Automating the Paper Trail in Manufacturing - Lonni Kieffer, Co-Founder & COO, Aramid Technologies

SmartCert tackles the complex world of manufacturing documentation - every bolt that goes into an airplane needs a complete "birth certificate" proving its origins, manufacturing process, and compliance standards. For decades, this critical process has been manual and paper-based, creating bottlenecks and errors throughout supply chains from small manufacturers to Boeing and Airbus.🔻 Key Topics Covered→ Digitizing decades-old manufacturing documentation processes→ Building a network of 3,000+ companies across supply chains→ The strategic decision to relocate from Phoenix to Wisconsin→ Change management when transforming traditional industries→ AI integration in document processing and compliance checking→ TitletownTech partnership and Green Bay's manufacturing ecosystem→ Scaling from individual companies to enterprise supply chain solutions🔻 Segments00:00 - Introduction00:22 - SmartCert's Mission: From Paper Chaos to Digital Efficiency02:56 - Multi-Departmental Workflows and Implementation Challenges07:30 - Origin Story: Living the Problem in Sales10:00 - Building the Right Team and Finding Talent12:52 - Phoenix to Green Bay: The Reverse Migration Story15:54 - Work-Life Balance and Midwest Advantages19:49 - Titletown Tech Partnership and Ecosystem Support24:23 - Manufacturing Proximity and Customer Relationships28:23 - AI Implementation and Industry Education33:16 - Customer Success Stories and Paper Savings36:45 - The Future: Enterprise Adoption and Supply Chain Transformation38:00 - Advice for Founders Considering Smaller Tech Hubs🔻 About Lonni KiefferAs Co-Founder and COO of Aramid Technologies, Lonni is focused on transforming traceability, documentation, and collaboration for every company across critical supply chains. She leads operations and the customer experience, ensuring that SmartCert — the company’s flagship platform — delivers measurable value and solves real-world challenges. With expertise spanning data analytics, onboarding, support, and strategic growth, Lonni is committed to building seamless, scalable solutions that help businesses thrive in a complex and competitive landscape.🔻 Connect with Lonni on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lonni-kieffer/🔻 About SmartCertSmartCert is a SaaS platform that digitizes and automates supply chain documentation for manufacturing industries. The company creates networks that eliminate bottlenecks, reduce errors, and automate critical compliance processes for aerospace, electronics, and manufacturing companies.https://smartcert.tech/🔻 Resources MentionedTitletown Techhttps://titletowntech.com/Microsoft Co-Innovation Labhttps://news.microsoft.com/2023/11/15/microsoft-announces-new-co-innovation-lab-in-milwaukee/Wisconsin Economic Summithttps://www.wedc.org/programs-and-resources/business-development/wisconsin-economic-summit/ Podcast SponsorValency FundFlexible funding solutions designed for sustainable growth of Wisconsin companies.Learn more at https://www.valencyfund.com/🔻 Connect With Us 🔻Subscribe to the Startup Wisconsin Newsletterhttps://www.startupwi.org/Upcoming Tech and Startup Events in Wisconsin (400+ every year)https://www.startupwi.org/eventsFollow us on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wisconsin/Connect with Jacob Miller:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kineticbearInterested in being a guest? Reach [email protected] Wisconsin's mission is to connect, educate, inspire, and grow tech startup communities across the state, not just during events, but year-round. This podcast is part of that vision, creating deeper connections and sharing the knowledge that helps Wisconsin's startup ecosystem thrive.This podcast is made by your friends at Headway.https://www.headway.io