The Manufacturing Employer

Garrett Coleman of AssetWatch joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss how AI-powered condition monitoring is transforming industrial maintenance—making jobs better, not just more efficient. Drawing on his experience and research in industrial organizational psychology, Garrett shares vivid stories from the field, including the toll of unplanned downtime on maintenance workers. The conversation explores workforce trends, technology trust, and how manufacturing leaders can leverage AI to retain skilled workers and create better places to work.

Tracy Lovejoy, Co-CEO of Catalyst Constellations and co-author of "Move Fast, Break Shit, Burn Out," joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss the vital role of catalysts within manufacturing organizations. Tracy explains how these change agents connect dots, challenge the status quo and drive innovation—but also why they can burn out without the right support.

Eric Margheim, founder and CEO of BeThere Immersive, joins The Manufacturing Employer to explore how immersive technology is transforming recruitment, onboarding and training for manufacturers. Drawing on his experience pioneering VR 2.0, Eric discusses the “experience gap” that often leads to mismatched hires and high turnover. He shares how realistic, accessible virtual reality experiences—capturing the actual sights and sounds of the shop floor—help boost retention and accelerate learning.

Glenn Bostock, Founder and CEO of SnapCab, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss why continuous improvement starts with people, not just processes. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience building SnapCab from a small cabinet shop to an international manufacturer, Glenn shares how caring, kindness, and psychological safety drive performance and innovation. He shares how surfacing mistakes is rewarded at SnapCab, why radical caring forms the foundation for growth and how businesses thrive by focusing on usefulness over profit.

Dave Hataj, owner and president of Edgerton Gear, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss how mentorship and character-building can transform lives through the skilled trades. Drawing on his experience and his work founding the "Craftsman with Character" program, Dave shares why manufacturing is about much more than technical skills—it’s about instilling responsibility, dignity and purpose in the next generation. The conversation explores overcoming negative perceptions of blue-collar work, the critical role of mentorship, and how manufacturers can build a sustainable talent pipeline by investing in both character and community.

Georgina Woodley, Chief Insight Officer at Custology Insights and creator of the Human Energy Intelligence framework, joins The Manufacturing Employer to explore the power of invisible human factors in manufacturing workplaces. Georgina shares why traditional engagement efforts often miss the mark, and how leaders can better recognize and respond to hidden stress, declining energy and emotional dynamics before they impact productivity or retention. She shares practical strategies for measuring team energy, fostering joy and creating conditions where people consistently bring their best.Find more information on Joy-O-Meter here: https://www.custology-insights.com/joy-o-meterAccess Joy Lift: 7 Pathways to Unleash More Joy here: https://www.the-transformation-initiative.com/joy-lift

Grace Wright, VP of Innovation at Gorilla 76, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss leading teams through AI-driven change with a focus on people and process. Drawing from her own career journey, Grace discusses the importance of adapting to uncertainty, building trust around new technology and keeping human expertise at the core of transformation. She shares the thinking behind Gorilla’s "People Policy", her approach to scaling AI adoption across teams and why the winning companies will be those that prioritize learning, transparency and empowering employees to drive innovation.

Amanda Aschinger, co-founder and CEO of Solstice Productions, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss how manufacturers can revamp process documentation to improve onboarding, training and retention. Amanda discusses why traditional, text-heavy manuals fall short and how modular, video-based systems offer a more accessible and engaging approach. The conversation explores practical steps for getting started, keeping documentation up-to-date and embedding company culture into training for long-term success.

Ben Tasker, a nationally recognized leader in AI education and workforce transformation, discusses how manufacturers can move from anxiety about AI to measurable impact. Ben shares strategies for building AI fluency, rethinking upskilling and taking a systems-based approach rather than chasing tools. The conversation covers practical use cases for AI on the manufacturing floor, why responsible change management is critical and how human skills remain invaluable in this new era.

Nicole Riehl, President and CEO of Executive Partnerships to Invest in Children (EPIC), joins The Manufacturing Employer to reframe childcare as a critical workforce infrastructure issue, not just an employee perk. She discusses the hidden costs of childcare challenges, and how manufacturers can address absenteeism and turnover linked to them. She shares actionable strategies including flexible scheduling, stipends and community resources, and explains how even incremental changes can yield strong ROI in recruitment, retention and productivity.