Podcasts about manufacturers

When I opened my first salon I was passionate about hairdressing but like most salon owners I knew very little about business, and negotiating with product suppliers was where my naivety was fully exposed. This week I take you behind the scenes of what's really happening when you deal with a manufacturer or distributor.You'll come away understanding how the commercial side works: list price, rebates, the size of the pie, and the difference between a real partnership and a shiny distraction. My aim is simple. I want you walking into that conversation informed, prepared, and able to build a deal where both businesses genuinely win.IN THIS EPISODE:Why the list price is never the real price, and what sits behind itThe size of the pie: how much value a supplier can actually offer youHow rebates really work, including the catch that traps a lot of ownersHow to prepare before you negotiate so you hold the stronger positionWhy the real goal is a partnership where both businesses winEPISODE TIMESTAMPS[00:00] Introduction[00:20] The dark arts of negotiating with your product suppliers and manufacturers[02:07] Why nobody actually pays the full list price on the page[03:07] Manufacturer versus distributor, and why that structure changes everything behind the scenes[05:08] The list price is just the start of a commercial conversation[08:23] The experience gap between you and the person across the negotiating table[09:50] The size of the pie: the concept that underpins every deal[11:04] How you get to choose where that value lands in your business[13:10] Rebates explained, and the two important realities that owners often overlook[15:54] Shiny object syndrome, and the seduction of events and luxury experiences[17:41] Why putting your business out to tender is simply smart, professional practice[19:13] How to prepare properly before you ever sit at the tableWant MORE to help you GROW?

The RV industry is chasing the wrong generation. While manufacturers court 30-somethings with outdoor TVs and influencer campaigns, the buyers who are actually writing checks right now look nothing like the people in the ads.Last week I sat around a campfire in Hocking Hills, Ohio with 88 members of our RVCommunity. I asked how many had bought a new RV in the past year. Eleven hands went up. A 12th would have, but he was out on a six-mile hike. He was turning 70.That tells you everything the sales charts do not.In this episode we dig into who is really driving the RV market right now, what experienced RVers actually want that manufacturers keep missing, the quiet but alarming shift happening in our national parks, and a dramatic rescue on the Appalachian Trail that is a reminder of exactly why preparation matters out there.Read the companion blog post on RVing in the second half of life at RVLifestyle.com - link below.Here is the complete episode, start to finish.THE RV PODCAST - MONDAY NEWS EDITION Episode Air Date: Monday, June 23, 2026 - 6:00 AM Approx. Running Time: 25 Minutes Host: Mike WendlandTHE LAST GENERATION THAT KNOWS HOW TO TRAVEL ...and why the RV industry keeps ignoring themOPENLast week I was sitting around a campfire in Hocking Hills, Ohio, with about 50 members of our RVCommunity.com.I asked a simple question: how many of you have bought a brand new RV in the last year?Eleven hands went up. A 12th would have, but he was out on a six-mile sunset hike - and he was turning 70 that summer.This was happening while the RV industry is posting some of the worst wholesale shipment numbers in over a decade.Which raises a question the people running this industry ought to be asking themselves: who exactly are they building RVs for?Because I can tell you who is actually buying them. And they look nothing like the people in the ads.OPENINGGood morning and welcome to the RV Podcast Monday News Edition. I'm Mike Wendland.Eighteen Emmy Awards. Thirty-plus years covering everything from wars to the White House to consumer affairs. And for the past 15 years, living the RV lifestyle myself with my wife Jennifer in every type of rig you can imagine, coast to coast, all 48 contiguous states.Today's show is a little different. Instead of leading with a breaking story, I want to start with something I witnessed firsthand that I believe tells you more about the real state of the RV market than any press release you will read this year.And if you want to go deeper after you listen, I have been writing about this topic at RVLifestyle.com for the past several weeks. We have been exploring what it means to RV in the second half of life - the freedom, the community, the mindset, and yes, the ways the industry keeps getting it wrong. There is a link in the show notes. I think you will recognize yourself in it.Here is what is happening on the road. And here is what the industry is getting wrong. Let's get into it.LEAD STORY: THE LAST GENERATION THAT KNOWS HOW TO TRAVELThe RV industry is having a rough year. A really rough year. And the numbers tell the story fast, so let me give them to you and move on, because the real story is not the numbers. The real story is who is still out there buying and camping while those numbers grind downward.Wholesale shipments are down more than 13 percent through the first four months of 2026. Retail sales off 14 to 15 percent from last year. The industry's own forecast, just revised downward again this month, now projects this as one of the worst years for new RV sales in over a decade.So who is still buying?Here is what I can tell you from 15 years in this world and from what I saw last week in Hocking Hills. The people who are still writing checks for new RVs, right now, in the worst market in a decade, are the people the industry seems most determined to pretend do not exist.Baby Boomers. Older Gen Xers. People who grew up reading paper maps. Making reservations by phone. Talking to strangers when they got lost. Fixing things with their hands. Navigating real uncertainty with nothing but experience and nerve.According to industry research, Americans 50 and older remain the primary customer segment for RVs. Many are retirees fulfilling long-held travel dreams, and that population is still growing as the tail end of the baby boom ages into retirement. These are people with home equity, disposable income, and something even more valuable: the time and the confidence to actually use what they buy.And yet when you look at the ads. When you watch the Go RVing campaigns. When you walk the floor of any major RV show and look at the marketing materials stacked at the booths. You see toned and trendy 30-year-olds doing yoga on the roof of a Class B. You see influencers with ring lights and perfect hair. What you do not see is the 68-year-old retired engineer who just dropped $95,000 on a new fifth wheel and is headed to Alaska.That is a real blind spot. And I think it is costing the industry real money.Here is what I saw at our Hocking Hills rally. Eighty-eight people, ranging from their 50s into their 80s. Riding bikes and e-bikes and scooters. Hiking up and down some of the most spectacular terrain in the Midwest. One of our members, a retired RV technician, got under a fellow member's trailer and repacked the wheel bearings on the spot. Another couple spent an afternoon giving scooter lessons to anyone who wanted to learn.Nobody was stuck. Nobody was panicking. When something broke, someone fixed it. When someone needed help, someone helped them. These are people who grew up problem-solving before there was an app for it. And they brought every one of those skills out here.I asked how many had bought a new RV in the past year. Eleven hands went up. Twelve if you count the man who was out on a six-mile hike at 70 years old.This is happening while the industry chases 33-year-olds with solar panels and TikTok aesthetics.I am not saying younger buyers are not important. They are the future and we need them. But the marketing case being made inside RV boardrooms right now, that the 50-plus buyer is yesterday's news, is demonstrably wrong. And in a market this soft, you cannot afford to ignore your most reliable customer.I wrote about this at length over at RVLifestyle.com. It is part of an ongoing series we have been running on RVing in the second half of life. The link is in the show notes. If today's lead story speaks to you, that post will too.STORY 2: WHO IS ACTUALLY DRIVING THE MARKETThe demographic picture of who owns and buys RVs is more complicated than the ads suggest, and it is worth understanding.The median age of RV owners has come down in recent years. Younger buyers were absolutely part of the pandemic surge. Millennials and Gen Z now represent roughly 22 percent of RV owners - the same share as Baby Boomers - which tells you something about how quickly the demographics shifted during COVID.But here is what the industry sometimes misses in that data. Younger buyers came in during a period of historically low interest rates, flush pandemic savings, and work-from-home flexibility. Those conditions no longer exist. The buyers who are proving most resilient in this market are the ones who are not dependent on 7 percent financing to make the purchase work.Industry analyst Earl Hunter Jr., founder of The Unity Folks, put it bluntly in a recent trade publication outlook piece. He said the biggest trend in the RV industry right now is, simply, lack of growth. And that the industry has not figured out why emerging demographics and nontraditional consumers have little to no interest in the RV lifestyle.That is a real problem worth solving. But while the industry works on reaching new audiences, there is a generation of experienced, well-capitalized, deeply motivated buyers out on the road right now who built this market and are still carrying it. They deserve a little more respect than a supporting role in someone else's marketing story.STORY 3: WHAT EXPERIENCED RVers ACTUALLY WANT - AND WHAT MANUFACTURERS KEEP MISSINGI want to tell you one more thing from Hocking Hills, because I think it reveals something important about the disconnect between what the industry is building and what experienced RVers actually need.During our campfire conversation, I asked people what features they most use in their current rigs. What do they love. What they would change.Nobody mentioned outdoor TVs. Not one person. This is notable because outdoor entertainment has been one of the most aggressively marketed RV features of the last several years. Manufacturers have been loading up rigs with outdoor TVs, outdoor kitchens, outdoor speakers. The assumption is that RVers want to recreate the suburban living room experience outside.Our members were out hiking six miles. They were packed into a campfire circle talking to each other. They were fixing each other's trailers. The last thing they wanted was a television.What did they talk about wanting? Better towing stability. Improved service networks. Simpler systems that do not require a software update to turn on the hot water. Quality that lasts. And dealers who actually know the products they are selling.These are people with decades of RV miles behind them. They know exactly what they need and exactly what they do not. When you have that kind of experience, you stop being impressed by features and start being impressed by reliability.The industry could learn a lot by listening more carefully to the people who have been doing this the longest....

The pick and shovels behind the AI trade are getting more favorable coverage from analysts, seen in Wells Fargo's price target hikes in ASML (ASML), Applied Materials (AMAT), KLA Corp. (KLAC), and Lam Research (LRCX). Marley Kayden walks investors through the analyst note and offers more insight on why firms are turning bullish on these names. Prosper Trading Academy's Charles Moon offers an example options trade for KLA Corp. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Send us Fan MailWant to build a better business? The next step is to create a system!Today, Max talks about how to shift your mindset from running your business like a carpenter to running it like a true business owner.Drawing inspiration from what Henry Ford did with his business, Max explores how those same principles can be applied to create more efficient, scalable, and successful companies.Watch today's episode on the whiteboard --> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76rc3DrCOMb7VM9icAOQmLodNCSZTfKf--------------

Manufacturers are rapidly adopting AI, but most deployments remain limited to small-scale pilots. In this episode, Mike Sabin, CEO of Revalize, explains why scaling AI across the enterprise is proving far more difficult than expected. The conversation explores the key barriers, including fragmented data, legacy systems and the need to shift from viewing AI as a technology project to treating it as an operational transformation.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Carolyn Lee, President of The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. Carolyn grew up in a manufacturing family on Long Island and spent years on Capitol Hill before taking the helm of the MI in 2017. Tammy and Carolyn dig into the widening gap between AI adoption at the executive level and awareness on the shop floor, and why closing it is the defining challenge for American manufacturing right now. They also unpack the fear factor driving resistance to change and Carolyn announces the forthcoming AI for Manufacturing 101 curriculum to help manufacturers who are at risk of falling behind. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATALinks:Carolyn LeeThe Manufacturing Institute - AI Skills Training Learn more about Launch by NTT DATASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing your own machinists and orchestrating robots across four continents, is this what the future of manufacturing looks like? This live episode from Hapa's Brewing in the Bay Area features two panels of people who have built careers at the intersection of mechatronics, automation, and industrial innovation. First up, Vinod, Kevin, and Adam get into what it takes to build a skilled workforce from the ground up, talking about apprenticeships, college partnerships, and growing your own talent in-house. Then we get into the bigger picture with our founder panel Kim, Glenn, Nick, and Florian on what Silicon Valley gets wrong about manufacturing, and what manufacturers are missing by not paying closer attention to what's being built there. In this episode, find out: How Vinod bootstrapped an automation company in the Bay Area while raising a family and why his wife had something to do with it What Kevin learned from a 3-year German apprenticeship that he thinks more US manufacturers should be paying attention to How Adam solved his machinist shortage by bringing the training programme in-house and partnering with a local college How Kim thinks about leading companies through inflection points when there are no guardrails or safety nets Why Glenn believes manufacturers who aren't paying attention to what's being built around them won't even know when it's too late How Nick's B2C background completely changed the way he thinks about building software for frontline manufacturing workers Why Florian ignored his investors and opened a public-facing robotics storefront on the main street of Mountain View Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! Tweetable Quotes: “You don't have that mechanical job anymore that's done by one person. You need support, whether it's software support or you need a robot at your side.” – Kevin Toomer, Product Manager at Sumitomo Drive Technologies “In automation, you don't need a master's or a PhD to be successful. Just getting creative and having that experience in mechanical engineering really helped me in my career.” – Vinod Anandarajah, Co-Founder and CEO at Kanavu Automation ”In Silicon Valley, we tend to love disruption because to us it represents something new and something better. But when you get on a manufacturing floor, they tend to want predictability.” - Kim Losey, Founder and CEO at NextLine Group Links & mentions: Kanavu Automation, bringing value to manufacturing clients via a strategic focus on machine automation and robotics MaintainX, empowering maintenance professionals to reduce unplanned equipment downtime and boost production capacity NextLine Group, architecting what is next in robotics engineering Sumitomo Drive Technologies, providing engineered solutions to industrial power transmission customers Beluga Navigation Systems, building deep tech navigation solutions for vehicle and vessel navigation InOrbit.AI, leading AI-powered robot orchestration platform, driving software-defined operations at scale Hapa's Brewing Company, craft brewery and taproom located in San Jose, CA Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Account-based marketing isn't new to manufacturers, but the way they have to run it is unlike anyone else's. In this episode, Demandbase's Nick Cholakis unpacks the defining tension of industrial ABM: a sales cycle that can stretch past two years, punctuated by a buying window that slams open and shut in weeks. With most research now happening anonymously and offline — increasingly inside LLMs — Nick explains how signal aggregation helps manufacturers spot in-market accounts, why behaviour should override firmographics when tiering, and how to arm distributors and channel partners with the context they need to act before the window closes.

Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare, but developing an AI medical device is only part of the challenge. Manufacturers must also navigate certification requirements and maintain safety and performance throughout the entire product lifecycle.In two podcast episodes featuring Sandy Wright and Osman El-Koubani, we explore the journey from certifying LLM-driven medical devices to managing them after CE marking.Certifying LLM-Driven Medical DevicesLarge Language Models such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude introduce new regulatory challenges. Unlike traditional software, these systems raise questions around predictability, validation, traceability, supplier management, and model updates.Topics discussed include:What defines an LLM-driven medical deviceClinical evaluation strategiesDemonstrating clinical benefitUsing commercial AI modelsSupplier controls and external dependenciesSignificant changes and model updatesLife After CE MarkingObtaining CE certification is not the end of the journey.AI medical devices require continuous monitoring once they reach the market.Manufacturers must address:Performance drift in real-world settingsCollection and analysis of real-world dataAI retraining and change managementPredetermined Change Control Plans (PCCPs)Post-Market Surveillance (PMS)Continuous safety and performance evaluationAI Devices Require a Lifecycle ApproachAI systems are dynamic technologies. Success depends not only on achieving certification, but also on maintaining control over performance, updates, and clinical safety throughout the product lifecycle.As regulations continue to evolve, manufacturers must combine robust development practices with proactive post-market monitoring to ensure long-term compliance and patient safety.Who is Monir El Azzouzi? Monir El Azzouzi is the founder and CEO of Easy Medical Device a Consulting firm that is supporting Medical Device manufacturers for any Quality and Regulatory affairs activities all over the world. Monir can help you to create your Quality Management System, Technical Documentation or he can also take care of your Clinical Evaluation, Clinical Investigation through his team or partners. Easy Medical Device can also become your Authorized Representative and Independent Importer Service provider for EU, UK and Switzerland. Monir has around 16 years of experience within the Medical Device industry working for small businesses and also big corporate companies. He has now supported around 100 clients to remain compliant on the market. His passion to the Medical Device filed pushed him to create educative contents like, blog, podcast, YouTube videos, LinkedIn Lives where he invites guests who are sharing educative information to his audience. Visit easymedicaldevice.com to know more.  If you need help implementing QMSR or preparing your teams for FDA inspections, contact: info@easymedicaldevice.com If you are located outside the EU/UK/Switzerland and need an Authorized Representative (and possibly an Importer), we can support you as well.LinkSandy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrightsandy/Osman Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osman-kan/Scarlet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scarlet-comply/posts/?feedView=all&viewAsMember=trueSocial Media to followMonir El Azzouzi Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/melazzouziTwitter: https://twitter.com/elazzouzimPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/easymedicaldeviceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/easymedicaldeviceThis podcast is hosted by Podcastics, the easiest platform to create and publish your podcast.

AI can finally write back to the plant floor, but only if you can trust it. Chris Stevens and Annemarie Breu of Siemens explain how orchestration makes that safe.Industrial AI has reached a turning point. Manufacturers can already collect data, contextualize it, and surface insights, but the hardest step has always been turning insight into action on real control equipment. Chris Stevens and Annemarie Breu of Siemens explain how an orchestration layer finally closes that loop. Annemarie frames the tension clearly. Automation depends on determinism, while large language models are probabilistic by design, so the goal is to bring that discipline into AI and validate any suggestion before it changes a set point.Most executive conversations start with return on investment, and two forces are making the case easier to prove. The workforce shortage has stretched the expected payback window from 18 months toward 36 months, and when a line cannot run for lack of people every idle minute costs thousands of dollars. The other driver is overall equipment effectiveness, since most plants run near 70 percent OEE and even a fraction of a percent of gain can justify a project. Energy is a standout case too. A BorgWarner sustainability effort used a digital twin to flatten demand peaks and reportedly paid for itself in under six months, even as data center growth pushes electricity demand higher through 2040.On trust and safety, Annemarie borrows a principle from industrial safety. Just as fail safe IO modules rely on two channel evaluation, every AI suggestion is validated against a state machine, a workflow, or a physics based digital twin before the orchestration layer passes it to a controller. With virtual commissioning and soft PLCs a change can be tested virtually, approved by a human in the loop, and only then written to control, an approach PepsiCo and NVIDIA echoed at CES when they called the digital twin a must have. Making AI real, the pair argue, comes down to discipline, clear scope, acceptance criteria, and focused 90 day challenges, plus the change management and user experience that drive adoption. Their favorite quick win is preventive maintenance driven by machine data, which both BorgWarner and Maersk tied to millions in savings.About Chris StevensChris Stevens is President of US Automation at Siemens, where he leads a roughly one billion dollar business spanning software, services, and hardware. He brings more than 25 years across Siemens Digital Industries, starting in the field selling assembly and test equipment, moving into the software and digital twin world, and returning to automation to bring the hardware and software sides of the business together.About Annemarie BreuAnnemarie Breu is a senior technology leader at Siemens Digital Industries focused on automation software deployment and customer technology partnerships in the US. She began at Siemens about a decade ago as a systems engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area, working with consumer electronics manufacturers on virtual commissioning and digital twins. Her work today centers on bringing the determinism and reliability of automation into industrial AI.Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Automate 2026 preview2:50 Meet Chris Stevens and Annemarie Breu9:30 The first AI question is always ROI14:00 Workforce gaps and OEE drive the business case19:30 Energy management and the data center demand surge23:20 Data, sensors, and contextualization requirements28:00 Guardrails, hallucinations, and two channel validation32:40 The digital twin and the human in the loop37:40 How partners and integrators move up the stack45:30 What it takes to make AI real on the floor55:50 Preventive maintenance as a quick win59:40 Predictions, career advice, and book picksAbout Your HostsVladimir Romanov is a co-host of The Manufacturing Hub Podcast and the founder of Joltek, an independent manufacturing and industrial automation consulting firm specializing in modernization strategy, digital transformation, and workforce development. Joltek works with manufacturers and investors to de-risk modernization and build the internal capability to sustain results.Connect with Vlad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladromanov/Want to go deeper? Vlad and the team at Joltek have covered related topics here:Edge Computing and the Value of AI in Manufacturing Data: https://www.joltek.com/blog/edge-computing-ai-value-manufacturing-dataIT and OT Architecture Integration: https://www.joltek.com/services/service-details-it-ot-architecture-integrationDave Griffith is a co-host of The Manufacturing Hub Podcast and founder of Capelin Solutions, an industrial automation firm helping manufacturers adopt smart manufacturing technology. He brings 15 years of experience in industrial automation and digital transformation.Connect with Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegriffith23/Subscribe to Manufacturing Hub: https://www.manufacturinghub.liveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-hub-networkYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ManufacturingHub

The DBC gang is back in studio after a LONG wreck-filled Cup Race in the Irish Hills of Michigan, this time with a pair of 23XI Racing teammates in Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst. The episode starts with a recap of both drivers' weekends, followed by some high praise for Riley Herbst from Bubba Wallace for the teammate he's been. The group talks about Cleetus McFarland's performance in the ARCA and Trucks race, the difference between racing both vehicles, and what Ford seems to be missing from a lackluster performance in their own backyard. Plus, Bubba Wallace opens up about what it's like to race around Carson Hocevar, his post-race conversation with The Hurricane that had social media buzzing, and how there's a difference between racing hard and racing stupid. The group debates if Denny Hamlin will retire at the end of next season, their Mt. Rushmore of NASCAR drivers, who is at fault for the massive wreck on the restart of the Cup race, and much more. As always, Reaction Theatre brings the laughs, followed by S*** Show HOF and Ask DBC. Plus, Freddie shouts out all of the weekend winners from around the country. Want more DBC? Check out and subscribe to the new DBC YouTube channel! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An uptick in cheap aluminium extrusion imports could be hurting local manufacturers. The Government's looking into global safeguards after imports of products, like those made here, surged 30% in the first four months of the year compared to last year. Aluminium Extruders Association chief executive Nick Collins told Heather du Plessis-Allan the US and the EU have tariffs in place. He says we need something in the range of 15–25%, so local manufacturers are on a level playing field. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode of Trending Middle East, a fragile regional ceasefire comes under renewed pressure after Israel launches strikes across Iran in response to overnight Iranian missile and drone attacks. Several neighbouring countries respond by tightening security measures, with Iraq closing its airspace, Syria suspending flights in parts of the country and Jordan activating air-raid sirens. US President Donald Trump urges both sides to avoid further escalation while acknowledging the challenges facing ongoing negotiations to end the conflict and reopen a path to diplomacy. As the Fifa World Cup begins in North America, concerns grow over immigration enforcement and security procedures after Iraqi and Iranian football officials report entry and visa issues. And in Abu Dhabi, more than 1,000 job opportunities for Emiratis are being offered through the Manufacturers 2026 exhibition as the UAE continues its push to increase private-sector employment among citizens. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

What happens when manufacturers stop competing for talent and start working together to develop it?In this special LIVE episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Chris travels to Wausau, Wisconsin for a collaboration with the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance (CWIMA) to explore how manufacturers across the region are working together to strengthen workforce development, accelerate innovation, and build a thriving manufacturing ecosystem.The discussion features five manufacturing leaders representing a wide range of industries:Jim Waldron, President of Wausau TileJohn Peterson, Owner & CEO of Schuette MetalsScott Mattmiller, Greenheck GroupLaura Strek, President of Imperial IndustriesTom Felch, J&D Tube BendersTogether, they discuss everything from workforce shortages and apprenticeship programs to automation, mentorship, community engagement, and why collaboration may be the biggest competitive advantage a manufacturing region can have.Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. Tom wolf of Agrimetrix research and training. They discuss spray drones past, current and future, with regards to agriculture. Additional Resources https://sprayers101.com/about/ Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction to Spray Drones and Pesticide Applications 02:21 Tom Wolf's Journey into Plant Sciences 10:28 Understanding Drones: Basics and Types 14:24 The Evolving Drone Market and Manufacturers 18:32 The Technological Advancements in Spray Drones 19:41 The Evolution of Drone Design and Functionality 23:54 Understanding Swath Width and Its Variables 26:32 Challenges in Standardizing Drone Operations 31:44 Understanding the Complexity of Drone Applications 35:15 Training and Certification in Drone Usage 39:30 Who Operates the Drones? 47:05 outro with logo.mp4 Zaworski, E. (Host) and Wolf, T. (Interviewee). S5:E10 (Podcast). Attack of the Spray Drones! Part 1. 6/3/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.   Transcript

Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America v. Neronha

Content becomes forgettable when the key message isn't wrapped in storytelling.People don't retain information anywhere near as well as they remember stories they hear, and this is where manufacturing is missing a trick.Manufacturers are battling false perceptions that the industry is dirty, dingy, not innovative and not creative. But what's really happening is a failure to communicate the good stuff - the advanced systems and problem solving going on behind factory walls. The things that impact almost everything we touch in our lives.Chris is joined by Danny Gonzales, CEO at IndustrialSage – a video production company focusing on telling those manufacturing stories. Danny noticed that the sector was massively underserved and saw an opportunity to change peoples' perceptions. Using his background in B2B video production to fill the empty space with tales of meaningful work, and to show them to people in a way that they can receive it as something cool. Not a brain dump of stagnant information.For anyone thinking about how manufacturing companies can better communicate their value, attract talent, build stronger brands or create connections through storytelling, this episode is a look at how media and manufacturing are merging.In this episode, find out:How IndustrialSage was born out of the discovery that the machines, technology and processes happening in factories was both very cool and underrepresented in media.IndustrialSage and Danny's mission to change the common misconceptions about the manufacturing industry through storytelling and thought leadership.How true opportunity is found in the niches, despite the instinct to gravitate towards the aesthetic and techy industries which are usually overserviced.How Danny's career has evolved from his college dream of becoming a Hollywood producer, and how an actual Hollywood producer set him on his current path.Why product-user content filmed on an iPhone is outperforming brand films and how leveraging these tools can save time and money while embracing the shift towards authenticity.Why Danny believes the key to creating quality video content is in the strategy and distribution and what companies can do to implement these effectively.Why storytelling is the best way to communicate the value proposition and the psychology behind why it is so effective in overcoming the flood of content.Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“IndustrialSage is on a mission to change the perception of the industry. There are a lot of people that think it's dingy, grimy, not innovative, not creative, and they're dead wrong. We want to show what is going on. We want to do that through storytelling.” – Danny Gonzales “Most people will upload videos, and they just sit there on YouTube, maybe embedded on their website, and that's it. There are so many other use cases – social media, in your trade shows, in your email campaigns.” – Danny Gonzales“For anyone that's going to be a little bit more storytelling driven, there's like an 8X chance that people are going to remember it better when you wrap it inside of a story. That's just how we communicate, and it's easier to be able to transmit.” – Danny GonzalesLinks & mentions:IndustrialSage, industry-leading media company, publishing compelling content for industrial & manufacturing professionalsSierra Nevada Brewing, their Mills River Taproom in Asheville is the Willie Wonka of craft breweriesConnect with Danny on LinkedInMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

What separates a CRM that creates clarity from one that creates chaos? In this episode of IMC Live, Gorilla 76 strategist Connor Phillips breaks down how industrial marketers can turn their CRM into a true revenue-driving command center. From cleaning up messy data and improving CRM hygiene to implementing automation, lead scoring and AI-powered workflows, Connor walks through the “crawl, walk, run” framework for building a CRM system that sales and marketing teams can actually trust and use. You'll learn: Why CRM hygiene matters more than flashy automation How to standardize data across teams The best starter automations for marketers Common CRM mistakes that wreck reporting How AI is changing CRM management and data enrichment Tips for migrating from outdated CRM systems Whether you're stuck in spreadsheets or scaling a sophisticated HubSpot setup, this episode offers practical advice for getting more value from your CRM.

What happens when two lighting designers and two manufacturers sit down in the same room and get brutally honest about spec swaps, value engineering, custom details, and what really breaks when a project goes sideways on site? In this episode of LytePOD, host Sam Koerbel brings together voices from London, Florence, and Dubai for a rare, unfiltered conversation about the real friction points between design intent and manufacturing reality. This isn't a polished panel discussion. It's a candid, deeply human look at what it takes to collaborate across continents, timelines, and expectations when the pressure is on, the budget is tight, and the client still expects magic. They reveal why light quality is the designer's non-negotiable, why hiding complexity through simplicity is the hardest detail to execute, and why the best measure of success isn't the rendering or the spec sheet—it's whether the project still looks good two years later and whether the team can still call each other when something goes wrong. They walk through the uncomfortable truths: why there's no magic shelf where everything sits waiting to ship, why manufacturers become true partners only when they stop thinking in catalog codes, and why the sooner designers and manufacturers start talking, the better the final result will be. Whether you're a designer wondering how to collaborate more effectively with manufacturers, a manufacturer trying to understand what designers really need, or anyone curious about what it takes to turn creative vision into built reality—this conversation offers a rare, honest look at the tension, trust, and teamwork required to make great lighting projects happen. Listen now to discover why great lighting isn't about perfection—it's about partnership, communication, and showing up when it matters most. ❤️ Big appreciation for the partners who support this work and trust the vision. They believe in thoughtful conversations, strong community, and letting designers' voices lead. Grateful to build this together. 1️⃣ Mark Lighting - https://watch.lytei.com/mark 2️⃣ Kelvix - https://watch.lytei.com/Kelvix 3️⃣ LEDflex - https://watch.lytei.com/LEDFLEX 4️⃣ Diode LED - https://watch.lytei.com/diode 5️⃣ Targetti USA - https://bit.ly/targettiusa Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Reality of Spec Swaps and Value Engineering 00:01:43 Sponsor Spotlight: Mark Architectural Linear 00:02:52 Starting with Light Quality: The Designer's Non-Negotiable 00:08:35 The Hardest Detail: Hiding Complexity Through Simplicity 00:14:28 Manufacturing Reality: Why There's No Magic Shelf 00:20:48 Partnership Over Catalog: When Manufacturers Become Collaborators 00:28:29 Sponsor Spotlight: LED Flex, Diode LED, and Kelvix 00:30:51 Custom vs. Standard: Balancing Innovation and Maintenance 00:35:38 Physics is Physics: Navigating Technical Constraints with Creativity 00:48:24 Sponsor Spotlight: Targetti USA 00:49:13 Biggest Frustrations: Time, Response, and Communication 00:54:07 Installation Reality: When Projects Go Wrong on Site 00:59:00 Closing: It's About People, Not Places

Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America v. Frey

U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO) and Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced the Celiac Safety Act on Thursday.The legislation is meant to strengthen food labeling law and protect the roughly 3 million Americans with celiac disease.It's the first proposal in Congress to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to mandate the inclusion of “gluten-containing grains” as a major food allergen. Manufacturers would be required to label the inclusion of all gluten-containing ingredients in their products.Stay tuned for more info on this and ways to get involved!I would love to hear from you! Leave your messages for Andrea at contact@baltimoreglutenfree.com and check out www.baltimoreglutenfree.comInstagramFacebookGluten Free College 101Website: www.glutenfreecollege.comFacebook: http://www.Facebook.com/Glutenfreecollege Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast: Industrial Cybersecurity InsiderEpisode: IT vs OT: The Internal Misalignment Costing Manufacturers MillionsPub date: 2026-05-27Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationMost manufacturing organizations still operate with a dangerous blind spot: IT and OT teams working in completely different dimensions with no shared visibility into plant floor cybersecurity.In this episode, Dino and Jim break down why 90% of manufacturers remain in the unaware-to-awareness phase when it comes to OT cybersecurity. They address what happens when IT tries to shoehorn enterprise security into operational environments they don't understand, and how the lack of collaboration between these two groups leads to costly unplanned downtime — sometimes at $100,000 per hour or more.Drawing from real client engagements, they reveal why OT must take a leadership role in cybersecurity (just like safety), how OT IDS tools can deliver operational value far beyond threat detection, and what it actually takes to get IT and OT speaking the same language before a breach forces them to.Chapters:(00:00:00) - Why IT and OT Need to Get to the Table Now(00:01:47) - Cats and Dogs Living Together: The IT/OT Culture Clash(00:03:00) - 90% of Manufacturers Are Still in the Dark on OT Cyber(00:06:00) - What Is OT and Why Don't OT People Know They're OT?(00:08:45) - Real Client Story: The Missing OT Team on a Global Kickoff(00:13:00) - Ask Forgiveness, Not Permission: How OT Workarounds Create Risk(00:15:00) - The OT IDS Tool Nobody's Sharing With OT(00:19:30) - Why Manual Discovery Assessments Are Throwing Money Away(00:21:00) - 15 Switch Manufacturers in One Plant: The Architecture Nightmare(00:25:30) - OT Cybersecurity Is the New Safety — Treat It Like One(00:29:00) - Final Advice for IT and OT Teams Ready to ConvergeLinks And Resources:Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you'd like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Industrial Cybersecurity Insider, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

Sarah Davis is the Founder, President and Chief Creative Officer at Fashionphile. Follow and connect with her on LinkedIn at ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahclarkdavis/⁠ and on X at ⁠https://x.com/Sarahdavis⁠.FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREWX: ⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris⁠Email: ⁠podcast@ajfgrowth.com⁠Work With AJF Growth: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠MOVE SUPPLY CHAINReduce your OpEx and create more leverage in your company with financial forecasting, AI, and offshore talent by visiting ⁠https://movesupplychain.com/⁠.INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: ⁠https://bit.ly/42DcmFl⁠. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.

Is wholesale distribution entering its most disruptive era yet?In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown, Tom Burton, and Mark  Gilham of Enable unpack the forces reshaping the B2B supply chain: inflation measurement debates, Federal Reserve strategy, tariff refund accounting risks, buying group consolidation, maritime trade choke points, and the growing influence of AI on distributor–manufacturer relationships. This episode explores how data-driven decision making is shifting the industry from relationship-based instinct to AI-powered commercial intelligence, and what that means for distributors, manufacturers, CFOs, and industry leaders.What You'll Learn:The difference between core inflation vs trimmed average inflation, and why the metric matters for CFO planning, pricing strategy, and capital investment decisionsHow a more flexible Federal Reserve approach impacts interest rate modeling, debt refinancing, and working capital strategy in wholesale distributionWhy tariff refunds create accounting, tax, and downstream pricing pressure, and how distributors and manufacturers should prepareThe real impact of global maritime choke points like the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Panama Canal, and South China Sea on supply chain resilienceWhy buying groups like Evergreen are consolidating, and how rebate economics drive churn and competitive pressureHow AI could disrupt traditional distributor–manufacturer relationships by prioritizing margin analytics, pricing optimization, and product substitution models over loyaltyEpisode Highlights:03:22 – Mark  Gilham explains how Enable connects manufacturers and distributors through rebate and pricing intelligence11:45 – Core inflation vs trimmed average inflation: what's the difference and why does it matter for distributors?24:41 – A Greenspan-style Fed strategy: how rate uncertainty changes business forecasting42:30 – Tariff refund accounting risks and downstream pricing pressure across the supply chain57:45 – The six global maritime choke points and why “just-in-time” models increase fragility1:00:41 – Why Evergreen shut down and what buying group consolidation means for distributors1:14:42 – Manufacturers' growing concern: will AI override decades of channel relationships?1:23:48 – “It all depends on the brief the AI has.” How AI configuration shapes profitability and channel outcomesMeet the Guest:Mark  Gilham is a former distributor CFO and now a leader at Enable, a pricing and rebate management platform focused on helping manufacturers and distributors trade more intelligently in the B2B ecosystem. His expertise bridges finance, pricing strategy, rebate optimization, and AI-driven commercial execution.Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:Enable Rebate Management and Pricing IntelligenceLeadSmart Enterprise Growth PlatformRevenue Expander white space analyticsPrediction market data modeling for interest rate forecastingAI-driven commercial optimization and margin normalization modelsClosing Insight:“Future decisions are not going to be made based on a relationship. They're going to be made based on what the AI model tells the distributor.”As wholesale distribution evolves, the competitive edge will belong to organizations that combine trusted relationships with structured data, commercial intelligence, and AI-ready infrastructure.Leave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/Join the conversation each week on LinkedIn Live.Want even more insight to the stories we discuss each week? Subscribe to the Around The Horn Newsletter.You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.

There's a view the Government's restoring the balance between university and vocational pathways. The Budget doubles Trades Academy places from 10,000 to 20,000 over four years, giving more secondary students access to training while at school. Employers and Manufacturers' Association Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Mike Hosking it's a full-circle moment – recognising how vital trades are in a tech-driven economy. He says AI can't build houses, and so many young people are coming into the workforce not ready. McDonald says the new Industry Skills Boards will help direct training to where demand is, as part of their role is to work with businesses and polytechs to ensure current and future gaps are filled. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Steve Chismar and Zach Upgren of North Risk Partners break down the insurance claims that cost manufacturers the most, and the practical steps to prevent them before they strike. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what's working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.mfrall.com/hmi/ Become a Member: https://www.mfrall.com/membership/ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5orRRXkVgAkbAeUuCj1dP5 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-manufacturers-improve/id1677078610 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfj2OPOknywMeVwzPJX7Ifw

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In this episode of The Core Report Special Edition, Financial Journalist Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Rishi Agrawal of TeamLease Regtech and Dr Rajeswari Sengupta on why the Indian rupee is under pressure, why foreign investors are pulling money out, and why India's business rules still make growth harder than it should be.Dr. Rajeswari Sengupta, Associate Professor of Economics, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, explains the macroeconomic stress behind the rupee fall, energy shock, oil price pressure, current account deficit, foreign capital outflows, AI shock and India's weakening appeal for global investors. She also explains why price adjustment, currency depreciation and policy certainty may matter more than short term defence of the rupee.Rishi Agrawal, CEO and Co Founder of TeamLease RegTech, explains the bottom up challenge facing Indian businesses. From red tape and compliance burden to labour law reform, Jan Vishwas, decriminalisation, digitisation and the need for a UPI moment for business compliance, he breaks down what must change to make India more attractive for entrepreneurs, MSMEs, manufacturers and foreign investors.CHAPTERS:(00:00) Introduction(02:33) Why the Rupee Was Weak Before the West Asia Crisis(07:22) The Three Shocks Facing India: Iran, AI, and China Plus One(09:20) Why India Needs Price Adjustment, Not Suppression(10:03) The Regulatory Architecture Holding Businesses Back(11:50) Decriminalisation, Jan Vishwas, and the Shift From Fear to Trust(15:04) What Still Makes India Attractive for Investors(17:00) Why the Current Account Deficit Has Become a Bigger Worry(21:23) When Policy Response Starts Looking Like Panic(23:23) The Ground Reality for MSMEs and Manufacturers(26:00) Why India Needs a UPI Moment for Compliance(28:00) What Labour Law Reform Could Change for Businesses(29:53) When Will Regulatory Reform Show Economic Results?(31:07) Why India Still Needs Policy Certainty and Predictability(33:00) The Case for Recalibrating India's Growth AmbitionsFor more of our coverage check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecore.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Raw Nutrition, Pawtrition, and the Future of Canine HealthIn this episode, Greg speaks with entrepreneur and canine nutrition educator Ryan Cole about the hidden problems with highly processed dog food and the growing movement toward raw feeding for dogs. Ryan shares the personal story that launched his mission after rescuing a pit bull with severe allergies and discovering how dramatically diet impacted the dog's health and quality of life.The conversation explores kibble manufacturing, common ingredient red flags, raw feeding basics, portion control, canine obesity, treats, digestive health, and how personalized nutrition plans can improve a dog's longevity. Ryan also introduces Pawtrition, an AI-powered dog meal planning platform designed to help dog owners create customized raw feeding plans based on breed, age, weight, and health goals.Our Guest: Ryan Cole is an entrepreneur and founder of Lineage Premier, a canine-focused health and nutrition company dedicated to empowering dog parents with better feeding guidance and nutrition education. He is also the creator of Pawtrition, a Lineage Premier product and AI-powered dog meal planning app designed to help pet owners feed smarter with personalized nutrition plans tailored to each dog's breed, age, weight, and health goals. Through his work, Ryan bridges practical pet care with education, helping dog parents move beyond the guesswork toward informed decisions that support long-term canine health and vitality.Key Topics & EntitiesRyan ColePawtritionLineage PremierRaw feeding for dogsHighly processed kibble and canine healthFood allergies in dogsPit bull rescue storiesCanine nutrition educationPersonalized dog meal planningBioavailable nutrients in raw dietsPortion control and canine obesityHealthy dog treats and frozen fruit snacksBreed-specific nutritionDigestive health and stool quality in dogsKey QuestionsWhat inspired Ryan Cole to focus on canine nutrition?Ryan's journey began after rescuing a pit bull named Pops who suffered from severe allergic reactions to processed foods, shampoos, and synthetic materials. After switching to boiled chicken and rice and later researching raw feeding, Ryan saw dramatic health improvements that inspired him to dedicate his career to canine nutrition education.Why does Ryan believe highly processed kibble is problematic?Ryan explains that many kibble products are made from low-quality byproducts and heavily processed ingredients that are cooked at high temperatures, stripping away natural nutrients. Manufacturers then spray synthetic nutrients and fats onto the kibble after processing to improve flavor and nutritional labeling.What ingredients should dog owners watch for on labels?Ryan recommends paying close attention to the word “crude” on ingredient labels, especially crude proteins and crude fats. He also advises dog owners to read manufacturing warnings about cross-contamination from facilities processing allergens like nuts and grains.What does a healthy raw diet for dogs look like?A balanced raw diet includes raw meats, organ meats, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and oils. Ryan shares examples like chicken leg quarters, ground beef, chicken gizzards, green beans, duck eggs, and Alaskan fish oil.How does Pawtrition help dog owners?Pawtrition generates personalized 30-day meal plans based on a dog's breed, age, weight, activity level, and health goals. The platform also includes budgeting tools, nutrition tracking, shopping assistance, veterinary checklists, and educational resources.Are most dogs overfed or underfed?Ryan says the bigger issue is often calorie-dense kibble rather than meal quantity itself. Because processed food is highly concentrated and less nutritionally bioavailable, dogs can gain weight even when owners believe they are feeding appropriate portions.What are signs a dog's diet may not be working?Common warning signs include chronic itching, dull coats, digestive problems, inconsistent stool quality, scooting behavior, and excessive shedding or inflammation.Should dog owners rotate proteins and foods?Ryan recommends dietary variety whenever possible to improve nutrient diversity and prevent nutritional imbalances. Different proteins and vegetables offer different bioavailable nutrients and health benefits.What treats does Ryan recommend?Ryan prefers whole-food treats like frozen watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, and homemade fruit popsicles mixed with healthy fish oils instead of processed commercial treats.What drives Ryan's work today?Ryan credits his mother's work ethic and his lifelong passion for helping animals and people. He views Pawtrition and Lineage Premier as community-driven educational tools rather than simply businesses.Episode HighlightsRyan rescued his first pit bull, Pops, at age 17 after his father passed away.Pops suffered severe reactions to processed foods and synthetic products before transitioning to a raw diet.Ryan explains how kibble manufacturing prioritizes shelf life and profit margins over nutrition quality.Greg shares a story about healing a rescued golden retriever through raw feeding after medications failed.Pawtrition creates downloadable customized feeding plans for dog owners.Ryan discusses why working breeds like heelers should remain lean to protect joints and hips.The conversation highlights the importance of observing each individual dog rather than following generic feeding advice.Ryan recommends the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom for its message about interconnectedness and purpose.ResourcesPersonalized canine meal planning — PawtritionRaw feeding education and breed resources — Lineage PremierFollow Ryan Cole on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube under “Lineage Premier”Visit www.urbanfarm.org/Pawtrition for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library! Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop- Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes returning guest Shannon Sawyer, Senior Vice President of Fleet & Midwest Bus Sales at Beacon Mobility and Co-Chair of NSTA's Manufacturers, Suppliers, and Technology (MST) Committee. Shannon opens the episode by sharing her professional journey and how her extensive background in service operations led her into the student transportation industry. Curt and Shannon discuss how she approaches streamlining large-scale fleet operations, along with the buying trends currently shaping the market and what operators should be paying attention to moving forward. The duo also highlight the critical role of the MST Committee in supporting NSTA members and fostering industry innovation, while previewing the upcoming AMC tech panel, “Turbulence in the Air – Navigating the Rocky Insurance Market,” and explaining why this topic is especially relevant today. The conversation wraps with a more personal touch as Shannon shares her favorite travel destinations and where listeners can go to learn more about Beacon Mobility. Become a podcast subscriber and don't miss an episode of NSTA: The Bus Stop - NSTA Vendor Partners should reach out to us to take advantage of our comprehensive advertising package that reaches your target audience - student transportation professionals!Support the show

Chris Holman welcomes John Walsh, President and CEO, Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA), Lansing, MI. John Walsh, President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA), joined Michigan Business Beat to discuss several key initiatives, including a new series of executive roundtable meetings aimed at helping Michigan manufacturers explore and expand their participation in the defense and aerospace industry. MMA is also opening nominations for its Manufacturing Excellence Awards, including the publicly voted "Coolest Thing Made in Michigan," with the annual awards dinner set for November. Walsh highlighted the launch of a new Research and Development tax credit, backed by $100 million in funding and supported by bipartisan leadership and Governor Whitmer, with MMA providing a dedicated hub at MIMFG.org to help members prepare for the first round of applications in 2026. When asked about the biggest challenges facing members, Walsh cited ongoing talent shortages and significant uncertainty at both the federal and state levels as the top concerns. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

Manufacturers need skilled workers now—but traditional training pathways often fall short. In this episode, Justin Brooks explains how short-duration programs are helping people enter manufacturing faster, build confidence on the shop floor and connect directly with employers.

The Supreme Court has rejected appeals from pharmaceutical companies that object to negotiating Medicare drug prices with the federal government. The AP's Marcela Sanchez has more.

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupKatie Sturino built Megababe with 60,000 followers, two co-founders who'd never had chafe, and an MOQ of 20,000 units stacked in her parents' garage. Eight years later it's profitable, in Target, Walmart, CVS, Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and on Amazon. Never raised a dollar. Never grew less than 33% year over year.In this episode Katie walks through how she built a category that didn't exist. Manufacturers didn't know what chafe was. Press didn't know what chafe was. The Today Show hit on June 30, 2017 and they sold out every unit by July 1. Then the real work started.Inside: why retail is when the grind begins (not when you've made it), why she still ranks "people just dealing with it" as her biggest competitor, the husband-given marketing fix that solved deodorant aisle confusion in one sticker, the accidental Amazon Super Bowl ad placement, why their hemorrhoid product is a top seller on Amazon, and the moment her sister convinced her soap was worth doing.Plus the new "I'm Not Fine Index" campaign, why NYC taxi ads outperform every digital channel they run, and the one piece of advice Katie has for anyone shipping a product in 2026.Catch the DTC and Pilothouse crew at The Whalies May 19 in LA.Timestamps:0:00 Building a brand around chafe2:58 How Megababe started11:00 Selling out after the Today Show14:10 Retail growth at Target and Walmart20:05 Why Megababe started advertising27:10 Building a real brand voiceSubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

PREVIEW for Later Today: Lance Gatling reports from Tokyo on how the Persian Gulf crisis impacts Japan's energy supplies. This has led to unexpected shortages of packaging dyes, forcing major fast-food manufacturers to adopt stark black and white labels.1926 JAPAN

Alfred Crabtree, founder of Blade Repair Academy, and Sheryl Weinstein of SkySpecs join to discuss standardized technician training and risk reduction in blade repair. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes’ YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Allen Hall: Alfred and Sheryl, welcome to the program. Sheryl Weinstein: Thanks. Allen Hall: So we’re in Dunlap, Tennessee, not too far from Nashville, uh, and also close to. Chattanooga Chattanooga, and we’re in the Smoky Mountains ish region. We’re Alfred Crabtree: no, we’re, we’re, you could consider it Appalachia for sure. Sure. Okay. Uh, we’re on the, in the valley called the Seche Valley, uh, which splits the Cumberland Plateau. So we’re, we’re in a valley and we have hills a thousand feet above us here. Yeah. Either way. It’s beautiful. Joel Saxum: Yeah. It’s a great drive in here. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah. It’s a unique place. Yeah. Allen Hall: And we’re at Blade Repair Academy, which, uh, if you’re not familiar with Blade Repair Academy, you should be. Uh, because a lot of the good training that happens in the United States actually happens to play repair, repair Care blade, repair academy. Uh, yeah, it’s been a long week at uh, OMS this week and we got the introduction today. This is the first time we’ve been on site. That’s right. And, uh, we wanted to see all the cool things that are happening [00:01:00] here. And it really comes down to technician training competency. Working with blades, working with tools, knowing what you’re doing up tower when you’re on the blade, which is hard to train. It’s really hard to train, and both you and Cheryl have a ton of experience being up on blades and repairing blades and scarfing and doing all the critical features that have to happen to make blades work today. It’s a tough training regimen. There’s a lot to it and a lot of subtleties that don’t always get transferred over from teachers to students unless you have. Done it for a number of years. You wanna kind of just walk through the philosophy of Blade Repair Academy? Alfred Crabtree: Yes. The, uh, you’ve, you’ve outlined quite well some of the issues. The environment where we work is very hard to take a ti the time to put somebody through a training regimen. We’re so constrained by weather windows and then. You know, even if the weather’s nice, lightning can come, wind [00:02:00] speeds can cut off your workday. So production, production, production is what’s important. And Cheryl and I both come from the rope access method. And in the rope access method, 95% of the time you’re up there alone. And if you’re up there and you’re producing, you’ve got your blinders on. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: And you’re not ready to share with somebody else what to do. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: With the basket or platform, you can have two even three people up on Blade, but it still has all these constraints of get the job done, get the job done. There’s a lot of stress up there. And having the bandwidth to take on new information or to challenge some preconceived notions or try, that’s not the place to do it. So knowing that. Blade Repair Academy is built so that we have an environment that simulates all of the up tower stuff without being up tower. And you’re gonna have the time you need to invest in your learning without consequences. Right. So it’s a very much a [00:03:00] about creating the right environment to uptake the new information. And we have found a lot of help from. Manufacturers and suppliers in the industry to sponsor us because obviously it behooves them to have their materials in the hands of trainees. So we’re also able to help companies come up with, uh, new solutions, try new products. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: New, uh, you know, what’s the best practice. For this, if you’re up on Blade and you have a way of top coating and you get a new product and your way of top coating doesn’t suit that product, well chuck it down. I’ll never touch it again. Yeah. Because I did not perform well here we can, we can give you training. We have, of course, been trained by the suppliers about what’s the best product to use, what’s the best way to go about things, and then, and then we can disseminate it. So that’s the fundamental reason why the space is. Is [00:04:00] what it is. Joel Saxum: Yeah. And I think that that’s, that’s a good segue to be honest with you, right here, right behind these doors you have a classroom. That’s right. Right. So in this facility, all composed in one, we have a classroom here we have your additive and subtractive. I liked how you said that to us when you’re giving us the tour. Uh, but we’ve got a, a grinding booth basically over here and we’ve got, um, a layup area here where you can teach. 16 people at a time. Alfred Crabtree: That’s right. Yeah. That would be max Joel Saxum: for sure. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah. Sheryl Weinstein: And in a vertical surface, so, ’cause all the stuff that you’re doing in the field, right, is always in a vertical surface. Mm-hmm. So there’s a, there is a big difference between working where gravity is sort of against you, especially with larger laminations and things like that. So being able to do your training and simulate the same, a similar way that you would work in the field is pretty critical, I would think. Allen Hall: And actually working on. Actual repairs. Simulated repairs, yeah. Mm-hmm. Now, don’t explain how you created them, because I know secret sauce. It’s a secret sauce. Yes. But I did look at the blade [00:05:00] damage. It, it looks exactly like a lightly strike. Yeah. Which a predominant amount of repairs are about, unless there’s, you know, serial defects, as Cheryl has pointed out numerous times, but. Being able to repair something that’s quasi real is critical because we’ve been to other places and the repairs are, well, I’ll take a hammer and I’ll hit this and, okay, sure you got a DA, you gotta repair that. But that’s not real. And getting, getting the people to use the tools in the right way, vertically Speaker 2: mm-hmm. Allen Hall: Is the key. Because although the, the, the article, the test sample isn’t moving around like you are up on a blade, it’s still difficult. And unless you have the proper techniques and the approaches, yeah, it’s gonna be dang near impossible. We explain some of the blade repairs that Joel and I have seen more recently is like. It’s a little rough and it shouldn’t have to be so rough because it is a skill that you have to learn and acquire over time. But you have to know the fundamentals. That’s what Blade Repair Academy is here to teach you those [00:06:00] fundamentals. Like, yes, it’s gonna take time, but if you work it this way, at least you’re gonna be successful. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah. And if you’re managing a team of employees who are doing this, it, it would be great to have the insight of what your teams. Strengths and weaknesses are, yeah, you can figure out how to deploy people, but also how to, you know, maybe fix some of those problems. Mm-hmm. Our panels that you brought up are standardized. Everyone looks exactly the same. It’s the exact same makeup, and we standardize the damage. So when somebody has to repair damage here, the core removal size is the same on everyone. That way when we’re comparing the reports, you can actually have a apples to apples comparison of the, the trainees. Outcome. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: And now you, you know, in, in the model that you talked about where people will go to a, you know, their junkyard of blades and they’ll find spots on blades to put their eight guys on. Those eight people are not gonna be doing the same repair. And even if they are collecting data, what are you [00:07:00] comparing? It’s not Joel Saxum: apples to apples. Yeah. It’s not. Alfred Crabtree: So we really tried to start from the beginning, fresh with a whole new idea of how to approach this. Mm-hmm. By not being attached to an ISP, we don’t have to deal with. Oh, here, use all our leftovers. Yeah. Yeah. That’s your training budget. Yeah. Yeah. And oh yeah. We, you know, we’re an, we’re a owner operator, so yeah. Go work on that blade in the grass. Mm-hmm. That those limit what precious time we have available to train. Yeah. So this thing from the ground up is about. Making as much advance in the skillset and understanding that technician in the, in the week that they’re here. Joel Saxum: I think that was a really cool thing we touched on as well. Your, your team here as well, Cheryl. Thanks for traveling up to, to hang out with us. Offer some insights too. But you guys, because you’ve been in the people that have developed a curriculum yourself, Cheryl, your, some of your team sitting over here, uh, and, and people around the industry that have helped out with the place, you have the ability of like, okay, we have. Eight brand new technicians. Let’s make [00:08:00] sure we walk through how to measure from the trailing edge to the blade center up, mark this thing out, these kind of things all the way to some stuff that I didn’t really think about that much. Like I’ve used an angle grinder before, right? But I’ve never looked at five different ones and decided which one would be the best for my hands. Thinking about it up on the blade, how you’d handle it with your fingers, these kind of things like, I was like, man, that’s, those are real insights that you’re not gonna get to learn. Like why put someone up to let them have a whole season or a whole summer, two summers figuring out how to hold a grinder? Well, when they can learn from someone that’s been doing it for years and years and years and can teach them these things. So from advanced or from very beginners learning fundamentals to advanced training, you guys have gotta cover here. Alfred Crabtree: There’s something here to glean for everybody, and even if you are a well experienced technician, maybe what you’re gonna get most is learning how to talk the language of the new techs and the new hires who are getting the. Introductory course training. You know, our, our el our basic course is called support. It’s 40 hours [00:09:00] and it’s really about making, uh, an employee who can support a lead. And then if that person follows up with the lead training in a whatever interval of time of their choice, which is kind of another benefit here, we can train you any week of the year. That is where we start to really get this, we call it the retention vortex. Right where we layer up technician training and somebody who’s had level two now gets a level one with them. Now there’s some synergies. Now they’re getting some really efficiencies. A commonality of language, a commonality of process, you know, eliminating variables. Uh, and that’s how you’re gonna have to build new net capacity and build new teams Allen Hall: and that common language. Is really unique, but that comes from your experience in the field, mostly at rope partner, where you both really got your teeth in this industry. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Allen Hall: But communicating to one another correctly so you can pass along to the next crew or even explain what you did to the engineer, the. Properly [00:10:00] there is. There is a culture to it. There is a language to it, and you just don’t pick that up. By going from wind turbine to wind turbine. You pick it up in training from someone who knows how to do it. It’s really critical. Sheryl Weinstein: It’s pretty critical to have baseline training. I think it is also very important to follow it up with field experience and skills building because every blade model is different. Every repair is different. You’re always gonna encounter something that deviates from that like standard approach to your repair. You have to kind of know how to problem solve, and that kind of only comes with the field experience, but having a more standardized training to start with, it’s something that industry doesn’t really have and is really needed. I think across the board it also helps, you know. Owner operators or even OEMs kind of track their ISPs and understand what level of text do you have, what experience do they have and how, how does that differ across their different [00:11:00] levels? If we have one ISP training one way over here and another one training another way over here, and they have different sets of certifications. It’s really hard to keep that all together and evaluate it as an owner operator or an OEM, you know, using a vendor. So I think having a place like Blade Academy that’s agnostic and separate from like, you know, the actual ISP really helps to standardize that a bit more. Allen Hall: Yeah, because the key is we’re getting to, well, we’re gonna cross a hundred thousand turbines in the United States pretty quickly. Yep. Joel Saxum: Before 2030, or probably rated about 2030. Allen Hall: Right. That’s. Soon. Mm-hmm. How are we gonna manage that? And there’s a lot of new people coming into the industry, obviously. How are we gonna train ’em up properly? How are we gonna communicate to one another? And there’s just so much movement in the industry. I. It makes it hard, I think, because weirdly enough, I think ISPs develop their own little culture about how to deal with things, and then they hop to the next company and it’s a different language. Exactly. And that needs to go away. Yeah. There’s a, Alfred Crabtree: there’s a branch of business that’s [00:12:00] OEM centric and there’s a branch of business that’s asset owner. Yeah. Post warranty. And those are really two different things. And, and there’s a veil of secrecy between one and the other. Yeah. And we kind of feel here at Blade Repair Academy that we’re like this polyglot that can talk to everybody because we don’t have, we’re not an ip You’re not competing, we’re not an O You’re not competing. Yeah, we’re not competing. But we, we, you know, we have the, we wanna provide this data as a clearinghouse. You know, we talk about certification in the non standards. Well, the way we deal with it is we’ll give you a certificate. And it’s got our brand on it. But you know, what does that mean? Yeah. What? That And $4 will get you a Starbucks the way we do it, maybe not even then. Right? The way, the way we, not four bucks Sheryl Weinstein: for Starbucks, maybe 10 Alfred Crabtree: and a half hour wait in the line. But the way you know, what we do is we provide you with a deliverable. We knew, we knew that. Okay. Our certification is, you know, ether. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: But [00:13:00] this report. That everybody who comes through here generates that you can compare. Now you’re gonna have to go to work and study these reports when you get ’em as a deliverable. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: As a, you know, an employer, but we we’re giving you what you need. Mm-hmm. To make some decisions about what do I have to work on, what else do we need to improve upon? Allen Hall: Yeah. Not everybody’s built for this job, but you wanna be able to suss that out. Earlier rather than later. Yeah. Right. I mean, there’s other things to do with wind turbines that don’t evolve blade repair. And if they don’t necessarily have the skillset or the comprehension to do some of these more complex things, maybe blade repair is not it. Right. But rather know that now. Yeah. Right. And the Blade Repair Academy is a place to do that because there’s a standard there, right? Mm-hmm. And I, I, as Joel has pointed out, yeah, there’s a lot of erratic training that goes on. Mm-hmm. You can’t compare student A to student Z. Blade repair academy. You can. Alfred Crabtree: We can. Mm-hmm. Right. Allen Hall: And if, if I’m an ISP, I want that. Sure. I want you to tell me [00:14:00] who’s on top and who’s kind of the middle so I can make decisions about where to deploy ’em and who and who to put ’em with. Joel Saxum: Yeah. ’cause at the end of the day, every ISP, uh, every ISP that’s trying to grow and scale effectively is trying to do that at the end of the year, right? Yeah. They’re looking through, they’re grading their technicians, finding out who’s the next lead, who’s this, who’s that? But this is a great way to do that, sort them through in a controlled setting. I mean, we sat in, in your training facility in the actual classroom here, and you walked us through some of the online, the online training platform that you have built. Some of the things the students have to do before they get here, and then kind of how you walk ’em through things, and it’s impressive. It’s good stuff, right? So when you have that combined with the both sides of blade repair, subtractive, additive, right? You get to get this, this holistic view of what that blade technician can do. Yeah. Right? And that’s, that’s one of the things you guys offer here, which I think is fantastic. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah. And we’re trying to constantly improve, you know, we’re talking with OEMs about dissemination of operating procedures or work instructions, share with us [00:15:00] work instructions. We’ll build analogs. That we can train to. Mm-hmm. And we can test off of it. We can verify skill sets. You know, we have a lot of serial flaw campaigns out there that are critical. And do we wanna unleash anybody on it or do we want to know that those people can do it? I think everybody wants to know that they can do it, whether they’re the. Technician themselves, or the person writing the checks. Speaker 2: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: Everywhere in that loop wants to Now not everybody wants to pay for it. Yeah. But we all need it. Speaker 2: Yeah. Alfred Crabtree: And so somewhere along the line, you’re paying for it in the forms of our favorite acronym, COPQ. That’s Joel Saxum: right. Cost support, quality. You know, speaking about the idea of serial defects or known problems in the industry and how to prepare people for those, how do you prepare people for those? Well, they gotta get the experience by just. Grinding away Top coat and getting into him. I walked in here and I looked at this blade sample we have here, and I was looking at it and I go, it looks like a 48.7 C Oh yeah. Buddy walks over you like our 48.7 C I’m like, [00:16:00] man, you guys did a good job on, you know, like, so, so I made a lot of money on 48.7, you know, so to walk in here and see these different tickets that you guys have built, you know, carbon plank and different things with carbon spars and hey, we’re gonna do a carbon spa repair. We have this boom, now we can work on it. Mm-hmm. You know, and we’ll Alfred Crabtree: work with you to solve your problem in a really quick, efficient manner. Mm-hmm. You know, I think one of the things that we have is operational readiness. Most people who are training in-house flip their hat around for a couple weeks and train composites. Mm-hmm. In a limited capacity in the warehouse or at the dock at the truck during January. During January, whatever. And then they flip their hat back on and they go deal with it. And I think the hiring situation is so tough. Like working at Height, you probably need to make sure somebody can tolerate working at height. Yeah. Before you invest in composite training, I mean. You have so many things you have to juggle in your particular situation. When do I put money in this person? We get that. [00:17:00] And so we’re open all the weeks of the year. So we can do this at any time. Of course, everyone wants it in the end of first quarter. Mm-hmm. You know, right before the season starts. So we have a, you know, you have to, you gotta schedule with us, but we can really do this anytime. And so you don’t have to one and done and live with it. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. Alfred Crabtree: You know, it. You can fit the training into your hiring schema wherever you feel fit, and you can hire people. And if there are stars, bring them in for their secondary, they’re execute their lead training whenever you want. You know, so you can, we can be very flexible and in the advanced stages we will make what you need, you know, obviously has to make business sense for us, but we’ll make blades to replicate the problems you’re facing. Sheryl Weinstein: And I think in terms of like what you were saying when you’re working on, you knows whether we wanna call them recurring issues or serial defects. A lot of it is awareness, right? It’s awareness [00:18:00] of understanding the blade structure, at least at a basic level. It’s awareness of understanding what you’re looking at. It’s, you know, we’re only gonna better inform the industry and the OEM if our technicians have a level of awareness to sort of bring up things that they see as they’re doing repairs. So if they notice that, for example, the, the fibers are misaligned, right? That could indicate that that was a wrinkle, and them having that level of communication or documentation will only help then inform the OEM. Like, is this the reason behind that problem? And so I think like. You know, with Alfred and, and the curriculum here at Blade Academy, them kind of, you know, setting a standard for how, how you know, the structure of the blade, the different types of blades you may see, whether they have carbon fiber in them, or you know, fiberglass, UD spars. Where those things are located, [00:19:00] what to be aware of as you’re removing damaged material. It’s really critical to the overall quality and just the awareness of the tech on the blade and that feedback loop that we’re lacking so much in this industry. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, and we have our boilerplate products that come from, you know, like, uh, Cheryl was my mentor at RP and wrote partner, and she taught me a lot and a lot of the. The, the way we do things here comes from the rope, a rope access paradigm, which, you know, actually is backward compatible because if with rope access, you’re doing things alone. Speaker 2: Yeah. Alfred Crabtree: So if we’ve have ways and, and processes that allow that to happen alone, then when you’re on a basket or a platform with an extra person, you can only benefit Yeah. That much easier. Yeah. Um, it’s where we come from, you Joel Saxum: know, and, and that’s a good point, right? Like when we’re sitting here, rip Blade Repair Academy. Alfred, you’re here. Cheryll, you’re joining us today. These are two X blade technicians that have been on all kinds of blades. They have been up and down on ropes. So it’s training by [00:20:00] trainers who have been the technicians that’s important. Who have seen the problems. Yeah, yeah. You know, who have lived, have lived that road life. We talked, you’re joking about living in hotels, right? Mm-hmm. Like that have done, gone through that, right? So you’re learning from people that aren’t just like, oh, I hate the idea of going to a university and learning HR or something, whatever, from someone who’s never done it in the real world. Yeah. You know, uh, the trainers here have done it in the real world, um, and it shows. Alfred Crabtree: Thanks, man. And you know, the other thing too is our tagline is practical and contemporary. And the thing is, I’m no longer contemporary. Like I left the field years ago. I rely on folks like Cheryl, who’s still in the, in the Blade Services game over there at Skys Specs. She’s on, she’s got a full subscription to the cereal floss that are out there. Joel Saxum: Yeah. Probably the best one in the industry, to be honest with you. Alfred Crabtree: Well, you know. Uh, I think so. I don’t know anything about serial flaw, but it’s, it’s input from the rest of the industry that’s gonna allow this to continue. Otherwise, we’re gonna be, you know, [00:21:00] a 10-year-old standard that isn’t relevant anymore and that’s not what we want to do. So, outreach like Cheryl and I are talking about, Hey, what is it in your product line that should be in our product line? And I want to talk to OEMs and, uh. Owner operators, you know, what is it? What are your pain points? What in your fleet is needing attention? And of course, we’re gonna do all this with the business case, right? Mm-hmm. Like we wanna take LEP products and place them head to head and give a two day clinic or seminar to stakeholders, to purchasers. You know, we wanna give our, our two, our five day course condensed into two days. Where people who are stakeholders who are making decisions about where to place technicians, they should get out here and gr and grind a little bit and get a little empathy for their position. Hard work. The hard work of the Sheryl Weinstein: hard work that it is. Yeah. And then kind of understand Alfred Crabtree: from another side where the [00:22:00] communication breakdown is. ’cause it’s, it’s not all the texts, right? Mm-hmm. You know, they have a, you gotta understand how heavily loaded they are, you know, when they’re in the field. Mm-hmm. Um, so we’re, we’re at the place now where we’re really looking to do some outreach and talk to, uh, regulatory bodies that are starting to come up with standards, right? Like the IEC group met and pro produce a draft standard and they’re gonna work on the repair standard. And that’s a, a little bit of a ways away, but I can’t sit around and wait for, for standards to come to me. So we got this thing started. If you build it, they will come. You guys came, you know, Cheryl came and, um. We we’re really proud of where we’re at, but at the same time, it’s like, okay guys, the rest of the industry, now we’re here. Now you need to know, now you need to take advantage of us. Mm-hmm. And help tell us what you need. So I think the Sheryl Weinstein: LEP thing is a really good call out because I do see a lot of customers questioning what do I choose? How do I know [00:23:00] what to choose? Absolutely. Should my vendor be telling me what to choose? And that’s what happens in many cases, is that the ISP just kind of tells the owner operator. This is what you should use. Well, why, and, and what, you know, how have we ever really sized up like one against the other? Like in any true, I don’t know, study? No. And a lot of the, a lot of the like. Those different types of LEP, the, the companies that you know have these, they don’t have a lot of good documentation on showing like how their products stand up. I mean, it’s kind of, it’s more theory based than anything. I mean, they put ’em through rain erosion tests and whatever, but. It’s, I feel like that’s a tough space. It’s also a very, like, um, a very tough scope of work to have high quality at. So more training around it is necessary. You know, repair companies don’t wanna use their high skilled repair techs for the LEP because they need them for the more complex repairs [00:24:00] yet. The LEP is so susceptible to quality issues, and if you’re gonna pay an extreme amount of money to, you know, put the LEP to fix your erosion, put the LEP on blades, hope for a performance improvement, and then it fails in a year. I. That’s no help to anybody. So these different products, they also come with different price points. Like, can we really value the shell over the coating? I, I just find that this is a tough space. And so doing something like that and doing more training around LEPI think is probably pretty important. Yes. You know, unless the robots are gonna take it over and then, well, even then, I think it’s the only app. Allen Hall: The application, that’s the variable there. And not having people trained up for that particular LEP product is a huge problem because it’s super risky. You’re risking all that money and time and having to do it all over again and removing LEP that has been improperly applied. It’s a nightmare. [00:25:00] Nightmare. Total nightmare. You don’t want that to happen. And I’ve seen sites where that’s happened, getting technicians. Trained properly for the right material and doing that here up in Tennessee is, is the right approach. It’s risk reduction, which is what the industry is in right now. Risk reduction. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah. Yeah, we, we’ve beliefs. That’s a great way to put it. You know, if you hire somebody. We were talking earlier how there are like two models. One is like the New York Yankees, where you’re going to be buying all the expensive free agents. You can poaching people from other, you know, trying to get experienced talent. You’re paying a premium for them, but you aren’t gonna know until halfway through that season how that person is performing. Yeah. You know, that is a lot of. That was, that is a lot of variability that you could control. Mm-hmm. And in a seasonal business, those weeks are really multiplied by two or three. Right. In terms of like the impact on your revenue and your opportunity to make money. It’s risk reduction, like Alan was saying. Yeah. It’s Allen Hall: all risk, right? Yeah. And the, [00:26:00] the way that the industry is moving and the pace at which is moving right now, risk reduction starts to move to the top five years ago. We do a lot of risky things because we’re making money. Interest rates are low and, but today we cannot afford to do that. And if you watch the industry change right now, it is gonna be more focused than ever in having proper technicians on site that they complete the job that they were intended to do. Precisely, accurately, and once, not twice. Once. Yeah. And that is gonna be the marker of the, whether this industry grows or not. Mm-hmm. And that’s why Blade Repair Academy is needed so much. Now, Alfred, how do you interface with the ISPs, OEMs, and the operators in terms of getting people out here? How do they, how do they push that button and say, Alfred, I’m gonna send you 40 technicians next week. How does that, how does that go? I don’t quite have that down Alfred Crabtree: yet. But, uh, you know, it, we talked earlier, it’s a small world. You know, blade repair is small. There [00:27:00] we mentioned if you, there’s a hundred people in the industry you need to know and then you’ve covered it. Um, our, I think we’ve been, we’ve been kind of riding this new wave of like, oh, who’s this new kid on the block? And, and we can kind of be quiet and still are mysterious. And I pop up at a conference and host a round table or whatever. Uh, so far. It’s mainly been our personal network, which is large enough in this gig to, to get people in. ISPs are much more likely to do it small is ISPs are much more likely to do it. Owner operators, they’re trying to build their training centers. They have a little different, that’s a different model though. It’s a different model. Um, they’re, they’re tougher to get. So primarily it’s been ISPs. We have definitely a, a, a curriculum for new hires, right? We call it support, but we’re [00:28:00] reluctant to go sell that to the street or to the public. Like, Hey, enter the industry here, because we don’t quite yet have that, you know, guarantee that people will recognize our certificate and. Use it to hire people. I don’t quite have that system in place. However, I have so much interest from the Department of Labor to support us in creating an occupation. They want us to build apprenticeship programs. We need corporate sponsor, we need a big employer or to to buy in, and then we can create an apprenticeship program. Then we can find public money for people to get some support to get into a new, a new industry. So, well, they Allen Hall: need to come out here. They need to come out to Dunlap. And visit the facilities, talk with you, understand what the philosophy is, see it up close. There’s a lot of them have been to other places. Sure. And see what the differences are here. And, and that’s gonna be the decision maker. They’re gonna see what the product walking out the door is and [00:29:00] go into the classroom and, and get the grinder, right? Yes. Get, get your hands dirty a little bit. Yeah. And realize, yes, this is what I was looking for to begin with. I just couldn’t find it. And I found it here in Tennessee. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah, I, I think you’re right. And, and we, we are slowly, you know, bringing people in that we know, like the reason why y’all are here and some other folks have visited us this week is because o and m was in Nashville. And I was like, come on, come on. We’re only two hours away. We’ll buy you lunch. Come on. Pretty place. Yeah. You have to see this place to understand it because we are sort of, you know, outsiders, right? I mean, we’re, we’re from the, the industry, but we’re not. We’re not a spinoff of any company. We’re not a division of an ISP. We’re totally organic and unique in a, in a part of the world that doesn’t have any wind. So, yeah. Uh, but once you get here, you get it. The economics make sense. You know, we couldn’t do what we’ve done anywhere else as cheaply as we’ve done, which means we feel like we’re super value rich for what you’re paying and for the amount of time that you’re spending [00:30:00] here. Allen Hall: Oh, 100%. Uh. Let’s give the ISPs, the OEMs and the operators, uh, where to go. What’s the website? Where can they find you on LinkedIn? Alfred Crabtree: We’re at blade repair academy.com. Uh, we’re located in Dunlap, Tennessee. We’re on Blade Repair Academy at LinkedIn. I’m Alfred Crabtree. You can find me there. Uh. Allen Hall: Yeah, that’s where you need to go because that’s how the process starts. If you want to have high level technicians that really know how to work on composites and are working with real materials on simulated, but. Pretty realistic damage. Yeah. Weirdly realistic. Yeah. Secret sauce. And to get some sort of validation and to kind of get graded. Mm-hmm. And so you have a, a, a sense of how they’re doing. You’re going to have to go to Blade Repair Academy. You need to get out to Tennessee and you better check it out because I, Alfred, I gotta be honest, this place is gonna get crazy busy [00:31:00] and I’m gonna have. ISPs calling me saying, can you get a hold of Alfred and get me inside? Can you get me in? No, I can’t because it’s Alfred’s deal and Alfred’s gonna run this thing. We’re very approachable and, but very approachable. Keep calling, he’ll answer and take care of you, but it’s gonna get busy because the philosophy here is the right one. Thanks. So congratulations for putting this together and thank you for the invite. Uh, it is been a pleasure to see it. It’s uh, it, it’s great to know that you are around and you’re helping the industry. Alfred Crabtree: Thank you. We appreciate it and you guys are a great clarion for the industry. A great voice. So, uh, those words, uh, right in the fields. And I wanna thank Cheryl too for coming out. I haven’t seen her for a while. It’s funny ’cause today I, on my phone, you know, five years ago today, she and I were here before this business existed as rope partner employees working on r and d week doing infusions. So, uh, Sheryl Weinstein: the space has transformed. It’s amazing. Yeah. You guys have done a, a [00:32:00] really great job. Like I, yeah, I think you’re definitely pushing the industry into a, like a new realm. Bringing something that, that it really needs, you know, that we don’t have at the moment or that we didn’t have. Alfred Crabtree: Yeah, well hopefully, uh, it improves everybody’s quality of product and the bottom line. ’cause uh, you know, that’s what we’ll do. We’ll affect your bottom line for sure. Allen Hall: So Sheryl and Alfred, thank you so much for being on the podcast. Thanks guys. Right, Sheryl Weinstein: thank you.

Most small-to-mid manufacturers know they've under-invested in marketing, but where do you even begin? Javier Lozano, Founder of Bolder Media and a fractional CMO, joins Carman and Jeff to lay the foundation. He explains why your founder's origin story falls flat, how to mine real differentiation from customer interviews, and why your brand should be more Yoda, the guide, than Luke, the hero. Plus: how to find a wedge in a “red ocean” without making yourself unfindable, and what a fractional CMO actually does that a consultant or full-time hire can't.

In this episode, manufacturing executive Rodd Joos breaks down how to prioritize the right projects, manage scope, build stronger teams, and use Scrum and Fibonacci sequencing to deliver faster. ------------------------------ Unlock practical tools, training, and support to help your team improve. Manufacturers Alliance members get full access to our webinar library, digital courses, member pricing, and a statewide network of leaders who share what's working on the factory floor. Links: Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.mfrall.com/hmi/ Become a Member: https://www.mfrall.com/membership/ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5orRRXkVgAkbAeUuCj1dP5 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-manufacturers-improve/id1677078610 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfj2OPOknywMeVwzPJX7Ifw

Manufacturers expect levels of tech enablement and automation to more than double by 2030, according to PwC's Global Industrial Manufacturing Sector Outlook 2026. In this episode of Advanced Manufacturing Now, we speak with Ryan Hawk, global and US industrials and services leader for PwC, about the report and what industry leaders are saying about the future of manufacturing. 

Meet the Manufacturers podcast is back for a second season, brought to you by ManufactureCT.In this episode, we speak to Chapco President Brian Weinstein.Chapco is a Connecticut-based precision manufacturing company specializing in sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, welding, and contract assembly services. Founded in 1964, the company has built a reputation for supporting industries such as defense, aerospace, medical technology, and industrial manufacturing with high-quality, end-to-end production solutions.Chapco operates as a family-owned business with Brian Weinstein at the helm and emphasizes innovation, engineering collaboration, and long-term manufacturing partnerships.Next month (June 2026), the company will expand into a new 150,000-square-foot facility in Deep River, Connecticut, strengthening its capabilities for complex, large-scale manufacturing projects.Join us as we find out more about the company, its history, culture, and ambitious expansion plans.For more information about the ManufactureCT organization and how you can become a member, visit the website: www.manufactureCT.orgThis podcast was created and produced by Red Rock Branding

In this episode, we tackle one of the most common questions in the firearms community: when does gear stop mattering? Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned competitor, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that a high-end holster, optic, or custom pistol will instantly transform you into a professional shooter. We break down the reality behind the gear hype and explain why your fundamentals and skills matter far more than the price tag on your equipment. Through relatable analogies—from woodworking tools to scuba diving—Roy and Brent reveal the psychology behind manufacturers' "good, better, best" pricing models and why the middle-tier option is usually the sweet spot for the average, everyday shooter. We also share our personal rules for upgrading gear, including the vital piece of advice: always spend more than you want to, but never less than you should. Tune in to learn how to make smarter purchasing decisions and avoid a closet full of expensive, unused shooting accessories. If you are ready to stop buying gear you don't need and start focusing on becoming a better marksman, this episode is a must-watch. Be sure to hit that subscribe button, leave a comment with your own gear-buying experiences, and check out the links below for more expert firearm tips and reviews! Key Takeaways ·         Buying expensive, high-end gear will not automatically make a beginner a better shooter; fundamental skills are the true foundation. ·         Entry-level equipment is essential for learning the basics before upgrading to precision tools. ·         When deciding to upgrade your gear, implement a 'cooling off' period—do not buy it on the first day you see it. ·         Avoid purchasing the absolute cheapest options on the market, as they usually lack reliability and lead to buyer's remorse. ·         The 'sweet spot' for most normal shooters lies in mid-range gear, which provides the best balance of performance and value. ·         Manufacturers purposefully structure their products in a 'good, better, best' pricing tier to encourage upsells and comprehensive kits. ·         Having more gear does not equate to being a better shooter; focus on training with what you already own to gain real proficiency. --- Have a topic idea or a guest you'd like to see in a future episode? Let us know in the comments or email editor@gunspodcast.us Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our YouTube channel or sign up for our newsletter to get the Guns Podcast delivered straight to your inbox each week. Buy our Merch! Visit Gunspodcast.us

Manufacturers are integrating AI into their own operations, and it's more than likely that that includes your own company. So how do we message around it? And, should we? To help us sort this out, we're talking to Bryan DeBois, Director of Industrial AI at RoviSys. Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-debois/ Learn more about RoviSys: https://www.rovisys.com/

Physical AI is the next major step for artificial intelligence, and FANUC's collaboration with NVIDIA shows how that will look on the factory floor.Mike Cicco, President and CEO of FANUC America, highlights the partnership's two major applications: digital and physical. On the digital side, FANUC robots can be brought into NVIDIA Omniverse and Isaac Sim, alongside FANUC's ROBOGUIDE software, for simulation, virtual commissioning, digital-twin development, cycle-time evaluation, synthetic data generation, and risk reduction before installation.On the physical side, NVIDIA's computing capabilities, ROS 2, open-source development, and AI-enabled perception are helping robots interpret sensor data, adjust motion in real time, avoid people, track moving parts, coordinate dual-arm tasks, and perform work that once required rigid programming or precise fixturing.For manufacturers, Physical AI will expand automation's capabilties, especially in high-mix environments. For educators and workforce leaders, as AI and open-source tools accelerate robot programming, students still need strong fundamentals in motion, safety, controls, and robot behavior.Listen to learnThe physical and digital aspects of the new FANUC-NVIDIA partnership How Isaac Sim and Omniverse could change virtual commissioning for manufacturers What ROS 2 makes possible for open-source robotics development Where small and midsize manufacturers should start before jumping into advanced AI robotics What these developments mean for educators teaching automation and robotics courses3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:Manufacturers can now do full virtual commissioning before investing in a new automation cell. NVIDIA's Isaac Sim and Omniverse create a way to bring multiple assets together into one photorealistic virtual factory, where manufacturers can simulate robot behavior, factory layouts, workflow changes, synthetic parts, and commissioning scenarios before building the physical system.Physical AI is making robot programming more flexible and responsive to real-time environmental changes. Through NVIDIA's computing capabilities, ROS 2, open-source development on GitHub, and AI-enabled perception, robots can begin responding to changing factory conditions in real time. That includes tracking moving parts in 3D, adjusting motion around people, coordinating dual-arm tasks, handling flexible materials, and using generative AI to create programs from voice commands.Industry will still need people who understand the fundamentals of robot motion and programming. AI and open-source code can accelerate robot programming, but they can't replace the need to understand motion, safety, controls, acceleration, position, and how robots behave in production. Manufacturers and educators still need strong technical foundations so people can judge, refine, troubleshoot, and safely deploy these systems.Resources:Advancing Physical AI and Digital Twins Through Collaboration with NVIDIALearn more about FANUC America & FANUC's Education ProgramsMore links & resources: We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

What is Kratom and why is it legal? Plus Randy talks social media lawsuits with attorney Lem GarciaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pool Pros text questions hereThursdays with Steve & Wayne“The Price of Doing Business”

We Like Shooting - Ep 660 This episode of We Like Shooting is brought to you by: Midwest Industries (Code: WLSISLIFE) Die Free Co. (Code: WLSISLIFE) Bowers Group (Code: WLS) Otis Technology (Code: WELIKESHOOTING15) Flatline Fiber Co (Code: WLS15) Text Dear WLS or Reviews +1 743 500 2171  Public   Show Titles   GOA GOALS Aug 1-2 in Iowa. https://goals.goa.org/ GunCon.net Tickets on sale now. Use code AGENCY171 Gear Chat [Ruger] RXM The Ruger RXM is a striker-fired pistol designed with a grip angle similar to the 1911 for natural point of aim, featuring a polymer frame developed in collaboration with Magpul. It incorporates a modular FCI (fire control insert) system allowing frame swaps without a new background check and is compatible with Gen 3 Glock parts, holsters, sights, and lights. Reliability testing showed 800 rounds fired without failures, with suppressor-height tritium night sights and direct optic mounting for RMR, DPP, or RMSC footprints. Cost: MSRP $539 / Street ~$438 Special: FCI (fire control insert) system for modularity enabling frame swaps Note Ruger RXM Review [Hi-Point] Hush-Point 30 The Hush-Point 30 is a lightweight, modern suppressor designed for .30-caliber centerfire rifles like the AR-15, available in titanium and Inconel models. It features advanced flow-through technology that directs gas away from the shooter to reduce over-gassing in direct-impingement systems. The suppressor is HUB compatible and includes 1/2×28 and 5/8×24 threads for .223 and 300 Blackout calibers.0 Availability: Shipping now. Available at Guns.com (titanium: https://www.guns.com/silencers/p/hi-point-hush-point-30-ti?i=654780, Inconel: https://www.guns.com/silencers/p/hi-point-hush-point-30-inconel?i=654767).0 Cost: MSRP: Inconel $822.88, titanium $846.81.0 Special: Advanced flow-through technology that vents gas forward to reduce over-gassing, especially for direct-impingement systems; HUB compatible; includes 1/2×28 and 5/8×24 threads.0 [Inland Manufacturing] Model 1910 The Inland Manufacturing Model 1910 is a suppressor for the M1 Carbine platform, replicating the original Maxim Silencer design with modern internals. It features a monoblock monocore construction that allows easy servicing without removal from the barrel, even for cleaning, and includes an offset bore. Compatible with .30 caliber and .357/9mm calibers, it provides a throwback to early 20th-century suppressor technology patented by Hiram Percy Maxim. Availability: Shown at NRAAM 2026; available at Guns.com (https://www.guns.com/silencers?product.manufacturer=INLAND%20MANUFACTURING) Special: Monoblock monocore design with offset bore; can be cleaned without removing from barrel Note (Nick) Bus Built Projects [RevoMag] RevoMag (Nick) The RevoMag is a revolver reloading device designed to be faster than a speedstrip and more concealable than a traditional speedloader. It features a polymer magazine-style body with a reversible pocket clip, compatible with calibers such as .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .327 Magnum. Proudly made in the USA for everyday carry and personal protection. Special: Magazine-style reload with squeeze-to-release mechanism and reversible pocket clip68 Bullet Points Gun Fights No one stepped into the arena this week. The Agency Brief Agency Update “The government looked at a piece of plastic on the back of a rifle, panicked, and spent ten years proving that gun control is a complete myth.” THE INTEL (THE STORY) The Play-by-Play: 1989 Catalyst: The Stockton school shooting gives gun control groups their emotional leverage. The media pivots away from the shooter's massive rap sheet to demonize the “evil” semi-auto rifle. What the Media Lied About: They flat-out lied that military machine guns were flooding the streets. Anti-gun activist Josh Sugarmann explicitly published this strategy: exploit the public's confusion between semi-autos and fully automatic weapons to manufacture outrage. The Architects: Bill Clinton needed a “tough on crime” headline. Sen. Dianne Feinstein drafted the ban, later admitting her true goal on 60 Minutes: “If I could have gotten 51 votes… for an outright ban… Mr. and Mrs. America, turn them all in; I would have done it.” What It Actually Did: Banned 19 specific firearms and semi-autos equipped with two or more “scary” cosmetic features (bayonet lugs, flash suppressors, folding stocks, pistol grips). It also capped new magazines at 10 rounds. The Backroom Deals: Democrats didn't have the votes for a permanent ban. They negotiated a 10-year sunset clause and grandfathered in millions of existing firearms, gambling they could just expand it later. The Workaround: The industry adapted overnight. Manufacturers removed the banned cosmetic plastic and sold functionally identical rifles. Congress literally regulated aesthetics. 2004 Sunset: The ban expires. An official, DOJ-funded study by Christopher Koper concludes the ban did absolutely nothing to reduce gun violence. The Reality Check (Hidden Incentives): Conditioning the Public: This was a psychological op to condition Americans to accept the government banning entire categories of firearms based purely on Hollywood aesthetics. Incrementalism: Lawmakers knew a total gun ban wouldn't fly, so they established the “feature test” as a foothold for future, broader bans. The True Target: The feature ban was mostly temporary political theater; starving the civilian market of standard-capacity magazines was their real long-term objective. Market Impact: They hoped shifting regulations would bankrupt the tactical firearms market with compliance red tape. Instead, they inadvertently birthed the massive modern AR-15 industry. THE 2A ANGLE (LEGAL & IMPACT) The Threat: The '94 ban is the exact blueprint tyrannical blue states (CA, NY, IL, WA) use today to terrorize FFLs and castrate standard rifles. They took a proven federal failure and turned it into permanent state-level law. For modern FFLs, this means SKU-by-SKU compliance nightmares, massive inventory risks, and the constant threat of a new federal ban—which, next time, likely won't include a grandfathering clause. Bruen Test: Text: The Second Amendment protects “arms.” Semi-auto centerfire rifles and standard capacity magazines are plainly protected arms. History & Tradition: There is zero founding-era analogue for restricting arms based on ergonomic grips or muzzle devices. The Founders didn't ban repeating arms when they emerged. Heller / McDonald Check: Arms “in common use for lawful purposes” are fundamentally protected. With over 24 million AR-15s in civilian hands right now, they undeniably satisfy the common use standard. Banning them violates the core of Heller. Bruen kills the feature-test dead; rogue appellate courts are simply playing games to delay the inevitable. Regulatory Creep: The Expanding Ratchet: The feature test is a backdoor trap. It started with bayonet lugs and flash hiders, then moved to pistol braces, threaded barrels, and parts kits. Fluid Definitions: Current AWB proposals name over 200 firearms and reduce the threshold to just one aesthetic feature. The Handgun Endgame: Once society accepts that a semi-auto action plus a detachable mag equals a “weapon of war,” your daily-carry Glock 19 or P365 is logically next. Agency Update 94-04 AWB coming next? WLS is Lifestyle Note Secret Service LPVO Drip Imgur Image yYOLY0f The provided URL points to an Imgur page at https://imgur.com/yYOLY0f. Page content indicates JavaScript is disabled, preventing access to the image or any details. No firearms, cultural elements, or product information is accessible or stated. The Alley Not Stated The webpage is a news article about an Oakland County man charged in a deadly shooting of a teen burglar. It mentions a generic ‘9mm' firearm used by the man in self-defense context, with no manufacturer or model name specified. No technical gear details matching the required format are explicitly provided. Going Ballistic ATF NFA Division: Over 1 Million Forms Processed in 2026, 6 Million Suppressors Registered (Savage) The ATF's National Firearms Act (NFA) Division processed over 1 million NFA forms in the first four months of 2026, surpassing previous annual totals due to the elimination of the $200 tax stamp for suppressors and short-barreled firearms effective January 1, 2026. Over half of these were Form 4 applications for suppressor transfers, with nearly 6 million suppressors now registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) as of April 2026. This marks a historic surge, with 2026 registrations rivaling decades of prior accumulation. The Gist: National (United States): ATF NFA Division and National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR); applies nationwide to NFA items like suppressors and short-barreled firearms. Impact: Elimination of $200 tax stamp for suppressors and short-barreled firearms effective January 1, 2026, caused surge in processing (over 1 million forms in first 4 months of 2026 vs. 1.37 million in all of 2024); over 5.99 million suppressors registered as of April 10, 2026. Bottom Line: Historic surge in NFA adoption post-tax elimination, with 2026 early-year forms exceeding prior annual records and suppressor registrations rivaling 76 years (1934-2010) of prior totals. Post-Bruen Gun Rights Cases: Wolford v. Lopez, United States v. Mitchell, United States v. Hemani, Viramontes v. Cook County, and Roberts v. ATF (Savage) The article details several post-Bruen Supreme Court and lower court cases challenging restrictions on public carry, prohibited-person statutes under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), AR-15 bans, and NFA registration requirements....

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEP421-Logistics-2.mp3 Welcome back to Business English Pod for the second lesson in our series on English for logistics. In this lesson, we're going to focus on routing and capacity. Look at the labels of the items on your desk or in your home and you'll appreciate just how critical international trade is. It's easy to take it all for granted and forget that the entire system depends on a very complex supply chain. Until, of course, politics gets in the way, and suddenly the whole world is thinking about logistics! Getting products and materials from point A to point B involves a lot of moving parts and a lot of important decisions. Manufacturers and retailers' business models depend on optimizing logistics. And central to that work is figuring out routing, or the particular pathway of shipments, as well as storage and capacity. Talking about routing requires special vocabulary related to transportation. You will also need to talk about how cargo is handled and how it is stored, or warehoused. And in discussing these matters, you'll find it useful to keep a broad perspective and be able to reject options that aren't quite right. In today's dialog, we'll rejoin a conversation between a production manager named Cam and a logistics manager named Anna. Cam's company, Boston Vintage, manufactures clothing in Eastern Europe for distribution in several parts of the world. Boston Vintage is working with Anna's company, Global Freight Express, to support their complex logistics needs. Listening Questions 1. Why does Cam reject the regular “carrier loop” as an option for transporting their goods? 2. What are some of the terms used to discuss shipping containers and capacity? 3. What possible problems does Anna mention related to “warehousing?” Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module Download: Podcast MP3>>> The post BEP 421 – English for Logistics 2: Routing and Capacity first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.

On this week's show we look into how your TV may be spying on you so that manufacturers can profit off of what you watch. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Roku eclipses 100 million streaming households Paramount chief: We'll preserve 45-day theatrical window Dolby ATMOS coming to OTA TV Smart TVs Spy on What You Watch and Profit From Your Data Last week we read a news story about how some Smart TVs install apps that use your IP address and bandwidth to scrape the Internet to feed AI models. And if that isn't enough to make you want to disconnect your TV from the Internet, smart TVs from nearly every major brand are actively spying on exactly what you watch—whether it's cable, streaming apps like Netflix, over-the-air broadcasts, Blu-ray discs, or even content from a laptop, game console, or phone connected via HDMI. They do this through a built-in technology called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) that takes frequent screenshots and audio fingerprints of what you are watching. Then, using the data, the content is identified, and detailed viewing information is sent back to the manufacturer's servers.  This isn't occasional tracking; studies show Samsung TVs send data roughly every minute and LG every 15 seconds, even when you're using the TV purely as a monitor for personal photos, videos, or work. The result is a highly detailed profile of your watching habits that gets turned into cash. How ACR Spying Works ACR software runs in the background on most smart TVs. Manufacturers then build individual or household viewer profiles. In addition to Samsung and LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, Roku TVs, and others also use ACR software to build user profiles.  How They Make Revenue From Your Viewing Data TV makers often sell hardware at razor-thin (or even negative) margins because the real money comes later from your data: Selling or licensing data to advertisers, data brokers, and measurement companies. Advertisers get precise audience insights for targeting ads on TV, phones, and other devices. Running their own ad platforms on the TV home screen and apps—personalized ads based on what you've watched. Cross-device retargeting: Your TV habits influence ads you see on YouTube, social media, or elsewhere. "Post-purchase monetization": Companies openly say they make more ongoing revenue from data and ads than from the initial TV sale. Some users even get "free" or ad-light apps in exchange for allowing extra tracking. Your viewing habits are packaged and sold as valuable advertising intelligence—often without you realizing the full extent.  Watchdog Groups Fight Back 2017 Vizio Case: Vizio secretly tracked 11 million TVs and sold the data without consent. The FTC fined them $2.2 million; the company admitted to collecting second-by-second viewing habits and linking it with demographics for advertisers who could then target you across phones and computers. 2024–2025 Research: University studies  confirmed TVs send massive amounts of viewing data regardless of source, creating "digital fingerprints" of users. December 2025 Texas Lawsuits: Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense, and TCL for using ACR to collect and monetize viewing data without clear informed consent. Temporary restraining orders were issued against some companies, and Samsung later agreed to get explicit consent in Texas. The Proxy Network Angle We briefly spoke about this on the last show. A separate but growing practice involves certain smart-TV apps quietly enrolling your device in massive residential proxy networks like Bright Data. In exchange for fewer ads or free access, the app turns your TV into a web-scraping bot that uses your IP address and bandwidth to crawl public websites, collect data (including audio/video), and feed AI training models. Major platforms like Amazon, Google, and Roku have started blocking some of these, but they still run on LG webOS and Samsung Tizen in many cases. Bottom Line Your smart TV is effectively a 24/7 surveillance device in your living room that turns your private viewing into a profitable data product. While some data collection is now supposed to require opt-in consent, most people never notice the setting. The industry's business model increasingly depends on this surveillance, which is why cheap TVs keep getting smarter—and more invasive. Next Week - How to circumvent this!

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Washington tightens the economic noose on Iran, expanding its naval blockade worldwide while cutting off key oil waivers—moves that could choke Tehran's economy and raise the risk of a confrontation at sea. In a move the U.S. hasn't seen since World War II, the Pentagon is in talks with General Motors and Ford about shifting production to weapons and military hardware. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief ZBiotics: Go to https://zbiotics.com/PDB and use PDB at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. QUO: Make this the season where no opportunity slips away. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://Quo.com/PDB Ridge Wallet: Upgrade your wallet today! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code PDB at https://www.Ridge.com/PDB#Ridgepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chinese electric vehicles are quickly becoming a dominant force in the industry. Rapid growth is putting these cars on the map worldwide, but it hasn't necessarily translated into profits. We take a listener question as a chance to dive into the Chinese Electric vehicle industry, the investability of these new vehicle manufacturers, and how it may shape or change our view of investing in the automotive industry writ large Tyler Crowe, Lou Whiteman, and Jason Hall discuss: - The rapid growth of Chinese electric vehicles - The increasing competitive landscape and how it impacts the investability of the sector - Whether the rise of Chinese EVs change the investment thesis in American automakers - Our most attractive stocks in the automotive industry today Companies discussed: BYDDF, GELYF, SAIC, TSLA, GM, F, GTX, RACE, ORLY Host: Tyler Crowe Guests: Lou Whiteman, Jason Hall Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We're committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices