Industrial Entrepreneurs

My guest today is Tim Drinkwater, founder and owner of Accurate Machine Products.Tim started as a machinist. He launched AMP in 2007 and has been in the industry for over 20 years.Most manufacturing businesses last around 7 years. AMP is pushing 18.In this episode, Tim shares how he built a company that lasts, what he’s learned about running a shop through highs and lows, and why he’s still passionate about the work.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background03:02 Journey into Manufacturing06:14 Early Career Experiences09:05 Transition to Management and Education11:57 Founding Accurate Machine Products14:58 Growth and Development of the Business18:27 Starting a Business in a Recession24:30 Navigating Early Challenges and Growth30:40 Lessons Learned from 18 Years in Business36:43 The Joys of Problem Solving and Community Engagement41:56 Advice for Aspiring Manufacturing Business Owners This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guest today is Patrick Tobin, President of Han-Tek.The company started in 1961 as Hartman Sales, selling shelving and pallet racks. It became Handling Technology in 1980, then Han-Tek in the 1990s.Under Patrick and his father Jon’s leadership, Han-Tek moved into material handling and automation.In this episode, Patrick shares his career path, how his family navigated a leadership transition, and what it takes to grow in a crowded automation market.Chapters00:00 Coming Into The Manufacturing Industry15:29 Transitioning Leadership in Family Business21:44 Growing Up in the Manufacturing World22:32 Navigating Family Dynamics in Business27:42 The Journey to Leadership32:54 Sales Strategies in Automation38:31 Weathering Economic Storms44:10 Transitioning to Leadership Roles50:37 The Future of Automation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guest today is Sean Dotson, CEO at Elite Automation.In this episode, Sean shares his entrepreneurial journey. From founding RND in 2005 to selling the company in 2020 and eventually exiting in 2022. He also discusses his current role as the founder of Automation AMA, where he shares his expertise in automation and robotics.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Sean and His Journey06:01 Early Career and Transition to Automation10:19 The Closure of His Previous Company15:09 Starting R&D Automation18:33 Building Trust and Overcoming Challenges20:34 Financial Growth and Profitability Journey22:27 Acquisitions and Strategic Growth25:08 Navigating Challenges of Expansion28:43 The Decision to Sell R&D Automation30:59 Transitioning After the Sale32:43 Building a Consultancy and Advisory Role33:14 Networking and Industry Presence38:58 Advice to Younger Self This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guest today is Mitch Free, founder of MFG.com, a marketplace that transformed how custom parts are sourced, attracting investment from Jeff Bezos.In this episode, Mitch shares his journey from working as a machinist to disrupting the global manufacturing industry, building advanced manufacturing facilities, and becoming a leading voice in the field.Chapters:00:00 From High School to Trade School: A Journey Begins10:12 The Evolution of Machining: Early Experiences15:34 Navigating the Aerospace Industry: A Fortunate Break18:19 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship: The CAD CAM Software Business21:56 Creating a Marketplace: The Birth of mfg.com27:43 Bootstrapping Success: Overcoming Financial Challenges32:01 Facing Adversity: Health Challenges and Reflection35:44 A Life-Changing Offer: Partnering with Jeff Bezos41:28 Building a New Venture: The ERP System for Manufacturing48:03 Focus and Growth: Lessons from the CNC Machining Business This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guest today is Paul Van Metre, co-founder of Pro CNC and ProShop ERP, a paperless ERP platform widely used in the manufacturing industry.In this episode, Paul shares his entrepreneurial journey from building race cars in college to co-founding ProCNC and launching ProShop ERP.What you’ll learn in this episode:* ProCNC started as a machine shop to fund a car company.* The importance of building systems and processes in business.* Only a small percentage of companies successfully sell when they want to. Start early.* Having a strong team is crucial for preparing your company for sale* Product market fit is essential for business success.* Transparency in marketing builds trust with customers.* Investing in marketing is important once product market fit is established.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Setup03:58 Paul's Journey into Manufacturing12:04 Growth and Challenges of ProCNC21:50 Sales and Marketing Strategies in Manufacturing30:00 Acquisition Insights and Lessons Learned30:00 Transitioning Ownership34:58 Building ProShop ERP46:04 Marketing and Product Market Fit51:58 Advice for Manufacturing Entrepreneurs This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guests are Moritz and Lisa Bittner, who built their thermoforming platform Formary not too far from my home in the south of Germany.Lisa and Moritz joined the family business Bittner in 2017 as co-CEOs, focused the company on the core business of thermoforming, and finally spun out Formary as the company’s digital arm.I listened to their founding story on another podcast and knew I had to get them on. Don’t miss this one!What you’ll learn in this episode:* How Lisa and Moritz shut down a part of their business to focus on their core capabilities* How they validated their new idea for a startup and built the MVP* Why their secret trade show hack was key to Formary’s marketing success* Their approach to finding skilled industrial sellers* How they’re planning to take Formary to the next level This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guests today are Diane Abruzzini and Colin Riggs, COO and CEO at Rigorous, a robotics software company that specializes in automation projects for small and mid-size manufacturers. Rigorous was started in 2020 as a two-person operation, which Diane joined in January 2021 as COO.What you’ll learn in this episode:* How Diane landed customers by posting robotics content on LinkedIn* Why Rigorous’ Board of Advisors is their secret weapon and how Diane and Colin staffed it* How they’re planning to quickly increase their valuation by focusing on quality* Why they chose a convertible note as their financing route This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com

My guest today is Mitchell Eaton, co-founder and CEO at Prototype Hubs, an on-demand manufacturing platform.Mitchell is from Canada, has a mechanical engineering degree, and has bootstrapped Prototype Hubs for the last five years.What you’ll learn in this interview:* Mitchell’s review of the current fundraising environment* How Prototype Hubs differentiated to win in a crowded market (on-demand manufacturing)* How the company grew its marketplace to 1,400 manufacturers by focusing on user experienceThanks for reading Industrial Entrepreneurs! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit industrialgrowth.substack.com