PODCAST · business
Irregardless
by Bryzos
Irregardless. Debated word. Undebatable energy. Hosted by Shep Hickey, CEO of Bryzos, Irregardless is the no-filter podcast where the metals industry kicks back and speaks freely. From steel market trends and tech to wild stories and left-field tangents, this show brings real talk with real people from all corners of the industry—and beyond. But we don’t stop there. Expect discussions on leadership, startups, entrepreneurship, and the unpredictable paths that connect it all. It’s brought to you by the team behind Bryzos—the digital marketplace built for the metals world. We’re on a mission to bring speed, transparency, and zero BS to buying and selling metals. No script. No fluff. Irregardless of the topic, we’re gonna talk about it. Check out the app and join the community at Bryzos.com
Episodes
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58: Codie Aljets Pt. 2 - He Beat Cancer and Built Something Bigger
In Part 2, Codie opens up about the moment that changed everything. A cancer diagnosis at 39 forced him to rethink what he was doing with his time and who he was doing it for. It's the reason he left the fire department, went all in on metal art, and built Sage Country Customs into what it is...
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57: Codie Aljets Pt. 1 - From Birthday Cakes to High Detail Metal Art
Codie Aljets, metal sculptor and owner of Sage Country Customs out of Gunnison, Colorado, joins Shep to dig into how he got here. Codie grew up in Dorsey, Illinois, a town of about 150 people, where his family ran a mechanic and body shop. He was always drawn to the creative side of that world…
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56: Chad Broyles - Service Center by Trade, Tech Company by Choice
Chad Broyles, Executive Vice President of Majestic Steel USA, sits down with Shep to talk about what it actually means to be a technology-first company in the steel industry. Majestic is a nearly 50-year-old, family-owned service center with nine locations across the U.S., but Chad says what sets...
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55: Philip Bell Pt. 2 - Trades, Technology, & The American Template
Part 2 of Shep's conversation with Philip Bell, President and CEO of the Steel Manufacturers Association. They zoom out from the mill floor and get into the bigger picture: what AI actually threatens, who it threatens first, and where the line is between opportunity and disruption. Phil shares…
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54: Philip Bell Pt. 1 - Why Strong Countries Need Strong Steel Industries
Shep sits down with Philip Bell, President and CEO of the Steel Manufacturers Association, the largest steel industry trade association in the U.S. Phil's mission is straightforward: fight for domestic steel producers in Washington, advocate for free and fair trade, and make sure a strong country...
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53: Steve Feamster - Dirty Jobs with a Clean Purpose
Shep sits down with Steve Feamster, owner of Sanitary Welding LLC out of Novi, Michigan. Steve specializes in hygienic, food-grade stainless steel fabrication, the behind-the-scenes work that keeps food processing plants, pharmaceutical facilities, and water filtration systems clean and running....
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52: Emme Hughes - Behind Every Weld, Win, & Dream There Was Papa
Emme Hughes is 23, owns a 10,000 square foot metal fabrication shop in Enid, Oklahoma, and will tell you straight up: if it's metal, EH Metalworks does it. She started cutting signs on a plasma table at 18 out of pure obsession, landed a competitive USDA grant for a fiber laser cutter, and built…
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51: Andrew Roberson Pt. 2 - The Quiet Math Behind a Fab Shop
In Pt. 2 of our conversation with Andrew Roberson, owner of Dark Threat Fabrication in Heber Springs, Arkansas, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to keep a fab shop running and growing. Andrew gets into the early grind of chasing customers with nothing but a plasma table, the leap…
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50: Andrew Roberson Pt. 1 - Built on Faith, Family, & Fabrication
In Episode 50 of Irregardless, we sit down with Andrew Roberson, owner of Dark Threat Fabrication in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Andrew comes from a family that's been building custom homes in Arkansas for over 110 years, and that heritage of craftsmanship, faith, and hard work shaped everything…
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49: NASCC 2026 Special - Steel Industry Insights from the Show Floor
We're taking Irregardless to NASCC! This special episode was recorded at NASCC 2026 in Atlanta, where Rachel was joined by three guests from across the steel industry. Tyler Sease, President of Southern Steel Engineers, talks about building a niche structural engineering firm that works…
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48: Jonah Myerberg Pt. 2 - Inside Desktop Metal's Blueprint for Manufacturing
In Part 2, Rachel continues her conversation with Jonah Myerberg, CTO and co-founder of Desktop Metal. Jonah breaks down exactly how Desktop Metal's binder jetting technology works and why it's fundamentally different from the laser-based metal printing that came before it. From printing green...
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47: Jonah Myerberg Pt. 1 - From Power Tools to Formula 1 Podiums
In Part 1 of Ep. 47, Jonah Myerberg, CTO and co-founder of Desktop Metal, joins Rachel to share his unconventional career path through mechanical engineering. He discusses his time designing power tools at Black & Decker, developing speaker systems at Bose, and later revolutionizing battery...
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46: Emmy Ross - From Weddings to Welding
Emmy Ross, Director of Business Development at Astro Metal Craft and StellarCraft, joins us to talk about growing a custom metal fabrication business and the unique challenge of marketing to two very different worlds: architects and industrial buyers. Emmy walks us through landmark projects like...
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45: Matthew Nix - From Horseshoes to Heavy Industrial
In this episode, Shep Hickey sits down with Matthew Nix, founder of Nix Companies and fifth-generation owner of what started as a blacksmith shop in the late 1800s. Matthew shares the story of a family business that spent four generations quietly defying the odds, never growing, never dying,...
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44: Brooke Laing & Eric Hyatt - Straight from the 46, Eh?
This week we're crossing the border for the very first time! Brooke Laing and Eric Hyatt join us all the way from Toronto, both steamfitter apprentices with Local 46 and co-hosts of their own podcast, Two Bolts Short of a Flange. We get into the ins and outs of the Canadian apprenticeship system,...
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43: Nushrat "Nush" Ahmed - Becoming Miss Swiss
What happens when a girl who's supposed to follow the "safe" path falls in love with her Ford Mustang instead? Nushrat "Nush" Ahmed didn't take the route her Bengali family had mapped out for her, and thank God she didn't. From turning wrenches on muscle cars to earning the name "Miss Swiss"…
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42: Jeff Matuszak - Mezzanines, Mentorship, & Solving the Energy Crisis?
Shep Hickey sits down with Jeff Matuszak, owner of Carolina Metal Fabricators, a Raleigh-based industrial fabrication company specializing in handrails, platforms, mezzanines, and custom stainless, aluminum, and carbon work. But as Jeff explains, the scope of what they do is always evolving. Each...
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41: Jack Gorzko - The American Dream in Steel
From Poland to Dominos Pizza to Director of Engineering. Jack Gorzko's story is the American Dream in action. In this episode, Shep sits down with Jack Gorzko, Director of Engineering at Canam Steel Corp, to talk steel joists, structural engineering, and the winding road that brought him from...
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40: Anthony Jacobs - Old West Roots, New School Hustle
Lee Letourneau sits down with Anthony Jacobs in Chicago for the final episode of our FABTECH 2025 series. Anthony is the owner of Vigilante Welding and runs the popular YouTube channel Meltin' Metal Anthony, where he shares everything he knows about welding, entrepreneurship, and running a...
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39: Evan Uyetake - What Smarter Marketing Actually Looks Like
In this episode, Shep sits down with Evan Uyetake, Head of Sales at Leadline Marketing, live from FABTECH 2025. Leadline specializes in helping companies in the industrial, manufacturing, and fabrication space build smarter marketing strategies. Shep and Evan dive into why so many companies in…
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38: José Reyes - Investing in the Trades of Tomorrow
In this episode, Bryzos COO Lee Letourneau sits down with José Reyes, owner of Texas Arc Welding Academy and Texas Arc Welding Supply. José shares how welding offered him a new path when many around him were heading straight into construction. A high school counselor introduced him to the trade…
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37: Laynie Locke - Love At First Spark
In this episode, Rachel Hartman sits down with Laynie Locke, founder of Lips and Sticks Welding, at FABTECH 2025. Laynie shares how she built her brand creating fun and feminine hood decals, stickers, hats, and apparel designed to give women in welding a way to express themselves on the job.…
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36: Steve Kost - Turning Scrap into Strength
This week on Irregardless, host Rachel Hartman sits down with Steve Kost, metal artist and founder of Metal Health Artwork, for an inspiring conversation recorded from FABTECH 2025! Steve’s journey is one of grit, healing, and transformation. From his early days as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy,...
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35: Emily Wilkins - Marketing the "Radical Job Shop"
Recorded from the show floor at FABTECH 2025, host Rachel Hartman sits down with Emily Wilkins, CEO and Founder of Marketing Metal; a bold, no-BS agency built for the “Radical Job Shop” of the metals industry. Emily shares her journey growing up near Detroit in a GM family, trading a mechanical...
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34: John King - From Garage Welding to Record-Breaking Builds
In this episode, recorded from the show floor at FABTECH 2025, Shep sits down with John King, the owner of JK Welding in Texas, to share an incredible story of grit, growth, and building a fabrication powerhouse from the ground up. John takes us back to the early days of his career, working…
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33: Demi Knight Clark - Carrying Rosie's Torch
This week on Irregardless, Rachel Hartman sits down with Demi Knight Clark — welder, manufacturing and automation enthusiast, “Steminist,” and founder of Reimagined Rosies. Demi’s passion for the trades runs deep. Inspired by her grandmother, an original Rosie the Riveter and welder during WWII,...
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32: Sarah Stork - Building the Tool Belt Generation
Irregardless recorded from the show floor at FABTECH 2025! In this episode, Rachel sits down with Sarah Stork, Welding Artist, to hear how her passion for metalwork first sparked and grew into a full-time career. Sarah shares how it all began with a practical need, learning code welding at...
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31: Barbie The Welder - Building Strength Through Sparks
On this episode of Irregardless, we’re kicking off a special spotlight series: Women in the Trades. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring conversations with women across welding, manufacturing, and the metals industry who are making an impact and paving the way for the next generation.…
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30: Tim Reboulet Pt. 2 - Training, Tactics, & the Mission to Protect
In Part 2 of our conversation, Tim Reboulet, COO of M6 Global Defense, takes us deeper into the world of the U.S. Secret Service and beyond. Tim shares what it really takes to make it into the agency, including the unforgiving training process where one failed test means you’re out. He explains…
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29: Tim Reboulet Pt. 1 - From Police Badge to Presidential Detail
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Shep sits down with Tim Reboulet, COO of M6 Global Defense, to unpack a remarkable career in security, protection, and leadership. With nearly 30 years of experience across law enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service, cybersecurity, and K–12 safety, Tim’s…
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28: Rob Rolves - Fabricating the Future & Honoring the Past
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Rob Rolves, President of Foreman Fabricators in St. Louis, a decorative and ornamental fabrication company whose work can be seen across the city’s skyline and landmarks. Rob shares the unique path that led him from engineering student to…
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27: Jim Vinoski - What's at Stake for American Manufacturing
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Jim Vinoski, President of Cosgrove Content and Consulting, host and founder of the Manufacturing Talks podcast and web show, and a longtime Forbes contributor focused on the manufacturing space. After decades spent working across the industry,...
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26: Jared Cochran - From Plasma Table to Powerhouse
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Jared Cochran, Owner of Speed Fabrication out of Perryville, Missouri. What began as a father-son project to build a CNC plasma table turned into a thriving fabrication business that Jared runs with his wife. From decorative metal signs to...
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25: Rob Mihalko - The Digital Marketplace Playbook
This week on Irregardless, we’re joined by Rob Mihalko, founder and principal of Spectus Strategy and a trusted expert in digital marketplaces. Rob shares hard-earned lessons from years helping marketplace businesses grow and scale. From his early days at Ariba to sharing his expertise with the...
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24: Chris Luecke - How Tech, Trades, & Podcasts are Shaping Manufacturing
In this episode, Bryzos COO Lee Letourneau sits down with Chris Luecke, host of Manufacturing Happy Hour and PubCast Worldwide, for a wide-ranging conversation that’s as insightful as it is entertaining. They explore how Chris went from a career in automation at Rockwell to becoming one of the…
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23: Lisa Reisman Pt. 2 - Transparency, Tech, & the MetalMiner Mission
In Part 2 of this conversation, Shep Hickey and Lisa Reisman continue their discussion, diving into how MetalMiner evolved from a simple blog into a platform offering powerful forecasting tools for the metals industry. They explore the complexities of metal pricing, market volatility, and why...
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22: Lisa Reisman Pt. 1 - The MetalMiner Origin Story
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Shep Hickey sits down with Lisa Reisman, CEO and founder of MetalMiner, for an engaging and wide-ranging conversation that traces the unexpected journey that led her into the metals industry. Lisa shares her unconventional path, from early career twists…
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21: Sam Goodwin - Captivity, Courage & Embracing Uncertainty
This week on Irregardless, we sit down with Sam Goodwin, an entrepreneur, speaker, and St. Louis native, to hear a story that is as unthinkable as it is inspiring. In 2019, while on a mission to visit every country in the world, Sam was captured in Syria and held hostage for 63 days under the...
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20: Best of Irregardless - The Rewind Episode
20 episodes in and still just getting started. For this episode, we’re looking back at some of our favorite moments from the first 19 episodes of the show. Hosted by the Bryzos team—Shep Hickey, Lee Letourneau, and Rachel Hartman—Irregardless brings together real, unscripted conversations with...
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19: Brent & Chris Jansky - Three Generations, One Torch
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Chris and Brent Jansky—the father-son duo leading T.J. Welding & Fabrication in Wharton, Texas. As President and Vice President, respectively, Chris and Brent represent the second and third generations of their family-run metal fabrication and...
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18: Staci Thomas - From Mandarin to Machine Learning
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Staci Thomas, Professor of Practice in Communications at Washington University’s Olin Business School, to dive into the rapidly evolving world of AI. With a rich background as a Mandarin translator in the U.S. Air Force and a lifelong passion…
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17: Mike Wayte - Clinch NW and the Digital Shift
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Mike Wayte, Principal and Founder of Clinch Northwest, a Seattle-based manufacturer and supplier of self-clinching sheet metal fasteners. Mike shares his journey through the metals and fasteners industry, what inspired him to start Clinch NW…
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16: Allen Heggs - DJing, Body Batteries & Building Legacies
In this laugh-out-loud episode of Irregardless, host Shep Hickey sits down with Allen Heggs, second-generation owner of Helcrist LLC, a family-run steel fabrication and erection company based in Philadelphia, PA. From residential and commercial builds to hotels, schools, and pharmaceutical...
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15: Eric Gilbert - ANOVA, Authority & the Art of Leading
This week on Irregardless, Shep sits down with Eric Gilbert, CEO of ANOVA Furnishings — a St. Louis-based company known for crafting commercial-grade outdoor site furnishings like benches, tables, and receptacles. As a second-generation leader, Eric shares what it’s been like taking the reins…
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14: Joe Tierney - Drums, Data & Doing It All
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with the one and only Joe Tierney—a Broadcast and I.T. Specialist who wears more hats than most people own. If you’ve seen our Cracking the Code mini-series, you’ve already seen Joe’s work. He was the quiet force behind the scene, helping to capture...
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13: Jeff Hasty - K9s, Construction & the Power of the Mind
From the bite suit to the welding mask—Jeff Hasty’s career path is anything but ordinary. Jeff was raised around welding and pipe fitting, following his dad's career from state to state. As one of the best welders Jeff’s ever known, his dad gave him an early look into the world he’d eventually...
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12: Dennis Arrowood - Strategy, Sales, & the Bryzos Advantage
Dennis Arrowood, a 28-year veteran of the metals industry and Sales Operations Specialist at Ryerson, joins Shep for a conversation that spans tanks, transitions, and technology. From his early days driving armored vehicles in the U.S. Army to nearly three decades in steel, Dennis brings a unique...
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11: Dr. Dave King - Med School to MLB Medicine
In this episode of Irregardless, Shep sits down with Dr. Dave King, a leading orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, for a deep dive into the high-performance world of sports injuries and surgical innovation. From his days in med school to the intense realities of the OR, Dr. King...
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10: Garret Armstrong - From the Show Floor (NASCC '25 Edition)
In this special mini episode recorded live at the 2025 NASCC Steel Conference, we switch things up with a quick, on-the-ground conversation between Bryzos’ own Lee Letourneau and Garret Armstrong, Project Manager and Estimator at Metal Pros LLC in Wichita, KS—and an active Bryzos member. Garret...
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9: Sean Bailey - Leadership Lessons from Off-The-Grid
This week on Irregardless, Shep Hickey sits down with Sean Bailey, Territory Sales Manager at Smokiez Edibles, for a conversation that spans from cannabis to the Chilean mountains. Sean gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Missouri’s evolving cannabis industry—how the shift from medicinal to...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Irregardless. Debated word. Undebatable energy. Hosted by Shep Hickey, CEO of Bryzos, Irregardless is the no-filter podcast where the metals industry kicks back and speaks freely. From steel market trends and tech to wild stories and left-field tangents, this show brings real talk with real people from all corners of the industry—and beyond. But we don’t stop there. Expect discussions on leadership, startups, entrepreneurship, and the unpredictable paths that connect it all. It’s brought to you by the team behind Bryzos—the digital marketplace built for the metals world. We’re on a mission to bring speed, transparency, and zero BS to buying and selling metals. No script. No fluff. Irregardless of the topic, we’re gonna talk about it. Check out the app and join the community at Bryzos.com
HOSTED BY
Bryzos
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Irregardless have?
Irregardless currently has 58 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Irregardless about?
Irregardless. Debated word. Undebatable energy. Hosted by Shep Hickey, CEO of Bryzos, Irregardless is the no-filter podcast where the metals industry kicks back and speaks freely. From steel market trends and tech to wild stories and left-field tangents, this show brings real talk with real people...
How often does Irregardless release new episodes?
Irregardless has 58 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Irregardless?
You can listen to Irregardless on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Irregardless?
Irregardless is created and hosted by Bryzos.
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