The Lean Advantage: Building Smarter Systems and Stronger Teams, 491

In this powerful installment of the Machine Shop MBA series, we welcome two guests who embody the heart of continuous improvement: Noah Goellner, President of AME and Hennig, and Nick DeGeorgia, Manufacturing Engineer at P1 Industries. What starts as a story of one listener's journey—from cutting chips to becoming a lean champion—evolves into a masterclass on how lean thinking transforms not just the shop floor, but every function of an organization. Nick shares how MakingChips inspired him to bring process improvement into his career, using whiteboards, kaizen events, and a relentless focus on reducing waste to reshape his company culture. We also break down how lean applies far beyond machining—into quoting, engineering, office workflows, and even sales strategy. They unpack how to start small, gain buy-in, and build trust that leads to sustained results. From Kanban systems to complete-and-accurate feedback loops, this conversation bridges the gap between concept and practice. Whether you're a shop leader, engineer, or business owner, this episode offers a blueprint for turning lean from a buzzword into a daily habit that drives clarity, collaboration, and growth. Segments (0:00) A Goellner family introduction and a musical interlude gone wrong (1:36) Meet Nick DeGeorgia — how MakingChips inspired his lean journey (5:25) Moving from a large OEM to a small contract manufacturer (7:02) Come see us at the Top Shops 2025 event in Charlotte, NC! (7:28) Reintroducing Noah and how lean shaped AME and Hennig's company culture (8:45) Paul's lean journey: ISO, standardization, kaizen newspapers, and cutting waste (10:31) Defining lean — eliminating waste vs. maximizing flow of value (12:38) Where to start: applying lean based on your role and customer definition (18:19) Process success mapping: starting at the end to define what success looks like (20:31) Using "complete and accurate" feedback to fix systemic process issues (21:15) Why you should use Hire MFG Leaders for recruiting (21:42) How to gain buy-in when you're not in leadership (22:31) Mapping processes and linking operations to customer outcomes (23:10) Implementing "no hunting" and Kanban systems at P1 Industries (26:12) P1's Kanban system explained (visual signaling for just-in-time replenishment) (29:30) Building trust and reliability so teams want to surface problems (30:30) Level 1 meetings, rewarding problem identification, and closing the loop on improvement (35:14) "Lean isn't magic—it's discipline in the basics." (36:00) How ProShop embeds lean principles across the manufacturing workflow (41:53) Top lean book recommendations and building a lean network (44:41) Final reflections: staying humble, staying curious, and sticking to the basics (49:37) Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) Resources mentioned on this episode Come see us at the Top Shops 2025 event in Charlotte, NC! Why you should use Hire MFG Leaders for recruiting 2 Second Lean Toyota Kata The Toyota Way The Goal Learning to See Managing to Learn The Kind Leader The E Myth Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube