedback → Your clients, employees, and even competitors can offer valuable insights. 🧪 Experiment → Try new strategies or products. Some of my best business decisions have come from unexpected places. 🤝 Network → Surround yourself with diverse thinkers. The entrepreneur who reached out did just that by seeking advice from various mentors. 🧘 Assess Regularly → Set aside time to see what’s working and what’s not. I’ve never been on a path to success that was smooth. Embrace the challenges, they might lead you to your next big opportunity.🚀 💬 What’s been your biggest reality check in your journey? Share your story in the comments! 👇 #BuyTheNumbers #GrowingValue #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips Buy the Numbers MakingChips MakingSparks Machine Shop Mastery Lights Out Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Matthew Nix Casey Voelker Jennifer Dubose

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Mark Cuban is wildly out of touch with reality. 🙄🗞️ Mark Cuban made the post below on X yesterday. He says skilled trades will be replaced by robots within 25 years. 🤖 With all due respect, Cuban is out of touch with reality. 🙄 Automation and AI may change how we work, but they won’t replace the creativity, adaptability, and expertise of skilled professionals. It’s not robots or AI replacing jobs, it’s people who know how to use AI and automation effectively, like any other tool in the toolbox, that will thrive. 🛠️ Wonder if he’s someone that would have argued that using a computer to go to space will replace engineers because we don’t need a slide rule to go to the moon anymore? 🚀 Skilled trades and manufacturing will always require problem-solving and precision that machines simply can’t replicate. It's not about replacing humans with machines. It's about humans using machines to do amazing things! What do you think, #MetalworkingNation? Is Cuban right, or is he missing the bigger picture about the value of skilled work? Let’s hear your thoughts!👇 #Manufacturing #Automation #SkilledTrades #AI #FutureOfWork #GrowingValue #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips

Ring our bell! 🔔

Merry Christmas from Buy the Numbers! 🎄🎙️ As the year wraps up, we want to take a moment to thank all of you for tuning in, supporting, and sharing this journey with us! Your engagement fuels us to dive into the numbers that drive success and growth in manufacturing and beyond. Whether you’re at the shop or at home by the tree, we wish you moments of joy, time with loved ones, and opportunities to reflect on the blessings of the year. Here’s to another year of growth, learning, and community together! Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅 ✝️ #MerryChristmas #GrowingValue #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips MakingChips MakingSparks Machine Shop Mastery Lights Out Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Matthew Nix Casey Voelker Jennifer Dubose

Merry Christmas from Buy the Numbers! 🎄🎙️ As the year wraps up, we want to take a moment to thank all of you for tuning in, supporting, and sharing this journey with us! Your engagement fuels us to dive into the numbers that drive success and growth in manufacturing and beyond. Whether you’re at the shop or at home by the tree, we wish you moments of joy, time with loved ones, and opportunities to reflect on the blessings of the year. Here’s to another year of growth, learning, and community together! Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅 ✝️ #MerryChristmas #GrowingValue #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips MakingChips MakingSparks Machine Shop Mastery Lights Out Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Matthew Nix Casey Voelker Jennifer Dubose

Can you spot the difference? 🔍 Which picture looks more like your shop, or your expectations? 🤔 It is well established and often discussed that one of the root causes of the labor gap is the image manufacturing has had for a long time. So, I tried a little experiment 🔬 Image one AI prompt: “Create an image of Santa in a CNC shop” Image two AI prompt: “Create an image of Santa in a CNC shop that is modern and has implemented advanced manufacturing, automation, etc. “ The difference seemed stark to me. Most days, maybe not all, I am proud to say Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication looks more like image 2. And in my experience, I see a lot more shops that resemble image two than image one. Notice Santa even looks happier in the 2nd photo? 🎅 Image is clearly a problem...even with AI. What can we do to shift this perception? 1️⃣ Showcase Modern Tech → Highlight the use of automation and advanced machinery in your operations. 🚀 (Shoutout to the entire crew at TITANS of CNC MACHINING 2️⃣ Promote Skill Development → Emphasize the opportunities for learning and growth within the industry. 📚 (Shoutout to Titan Gilroy) 3️⃣ Share Success Stories → Tell stories of innovation and progress in manufacturing. 🌟(Shoutout to all my MakingChips buddies and the other amazing podcasts advocating the #MetalworkingNation week in and week out!) 4️⃣ Engage with Youth → Partner with schools to introduce students to modern manufacturing. 👩🏫(Shoutout to Gabriel Kooyers) 5️⃣ Leverage Social Media → Use platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, X, etc to share real-time updates and insights. 💻 (Shoutout to Nush Ahmed!) And shoutout to hundreds more, these were just the first people that popped in my head as I typed those. There is such a lively community working to promote and advocate for the #MetalworkingNation that it would be impossible to hit them all! To bridge the labor/skills gap (or the productivity gap as my friend Al Whatmough describes), we must continue to actively change the discussion around manufacturing...and maybe we need to teach AI what we do too! Let’s paint a new picture of this industry. 🎨 Merry Christmas! 🎄 #BuyTheNumbers #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips MakingChips MakingSparks Machine Shop Mastery Lights Out Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Matthew Nix Casey Voelker Jennifer Dubose

In this special episode of MakingChips, we reflect on our favorite moments of 2024—the ones that made us laugh, the ones that brought a tear to our eyes, and the ones that remind us why we’re so proud to be part of the manufacturing community. We dive into the topics that matter most: ⚙️ How to transfer tribal knowledge to the next generation ⚙️ Why implementing AI isn’t just an option anymore—it’s a competitive edge for the future ⚙️ How building a culture of care and support can transform your team and your business ⚙️ The incredible ripple effect of manufacturing: creating stability for our country, our communities, and our families ⚙️ The importance of managing vendor relationships for long-term success ⚙️ What it means to lead with integrity, trust, and purpose in a fast-changing world You’ll also get an inside look at each show in the MakingChips family, hear some exciting announcements, and discover what’s next for MakingChips. Let’s celebrate the wins, embrace the challenges, and look ahead to an even brighter future 🍻 What are you grateful for in 2024? What are you looking forward to? We want to know! 👇 Mike Payne Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Nick Goellner Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Jennifer Dubose Matthew Nix Casey Voelker

🎄Starting Christmas week out perfectly! ShopFloor Coffee ☕️ while reviewing some hot jobs in ProShop ERP 🖥️📊, and listening to this weeks MakingChips! 🎧⚙️ This weeks episode Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Matthew Nix and I sat down and talked about some of our favorite moments from all the shows, MakingChips Machine Shop Mastery Buy the Numbers Lights Out MakingSparks produced this year! ⚡️🔧📈 Go give it a listen on your favorite podcast player and have a very Merry Christmas! 🎅🎁

Labor shortages in manufacturing are no joke—but they’re not unsolvable. In this episode of MakingSparks, Matthew Bush, co-founder of Hirebotics, explains how cobot welding is giving manufacturers a meaningful tool to tackle one of the industry’s toughest challenges. If you’re ready to explore innovative solutions to labor problems, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. 🎧💡 Listen in: https://lnkd.in/gKBX4Exs #MakingSparksPodcast #Manufacturing #CobotWelding #Automation #Fabrication #ShopTalk #MetalWorkingNation #MetalFabrication #LaborShortage

BIG things happened this week, from celebrating 10 years of MakingChips to three new episodes...read our weekly recap for more 👇 Mike Payne Jason Zenger 🎤💥 Paul Van Metre Nick Goellner Matthew Nix Casey Voelker