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PODCAST · business

The American Innovator

by Paul Akers

Paul Akers, of FastCap, travels the world, and speaks about ideas, Lean principles & Lean manufacturing.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 14, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Banish Sloppiness Book – English

    You don’t just learn this and then become perfect and precise in one fell swoop. It is a lifelong journey. There will still be mountains of sloppiness and waste everywhere in everything you do. But what is important is you begin the journey today. When you start being more thoughtful and precise…

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  2. 2 Second Lean Book – English

    Think all the talk about Lean Manufacturing is a bit boring and all about charts and graphs? Read or listen to this book and be inspired by how easy and fun it can be. The post 2 Second Lean Book – English first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  3. IMPACT 2SL Book – English

    Finally, we got it done with the help of all my friends from all over the 2 Second Lean community worldwide. IMPACT is finally done. Thank you for everyone’s hard work, patience, and diligence. I hope the stories that follow in these pages will inspire everyone to a life of daily relentless...

  4. Sisters’ Reunion Day 6

    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.

  5. Sisters’ Reunion Day 5

    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.

  6. Sisters’ Reunion Day 4

    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.

  7. Sisters’ Reunion Day 3

    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.

  8. Sisters’ Reunion Day 2

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers shares day 2 of the reunion between his Mom (Elizabeth), who is 95, and her two sisters (Helen & Dawn). The post Sisters’ Reunion Day 2 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  9. Sisters’ Reunion Day 1

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers shares day 1 of the reunion between his Mom (Elizabeth), who is 95, and her two sisters (Helen & Dawn). The post Sisters’ Reunion Day 1 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  10. 95 Years

    On this week’s show, Paul’s Mom discusses what she has learned in the past 95 years on this earth. The post 95 Years first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  11. My Father’s Brother

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers shares a visit he took with his Father’s brother, Albert Akers, to the family farm in Seibert, CO. The post My Father’s Brother first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  12. Palau

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers visits Palau…the 105th country he has visited. The post Palau first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  13. Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers visits the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum. The post Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  14. USS Nimitz

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers flies from NASNI on a U.S. Navy C-2 Greyhound aircraft heading for a stay on the aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, as part of the Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific (CNAP) Distinguished Visitor (DV) Program! The post USS Nimitz first appeared on Paul Akers Website |…

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  15. The Crossing

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers reminisces about his epic flight across the Atlantic in 2006. The post The Crossing first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  16. Leadership Matters

    On this week’s show, Peter Larsen spoke at the 2019 Global Lean Leadership Summit about how good leadership changed his life. The post Leadership Matters first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  17. The 9th Waste

    On this week’s show, Lukas Holland spoke at the 2019 Global Lean Leadership Summit about the 9th Waste. The post The 9th Waste first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  18. Kanbans Pt 2

    On this week’s show, Lukas Holland walks through how FastCap uses barcodes and QR codes. The post Kanbans Pt 2 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  19. Kanbans Pt 1

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers and Lukas Holland walk through how FastCap does Kanbans. The post Kanbans Pt 1 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  20. Torii Gates

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers takes us on a tour of his Japanese garden, including the beautiful torii gates, built by Gordon Plume, of GR Plume. The post Torii Gates first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  21. Hoks

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers visits Hoks, the company that changed his life. The post Hoks first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  22. China Day 16

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today we visited Hugh at the Springfield Marine Company. The post China Day 16 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  23. China Day 15

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today we visited Shanghai, Old Shanghai, the Shanghai Museum, Luckin Coffee, the Bund (or Waitan), and the Shanghai Tower. The post China Day 15 first appeared on Paul Akers...

  24. China Day 14

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. On today’s show, we spend our last day on the Yangtze River with a stop at Three Gorges Dam. Then we travel to Hangzhou and end the day in Shanghai. The post China Day 14 first...

  25. China Day 13

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show continues the boat tour on the Yangtze River with stops at various tributaries. The post China Day 13 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  26. China Day 12

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show continues the boat tour on the Yangtze River with a stop at the Shibaozhai Temple. The post China Day 12 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean...

  27. China Day 11

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes finishing up in Chengdu, traveling to Chongqing, and beginning a boat tour on the Yangtze River. The post China Day 11 first appeared on Paul Akers Website…

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  28. China Day 10

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes sightseeing at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and the Jinsha site. The post China Day 10 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean…

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  29. China Day 9

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes sightseeing in Tibet and then on to Chengdu, China. The post China Day 9 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  30. China Day 8

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes more exploration around Lhasa, Tibet. The post China Day 8 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  31. China Day 7

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. The post China Day 7 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  32. China Day 6

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes more exploration of Xi’an and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. The post China Day 6 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  33. China Day 5

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes the Terracotta Army and Xi’an City Gates and Wall. The post China Day 5 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  34. China Day 4

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes the Temple of Heaven. The post China Day 4 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  35. China Day 3

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes the Great Wall. The post China Day 3 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  36. China Day 2

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes Tiananmen Square & The Forbidden City. The post China Day 2 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  37. China Day 1

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers travels with his wife, Leanne, to China and shares the amazing 16-day journey with us. Today’s show includes a scooter ride through Beijing. The post China Day 1 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  38. The Great Heroic Age | Music Video

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers, inspired by his recent trip to Antartica, shares a music video that he wrote and put together with the help of Georgia Heckman and Greg Otterholt. The story behind the song: In the studio: Music Video: The post The Great Heroic Age | Music Video first appeared on...

  39. Macau

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers shares the sights, sounds, and smells of a day spent in Macau. The post Macau first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  40. Ken Mogi

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers interviews Ken Mogi regarding his book, Awakening Your Ikigai. For more information on this book, go to this link. The post Ken Mogi first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  41. Lean Life Book – English

    I promise this will not be an intellectual exercise. No psychobabble. I don’t understand it and it never helps me anyway. Rather, this is the perspective of an average guy who happens to be in love with Lean and fixing what bugs him. So if simple and practical is your preference, you’re in luck!…

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  42. The 2%

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers discusses the characteristics of Lean leaders that “get it” and successfully make the transformation. The post The 2% first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  43. JiangSu Carnahan

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers takes us along as he visits JiangSu Carnahan, a Lean company in China. To see more videos from this Lean organization, visit their YouTube Channel. The post JiangSu Carnahan first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  44. Hoks

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers takes us along as he visits Hoks, one of his favorite companies. The post Hoks first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  45. Antarctica Day 8-17

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers takes us along on his expedition to Antarctica with Abercrombie & Kent on the RCGS Resolute. The post Antarctica Day 8-17 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  46. Antarctica Day 4-7

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers takes us along on his expedition to Antarctica with Abercrombie & Kent on the RCGS Resolute. The post Antarctica Day 4-7 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  47. Antarctica Day 1-3

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers takes us along on his expedition to Antarctica with Abercrombie & Kent on the RCGS Resolute. The post Antarctica Day 1-3 first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  48. Bhutan

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers spends 5 days traveling around Bhutan. The post Bhutan first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  49. Okawa Woodwork Museum

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers visits the Okawa Woodwork Museum in Japan. The post Okawa Woodwork Museum first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

  50. Magical Gardens

    On this week’s show, Paul Akers visits the home and garden of a wealthy Japanese businessman. They have such attention to detail. The post Magical Gardens first appeared on Paul Akers Website | Lean Books | Lean Culture.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Paul Akers, of FastCap, travels the world, and speaks about ideas, Lean principles & Lean manufacturing.

HOSTED BY

Paul Akers

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The American Innovator have?

The American Innovator currently has 147 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The American Innovator about?

Paul Akers, of FastCap, travels the world, and speaks about ideas, Lean principles & Lean manufacturing.

How often does The American Innovator release new episodes?

The American Innovator publishes regularly with 147 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to The American Innovator?

You can listen to The American Innovator 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 The American Innovator?

The American Innovator is created and hosted by Paul Akers.
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