Make It Right

Automating Manufacturing Shift Fills in Real Time It was estimated that last year alone absent employees, due to illness or lateness, cost business $3Billion. In manufacturing, if a key person is missing on your manufacturing line, the last thing you want to have to do is shut down the line. This week on Make It […]

The Impact of Open Dialogue Across the Manufacturing Plant A Preview Last week on Episode 153 manufacturing executive Lionel Moss shared how he has transformed a number of plants by dissecting the manufacturing company’s purpose and aligning that purpose, and the individuals, to team goals that transform the success of the company. In part 2 […]

Rethinking Your Approach to Purpose & People A Preview Manufacturing is about transforming materials into products. By its very process manufacturing is transformational because the forces applied to materials makes something totally different. This week on Make It Right our guest believes manufacturing can be transformational for everyone involved. We can make better products, and […]

“Whatever you walk past becomes your standard.” This is a comment from manufacturing leadership advisor Kevin Snook and it really rings true in business, and in life. You cannot let things that are not right just slide. And as a leader if you are not getting the results you want from your team that too […]

One of the most important things a manufacturing leader can do is walk the factory floor and engage with the team members. This gives the leader the opportunity to understand the challenges, obstacles and ideas for improvement that these frontline employees have. Unfortunately this activity is often missed or given just cursory attention. In his […]

Manufacturing has an aging workforce. In the US alone at least one quarter is 55 or older many are taking their knowledge with them when they retire. Manufacturing has an image problem. It’s having trouble attracting young people as the sector is not seen as lucrative, highly skill or high tech. Manufacturing also faced a new […]

For many leaders the big question right now is HOW?…how do we move forward, how do we succeed in this current uncertainty, how do we motivate our teams, how do we come out the other side successfully? These are questions that can keep you awake at night. This week on Make It Right manufacturing leadership […]

Positive Results with Positive People Treatment Low morale, poor productivity, errors etc are all signs of an organization with a civility problem. Dr Lew Bayer is a civility expert and she joined us on Make It Right to share how to identify and fix incivility issues to improve your manufacturing results. This is part 2 […]

Dr. Lew Bayer believes that practicing civility in the workplace is its own reward -because it is the right thing to do – but it can also have a huge impact if you are looking for measurable improvements in your continuous improvement practices. Dr Bayer is an internationally recognized expert on Civility at work and […]

Daniel Edds is the author of Leveraging the Genetics of Leadership – Cracking the Code of Sustainable Team Performance and through his research he has discovered some key factors that high impact organizations leverage to huge success. This week on the show it is part 2 of our conversation and Daniel explains the 3 value […]

When you are looking at your business and its ability to succeed do you ever consider its organizational DNA? This may be a new concept to you but this week on Make It Right our guest says that “Forward-thinking individuals and organizations are begin­ning to realize they can custom-engineer their organizational DNA to a specific […]

As a leader of a manufacturing company how do you see your role? Are you focused on the internal side of your business or are you looking outward at how others see you and your brand? This week on the Make It Right podcast we look at how companies can build irresistible brands that attract […]

Digitalization – Industry 4.0, IiOT, Smart Factories – or whatever you choose to call it is changing the manufacturing landscape. Sensors littered throughout factories collect and share data to monitor and enhance operations, and data collection can start as far back as the source of a product’s raw materials. This mountain of data will have […]

Automation and robotics can bring huge gains to your manufacturing business and your team and it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach. Rolling out automation as the need arises can bring productivity gains through increased throughput and by shifting frontline workers to more skilled tasks. This is part 2 of our discussion […]

Automating the repetitive, mundane tasks on your manufacturing line can increase your throughput and the enhance the lives of your frontline workers by shifting their activities to more engaging and skilled work. Installing robotic solutions for repetitive tasks can be rolled out in a graduated manner that makes that automation transformation easy to achieve and […]

Factories are made up of people, processes and technology and when you bring them all together to operate in an aligned manner you establish a smart approach that raises productivity, increases efficiencies and leads to revenue growth. This week on Make It Right James Crean, the President and CTO at CREAN Inc discusses how SMART […]

Napoleon Hill’s seminal book “Think & Grow Rich” was released in 1937 but it was based on research he conducted prior to that, over some 25 years, as he interviewed the great leaders of his time – Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie, John D Rockefeller and Alexander Graham Bell…just to name a few. In […]

“There are several proven CI methodologies that work and guess what, they all centre around ensuring that the people who do the work are empowered, involved in and trained on continuously improving the processes they do every day at work.” That comment is from Shane Wentz, a Certified LEAN Six Sigma Master Black Belt who […]

The fourth industrial revolution has been underway for a number of years with many in the manufacturing sector embracing the Industry 4.0 path to increased productivity, reduced costs, better products. But the factory of the future will need more than just good data and understanding it. IoT and IIot are playing an ever larger role […]

How do you post 30% growth, with just 30% of your workforce during a pandemic? Compassionate leadership, continuous improvement and laughter is how AP&G Co. did it. AP&G’s Plant Manager Vladimir Floresca was originally a guest on Make It Right (Episode 60) in the summer of 2019 when he discussed the plant’s continuous improvement processes […]

Aaron Brimer has been in procurement for the last decade and in those years he has weathered some supply storms and learned from those experiences. He has a procurement philosophy that has helped him through challenges, even during a crazy year like 2020 when the way we all do business changed. In October Aaron began […]

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Harry Moser, the founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative. He discusses how some US companies can successfully reshore their manufacturing activities. You can also listen to Part 1 of this conversation in Episode 133 where Harry explains how COVID-19 has shone a light on some of […]

The US at one time was a powerhouse of manufacturing but over the last few decades, in an effort to reduces costs, North American companies began offshoring manufacturing to other parts of the world. Some manufacturing began to boomerang back to these shores in recent years and the industry was growing. Then in 2020 COVID-19 […]

Relationship building is the key to success in business because people do business with people they like and trust.  So how can you build new relationships when the traditional methods of meeting people at functions, conferences etc are simply not available to us now? Online tools can help and one of the key relationship building […]

When you are in the thick of it, dealing with the daily issues of a manufacturing business, it can be difficult to understand the impact of your leadership. This week on the show our guest is Phil Van Hooser, an Award-winning Keynote Speaker, Leadership Trainer and Author whose focus in on Engaged Leadership & Communication. […]

“Leadership is to serve and develop people through human interactions and relationships towards the achievement of goals that support purpose.”  That is how this week’s guest, Jamie V. Parker, views the role of leadership. A recovering command and control leader Jamie now works with manufacturing leaders helping them find balance between leading and coaching their […]

In business middle managers are sandwiched between the C-suite and the people they are leading. They have to navigate the demands of their bosses while working with, and leading, their own teams. They are trying to hold it all together, keep everyone happy and move the business forward. They are stressed and looking for help. […]

Carlos Richer has spent more than 30 years in the disposable diaper industry providing consultation services to factories around the world. He is also the founder of the Disposable Diaper Network LinkedIN group. This week on Make It Right he and manufacturing leadership consultant Kevin Snook look at the challenges of a changing diaper market […]

A chance meeting with Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino has propelled consultant and coach Katie Anderson on a leadership journey most would dream of. Over the last 5 years Mr Yoshino has shared his successes and failures during 40 years at Toyota and together they now share his story at conferences and in a new book […]

This week on Make It Right Peter Gibbons, CEO of TireHub, and leadership advisor Kevin Snook share their thoughts on what makes a world-class leader. Sharing stories and insights from their careers and personal lives they discuss how they see the role of the leader, how leadership is evolving and why it is a privilege […]

Full Show

Good results is the goal of any manufacturing leader and even with a wealth of education and knowledge of business, engineering, supply chain management etc. they can still run into challenges that have them beat. Often, on closer inspection those challenges are rooted in people. Why aren’t people performing at their highest level? Why is […]

This week on Make It Right Janet's guest is John Madsen, Vice President & Manufacturing Practice Leader at Black Line Group. As a tax credit expert with decades of experience in manufacturing he shares how US manufacturers can make the most of R&D tax credits.

Manufacturers who produce large products – such as those companies in aerospace, construction, milling and mining – often have requirements for large scale, unique products. Sourcing those products or a manufacturer who can create them is a challenge because it takes a unique set of skills and technical understanding to be able produce products to […]

Willert Home Products is a family owned business that started out in 1946 with a single product…mothballs. It now has 100 products, does business around the world and operates 5 plants, with locations in St Louis and Philadelphia and 3 in Asia, employing approximately 500 people. Willert manufactures everything from flyswatters and pest control products […]

Manufacturing a product and Making It Right takes process and people alignment. Selling that product to a customer who needs it also requires alignment. This week on Make It Right Sale Enablement Expert Ryan Bretsch of Spoke Marketing outlines why and how alignment from the management team through to marketing and sales needs to be […]

We are surrounded by technology and it comes to hand in almost everything we do. Using technology right can transform your business, your experience, your customer’s experience and your results. But getting technology right is difficult. This week on Make It Right guest Jonathon Hensley of Emerge Interactive provides insights and tips on how he […]

COVID-19 initially forced Spartech’s Paulding Ohio plant to reduce its workforce by 65%. When a new product was requested this plant got fired up with a plant conversion and a new process. It is now on the path of 40% employment growth and one of their best years ever.  This week on Make It Right […]

With more than 30 years of manufacturing and business experience working with companies like Harley Davidson and Chrysler, lean thought leader Jamie Flinchbaugh has learned the power of alignment, engagement and trust on a company’s performance. You may recognize Jamie’s name as he is the co-author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean”, a book released […]

Manufacturing is a quarter of the St Louis MO region’s economic activity. With a longstanding heritage in aerospace and defense manufacturing, and a growing role in biomedical, St Louis is also home to companies who manufacture a variety of items including well known household products. This week on Make It Right Janet Eastman talks with […]

When something is going wrong in your manufacturing process it’s important to be able to quickly and easily identify where things went off course. For many manufacturing companies that job entails the quality control manager on the shop floor with their stopwatch. Enter drishti, a video analytics and video traceability solution for the factory floor. […]

Pete Winiarski is a manufacturing veteran and consultant who has written a book called Virtual Teams That Thrive. It defines a clear path to help leaders and their teams adjust, to successfully work and engage outside of the business location. Working virtually is here indefinitely so early adaptation is key to your company’s success. On […]

Working virtually is here and may be the way of work indefinitely. Adjusting ourselves and our teams to successfully work and engage outside the standard business environment is key to your company’s success. Pete Winiarski has worked in the manufacturing industry and as a consultant throughout his career. He recently wrote a book called Virtual […]

Manufacturing is about making things and at the core of making things is creativity. This week on Make It Right Janet Eastman’s guest is creativity expert Nir Bashan who believes creativity isn’t just for the “artist”. He believes it is fundamental to success and he teaches business leaders and individuals how to harness the power […]

It’s predicted that by 2030 there will be 10,000 retirements per day in both the US and EU. This will create a huge hole in manufacturing and a massive brain drain. The sector has an image problem as young people don't see it as a highly technical and skilled industry with significant career opportunity. What needs to change to attract this much needed workforce? Just Piferrer is a supply chain expert and a professor at a number of business schools in Barcelona. He joins Janet Eastman to share his ideas and thoughts on how manufacturing can adjust to meet this challenge head on.

Over the last number of weeks Make It Right has featured interviews with leadership and marketing experts who have shared their expertise in an effort to help manufacturing businesses weather the COVID-19 storm. This week on the show we share 3 key tips curated from three guests with the hope that they may trigger some […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a game changer for business. Last week on Make It Right Episode 108 supply chain expert Filippo Mauri discussed its impact on globalization, how it will affect supply chains, manufacturing businesses and company culture. This week Filippo shares his European perspective on how the shifting business landscape is impacting developing […]

The world of work has gone through a rapid readjustment since the onset of COVID-19. The last number of months have been a shock to the systems – personal, professional and technological – but the world still functions and some of those forced changes have been positive. This week on Make It Right supply chain […]

Using the science of behavioral change to amplify your sales this week on Make It Right.

Scott Aaron is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning online marketer, a best-selling author, top podcaster and speaker and the go-to specialist when it comes to converting traffic and establishing connections using LinkedIn. From experience he as defined the path to building a strong personal brand. On this episode of Make It Right he shares how manufacturing leaders […]

Free sounds great in theory but enticing prospects and customers with free design samples, analysis or reports may not win you business. In reality people tend not to place value on something that is free and this approach may be negating the value of your time and expertise. This week on Make It Right Janet […]