Building a Company That Can Survive Without You | Lean Built - Manufacturing Freedom E122

Andrew opens with a simple shop-floor idea that changed how their teams celebrate progress: a six-inch clear tube filled with colored marbles. That playful visual turns into a deeper conversation between Jay and Andrew about the power of collective improvement, the limits of mental capacity as organizations grow, and the art of estimating through Fermi numbers. They move from marbles to antennas, from CNC stencils to parabolic reflectors, and from daily shop habits to long-term business planning.The episode also takes a serious turn as they take a blunt look at succession planning, wills, and preparing your company and family for emergencies. Jay adds insights from Pico La, including the lessons of shared leadership, clear org charts, and building resilient systems that survive beyond any one person.

When Jay asks what machine someone should buy to start a small job shop, Andrew gives a direct answer: without committed, repeatable work, he wouldn’t buy anything. But both Jay and Andrew do offer their recommendations, and that opens a broader conversation about the unstable economics of prototypes, customers who send sketches instead of CAD, and why certain jobs are better routed to services like Xometry or Upwork.From there, Jay and Andrew compare Haas and Brother machines—control systems, tool changers, rigidity, multi-axis capability, and real reliability differences. Andrew explains why he favors the Brother S700 for multi-sided work and describes the problems he’s seen with chain-style ATCs, including misloads that can send tools straight into the table.Around that, Andrew talks about his experience at Boombastic, the new generation of talent showing up there, and who else might benefit from attending.

In this episode, Andrew and Jay take a walk down memory lane. What starts as Andrew revisiting old shop photos turns into a conversation about the hidden value of reflection in a culture obsessed with constant improvement. The two discuss how looking back fuels gratitude, strengthens company culture, and reminds teams that today’s “normal” was once hard-won progress.They also share practical ideas for visualizing improvement over time, from “Lean scoreboards” to posting employee innovations without turning healthy pride into toxic competition. Later, Jay tells the story of an unexpected visit from a high-profile YouTuber and how Lean principles can impact any business from machining to media production.The episode wraps with a fun tangent into dive watches, trust (or mistrust) in AI tools, and Amazon’s not-so-Prime delivery promises.

Fresh off the Gemba Summit in Belfast, Andrew shares lessons from across the pond with Jay. What starts as a deep dive into lean culture at the Titanic Belfast turns into a candid conversation about scaling small businesses, visiting your vendors, and rethinking what it means to “fix what bugs you.”Andrew and Jay unpack how lean principles evolve when your company outgrows the two-second mindset. Andrews tells about conversations with Toyota UK’s Alan Weir, British Rototherm’s Oliver Conger, and Tom Hughes of GembaDocs. They also discuss the practical takeaways from Greg Crabtree’s Simple Numbers and Jerry Wright’s The Insanity Trap.

How do you lead your company through the chaos and cadence of a production year without burning out your team or yourself? In this episode, Jay and Andrew unpack Andrew’s “Four Quarter Business Rhythm” document, his framework for understanding seasonal production cycles, planning proactively, and preparing his team to thrive when it's go-time. From practical PTO policies to government fiscal-year quirks, from proactive inventory planning to Lean Day Trello boards, from baseball stats to busted CNC foot pedals, this episode is packed with leadership lessons, hard-earned shop wisdom, and actionable strategy.

Andrew and Jay dive into the art of optimization, from shaving seconds off CNC cycles to teaching kids the power of one-piece flow. Andrew shares how tuning a Brother machine saved 13 hours across a 5,000-part run and reflects on when optimization really pays off. The two discuss lean principles in action, shop tours, and the balance between efficiency and creativity before discussing the value of fractional expertise. From hiring a CPA who acts like a dashboard of financial sensors to bringing in part-time specialists who reveal blind spots and move the needle in tens of thousands, they show how smart leaders multiply impact by paying for precision, not guesswork. Along the way, they trade golf analogies, business lessons, and more.

In this episode, Jay recounts the story of a stolen trailer from his tiny home business, leading into a broader discussion on trust, theft, and logistics nightmares. Andrew follows with reflections on manufacturing safety, freight failures, and the unexpected lessons of customer service—both good and bad.

Jay and Andrew kick off with a quick story about “the yips” — that sudden moment when everything you know just disappears — and use it to launch into a deeper discussion about what makes great shops tick.They unpack why even pros break down under pressure, how systems and habits keep you grounded, and why finishing what you start matters more than chasing shiny new projects. From compressor failures to confusing control panels to the “95% Rule,” this episode is packed with real shop-floor lessons on leadership, lean thinking, and culture.

Running a business means living in the tension between control and chaos—and this week, Jay and Andrew talk about both. From tariffs and supply chain headaches to the quirks of wire EDM and CO₂ lasers, they explore how  shops adapt when material costs, sourcing, and technology throw curveballs. Along the way, they swap stories about spotless autobody shops, frustrating e-commerce platforms, website crashes, and even backup internet solutions.Whether it’s stocking obscure steels, streamlining websites for Black Friday, planning redundancies that actually matter, or rethinking lean practices like “water spiders,” Jay and Andrew show how business owners can navigate uncertainty without losing sight of customer experience.

This episode of the Lean Built Podcast starts in the shop but ends up on stage. Andrew  and Jay begin by discussing machining decisions—when to model details in CAD versus when to let CAM and shop standards handle them, edge breaks, chamfers, and the balance between aesthetics and efficiency.But midway, the conversation takes a turn into music...concert stories, 90s Christian rock, ska bands, artistry, and musical creativity. Along the way, they draw parallels between toolpath textures and vinyl warmth, and talk about some of the influences that formed them into the men they would become.