Podcast appearances and mentions of Paul Akers

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Jay Patey, founder of Pigeon Whole Bakers, who shares his journey from launching a small Hobart café in 2008 to building an $8M bakery with over 50 staff. Jay dives into the power of word-of-mouth marketing, the decision to expand into wholesale, and creating a beloved Tasmanian brand that now supplies major outlets like MONA and Hill Street stores. He opens up about the challenges of fast growth, how shifting to daylight production transformed team wellbeing, and why a people-first culture is key to long-term success. Jay also reflects on lessons learned from nearly two decades in business and offers valuable advice for other small business owners. It's a raw, honest, and inspiring story of resilience, purpose, and sustainable growth. Other Resources: The Ultimate Recruitment Toolkit Online Short Course Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Jay Patey, the hardest thing in growing a small business is dealing with the unknown and the lack of control over unexpected challenges. Despite careful planning, unforeseen issues can arise that test resilience and patience. He highlights that growth is a long-term journey requiring adaptability and the ability to navigate uncertainty.  What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Jay Patey mentioned that the business book which helped him the most was "2 Second Lean" by Paul Akers. He appreciated its focus on improving workflow efficiency, organization, and lean manufacturing principles—particularly relevant as he set up their new bakery production space to be streamlined and future-proofed. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Jay Patey specifically recommended the Grow A Small Business Podcast as a valuable resource. He mentioned that he listens to it religiously and finds it insightful for learning from other business owners' growth journeys and challenges. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Jay Patey recommends using subscription-based software tools to grow a small business, particularly those that streamline operations. He highlights tools like Xero for accounting, a robust time and attendance system integrated with payroll, and Square for point of sale (POS), which also connects with their website. These tools have helped improve efficiency and reduce administrative overhead What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Jay Patey would advise himself on day one to “strap in for the ride” and recognize that he had no real idea of what lay ahead. He reflects that he was quite naïve at the start and never imagined the business would grow as much as it has, emphasizing the importance of being mentally prepared for a long, challenging, and evolving journey. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: If you're playing in the A-League, you need A-League players every day – Jay Patey Patience and resilience are the real fuel behind sustainable growth – Jay Patey Growing a business isn't a sprint; it's a marathon with hills, storms, and surprises – Jay Patey  

Hey, I'm Granger Forson – find me at www.bizsmart-gloucestershire.co.uk or connect with me on LinkedIn! In this special episode, we're looking inward on my own business journey, from the days of engineering beer taps to embracing the power of continuous improvement.   I'll be sharing the highs and lows of ditching the corporate path in favour of scaling up my own adventure. You'll hear my learning from 100 recoding's of ScaleUp Radio podcast and growing my own business, and how nurturing a culture of experimentation built a strong foundation for BizSmart Gloucestershire.   Listen in as I reflect on countless interviews with fellow entrepreneurs, each story helping me refine my approach to growth, strategy, and joyful leadership. My experience in Lean and 2 Second Lean shaped a coaching style that focuses on people-first development, from identifying strengths to leading with clarity.   Throughout this conversation, I'll reveal the five key pillars that every business owner can use to strengthen their own enterprise, covering everything from repeatable processes to forging the right mindset in your team. If you've ever wondered how to turn your passion into a sustainable future, this is an episode you won't want to miss.   By the end, you'll be inspired to keep innovating, keep improving, and keep celebrating every milestone on your way to scaling your own dreams. Let's keep going and growing together!   To ensure you don't miss any inspirational future episodes do subscribe to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.   Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.   If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin   You can get in touch with Granger here: grangerf@biz-smart.co.uk   Book a call with Granger - 30 minutes value add conversation for Business owners with Staff. https://api.goexela.com/widget/bookings/catchupgrangerugx7zl   Kevin's Latest Book Is Available!   Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.   More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/   Resources:   All episodes of ScaleUp Radio that Granger talked about can be found here: https://www.bizsmart-gloucestershire.co.uk/scale-up-radio/   Robin Waite - Take Your Shot - https://www.robinwaite.com/books/take-your-shot   2 Second Lean by Paul Akers - https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean The Road Less Stupid - https://keystothevault.com/the-road-less-stupid-advice-from-the-chairman-of-the-board/ No BS Marketing - https://magneticmarketing.com/ Turn This Ship Around - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/turn-the-ship-around-a-true-story-of-building-leaders-by-breaking-the-rules-l-david-marquet/3549368?ean=9780241250945 Extreme Ownership - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/extreme-ownership-how-u-s-navy-seals-lead-and-win-jocko-willink/651009?ean=9781250183866 Start With Why - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/start-with-why-how-great-leaders-inspire-everyone-to-take-action-simon-sinek/239994?ean=9780241958223 The Infinite Game - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-infinite-game-simon-sinek/185827?ean=9780241385630 Lean Made Simple - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/lean-made-simple-creating-pull-and-flow-david-sykes/4914053?ean=9781716549724   ScaleUp by Nick Bradley podcast - https://highvalueexit.com/podcast/ Lean Made Simple podcast - https://www.leanmadesimple.com/podcast Shut Up and Sit Down podcast - https://www.shutupandsitdown.com/ Russell Brunson podcast - https://www.russellbrunson.com/my-podcast   GMail - https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox Mile IQ - https://mileiq.com/en-gb Lead Connector app - https://www.leadconnectorhq.com/ The Rhythm90 Web App - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Paul Akers: 2 Second Lean Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. Through a series of twists and turns he discovered Lean and the Toyota Production System (TPS) which was instrumental in propelling FastCap as an example of Lean manufacturing and culture, now followed by thousands of companies around the world. He is the author of 2 Second Lean: How to Grow People and Build a Fun Lean Culture at Work & at Home*. We often add more in order to make a system better. The opposite tactic is often more useful: making things simpler. In this conversation, Paul and I explore how to make worker better by starting small. Key Points Your pride will blind you to what you most need to learn. Begin by addressing the things that bug you. Lean is about making things simpler. Instead of batching, consider one-piece flow. This helps you improve as you go. Set the standard at 2 seconds to try something new. Anybody can achieve that. Start in the bathroom. Showing respect in the place everybody visits sets a standard for the rest of the organization. To make something stick, (1) set the expectation, (2) inspect the expectation, (3) reinforce the expectation. Resources Mentioned 2 Second Lean: How to Grow People and Build a Fun Lean Culture at Work & at Home* by Paul Akers Example of 2 second lean in practice Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How To Create Joy At Work, with Richard Sheridan (episode 122) Engaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571) How to Change the Way You Think, with Ari Weinzweig (episode 592) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

In this special retrospective episode, Tim Sweet revisits past guests' most profound moments to explore the idea of “arriving” — that deep sense of alignment when purpose, values, and actions converge. Through compelling anecdotes from leaders across diverse fields, this episode sheds light on how moments of arrival are not endpoints but significant milestones that shape our journey. From navigating authenticity to redefining success, Tim unpacks how leaders grow into their roles and discover their impact.Listeners will hear insights on combating imposter syndrome, fostering self-trust, and staying true to personal values. This episode celebrates growth, resilience, and purpose by featuring wisdom from figures like Tracy Borreson on avoiding burnout, Tim Beissinger on non-traditional career paths, and Aaron McConnell on leading through challenges. Tune in to learn why arrival is not just a destination but an evolving state of being.Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence: WebsiteLinkedIn: Tim SweetInstagramLinkedin: Team Work Excellence--TranscriptTim 00:00I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. I'm Tim Sweet, and I'd like to welcome you to Episode 45 of the Sweet on Leadership podcast. Tim 00:31Today's episode is a little bit different. It's a reflective one. Over the past 42 episodes, we've been exploring leadership growth, transformation with some incredible guests, but one theme has stood out across many of these conversations, and that's the theme I want to bring you today. Today is all about arriving. So, for this episode, I'm diving back into some of our favourite guest contributions. You'll hear short quotes; you'll hear more in-depth stories and anecdotes. Each will add to our understanding of what it means to arrive. When I say, arrive, what I mean is that moment that you know you're enough, that moment that you know you are exactly where you belong. You are fulfilling a purpose. It's a special thing, and when it happens, you know it. But what brings it about? Is it an age or experience thing? Is it a moment? Is it a milestone or maybe just a feeling that we stumble upon when we least expect it? Let's start with the basics. What does it mean to arrive? In episode five, one of my good friends and guests, Paul Farmer, a leadership coach in Australia who specializes in guiding others toward alignment and purpose, captured it so well- Paul Famer 01:50Depending on the way that the conversations happen with the owners, then choosing to bring that feeling into the business allows the business to grow in a deliberate way, whereby the business feels good for all of those that are involved in it. Tim 02:08That's it, right? It's the feeling of alignment when your actions and your purpose, and your values all click. It's not always about what you accomplish, but how it feels when you're in sync with yourself and when you're in sync with yourself, you can be in sync with others. I remember a moment in my own journey when this clicked. Early in my career, I leaned on quotes and research and experts to validate my own ideas, but a mentor told me, You're making great points, but you're not willing to own them. It stung, but it planted a seed, and a few months later, I stood up in a high-stakes meeting and delivered my perspective without quoting anyone else. And in that moment, standing on my own two feet, facing senior executives, I knew I had arrived, not because of what I had said, but because I knew I belonged at the table. To the newer leaders out there, I know how hard it can be to wait for this to happen. You spend your days dealing with imposter syndrome. You spend your days wanting to know why you're not being accepted, wrestling with feelings that you might not be good enough. You're looking ahead and wondering, When am I going to start to feel confident? When am I going to feel like I am where I belong? Here's the thing: arrival isn't something you can rush. It's not something you can force. It's something that you literally have to grow into. It's not based on some predetermined plan, and most importantly, it's not someone else's plan. My good friend, Tracy Borreson, who helps entrepreneurs and business owners really figure out how they belong, talked about avoiding burnout and how to discover authenticity. And she had this to say– Tracy Borreson 03:53I think there's many places in the world where authenticity is a buzzword, but we don't really know what that means, and if we don't know what it means for us, then things can't be authentic. And so one of my big goals is to try and create some more awareness of what authenticity actually is, instead of what people want to tell us it should look like, and create our experience, whether that is a career experience, a home experience, a community experience, a life experience that is aligned with the things that we want to do, that we can uniquely contribute, instead of what people tell us we should. And if you've listened to Tim's show, I've heard, I know you've all heard his opinion on shoulds, so that's probably why we hang out. Tim 04:39If you're chasing someone else's version of success, you'll never feel aligned. In episode 42, Tim Beissinger, one half of that dynamic duo, the ThruHikers, who's a professor and a quantitative geneticist, spoke about risking a non-traditional career path. Tim Beissinger 04:57I think people have a fear of getting off of that PhD, postdoc, professor path because all of the examples they look to are doing exactly that, and it's compelling to want to mimic the path that's worked for others, but everybody's individual and it can be more powerful to follow the path that makes sense for yourself/ Tim 05:20if we can connect with things we're passionate about, we can start to see the impact we want to have on the world, and that's when everything starts to come into focus. You don't have to follow the same road as everyone else. Your journey will look different, and that's a good thing. So take a breath, trust the process. You're not behind. You're just on your own path. For those of us further along who've had this sense of validation, we realize that these arrivals don't always happen when we reach some milestone or event or achievement. It's often found in small moments when you show up fully, even on the hardest days, it's the journey up the mountain that shapes us more than our time at the summit. Dave Sweet, yeah, my cousin is a bit of a legend in the policing community in Canada and now around North America. He was a top homicide detective here in our city, and he's one of these guys that is constantly on true crime shows. His work has given him a unique perspective, he now acts as an expert witness, consultant and author who speaks about empathy and leadership under pressure. On one of his visits to the podcast, he shared this powerful reflection about how he found his calling and when he realized it was more than just solving crimes. It was being present for others. Dave Sweet 06:41The essence of somebody or the what your mantra is going to be. So first of all, I'll always consider myself a servant to the community, you know, first and foremost, and secondly, even on the worst days with some of the worst people, if you can remember to love people, it goes a long ways to being able to ultimately accomplish whatever you're sort of said, you know, to do that particular day. And it doesn't matter who it is, everyone has a story, the uniqueness of the world that I'm in, the world of murder and stuff, we would all think, Oh, well, you know, I would never be in that situation. This could never, ever happen to me. But the truth of it is, is that the majority of people that we investigate had no idea that morning they woke up that they were about to take a life that day, and the victim had no idea that they're about to lose their life. Tim 07:31Even when things are tough, there's something grounding about staying connected to your purpose and values. That's where arrival moments happen, and sometimes it's a personal transformation. Debbie Potts, a former teammate here at Sweet on Leadership, who's also a Senior Educational Administrator, reshaped her entire life to reflect her passions and the connections she wanted to nature. Tim 07:57What did the Red House represent to you? Debbie Potts 07:58Oh my gosh. It represented freedom. It represented achievements. It represented living life on my terms. And obviously, I love nature as you do. And it just represented, you know, being able to be close to nature. And, you know, completely do a 180 turnaround of my life. You know, I lived in a big city, London, full of people, full of traffic, full of everything, and I've now completely reversed that.  Tim 08:32Innovator Jagroop Chhina, a psychological content strategist, say that three times fast, shared this perspective on transformation and its importance. Tim 08:45And blend those suckers as well so that maybe they become something brand new. Jagroop Chhina 08:47Yeah, creating something brand new that didn't exist before in a new perspective that couldn't exist unless you lived it out the way that you lived it out. Right? For me, personally, I was always a pretty smart kid. And I had a tendency to just write the answers to whatever the problem or the thing in the classroom was, right? And where I always lost marks was in showing my work. That was my feedback over my entire, like, elementary to high school—'show your work.' And that's what creating content is actually about. It's about showing your work and documenting what it takes for us to succeed, right? Because that's how we actually learn our lessons—well, other people learn lessons from us is by showing them, 'Oh, this is what we go through on the day-to-day to build this out.Tim 09Æ41Even though we're focused on professional experiences, it's deeply personal. It's about those moments when you feel fully aligned with who you are and what you stand for. In an episode that we published our very first summer, George Trachilis shared a rich story about learning alongside a mentor. George Trachilis 10:01I brought Ritsuo Shingo, bless his heart; he's the late Shingo now. Shingo San, I brought him to Santorini, Greece, along with others, who were leaders in their industry, you know, there's business owners, there's, you know, others like Paul Akers, as an example, I brought him to Santorini, Greece. And we did training there. And we went through a Gemba Walk of Santo Wines, one of the biggest, the biggest winery in Santorini. And we're watching somebody work, we're watching somebody work. And what they're doing is they got a big light facing them, and they got, you know, like three bottles on each end. And they're looking, their eyes are focused on the bottle, and the light is behind it. So, you might be able to see something, you know, in the bottle. And so they're looking for spiders, because the bottle sometimes just, just over. So they do wash the bottles, but sometimes, you know, if there's like a big nest in there, you put that bottle aside and needs extra washing, but this is what this person's job function was. And Ritsuo wouldn't leave. And he's just observing. And I'm thinking, what's he, what could he possibly observe? Like the flow is such that there's such a queue in front of them, and the line is running, and there's no way he's gonna be out of work. Like, he's got a lot of work and the lines running, maybe he's not, maybe they're slack. I don't know if he's trying to calculate how much time he's actually working, versus how many bottles are moved. I don't know what he's doing. And it was so shocking. I said, what do you what are you doing? He says George San, watch his eyes. And I'm watching the worker's eyes. And as he lifts the bottles, his eyes are down. I'm going, oh, Shingo San; I never thought to watch the worker's eyes. Like pretend you're in the worker's shoes, and think you're the worker, and your job is to do this function. And he says also, there's no standard. I said, what do you mean no standard? Sometimes he lifts up three bottles, and two, and sometimes two and two, sometimes three and three, there's no standard. And I'm going, Wow, he got all that from what I would just say that's just not important.  Tim 12:10Okay, one thing that's clear with many of our guests is that they've all had several moments of arrival. Once you've had that first moment of arrival, you're now free to help others find theirs, because, you know, it exists. Rita Ernst, an Organizational Psychologist and author who explores positivity and authenticity, put it this way– Rita Ernst 12:32You become this beacon of possibility for others. It will happen in that way but it does take a little bit of courage to be the one to stand, and I'm not talking about swallow it down false positivity. You know, when people are being disrespectful, when people are harassing others, you need to stand up and challenge that behaviour and stand for your values in that moment, and that is showing up positive. So it's not about just smoothing everything out, and like we were talking about, really, it's not about avoiding conflict at all, but it is about being true to who you need to be to have the workplace around you that you desire. Tim 13:20From a completely different perspective. Brent Yonk, an FBI section chief, emphasized that self-leadership was the foundation for guiding others. Here's his reflection. Brent Yonk 13:31There are people that are following you in the sense that they are watching you, they are taking cues from you. They may even be modelling some of their behaviours after what you're doing. You just may not be aware of that. But even if all of that were taken away, there is still one person that you can absolutely have follow you, and that's you. And that may sound really funny, but I have seen so many people that you can clearly see that they don't have that confidence in themselves to lead themselves effectively, and if you're already struggling to recognize yourself as your own leader. Like what hope do we have for you to be able to effectively lead others? So I think that developing that internal compass, that internal sense that the power to make decisions, the power to guide your fate as it were, is in your hands, right? You get to choose the actions that you're going to take. You get to choose whether or not you're going to try to broaden your awareness of what is influencing and impacting you, or you can just shut down, and you can just put your head down, and you can just focus on doing the easy thing, right? Follow the downward path. That choice is there. And when you recognize that I can lead, even if it's just myself, I can be a leader, you start to unlock that potential. You start to broaden your horizon. You start to open that aperture and see more possibility for yourself. And then that will continue to broaden, and you'll start to see people around you, and you'll start to recognize in them the skills, the abilities, the knowledge, the potential that's there. And then you can start to encourage them to join you on this journey. And now you're starting to see exponential impact happen from that.  Tim 15:26Here's the thing about these moments of arrival. They don't happen all at once. They come in waves. And they don't happen all in the same place. They can happen in different areas of your life, different roles that you're fulfilling. Peter Root, an engineer and innovator working in wildfire robotics, reflected on his long journey. Peter Root 15:48Well, we're about to do a bunch of work with Alberta wildfire, and this means taking our team and our alpha prototype and eventually our next version out to real fires and interacting with them and the people there in a real way. And that, to me, is the most exciting part of running the business. This is where I wanted to be, like, you know, three years ago, but I'm finally here, and this is where I think the relationships get solidified. You know, we built the beginning up, but this is where we show them that, hey, we can come, we'll bring our thing, and then we'll improve it next time we're out here, and we're going to do that until it's something of such extreme value that you'll never kick us off again. Like, that's where we want to get to, and we're at the beginning stages of this, and we're also in an environment now where it's really fun, like there's nothing more fun to me than going out to a wild area with a bunch of hard-working people who have been continuing and interacting with the wildfire, which is such an extreme event and such a such an admirable profession, to be around those people and then to be able to bring them something new and work collectively to build it. What's more fun than that? Tim 16:51In another episode, Massimo Backus, an executive coach focused on self-trust and leadership, brought this to the table. Massimo Backus 16:59Yeah, yeah, one of those bedrock moments that you can always go back to remember what it was like when you truly trusted yourself. And you know, in the organizational context and leadership, you know landscape, we talk about trust all the time. Like leadership, how many books have been written about trust? How often in trust conversations, do we talk about the value of trusting ourselves? Or do we ask, How do I know when I trust myself? How do I know when I'm not trusting myself? What do I need in order to be able to trust myself? What's present when I trust myself least? These are questions that are very rarely asked in the broader conversation about trust. It is always about another person or the team, and that's important, absolutely. But I believe, and I found with the leaders that I've worked with throughout my career, that often, when trust is not present on a team, there is trust that is not present for each individual with themselves. Tim 18:05As we wrap up this retrospective, I want to finish on a couple of notes. Let's remember arrival isn't the end. It's a base camp, a place of safety along the journey. It's about trusting yourself, celebrating your growth and staying open to new possibilities. It's a revolution and an evolution. Here's a beautiful part of what Teresa Waddington brought in Episode 28.  Teresa Waddington 18:29We're gonna need that revolution. We're also gonna need the evolution, and we're gonna need them to come together, to really step change us into what is completely new. So, when I think about like from a leadership perspective, it's being open to change. It's looking for the holes in your argument. And I'll give you an example on my own leadership journey, I've always tried to say, What am I blind to? So, what are people saying about me that I should know in order to decide if I'm going to change anything about what I do, how I show up, how I build my skill sets, how I build my allegiances. Because if I don't know, it might feel comfortable. It might feel like I'm not, you know, exposed to negative opinions of myself. But if I do know, then I can make a choice, and to be comfortable enough to ask for the bad feedback, it requires a measure of worthiness, or belief in your own worthiness. And when I think about the people that I mentor and support, the ones that I want to see continue to drive forward and change the world, it's reinforcing their own core worthiness, while at the same time gathering feedback. Tim 19:39I want to give the last word to Aaron McConnell, my lifelong friend and the CEO of TransRockies. I feel that this story of his is very genuine and very real, and something that many of us can relate to because it's in the middle of hard work that these moments happen. I'm going to let Aaron wrap us up with this last story. Tim 20:02These are great events. You often talk about them as if they are summer camp for adults, right? And so people are out there, and they are having a blast, and they're doing what they love, and they're out in the sun, and they're out in nature, and they're sweating in all the right ways, and good food, good drink, good friends, campfires, the whole nine yards, and they must look at you and say, Wow. What a job to be able to do this for your entire career, right?  Aaron McConnell 20:38Well, there's definitely two sides to it. So we live double lives, I guess, and in this industry, because there is the times when we're in the field, basically, so when we're at an event. We're working on an event, we're with the athletes, and for the most part, that's really positive, you know, unless we're dealing with some kind of crisis that comes up, which does happen sometimes as well, but that's what we live for at events, or even when we're on a scouting trip or doing route planning or something out in the field, and that's where the glamorous side of the event promoter lifestyle is maybe a little bit true. I mean, yeah, sometimes we're trying to figure out where to put the porta potties or something. But you know, still, you know, being creative and hanging out with great people and really cool places. Tim 21:31Here's the thing about arriving: it's not the finish line; it's a feeling, a realization, and sometimes it's just a moment of clarity. It's never really over. And each time we reach a new understanding of ourselves, it allows us to open a door and then further explore our purpose and our impact until, eventually, we arrive again. As you reflect on your own journey, remember this. You're exactly where you need to be right now, whether you're at the start of your race, navigating switchbacks or midlife transitions or finding new ways to give back to others, know that each moment of arrival is a pivotal part of your story, and they're worth celebrating. Thank you for listening to this retrospective, and thank you for joining our community as always, keep leading, keep learning and keep arriving, and I'll see you in the next episode. Tim 22:26Thank you so much for listening to Sweet on Leadership. If you found today's podcast valuable, consider visiting our website and signing up for the companion newsletter. You can find the link in the show notes. If like us, you think it's important to bring new ideas and skills into the practice of leadership, please give us a positive rating and review on Apple podcasts. This helps us spread the word to other committed leaders, and you can spread the word too by sharing this with your friends, teams and colleagues. Thanks again for listening, and be sure to tune in in two weeks' time for another episode of Sweet on Leadership. In the meantime, I'm your host, Tim Sweet, encouraging you to keep on leading.

Welcome to ScaleUp Radio, your gateway to the world of business growth and leadership. In this episode, Dave from Black Hills Products take centre stage, sharing their journey of scaling up in the engineering solutions industry. Dave discusses the challenges of finding new clients and enhancing manufacturing processes, touching on vital topics like business strategy, leadership, and value creation. The conversation shifts to differentiation and ISO certifications, highlighting the significance of effective communication. Dave's unique business model, focused on long-term client relationships and innovative problem-solving, underscores the importance of visionary leadership. Their chat also delves into fostering a positive business culture built on inclusivity and respect. Dave's pursuit of high-quality standards and value addition in manufacturing aligns with their business vision. Metrics for growth, including sales and hiring, come into play as they explore expansion plans. Finding the right employees and ideal customers is a challenge they discuss, emphasising the role of leadership and talent development. He also candidly shares the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, from financial struggles to the transformative power of business development groups and mentorship. As the episode wraps up, they highlight the benefits of joining local business development groups, Dave's learning techniques, and the value of implementing technology like CRM systems. Stay tuned for valuable insights into scaling up businesses and becoming a more effective leader. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review if you find this episode helpful. ScaleUp Radio is your guide to success in the world of business.    Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.   If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/apply   You can get in touch with Kevin here: kevin@biz-smart.co.uk   Kevin's Latest Book Is Available!    Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.    More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/   Dave can be found here: linkedin.com/in/david-crossman https://blackhillsproducts.co.uk/ info@blackhillsproducts.co.uk   Resources: 2 Second Lean by Paul Akers - https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean Audible - www.audible.co.uk  

In this podcast we cover: The philosopher. The no experience lean guru. The stuck professional. The all talk lean guy. The fame seeking influencer. The can't communicate grump. The no solutions wishful thinker. The myopic practitioner. The not brave know-it-all. The parrot.   If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 

Summary KeywordsCulture, learn, organisation, leaders, principles, Travis, excellence, continuous improvement, system, synthetic, process, champion, great, people, journey, discovered, problems, love, brad, learning.IntroductionWelcome to episode 159 of the Enterprise Excellence Podcast. It is a pleasure to have Mr Travis Russell on the show with us today. Travis is the Global Director of Talent and Leadership Development at Champion X. Travis previously was the Production manager at US Synthetic, a Shingo Prize-winning organisation. Today, we will explore Travis's approach to achieving Enterprise Excellence within organisations and share his insights. Let's get into the episode.We are proudly sponsored by S A Partners, a world-leading business transformation consultancy.Contacts Brad: connect via LinkedIn or call him on 0402 448 445 or email bjeavons@iqi.com.au. Email Travis: travis.russell@championx.comWhat's next? Join our next community! https://www.enterpriseexcellenceacademy.com/community.Listen to another similar podcast episode: #60, How to Create a System of Willing and Able Problem Solvers with Mike Hoseus.a. Listen on our website - https://www.enterpriseexcellenceacademy.com/podcast/episode/4e44c0b2/60-how-to-create-a-system-of-willing-and-able-problem-solvers-with-mike-hoseusb. Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/QXmau6vvVdM?si=4ljn1Ueri7tUAb5-Check out Lean Time-Saving Quick Tips with Norm and Paul Akers: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLROkf9gKrj_7lrO3kDOdXzbuWx0O5oN3Z&si=Gkp0aN54qumdyGyB.To learn more about what we do, visit www.enterpriseexcellenceacademy.com.Thanks for your time, and thanks for helping to create a better future.

In this episode, Tim talks with podcast guest George Trachilis about recognizing and cultivating leadership in their work as leadership coaches. Both Tim and George share their history of how they found themselves working with organizations to improve their processes and systems and the top takeaways each took regarding the power of leadership. As an expert in Lean Leadership, George provides insightful ideas on workplace culture. Drawing inspiration from leaders in mindset and workplace culture, such as James Clear, Normen Bodek, Shigeo Shingo, and Mike Rother, this episode is a treasure trove of resources for leaders who want to focus on self-improvement. If you consider yourself a leader or someone who has a vision and gets things done, this episode has tons of resources and ideas to help you grow.About George TrachilisAuthor and speaker, George Trachilis, is the Shingo Research Award winning contributor and publisher of the book, Developing Lean Leaders at All Levels. His insight as an entrepreneur and Lean Coach will astound. George is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people alive in the Lean world today, and his focus has changed from Lean, to operational excellence to leadership excellence. It has always been about leadership and leading by example. Connect with George today to address your leadership needs.Resources discussed in this episode:Kaizen LeadershipNormen Bodek - The Harada MethodTaiichi OhnoShigeo Shingo Atomic HabitsPaul AkersMike Rother - Toyota KataGemba Walk--Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence: WebsiteLinkedIn: Tim SweetInstagramLinkedin: Team Work ExcellenceContact George Trachilis | Leadership Excellence: WebsiteEmailLinkedinFind It George Website--George 00:00The more you focus on the laggards, the more attention everybody else will want from you, and you'll lose good people. Focus on your superstars. You know, that's the direction you're going people get caught up. Tim 00:12I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable. If any of these describe you, then you my friend, or a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. Welcome to the Sweet on Leadership Podcast, episode 16. Tim 00:46Thanks again for joining us on sweet on leadership. I'm really pleased today that I have person who I have followed for years joining me. And when I contemplated what we're going to talk about today was the obvious choice for who to reach out to and that's George Trachilis. George, thanks very much for taking the time. George 01:08Oh, thank you. Thank you, Tim. So Tim 01:10today, we spent a little bit of time here before we hit record talking about what we want to cover. And we don't really know where this is gonna go. But I believe it's all around how both of us, our careers have taken us into the area of strategy, leadership development, team development. And we share a common starting point. And that is really moving from operational excellence, and the tools that are involved there all the way into this, this era. So maybe as a start, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, what you're working on. And then we can get into how we found ourselves down this path. George 01:53So, my name is George Trachilis. For those of you that don't know me, I started off in Lean In 1994, working for a company called Motorcoach Industries, which was Greyhound Buses. And in those days, I was a young engineer, just coming out of school basically. And I was asked to be on an implementation team for an ERP implementation, which took me to Pembina, North Dakota in the US from Winnipeg, Canada. And we implemented an ERP system, which included total quality management, and what we knew as Lean back then, and Kanban, and all the tools. And we had consultants come in from all Oliver White Consulting. And what they did was they share the tools with us, the leaders of the group, and then they asked us to go train others. And I loved it. What I say is I caught the bug, that was it, I can no longer work in a regular job. It needed to be about change, and looking at the light go on in people's eyes. That's what it was all about. And it hasn't been for 30 years now. The first 10 years was me implementing with a team of people the second 10 years, was owning my own consulting business going to Edmonton Calgary throughout Canada. As a matter of fact, I had an online course that created maybe the first online course, on Lean 101 the Lego Simulation Airplane Game. And the Government of Alberta bought it, which means I was allowed to sell it for them. And they trained 300 companies in Alberta, Canada, which then expanded because in 2011, I just said let's give it away to the world. And I had like in December of that year, something like 300 students on average registered per day. So, it was pretty amazing that everybody in 2011 love this thing called Lean. Okay, Lean is great. But I found I was missing something because I would go into a company, somebody would show me the Toyota way and the 4P model. Okay. I didn't know what all that meant. And then in 2012, I was doing more online courses and I met Jeff Liker, and I met Norman Bodek. Actually in reverse Norman first, Jeff Liker, and met a lot of the Guru's and I went to Japan learned a lot about the Toyota way of doing things, met with a lot of Toyota coaches, especially on Toyota business practices, and learned that and now I coach and develop people using Toyota business practices. But throughout the last 30 years, even though the last 10 is all on leadership development, I still go in, I still do value stream mapping, I still do the tools. So that's not a problem. I love doing that. But I get the benefit there. Not everybody else necessarily. If I can teach that, well, somebody else is getting the benefit. Now I coach and develop companies. And I've got two big clients today where I'm coaching leaders to be leaders. And they're coaching others. So, the mental model I used to have in the first one years was the five principles of Lean. Okay? Define value from the customer's perspective, right? Define the value stream, first flow, then pull, and strive for perfection, great five values, great five principles of Lean. Now, ever since Jeff Liker and I put the book together, called Developing Lean leaders at all levels, the model we share there is, number one, live the core values of the company. Okay, that's number one. Number two, commit to self development, because everybody knows, if you don't develop yourself, you don't have that attitude, you're going nowhere, you're going nowhere, plus, you're causing everybody else, no end of pain, because you're in it for yourself, everybody's got to do something for you. And you're not enough for the customer or the company, or your teamwork, or your team players. Number two coach and develop others, we need everybody to be a coach, as a manager. If you're not coaching and developing somebody, you're just not doing your job as a manager. Number three, support daily Kaizen. And then number four, define your targets and align all of your processes towards those targets for that year. So create vision, and align targets. That's number four. So that mental model today is a model that I refer to as the Lean Leadership Development Model. Jeff, and I created a company called Lean Leadership Institute. And we have an online course that trains that to the masses. But really step one, I always say if you can't improve, if you can't say, I want to improve, there's something wrong. And it's not with a everybody else. It's with you. So, so just just making sure people know and then I usually get the question is like, what happens when you meet somebody like that? Well, don't worry about them, don't focus on them as a leader, the more you focus on the laggards, the more attention everybody else will want from you. And you'll lose good people focus on your superstars, you know, that's the direction you're going people get caught up. So what I'm working on today is remote coaching for several companies, and helping them understand how they should be thinking so that they can teach that mindset to others. Tim 07:33It's a real basis and thought, when we think of just the pure efficiency of playing to your strengths, or supporting, I liked what you said there about focusing on the superstars. Because we're going to improve our reach, we're going to make sure that we have all the right thought going on in the organization, rather than focusing on constraints, it it's a good place to be but with teams, we need to be marshaling everybody into a common goal. And what was that old saying that they used to say? You know, do you want to be the hero with 1000 Helpers? Or do you want to be the leader with 1000? Heroes? You know, really, can we bring that out in people? I'm still floored by just how similar the evolution is between yourself and myself and where we've landed. George 08:26I'm not. I think it's funny, because when we're a Lean thinker, what is it we're looking for? We're looking to help people, okay. And when we see the gap, we kind of say, hey, let's close the gap. And this is the gap for a long time. We just never saw it. And we've been distracted by others, like, let's call them thought leaders that have driven us in a certain thinking process. We've been distracted for about 10 to 20 years. But today, I think we're on top of the real issue, which is our leaders are not leaders, at times, they're not behaving that way. They're thinking about short term results and behaving in a way similar to get those versus the long term game that they could get by staying on course, you know, making sure people understand they're valued at the company. They're the only appreciating asset. You're growing the people that's your job. When I was in Japan, it was funny because Matt Amezaga he was the Vice President of Operations at all of Toyota. He said that Fujio Cho, asked him to go back to Kentucky and get the culture back because they had a leader there. This particular leader didn't do a good job. And in a matter of one year, he destroyed the culture. And it took four years to get it back. But he did it in three, he was very impressed with himself. So, this is the kind of culture that you need. And you, you got to think of the culture as the behaviors. And the behaviors, behaviors of the leadership go furthest. When you see somebody in front of you, and they're the CEO of the company, and they bend down, they pick up a piece of garbage, and they throw it in the garbage can. That's not like for show. That's because they live it. That's because they, they understand that if they don't demonstrate what they want from others, they're not going to get it. Tim 10:30Yeah, I think tied on to that is, if the leaders are behaving in a way, or if the managers or the executives in those that should be in leadership roles are behaving in a way that demonstrates the worst possible things, then that also becomes how we define the culture because you know, that culture is defined by the worst behaviors we're willing to accept. And it can be so debilitating for an organization to have the wrong people getting the attention. It really takes away from the enjoyment and from the fulfillment, that everybody who's fighting the good fight is able to derive from it. And when I think back to some of the experiences that I had, I remember what my first major regional management role was with was with a large commercial bakery, and I had Thunderbay to Vancouver Island. Spent a lot of time in Winnipeg, incidentally. You know, working in that area, I spent two years creating, I was deploying TQM back in the day. So we were doing quality circles and having a bunch of unionized employees wrangling waste, and getting it down and, and really working with the union to help them understand why we were having people work off page and not necessarily working to their their job description, but getting excited for their role. And one organizational shift where they decided to take our regional office out of Calgary and send it back east, and that we were no longer going to play nicey nice with the unions, it dismantled culture overnight, it dismantled all of that positive work we had done, and really made improvement. Not impossible, but a fight again, that didn't have to be. And throughout my career, I think as I evolved, I could design great, elegant processes. I could go in and do the work, I could come up with the answer I could, I could define and measure and analyze and improve till the cows came home and loved doing it, it was a lot of fun. You could get the right answers. And if the leaders weren't on side, you were done. You were dead in the water. And if you manage to get it over the line, the leaders decided that that wasn't what they were interested in anymore. They could dismantle it overnight. I started out as a junior team-building consultant, and then I and then I went in school, I found operations management, and loved it. And then I came full circle. And I realized that really, I could enable other people to do the improvement, teach them the skills and let them go out and, and reengineer the processes. But I needed to focus on hoeing the row for those improvement projects to take place. And getting leadership excited. Yeah, so I mean, that's very similar in terms of where I've ended up because it yes, the other work is very, very important. But it needs to have fertile ground. Otherwise you're, you're throwing good money out. George 13:49Yea, it's interesting, you say fertile ground. And I think immediately about the leader. If the leader doesn't have fertile ground in their brain, we've got a problem. And Gallup, for example, just came out with a statement that 70% of all hiring decisions are wrong, based on you know what a good leader is. And you think, well, what's the characteristics of a good leader? They only have other than the skills, the hard skills, the soft skill, one of the main ones is that they're willing, and they believe in improvement. They believe in Kaizen, it's almost like Kaizen resides in their heart. I believe I can be better tomorrow than I am today. And the day after can be better than tomorrow. And ultimately, if they have that belief system, and they're willing to do the work on themselves, that's like a beacon. It'll just generate light for the rest of the organization. Nobody tests for it. So the fertile ground in my mind is in their brain. And today, I've actually avoided working at mid-level in a company. Avoid 90% failure rate is guaranteed when you're not dealing with the executives, and you're not dealing with the people who actually can, in some ways, demonstrate and expand and proliferate Kaizen and improvement and call it Lean, call it excellence. If they don't do it, nobody else is gonna do it. Tim 15:21That lesson was hard one for me, because often, I'd be entering into the wrong level of an organization. And, you know, it took me losing. Well, we did great work, but the work was… George 15:36It's not sustainable. Okay. Tim 15:41Well, there's priority changes, and the work was just the work was just taken out from under us. And, and it was, it was awful. That, because we knew we knew where we were in the answers we were bringing in, but it was a fickle leader made a snap judgment. And so yeah, I have since for several years now, I only work if I'm starting from the top, because you need to have that conviction. And that willingness, and that space, that space to improve. It's really interesting. Sometimes when you're talking about, you'll run into teams that have capacity challenges and want to improve. And one of the first things that I say is a great reason to go and chase some waste is we have to create enough capacity that we have capacity to improve. And then that is that, I think back to that Covey model, where they talk about the Covey's quadrants, and how that quadrant one is urgent and important. And Quadrant Two is really important but not urgent. If we can get operating in quadrant two, that would where Lean resides in my mind, it's the only quadrant that pays dividends. It's the only one that creates more space to create more space, more efficiency to create more efficiency. Capacity building on top of capacity. If we don't have the support of the leaders to start that process, it's really tough. You have that support lined up top to bottom cascading down through the organization. And it's really easy. That's not only easy, it's fun. And I mean, the work is tough enough, trying to convince leadership trying to work and overcome turbulence in teams. That's tough. Like it's, let's let the work be tough. Let's not let's not make working with people tough. So you'd said something earlier again, before we had hit record here. I want you to share that thought around starting in the students mind. You take care of that a little bit. You're talking about Gemba. And I thought that was fascinating. George 17:54Like a progression for me over the years. But I brought Ritsuo Shingo, bless his heart, he's the late Shingo now. Shingo San, I brought him to Santorini, Greece, along with others, who were leaders in their industry, you know, there's business owners, there's, you know, others like Paul Akers, as an example, I brought him to Santorini, Greece. And we did training there. And we went through a Gemba Walk of Santo Wines, one of the biggest, the biggest winery in Santorini. And we're watching somebody work, we're watching somebody work. And what they're doing is they got a big light facing them, and they got, you know, like three bottles on each end. And they're looking, their eyes are focused on the bottle, and the light is behind it. So, you might be able to see something, you know, in the bottle. And so they're looking for spiders, because the bottle sometimes just, just over. So they do wash the bottles, but sometimes, you know, if there's like a big nest in there, you put that bottle aside and needs extra washing, but this is what this person's job function was. And ritual wouldn't leave. And he's just observing. And I'm thinking, what's he, what could he possibly observe? Like the flow is such that there's such a queue in front of them, and the line is running, and there's no way he's gonna be out of work. Like, he's got a lot of work and the lines running, maybe he's not, maybe they're slack. I don't know if he's trying to calculate how much time he's actually working, versus how many bottles are moved. I don't know what he's doing. And it was so shocking. I said, what do you what are you doing? He says George San, watch his eyes. And I'm watching the workers eyes. And as he lifts the bottles, his eyes are down. I'm going oh, Shingo San I never thought to watch the workers eyes. Like pretend you're in the worker shoes, and think you're the worker, and your job is to do this function. And he says also, there's no standard. I sai, what do you mean no standard. Sometimes he lifts up three bottles, and two, and sometimes two and two, sometimes three and three, there's no standard. And I'm going, Wow, he got all that from what I would just say that's just not important. Okay. So from that, I thought, How does somebody look at improvement? And so for example, I'm coaching somebody now he's a, he's a great coach. His name is Raj Pathak, I'm sure he's he's okay with me using his name. He just went through PDCA excellence training with myself and Dr. Jake Abraham, who is my Toyota coach. And we just finished training. And he did a great A3, now it's time for him to train others. And they've got a big project to do. He's leading the project. And I said, So Raj, tell me what you're thinking, what's the first meeting look like? And why? He says, Well, I want to go right into step one, okay. And I'm trying to understand why he would want to just go right into step one, for everybody of problem-solving, when we got a whole team here, and they're different areas, and he might not have a challenge for each one. So I said, what's your challenge for each individual, and he doesn't have that thought through. So I'm thinking, we need to do some visualization, what this might look like. So that's kind of the biggest thing for me, is if you can't visualize the end, to some degree, getting into it right away, that's the gap. There's a gap between being able to visualize the results, and get everybody else signing up into a charter saying, Here's what we want to do great. That charter, I've seen so many places, I've seen it work, it never works without everybody signing. So that's part of the Nemawashi though the consensus building that you need in Lean today, in order to make it work. So that's why I say you got to think about like, what's in their head? For two reasons. Number one, you want to know if there's any gaps. But number two, what are the gaps between them, and you. You could be the one in the learning seat. And so that's where the teacher sometimes learns more than the student. You know, show me more, tell me how you get that. I did that a couple of times, with students that I'm going, okay, I better pick up that book and read it. Jim 22:37Yeah, in my parlance, over the last few years, fluency has been the big word. And it's, you know, are you fluent in your own beliefs and your own thoughts around what we're about to do? Are you fluent in that and how you conceptualize work and what you value? And how you align to the corporate goals? Or what are your own goals? What's your workstyle? What's your genius? George 23:03We call that a little different. We call that the line of sight. But let me ask you this. What's your long term goal? Tim 23:10Myself? George 23:11Yeah, 10 years. Tim 23:1310 years out? I mean, I think it will be that I've managed to train enough leaders in this, in this practice, that they are self-sufficient, that my own company has a body of work behind it, that allows what can be would you say automated or that can be approached individually is happening and that we are focused in that space where other people can can begin to do some of the heavy lifting, I guess. Whereas for myself, I focus primarily on the teaching, and, and really getting the senior most leaders lined up for the work. The challenge becomes, can you carry that work all the way down to the coalface can it cascade through the organization effectively? And so, I mean, from my own practices, I think that's really important that the company has my clients have the ability to carry this thinking all the way down, internally. And so I'd say for the next 10 years on this, it's really about Systemizing. And in getting that, that together, and I'm on track for that. Whether or not it will materialize in that way. I'm not sure. But I don't exactly know “the how” yet to be frank. George 24:41Yeah. So one of the most amazing things I've come across is some guy on the internet. Norman Bodek, by the way, who's dead again, you know, like he he's gone. Mike, another coach is gone. Norman Bodek said, You need to learn about the people-side of Lean. And I'm going I don't know what that means. So he was talking about the Harada Method, with Kakashi Harada in Japan, teaching people how to be self-reliant. And they come up with their goal. They come up with their tasks, they go and execute and and one of the famous, the famous baseball player in the world today Shohei Ohtani did the 64th chart with Takashi Harada, in Japan. So it's pretty amazing that there is a process for almost every problem. But when you want to be successful, you need a system. You can't just have a process, we can go in with Lean. And we can say, here's a problem describing the problem, which is obviously half solved if you can do that. And we put together some tools and we say let's go through this. And we got a solution. For every problem, there's a solution. But for really successful people, they need a system. And that's why the Harada Method came into into play for me as well. 10 years ago, yeah, Tim 26:09that'll help me answer that, that question. More retrospectively, but yeah, the biggest leaps that I've taken in my business and my coaching practice and, and working with leaders, and again, I specialize in academics, and STEM leaders, people that are they're fairly linear in their thinking or at least linear in their, in the practice. And it really has been. It's funny, because as we talk about where that catastrophic derailment happened due to a that's actually what was the impetus for me taking a step back and looking at everything that I practiced over several decades of doing this work two decades doing this work. And deciding that I wanted to just really box what was working the best and I ended up starting to put my practices into some structures and into some processes. And I'd shied away from that. As the Lean guy, I'd shied away from that instead, you know, opting for more of a artisan approach or job shop approach, because I wanted, I wanted to make sure that I gave everybody a unique path through and I had to get my own mind around the fact that you know what, once I had systemized my approach my first conversation, say with with new coaching clients, suddenly I had a bunch of things going for me one, I didn't have to imagine where I was going next I had a place that I could start. And I knew they were reliable tools I used the most. They're things that I believe in, and that they've always worked. So there, I had linear thinkers I was dealing with, I could show them the path. I remember one point in my career, I had an engineer come up to me and say, Man, that was amazing. You did it was a piece of collaborative contract we're doing. But boy, you sure you sneak up on people. He said to me, I said, What do you mean, he says, We I didn't know what this was all about. And then towards the end of it, I was just like, amazed at how far we come out sure would have been calmer. If I had known where you were gonna take us well, now I can put a roadmap in front of this is what we're about to do, I'm not going to wait and deliver a punch line and, and make a guess at what we're going to do. And then the ability to just really test those theories, as blueprints for people doing well, and prove them out until they can be now I can isolate if I'm going to improve something about them, I can see the whole path. And, you know, it's so funny because I try not to be too hard on myself. But you know, you know these tools, and just the ability to step back and apply them to your own business, something that could seem rather chaotic, has made a big difference. George 29:01The entrepreneur does that. The entrepreneur thinks they must recreate everything for our client for every customer. So look, that's not a bad thing. You just got to recognize that if you want to stay a one person company, you'd better start thinking differently. Entrepreneur not. Because yeah, because there are people out there that like a system. And nowadays two companies are growing. Their reference of the past is not as relevant as it was. So what they're doing is they're experimenting their way towards the future. And understanding how to experiment is critical. So you know, of course Mike Rother is, you know, that Toyota Kata guy, and he used to be a student of Jeff Likers. So, you know, it's coming kind of from the same place. What did we miss with Toyota? What we missed was the soft stuff. We got the hard stuff. You know, 4S, they have at Toyota not 5S, we kind of know how to do that. But we don't have the discipline. And we're always thinking, look at all these tools, what are they there for? They're there to develop the people. And we never thought like that. We were, you know, great people, great products, they kind of bound it in between you got all your tools and systems and results. But it starts with great people. And it ends with a great product. You know, they kind of bound the problem there. And I don't know too many industries that wouldn't start like that, you know, we need great people. And what are those great people? Well, they're the ones that want to improve. And because they're doing it, they can demonstrate to others, in several ways coach and develop them to do it. And what are they striving for? Well, we need to get short term and long term results, you got to do both. So it's kind of like a big challenge in industry, especially everywhere, it doesn't matter. But we got the quarter crunch, the year end, you know, we got to make our numbers all the time, I just remember that the nightmare I was in, when I worked at New Flyer Industries, which ultimately ended up going bankrupt or taken over whatever. But it was a nightmare. We owed all our suppliers, like a lot of our suppliers, tons of money 120 million past 90 days. So it was like crazy, that's the way to run a business is to try to start a bus so you can get a progress payment, and then pay for parts on the buses that are in the yard. So you can actually get them shipped to the customer. So the challenge is applying lean is like an exercise in futility. What we got is great people, and we got to get those results. So we kind of nailed it. And Toyota went bankrupt way back in the 50s. So that's where, you know, they kind of learned their lesson. That's why they have a big bank account. Tim 31:57The big question that's left is you think about your journey through and how your thinking and your and your application. And your focus has evolved. When you think about that leadership experience that you're now focused on the other part of that Gallup poll that I thought was really interesting, or sorry, not Gallup poll, but their their recent publication was, they had said, They figure 10% of the population has the DNA of a leader, the ability to actually, you know, operate in them. And I my hypothesis is, it's actually smaller, because although they may start with 10%, only a fraction of that, I like to say 6% have the opportunity to lead or have not incurred other baggage, or something that will take them out of the mix, or don't have a personal situation that wouldn't allow them to do that, or haven't suffered trauma that wouldn't allow them to do that. So when you look at the leadership experience, and as you watch the leaders that you're working with, really grasp these concepts and then apply them and become higher and higher performing. What do you think the key, in your experience, what are the key mindsets? As I say, you know, you've talked about the five principles, what are some of the watershed moments that you see with leaders where they, you know, a light bulb goes on? And, and it clicks and they really get something? Could you share some thoughts on that? In terms of what are some of those big pivot points? George 33:32Yeah. Okay, I'm not sure they're big pivot points. This is part of the problem. Tim 33:34Sure. George 33:45The problem is we have a lot of little pivot points, which end up making a lot of big change at the end of the day. Tim 33:48Great, perhaps, what are some of the common little pivot points? George 33:50Yeah, so, number one, when I look at leaders getting excited, I think about why are they getting excited? It's because you've pointed out something, whether it's through your book or what have you. It's something that they did not expect. Okay, here's what they expected. And they got something else, there's a gap between what they expected and what they got. That gap is called learning. And as soon as you can increase the learning for that leader, they get hooked. It is the adrenaline, it's the dopamine that you know, gets released in your head. As soon as they do that, they get hooked. So one of one of my students in Germany, she was, I can't remember how we got to this. We were talking about a book called The Power of Habit or something. And I said, Look, a company is made up of habits. So tell me the behavior you would like to see. Tell me what the trigger is and how do you make sure that trigger happens? Because you got to have a trigger. You know, and then you can do the routine was the behavior and you need to kind of reinforce for yourself that that was a good thing to do. And you reinforce it in many ways. So she was, I want to make my bed every morning. I don't know why maybe she heard it and you know, they do it in the army and stuff. Okay, I want to make my bed every morning. So I said, Great. Let's talk a little bit about the trigger. So the trigger is, okay, I'm not gonna have my coffee. I'm gonna get up, I'm gonna put my clothes on, I'm gonna put my slippers on or whatever she's doing. There's a trigger somewhere for her to make her bed. Good. Then she makes the bed. And I said, what's the reward? And she struggled. We have a hard time programming our own thinking to say this is successful. And I said, Okay, I think in the book, they talked a little bit about somebody going on the sheets, just straightening out the sheets. And that felt good. I think it was a  Febreeze thing. I mean, they did that as a reward. And I thought, Okay, why don't you try that. And she says, George, it worked the next day. It worked. I can't believe it. Specifically thinking about the reward. I did this on the bed, and it smoothed out. And I felt good. I smiled. Well, okay, good. The smile is the reward too. So we have a hard time building in new habits that we know we need to have. Because we don't understand that we need a trigger. We need to do the routine because you know, it's important. And we need to create that little reward. And after that becomes a habit, you're done. You're done. Because every time today, when I go into a meeting, I always ask, what's the purpose? And what's the desired outcome of that meeting? I always ask it's a habit for me. And at the end, I always say it's time for Hansha, which is Japanese for reflection. Okay, what went well, during this meeting? What can we do better? How do we build that in for next time, and we improve our meetings each time. So that's just my meeting routines. But the habits make the difference. And so when I start with somebody, what, what we're doing is we're learning. And when we're learning, I'm saying, Are you satisfied with everything? You know, the way life is? Or would you like to improve something? And of course, we bring up the Taiichi Ohno no problem is the biggest problem of all? Yeah, okay, if you're, if you don't have a problem you want to fix then then I'm really no good to you. But let's, let's fix something, let's break it up, let's make sure we have little habits that we put together, maybe that'll create a routine, maybe that falls into a system that we built for you. Okay, so this is excellent when they can see how all this comes together. And they're excited about it, and then they transfer it to others. So I just think it's those little learning bits that make all the sense in the world. Tim 38:00Well, there's one other thing that you said there that I think I like to just stop on. And that's for your students that you talked to make the bed and then smooth out the sheets. And take a moment to reflect that you did this and that you're enjoying it and that the smile is the reward. You had said earlier that it's really important to, you know, go to the Gemba. And that being get into the students mind and understand what they're starting with. Right, this kind of thing. And I think it's a really interesting concept to say, maybe that going to the Gemba is getting into our own mind for a minute. And just stop for a second. And appreciate why you appreciated the reflection again, but saying, hey, you know, understand what you're out for here and understand what you just created for yourself. And take a moment, I used to be a chef. I was so I was a I was a classically trained chef, before I went back to business school. And what's the most important thing that a chef can do throughout that, that experiences if you're not tasting, you're not in control of the process? You have to stop and enjoy. Your own soup for a minute, if you're going to truly understand is it ready to go out? You have to look at it and say is this beautiful? What I just created here? You have to take a moment. And I think that's also part of sort of empathy when we're dealing with other people see it from their perspective. Appreciate it for a moment for what it is take a moment to be there with the person but you know, and this is where I'm like be there for a moment with yourself because I'm I was always really bad at that. I would do something meaningful. And I would steamroll right past it. Right. I wouldn't take praise for it. I wouldn't. Very bad at saying You're welcome. These kinds of things. You have to take a moment and say we just did something for a minute here, let's just put pause and realize, we got to the milestone we thought we were gonna get it because that gives us fuel for the next time we make the push. And the next time we do the next piece of effort, George 40:09That's called celebration, but we have to celebrate. Yeah. And being grateful. Look, that's all preparing your mind. And that's preparing yourself to be a better person, which you can then translate to others. So all of this is all teachings that you can apply to work. The customer, really, we got to turn this into value-added, we've run a business, we can't go home and say, Hey, I did this, I smoothed my bed. And now I want you to pay more for that product. No. So all of this is part of the little steps that it takes for them to say, Hey, I did this at home. Why can I do this at work? What's wrong with doing five paths? In a way, where there's a trigger? Five minutes before the end of the shift? Everybody does a five-minute 5S and we give each other a high five before we leave nothing wrong? Unless you're in COVID times, then maybe it's an elbow bump, you know? Tim 41:16Yeah. Well, it's been really enlightening to hear your perspectives on this stuff. And I hope we can do it again, because I'm having a lot of fun. And I'm learning through this conversation. So thank you very much for that. I want to make sure that people know how they can get involved with your thinking, how you'd like to be contacted, if somebody is inspired to reach out. George 41:38So my name is George Trachilis, they can go to georgetrachilis.com, they can contact me if they want to talk to me, or, you know, book me for a meeting and my calendars right there. That's the best way. Also, there's resources like the Harada Method I mentioned, you can go to finditgeorge.com, which is a great place that I'm building up now. And anybody can type something like A3, and they will have examples of A3s there. But if you type Harada, you'll get the five, five worksheets to use in the Harada Method. If you buy the book, I don't have anything to do with the book. But I promote the book. And those five worksheets are in there. So type Harada and download them for free. Tim 42:32Great, we'll make sure to put those links in the show notes so that everybody has quick access to them. One piece of advice from George Trachilis. George 42:40Yeah, and you know what I put it as a quote on my website, too. I've been where you are Tim, and I thought I've got so much to offer. You know, these executives, they just, sometimes they just don't see what I see. The key is to have an open enough relationship with these people where you can ask a question, and you ask a question to learn. And you can ask a question to teach. And in those situations, you're going to have to ask a question to teach, you're gonna have to figure out what that question is, that will allow you to not be offensive. Because Lord knows we can be offensive in what we're asking, and come across in a way that's very respectful, but gets your point across. But it's a question. They don't have to answer it. So many times. They're thinking short-term. And the question can simply be, are we thinking about the long term and the ramifications of doing this? Six months from now, versus what we get today? So, you know, I my quote was always just ask questions. Sooner or later, you'll become a teacher. Tim 43:56Once again, hey, thank you for for doing this. It was fantastic to spend some time with you. And we'll do it again. I'll talk to you real soon. Thank you so much for listening to Sweet on Leadership. If you found today's podcast valuable, consider visiting our website and signing up for the companion newsletter. You can find the link in the show notes. If like us, you think it's important to bring new ideas and skills into the practice of leadership. Please give us a positive rating and review on Apple podcasts. This helps us spread the word to other committed leaders. And you can spread the word to by sharing this with your friends, teams and colleagues. Thanks again for listening. And be sure to tune in in two weeks time for another episode of Sweet on Leadership. In the meantime, I'm your host, Tim sweet, encouraging you to keep on leading

Paul Akers is the founder of FastCap: a multi-million dollar company he and his wife started in their garage 13-years ago. Along the way he's established himself as an internationally renowned lean thinker, educator, and practitioner as well as being the author of the hugely influential book: 2-Second Lean. In today's episode we talk about: What 2-Second Lean is and how it can improve your business by 600% Why companies who do lean properly dwarf their competition The best kept secret of Japanese powerhouses like Toyota & Lexus Books he's read 10+ times The importance of going deep not wide Why Ireland is experiencing a lean-revolution The power of creating and visiting a “Learning Laboratory” Solving the “overfed, disobedient leadership problem” And the life-changing opportunity that happen every 30-days Check it out! Links: Book a Lean Made Simple Tour: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/book-a-tour Check out Paul's Books: https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean FastCap website: https://www.fastcap.com/

Ever felt bogged down by too much stuff? Let's find out about simpler living with Paul Akers! In this episode of the CMPS Podcast, we're diving into how to make things more straightforward and less messy. Here's what's inside: Paul's journey from carpentry to showing people how to simplify. A chat about his book "2-Second Lean" and why he felt the need to write it. The big idea behind Lean: Making tiny changes every day for a smoother life. Paul's top tips to tackle small daily hiccups. Using the Lean mindset in daily life, even outside of work. What if those around you don't understand the Lean way? Paul's advice. Where Paul sees the future of Lean thinking heading. Tune in for a refreshing conversation with Paul Akers. And don't forget to hit 'Subscribe' for more enlightening episodes from the CMPS Podcast. If you find value in our chat, give us a thumbs up and spread the word. Your backing keeps us going. Big thanks for joining our podcast family! BOOK A CALL WITH US    

“If you're not improving, you're in decline. When you're improving, you're staving off the aging process in many regards - mentally, spiritually, in every regard.”In this episode, we talk about the power of innovation and Lean thinking (or Kaizen) and Six Sigma. My guest and I discuss how he learned the strategic approach that focuses on dramatically improving flow in the value stream and eliminating waste, and how he applied it to his company - turning it into the huge success that it is today.Many of the listeners of this show will appreciate all the great tips from this conversation, especially for the business owners and business leaders out there as you'll find it is filled with actionable info that you can apply to your process right away!ABOUT OUR GUESTPaul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. FastCap was started in Paul's garage in 1997 when he simply “fixed what bugged him” and developed his first product: the Fastcap Cover Cap. From humble beginnings, and no MBA, FastCap has thousands of distributors worldwide in over 40 countries. Paul's intense curiosity on how things could be improved paved the way for him to become a prolific innovator and today he holds many US and International patents. FastCap launches approximately 20-30 innovative products per year and has won business of the year in 1999 and 2010. In June 2011 Paul won Seattle Business Magazine's prestigious Business Executive of the Year award. He wrote his first book, 2 Second Lean, about creating a fun, Lean culture, that is now available in 15 languages. In 2015, he wrote his 2nd book, Lean Health, in 2016, he wrote Lean Travel and in 2019, he wrote Lean Life and Banish Sloppiness. In 2016, Paul's book, 2 Second Lean, was recognized by the Shingo Institute and won the Research and Professional Publication Award.To learn more about Paul and his work, please visit:https://paulakers.net/https://www.youtube.com/@PaulaAkersABOUT OUR HOSTKen Eslick is an Entrepreneur, Author, Podcaster, Tony Robbins Trainer, Life Coach, Husband of 35+ Years, and Grandfather. Ken currently spends his time as the President & Founder of The Leaders Lab where he and his team focus on Senior Leadership Acquisition. They get founders the next level C-Suite Leaders they need to go from being an Inc. Magazine 5000 fastest growing company to $100,000,000 + in revenue. You can learn more about Ken and his team at theleaderslab.coListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/ken-eslick/

In episode 27 with speak with Paul Akers about their song Funeral.

We talk about simplicity all the time as part of the Way2Wealth® journey and today's guest has fully embraced this way of living. Paul Akers has championed the Lean approach in all aspects of life and it's not only led to success but also fulfillment and happiness. Today we'll learn more about his core values and the principles he uses to guide his work and relationships.    Join us on today's episode as we discuss these important topics and more: What is Lean and the story of how he came to fully understand it. (5:11) Why education is the foundation for a good life. (7:24) The benefits to putting Lean into an organization. (9:13) Life is about what you give, not what you get. (12:42) The story of being entrepreneur at a young age and saving for a car by 15. (16:50) How to apply Lean principles to business. (21:50) The one piece of advice he'd give on how to approach life. (27:00)   RESOURCES About our guest: https://paulakers.net/ More Episodes: https://www.theway2wealth.com/episodes/  More About Scott Ford: https://www.carsonwealth.com/team-members/scott-ford/   Securities offered through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through CWM, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC is under separate ownership from any other named entity. Carson Partners, a division of CWM, LLC, is a nationwide partnership of advisors. 19833 Leitersburg Pike, Suite 1 Hagerstown, MD 21742. Guests are not affiliated with Cetera Advisors Networks LLC, or CWM, LLC. Opinions expressed by the presenter may not be representative of Cetera Advisors Networks LLC, or CWM, LLC.

The average American worker (across industries) outputs about $150/hour worth of value a day. Our guest in this episode, Paul Akers, runs a company called Fastcap who's workers now output $500-$700 a day and are happier than when the company started. He's been so recognized for his work that he's been invited to speak and consult with companies like Mercedes Benz, Amazon, and the US Navy. So what's his secret sauce? It's a concept he stole from Toyota and applied to his business. He tells us only 2% of contractors ever ‘get it and he wants to share with those who will listen. Click the links below to learn how Paul has applied Toyota's methods to his business. - How LEAN production revolutionized the job site and the 8 areas where you can eliminate wasted time, material, costs - The state of the average job site in North America and why it's not where you want to be - How to apply LEAN principles to a contracting business model with specific examples - The "Quick Wins" you want to start with to see some immediate results - The best way to retrain your team to see the waste and what needs to happen to create an ongoing culture of continuous improvement - What to do about the team member that fights the change and get them totally bought in Watch the episode on PCA Overdrive PCA Overdrive is free for members. Not a member? Try our 30-day, free trial; $5.99/mo after. Download the app on the Apple Store or Google Play. Become a PCA member

Since 1997, Paul Akers has developed more than 800 products, growing FastCap into an 8-figure business. In this interview, we'll dig into his product development process and find out how to create a product that sells from one of the masters of the industry.Most people know Paul Akers as the mind behind the Lean movement. He introduced this innovative concept to the world with his first book, 2 Second Lean. Lean thinking is a part of everything Paul does, and that includes product development. In this interview, he'll focus on how he build FastCap into a powerhouse of successful new products. Today, Paul's talking through every step of his development process, from coming up with product ideas to researching their potential in the market and designing products that people want to buy. He'll also share tips to help you avoid common mistakes and improve your chances of getting your product to market.ResourcesPaul Akers website - Hear more insights from Paul and check out his books on his websiteFastCap - Explore the products Paul has designed and sells through his companyUpFlip blog - Find more actionable tips for entrepreneurs and business owners on our blog

Story of failure: Getting rejected by banks when we were first starting out asking for a $10,000 business loan.Hugh Carnahan is a finance enthusiast, investor, creator, and the head mustache at Hillbilly Millionarie! He's been featured on BiggerPockets and is the President and owner of Greater Ozarks Realty.  Hugh currently lives in the great state of Missouri.In today's episode, Hugh talks about:- military school from age 10-22- went to college, got a degree, and went into corporate America- moving to California and learning software and customer support- wheels falling off his marriage and coming back to manufacturing- learning all about 2 Second Lean and eliminating waste from his life- looking into buying solar panels and then pivoting into real estate- listening to BiggerPockets to learn real estate- buying 26 crack houses in north Springfield- successfully BRRR-ing several houses- the brand Hillbilly Millionaire and how he got there- scaling so quickly with 2 Second Lean- why his brand connects with people who feel left out- appealing to people with a sense of humor- smart people refuse to believe how simple 2 Second Lean can be- small changes over long periods of time moves mountains of waste- bringing 2 Second Lean to communist China- running the largest 2 Second Lean meeting in the world with 350 people- starting Greater Ozarks Realty and the first decentralized real estate company- process engineers instead of employees- respecting people and empowering the team to make changes themselves- rearranging a linen area and saving 114 miles per year, per employee- internet personalities, such as Brandon Turner and David Green, being mentors- Paul Akers being a mentor to him in 2 Second Lean- story of running his company in China, needing help, and what happened when Paul Akers showed up after reaching out to him- surpassing where most people quit- why Paul Akers blamed everything on him when they met- we can only go up from here!- tweaking the lens of a magnifying lens to shift the focus- why he fails 50-100 times a day and why he does this- fail fast, fail often- Bob Taylor (Paul's mentor) - “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.”- just try it to see if it works before doing something complicated- if I don't see failure, then I know something is wrong- how his biggest failure is his first marriage and why- red flags he brushed aside- learned a lot about himself and life through his failing marriage- compromising his career and blocking friends- learning to be highly selective, guarded, and humble- why the right people and communication is so important- givers and takers in life- if you want to be happy, get rid of the takers in your life- it's ok to be selective- changing the minds of human beings- you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink- what you're saying to givers if you keep takers on the team- stilwell paradox- holding out hope that you will prevail in the end while being able to look at the fact- how hobbies got him through his failed marriage- losing $40,000 because someone burned down a house- how ignoring the problem led to more problems- zooming out and knowing the regardless of the situation his team will prevail in the end- goal of scaling his YouTube past 1000 subscribers- writing a book on 2 Second Lean- the only real failure is not trying- Buy Rehab Rent Repeat - BRRR- BRRR'ing farmland and figuring out how to make it work- restoration agriculture- why land the size of Kansas needs to be converted to farmland- don't let commas scare you- following his vivid vision- why he wants everyone on his team to be millionaires and work less- being a 57 millionaire as a byproduct of growing and developing people- a millionaire adjusted for inflation- having just enough money and not too much- entertaining education channels- wearing an American flag speedo---------YouTube Channel - Hillbilly Millionairewww.hillbilly-millionaire.comInstagram - @hillbillymillionaire How to Retire in 3 Years (After MANY Mistakes) with Real Estate - BiggerPockets---------

To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP64 To download “LEAN in a nutshell” click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP64 To learn more about Paul Akers click here: https://paulakers.net/ To learn more about Fastcap click here: https://www.fastcap.com/ The average American worker (across industries) outputs about $150/hour worth of value a day.   Our guest in this episode, Paul Akers, runs a company called Fastcap who's workers now output $500-$700 a day and are happier than when the company started. He's been so recognized for his work that he's been invited to speak and consult with companies like Mercedes Benz, Amazon, and the US Navy. So what's his secret sauce? It's a concept he stole from Toyota and applied to his business. He tells us only 2% of contractors ever ‘get it' and he wants to share with those who will listen. Episode highlights: How LEAN production revolutionized the job site and the 8 areas where you can eliminate wasted time, material, costs The state of the average job site in North America and why it's not where you want to be How to apply LEAN principles to a contracting business model with specific examples The "Quick Wins" you want to start with to see some immediate results The best way to retrain your team to see the waste and what needs to happen to create an ongoing culture of continuous improvement What to do about the team member that fights the change and get them totally bought in  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP64 To download “LEAN in a nutshell” click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP64 To learn more about Paul Akers click here: https://paulakers.net/ To learn more about Fastcap click here: https://www.fastcap.com/ The average American worker (across industries) outputs about $150/hour worth of value a day.   Our guest in this episode, Paul Akers, runs a company called Fastcap who's workers now output $500-$700 a day and are happier than when the company started. He's been so recognized for his work that he's been invited to speak and consult with companies like Mercedes Benz, Amazon, and the US Navy. So what's his secret sauce? It's a concept he stole from Toyota and applied to his business. He tells us only 2% of contractors ever ‘get it' and he wants to share with those who will listen. Episode highlights: How LEAN production revolutionized the job site and the 8 areas where you can eliminate wasted time, material, costs The state of the average job site in North America and why it's not where you want to be How to apply LEAN principles to a contracting business model with specific examples The "Quick Wins" you want to start with to see some immediate results The best way to retrain your team to see the waste and what needs to happen to create an ongoing culture of continuous improvement What to do about the team member that fights the change and get them totally bought in See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Due to my travel schedule this week, I wanted to share a throwback to a conversation I had with Paul Akers this past year. Paul is an author, entrepreneur and the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. In this episode, Paul and I go over how Lean can be applied to improve your work environment and why you need to focus on small consistent changes when trying to make improvements. What You'll Learn This Episode: How Lean helped Paul in Ironman FastCap and the inspiration behind the company The importance of listening to customers Making time to fix what's bothering you 2 second improvement and why it's simple The inspiration behind Paul's videos What it takes to be a good leader in an organization with Lean culture Paul's advice for someone just starting on their Lean journey About the Guest: Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. FastCap was started in Paul's garage in 1997 when he simply “fixed what bugged him” and developed his first product: the Fastcap Cover Cap. From humble beginnings, and no MBA, FastCap has thousands of distributors worldwide in over 40 countries. Paul's intense curiosity on how things could be improved paved the way for him to become a prolific innovator and today he holds many US and International patents. FastCap launches approximately 20-30 innovative products per year and has won business of the year in 1999 and 2010. In June 2011 Paul won Seattle Business Magazine's prestigious Business Executive of the Year award. He wrote his first book, 2 Second Lean, about creating a fun, Lean culture, that is now available in 15 languages. In 2015, he wrote his 2nd book, Lean Health, in 2016, he wrote Lean Travel and in 2019, he wrote Lean Life and Banish Sloppiness. In 2016, Paul's book, 2 Second Lean, was recognized by the Shingo Institute and won the Research and Professional Publication Award. Important Links: https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean https://paulakers.net/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/2-second-lean-play/id1503694993 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.leanplay --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/leansolutions/support

Join David Allen for a wide-ranging talk with Paul Akers. You'll learn that when Paul refers to himself as a carpenter, it's quite an understatement. He's a master woodworker (watch the video version to fully appreciate this), who also founded FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. His interest in lean manufacturing led him to apply those principles to other areas, including health. His next book will be called Lean Life. You can contact him through his website, paulakers.net. (Originally published in August of 2018 on GTD Connect®)

Welcome to the #1 book review podcast on the planet! On this week's episode we have the fastcap legend and author of 2 Second lean Paul Akers. Paul was a c and d student growing up, but managed to build a company that sells billions of products every year and is worth a massive amount of money. You may ask, how can a guy with terrible grades in school manage to be so successful? Well it's simple and that's the topic of today. Enjoy the show  Buy this week's book here!  https://amzn.to/3LDuRxSWrite me a review on APPLE PODCAST I will be eternally grateful! New Ep every Monday! Shoot me an email! EMAIL TheBookofTheWeekPodcast@gmail.com Instagram @jonkalian Tweet me @jonkalian  Clubhouse @JonthanPortukalian 

Hello, Granger Forson here again with this week's episode of ScaleUp Radio, where I'm speaking to Tom Hughes co-founder of GembaDocs and 3rd Digital and partner of Lumen Electronics.   Tom's journey was already a fascinating one before he even started GembaDocs, but his scale up journey since then is a great story, and definitely one that all other business owners can learn from.   The conversation was pretty wide-ranging, and we covered a lot of ground including:    - You need to experience failure, to make you realise how great the successes are  - Follow the advice that an experienced business owner gives you, and don't let pride get in the way  -  The best marketing is making an incredible product that your clients want; they talk about it and do the marketing for you, meaning that you don't have to spend money marketing it!   As you'll hear, Tom is a great talker and has so much value and experience to pass on to you, whatever industry your in - and whatever stage of the scale up journey you're at.       Tom can be found here:   linkedin.com/in/tom-hughes-7222562   https://3rddigital.com/   +44 07712 133615 (WhatsApp or Messages)     Resources   Paul Akers - https://paulakers.net/   Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda - https://www.waterstones.com/book/autobiography-of-a-yogi/paramahansa-yogananda/9780876120798   Awareness by Anthony DeMello - https://www.waterstones.com/book/awareness/anthony-demello/9780006275190   The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer - https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-untethered-soul/michael-a-singer/9781572245372   The ScaleX Insider with Brendan McGurgan - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scalex-insider-podcast/id1566729230   Signal - https://signal.org/   GembaDocs - https://gembadocs.com/   WhatsApp - https://www.whatsapp.com/   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/ Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.   You can get in touch with Granger here: grangerf@biz-smart.co.uk  

In this episode, Paul Akers, Founder, and President of FastCap, which began in Paul's garage in 1997, author of five books, speaker, Lean maniac, two-time ironman, and instrument-rated pilot, discusses his path and experiences. He emphasized the four improvement criteria, which are safety, quality, simplicity, and speed. Paul discussed how he implements lean principles in both his professional and personal life.   https://theleaneffectpodcast.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheLeanEffectPodcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/272448766629082/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-lean-effect-podcast/ Insta: @theleaneffectpodcast Twitter @EffectLean Guest: Paul Akers https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulakers/ paul@fastcap.com Host: Mark Dejong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-de-jong-investor-lean-advisor-0288695/ Mark@4ppartners.ca https://www.4ppartners.ca Phone: 1-778-807-9691

In Groundhog Day (1993), Bill Murray plays a hapless weather man reliving the same day over and over again until he gets it right. In Deathloop (2021), Colt Vaugn is also reliving the same day ... until he can kill seven evil geniuses and 'break the loop'. (To clarify, this is a video game I'm playing.) In both cases, living the same 24 hours again and again gives the characters the chance to learn, improve and win. What seemed impossible eventually becomes routine. The best real world example of this in my life may be learning to drive. The point, of course, is that incremental improvements make a huge difference to our lives if they are compounded. Paul Akers, the author of 2 Second Lean, asks his team to make one improvement every day ... something that will save them 2 seconds tomorrow. This morning, I made my 2 second improvement. What about you? Episode home: https://StoriesMeanBusiness.com/podcast/851:-Groundhog-Day-Meets-Deathloop

Paul Akers, the author of 2 Second Lean and business expert on lean manufacturing, discusses how to start a business in today's world. Paul has taken his business from $0 to  $10MM per year. One of the biggest pieces of advice he gives is excellence over growth. This should be the main goal of a CEO to keep his/her business more profitable.Today, we'll gain insights for navigating the very difficult path to starting a business. You can learn more about Paul and how to start a business on his website. Also, make sure to follow UpFlip on Instagram and Twitter to find out about our latest episodes.

This week on the podcast, I'm speaking with Paul Akers. Paul is an author, entrepreneur and the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. In this episode, Paul and I go over how Lean can be applied to improve your work environment and why you need to focus on small consistent changes when trying to make improvements. What You'll Learn This Episode: How Lean helped Paul in Ironman FastCap and the inspiration behind the company The importance of listening to customers Making time to fix what's bothering you 2 second improvement and why it's simple The inspiration behind Paul's videos What it takes to be a good leader in an organization with Lean culture Paul's advice for someone just starting on their Lean journey About the Guest: Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. FastCap was started in Paul's garage in 1997 when he simply “fixed what bugged him” and developed his first product: the Fastcap Cover Cap. From humble beginnings, and no MBA, FastCap has thousands of distributors worldwide in over 40 countries. Paul's intense curiosity on how things could be improved paved the way for him to become a prolific innovator and today he holds many US and International patents. FastCap launches approximately 20-30 innovative products per year and has won business of the year in 1999 and 2010. In June 2011 Paul won Seattle Business Magazine's prestigious Business Executive of the Year award. He wrote his first book, 2 Second Lean, about creating a fun, Lean culture, that is now available in 15 languages. In 2015, he wrote his 2nd book, Lean Health, in 2016, he wrote Lean Travel and in 2019, he wrote Lean Life and Banish Sloppiness. In 2016, Paul's book, 2 Second Lean, was recognized by the Shingo Institute and won the Research and Professional Publication Award. Important Links: https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean https://paulakers.net/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/2-second-lean-play/id1503694993 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.leanplay --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/leansolutions/support

Paul Akers, author of 2 Second Lean, opens up about how he went from manufacturing his first product in his garage at night, to running a business bringing in $10MM/yr. Paul's biggest advice to business owners (large and small) is to remember that a business's most valuable resource is not the money, but the people. Today, we'll learn how to efficiently run a business, including ways to nurture and grow your employees, which in turn increases profit. You can learn more about Paul and Lean Manufacturing techniques on his website.

Howdy Ags! Today we are joined by CEO of JB Knowledge, James Benham ‘01. James breaks down his humble beginnings in coding, how he started his software company, his ultimate hack, and much more. We appreciate James for taking the time to sit down and talk with us, and we hope you reach out to him and get connected!   Please leave us a rating and review and we'll see you next time. Thanks and Gig ‘em!

Product owners see and deal with a lot of waste. It's almost everywhere. In our products, our process, our teams, our daily lives. The struggle is not only in how to eliminate or at least reduce the waste, it's how to get others to know and look for the waste as well. In this episode we will look at what are the 8 wastes from a Lean perspective and what can you do about them. Check out some of the great materials in the links for ways to learn to see the waste and why seeing it is so important. Feedback: twitter - @deliveritcast email - deliveritcast@gmail.com Links: PO Coaching and Consulting - seek taiju Paul Akers - 2 sec lean  Kent Beck - XP Explained  Fluid UI - 21 perfect examples of waste in Lean Product Development  Learnovative - How to manage the 7 wastes if agile software development  Alyssa Knoll - The power of good enough  Scrum Alliance - In search of the perfect product owner 

Paul Akers is the Founder and President of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for professional builders. FastCap was started in Paul's garage in 1997 and now services a wide array of clients, distributing to over 40 countries. Based in Washington state, FastCap launches over 30 new, innovative products per year and is regarded as a model Lean manufacturer. In addition to these achievements, Paul has written five books on the subject of Lean and traveled the world to speak in over 70 countries. In 2011, Paul won Seattle Business Magazine's prestigious “Business Executive of the Year” award. Outside of his work, Paul loves to surf, run, swim, bike, and he's a two time ironman. He has also summited Mount Kilimanjaro and trekked to the Everest Base Camp. In this episode… What's the secret to living a prosperous, joyful life? Entrepreneur, author, and speaker Paul Akers has traveled the world and built up a successful business, and he's here to share his strategies for being a great leader and living a happier life. According to Paul, the best way to have a life filled with joy is to start giving back. No matter who you are or what your career path is, you should always strive to improve the lives of others. What are the steps to do so? Learn from your peers and mentors, avoid egocentric leadership, and seek out opportunities to support others. So, how can you use Paul's advice to change the way you live life right now? In this episode of the Multiply You Podcast, Austin Clark is joined by Paul Akers, Founder and President of FastCap, to talk about leading a generous life. Paul shares how he grew his business, what he has learned — and continues to learn — from others, and the steps you can take to become an outstanding leader and contribute to the happiness of others. Stay tuned!

Tuvimos el placer de sentarnos a hablar con, "lean maniac", Paul Akers. Paul es fundador de Fastcap, emprendedor, author, entre otras cosas más. En este episodio, en el cual vuelve Carlos Jimenez de Yeespr con nosotros, entramos de lleno en Lean, como ejecutarlo en las compañías, cómo crear un cultura y cómo llevarlo en el día a día de nuestras vidas. Paul es de las personas más transparentes, humildes y sabias que puedes conocer. Ha viajado el mundo, y sueña con cambiarlo, usando Lean. Recomendamos su libro "2 second lean", donde pueden aprender un más sobre él y sus prácticas.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/efulfillmentcenterpr/ | www.facebook.com/brandsofpuertoricoInstagram: @efulfillmentcenter | @brandsofpuertorico |https://brandsofpuertorico.com/en/

Durch die sinkenden Fall-Zahlen und abnehmenden Corona-Einschränkungen ist es wieder möglich Betriebssport zu machen. Aus diesem Grund möchte ich über die Ressource Mensch, mit Körper und Geist sprechen. In welchem Verhältnis stehen die Investitionen für die Pflege von Maschinen und Betriebsgüter zu der Gesundheit von Dir selbst und den Kollegen? Das Buch "Lean Health" von Paul Akers findest Du unter www.2secondlean.com - Beitrag von Stephan Löttgen / www.loettgen.com / LinkedIn.loettgen.com / www.stommel-haus.de / www.herzblut-bande.de - #stommelhausakademie #aenderewasdichnervt #lean #2secondlean #leaveitbetterthenyoufoundit #hinundzurueck #stommelhaus #einhauswieeinbaum #stephanloettgen #communityofpractice #herzblutbande

Introduction of the author, Paul Akers. (1:40) What is a lean? (4:03) 8 main areas of lean. (5:55) The Lean bonus area. (10:11) Overall book review and rating. (12:19) Quotable Moments “90% of what we do is waste.” – Martin “If your whole team every day is making small improvements, at the end of the year you're going to be a more efficient company than you were at the start.” - Martin “Whatever it is that bugs you, you find a way to improve it. It might take you 10 minutes. It might take you an hour to achieve the two-second lean, but you've saved two seconds every day for the rest of the time you're in business.” - Martin “Waste is like gravity… it pulls at you 24/7. If you don't have a system to overcome it, you're going to lose and it's going to win.” – Martin “Waste is everywhere once you learn to spot it.” - Martin “Small gains result in massive improvements.” - Martin Resources Check us out on Youtube Follow us on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram Subscribe to our newsletter, The Countdown Have questions? Email us! More from Martin theprofitproblem.com annealbc.com    martin@anealbc.com  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram More from Khalil benali.com  khalil@benali.com LinkedIn Facebook Instagram More from The Cashflow Contractor Ask Us A Question Sign Up For A Free Consultation thecashflowcontractor.com  info@thecashflowcontractor.com LinkedIn Facebook Instagram

Nature does an excellent job of eliminating waste; humans have a propensity to create waste. As leaders, there are resources at your disposal, and you have a calling to use those resources in an efficient manner, but you need to start with yourself. This week Paul joins Alex to discuss Lean, 3S, and the 8 types of waste. Paul Akers is an entrepreneur, business owner, author, speaker, Lean maniac! He is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company with distribution in over 40 countries. FastCap, based in Ferndale, Washington, launches 30+ new innovative products each year and is regarded as a model Lean manufacturer. 8 types of waste: Overproduced Transport Inventory Defect Overprocess Excess motion Waiting Wasted potential Connect with Paul Akers on: 2 Second Lean App PaulAkers.net LinkedIn or contact him on WhatsApp or Voxer +1 (360) 941-3748 Our whole team is rooting for you. We want to see you win!  Remember, my strength is not for me; your strength is not for you; our strength is for service. Please Rate, Review, Subscribe, and Share! Sign up for the Worth it Wednesday Email Join us on Instagram and Facebook

the 2 second lean is about improving things you do every day in your business and personal life. it an amazing book!! enjoy the show!  THANKS FOR LISTENING!  WRITE A REVEIW & SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE!____________________________________________________FIND ME ON:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/jonkalian/TWTTER | https://twitter.com/jonkalianFACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/officialjonkalianYOUTUBE | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkBdNKFWthtg4Z7MW2BZEfg/ #thebookoftheweekpodcast#jonathanportukalian ______________________________________________________________________

Episode: 137 Hugh Carnahan Join your hosts, David Pere and Alex Felice, with their guest Hugh Carnahan as they talk about his crazy first deal, the 2-second lean method, experience increasing a hotel's cap rate, and the overall mentality that has lead him to his many incredible successes with investing.   From Hugh's first experience, he has gotten himself into fascinating situations with the properties he's acquired. One of those is becoming his own competitor in a neighborhood wherein he owns multiple houses in a single street. This advantage gives him something that any investor looking to scale would want for themselves, the ability to reinvent your location's value.   In this episode, we will hear Hugh's whole experience on that and on how he leverages other people's abilities. For anyone who is starting in real estate, Hugh emphasizes the importance of creating connections. As an investor who's been there, for him, there is courage in knowing that you're not alone in this community and that whatever you try, you have people who will have your back.   About Hugh Carnahan:   After serving for over five years in the Army, Darren has spent the last seventeen years buying and selling real estate around the country. His true passion is helping people with their homes no matter their situation and then helping the neighborhood by fixing up the homes he can buy.   His dedication to the credence that "Every Seller Must Benefit!" is the guiding force that has allowed "Sell My House to Smith" to grow into the premier home buyer in El Paso and Pueblo counties. Darren's most significant achievement has been to surround himself with an incredible team of industry and military veterans who are every bit as passionate about helping people as he is, not doing it yourself, leverage other people's experiences,   Outline of the episode:   [01:55] 26 houses for the 1st [06:35] Rediscovering a stock investment placed in a company. [09:33] The lessons of acquiring 26 houses. [12:12] Scale and lock-in on every corner of the neighborhood. [18:08] The 2-Second Lean Process. [19:46] "Train them to be specialists and set guidelines." [21:57] What does preparation allow you to do? [26:08] A lean principle for every real estate investor. [32:07] Care about your success. [40:40] Think of your investment as if you're running a business. - Advice to an 18-20-year old: Buy “Set For Life” by Scott Trench. Get a Pre-nup, and don't marry into red flags! - Recommended resource(s): 2 second lean! - Sponsor: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/teachable-rei   Resources:   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Carhug2012/featured   Need help in finding an investor-friendly realtor? Check out: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/va-realtor/   Join The War Room Real Estate Mastermind Group: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/start-here/   Set for Life Book by Scott Trench: https://www.amazon.com/Set-Life-Dominate-American-Dream/dp/0997584718   2 Second Lean Book by Paul Akers: https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean   Check out David Pere on Bigger Pockets: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/USMC3140   Bigger Pockets Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcast   Follow our journey:   Blog:                      https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/ YouTube:             https://www.youtube.com/c/Frommilitarytomillionaire/ Facebook:           https://www.facebook.com/groups/1735593999901619/ Instagram:          https://www.instagram.com/frommilitarytomillionaire/   - Real Estate Investing Course: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/teachable-rei Recommended books and tools: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/kit/ Become an investor: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/investor/ - SUBSCRIBE: https://bit.ly/2Q3EvfE - Website: https://www.frommilitarytomillionaire.com/start-here/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frommilitarytomillionaire/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/militarymillionaire/ - My name is David Pere, I am an active duty Marine, and have realized that service members and the working class use the phrase "I don't get paid enough" entirely too often. The reality is that most often our financial situation is self-inflicted. After having success with real estate investing, I started From Military to Millionaire to teach personal finance and real estate investing to service members and the working class. As a result, I have helped many of my readers increase their savings gap, and increase their chances of achieving financial freedom! - Click here to SUBSCRIBE: https://bit.ly/2Q3EvfE to the channel for more awesome videos! THIS SITE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE MY OWN. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS SITE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR OR THE AUTHOR'S INVITED GUEST POSTERS, AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE US GOVERNMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, OR THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.

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Putting the customer first is the ultimate philosophy of Paul Akers' entrepreneurial ventures. He joins The Edge to talk about how to change people's behavior in the workplace for more efficiency and value add.

On this week's show, Paul Akers shares day 6 of the reunion between his Mom (Elizabeth), who is 95, and her two sisters (Helen & Dawn). The post Sisters' Reunion Day 6 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

On this week's show, Paul Akers shares day 5 of the reunion between his Mom (Elizabeth), who is 95, and her two sisters (Helen & Dawn). The post Sisters' Reunion Day 5 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

Paul is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. FastCap was started in Paul’s garage in 1997 when he simply “fixed what bugged him” and developed his first product: the Fastcap Cover Cap. From humble beginnings, and no MBA, FastCap has thousands of distributors worldwide in over 40 countries. He is also the author of many books, including “2 Second Lean”.

On this week's show, Paul Akers shares day 4 of the reunion between his Mom (Elizabeth), who is 95, and her two sisters (Helen & Dawn). The post Sisters' Reunion Day 4 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

As the Ambassador of Manufacturing at Cambridge Air, Tony Spielberg builds relationships, guiding business development for the company. With his extensive knowledge and expertise on the subject, Tony sits down with SensrTrx CEO, Bryan Sapot, to talk about workforce development. Why is it important and how do you start? In his previous role as CEO of BCI Packaging, Tony took a special interest in workforce development because of the unique workforce he managed - adults with disabilities. He was able to transform the organization, learning lessons, and providing guidance along the way. A couple of takeaways on how Tony built a lean culture when he was CEO of BCI: 1. Tony and a small team read 2 Second Lean from Paul Akers. 2. The team started improving processes, taking videos and sharing them with employees at BCI. 3. The team recruited other employees to participate in this process. 4. Implemented daily meetings with the entire company. 5. Employees started asking to help and share their own improvements. At the end, learn what Tony believes will change in manufacturing as a direct result of Covid-19. During this episode, Tony mentions a number of books and publications which can be found through the links below: 2 Second Lean: How to Grow People and Build a Fun Lean Culture by Paul Akers The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick M. Lencioni The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon Manufacturing Today Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles From the World's Great Manufacturer by Jeffrey Liker If you would like to talk with Tony (or learn more about daily meetings), he can be contacted by email on LinkedIn or through the Cambridge Air website. Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!

On this week's show, Paul Akers shares day 3 of the reunion between his Mom (Elizabeth), who is 95, and her two sisters (Helen & Dawn). The post Sisters' Reunion Day 3 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

Show Notes Best Thing You've Seen This Week (0:54) Misconceptions about what “Lean” is and how Jeff got started with Lean in his shop. (4:27) Story of the Show — How to get your employees invested in going Lean. (7:40) The WHY of Lean — Waste is all around. Little changes can really start to add up to help you tackle that waste. (17:52) “Lower the water” to find the rocks that are slowing down your workflow. (Customers pay for your product, not the waste you create in the process. Lower the water to find the waste!) (21:55) Here's why it's beneficial to involve your employees in the brainstorm and decision-making process. (24:17) 6 ways that Lean adds value to your business. (26:20) A great byproduct of Lean: lower employee turnover, plus employees referring great people to work for you. (34:03) How has Lean affected the quality of Jeff's product? (41:34) Systemizing the shop with Lean. (49:13) How Lean can get you off the shop floor to start working ON your business. (54:26) How has Lean changed Jeff's life — in and out of the shop? (Spoiler: He took a month-long vacation with his family!) (57:31) Tool of the Day (1:03:29) Are You Smart Enough? In today's quiz, we'll find out if Jeff is a Lean expert or not. (1:07:33) One Thing (1:10:08) Story of the Show — How did things end with the employee who was resistant to change? (1:11:11) Recap of the Show (1:12:34) Tool of the Week Kaizen foam  2 Second Lean by Paul Akers (get it for FREE at this link) Quotable Moments “It's more about continuous improvement, identifying and eliminating waste, and at the core for me is just adding value for your customer.” — J “It's got to be a culture thing, it's not going to be a “task.” If it's a task, it's not going to stick.” — K “It's a continuous process. So, for me now, that's just ingrained in the culture. That's just part of what we do.” — J “If you feel like you're being invested in, you're going to have more investment in [your job]. — K “You totally underestimate how much it costs to train employees because the actual cost of training an employee is probably not that much. The cost on the business, however, is huge because you're sucking time from whoever's training them.” — J “I would imagine that 90% of shop owners out there don't realize how important systems are to the actual dollar value of your business.” — K Resources Ooni Pizza Oven The Carbonaro Effect PTP E006: Lean for Dummies with Paul Akers Jeff's SOP Template More from Jeff Jeff's articles about the cabinet industry Learn more about Ultimate Cabinet Components Get in touch with Jeff Finney LinkedIn More from Khalil benali.com  khalil@benali.com LinkedIn Facebook Instagram More from The Push Thru Podcast Join a Mastermind group! Subscribe to our newsletter Instagram Twitter

In this episode of The Ikigai Podcast, I interview Paul Akers about his latest book, Banish Sloppiness. Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. Paul is an energetic speaker whose core passion is helping people discover their full potential and showing others how to implement Lean in their business and personal life.   As you would expect, Paul is also passionate about Japan and teaches people the philosophy of Japan through his Japan study missions. Paul and I had a great conversation about how lean manufacturing, precision, and Japanese culture changed his life.

Brad Cairns is the energetic face behind The Center for Lean Learning and Best Damn Doors. His unique outlook and experience with Lean is something we can all learn from not only as manufacturers, but more importantly as leaders. This episode of the Push Thru Podcast is sponsored by IWF Atlanta 2018 Use the code UCPD18 at registration to receive a discount! Register Here: http://bit.ly/2lMPgGfLinks: For more on The Center for Lean Learning: http://bit.ly/2EtvCeoFor more on Best Damn Doors: http://bit.ly/2EFqkvTTo get in contact with Brad Cairns: brad@bestdamndoors.caTo get Voxer: http://bit.ly/2n0NOBsTo get Trello: http://bit.ly/2pJp1FJFor 2 Second Lean by Paul Akers: http://bit.ly/2BFl7hVFor The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni: http://amzn.to/2CmvrvGFor The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey: http://amzn.to/2o1boOOFor The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt: http://amzn.to/2EtJm9gFor great articles on the Cabinet Industry: http://bit.ly/2lg7UpATo learn more about Ultimate Cabinet Components: http://bit.ly/2lwT5QwTo get in contact with Jeff Finney: http://bit.ly/2BZbzTZ

CEO of Lewis Cabinet Specialties, Bobby Lewis brings his unique perspective about how he motivates his work force and drives amazing growth to their business. He truly believes if you don't put people first, ahead of profits, then you are going to have a hard time achieving success.Links:For more on Lewis Cabinets: http://bit.ly/lewiscabinetTo get in contact with Bobby Lewis: bobby@lewiscabinet.comTo learn more about Zapier: http://bit.ly/2Gz6510For 2 Second Lean by Paul Akers: http://bit.ly/2BFl7hVFor great articles on the Cabinet Industry: http://bit.ly/2lg7UpATo learn more about Ultimate Cabinet Components: http://bit.ly/2lwT5QwTo get in contact with Jeff Finney: http://bit.ly/2BZbzTZ

Our interview with Paul scrapes the surface on Lean Manufacturing, but every piece of advice from Paul is something you can start working on today to improve your business, your health, and your life. His advice to all business owners is to become passionate hillbillies that stay humble in all circumstances. Don't settle for where you are today.Links:For more on FastCap: http://bit.ly/2rwLCq6To learn more about Voxer: http://bit.ly/2n0NOBsFor American Icon by Alan Mulally: http://amzn.to/2n2PmuRFor The Elegant Solution by Matthew May: http://amzn.to/2DEFoJLFor great articles on the Cabinet Industry: http://bit.ly/2lg7UpATo learn more about Ultimate Cabinet Components: http://bit.ly/2lwT5QwTo get in contact with Jeff Finney: http://bit.ly/2BZbzTZ

  Paul Akers is founder and president of FastCap LLC, based in Bellingham, WA. FastCap is an international product development company founded in 1997 with over 2000 distributors worldwide. A prolific inventor, Paul holds US and international patents. His company, FastCap, launches approximately 20 new innovative products per year and has won business of the year […]