Buy the Numbers#

🤖 If AI feels clunky and overhyped right now… just remember what the internet looked like in 1997. Back then, it was dial-up tones, AOL chat rooms, and websites that took 3 minutes to load. And yet…it changed everything. AI is on the same trajectory...only it’s moving way faster. ⚡ The real question isn’t if it’s going to transform your business… It’s how fast — and whether you’re ready to adapt. 🔧 💬 Where do you think we are on the curve? 📈 What are you doing to stay ahead? 👀 And just a heads up...MakingChips will be taking this topic head-on very soon. 📢 Look for an announcement in the coming weeks… #GrowingValue #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips #SaveAShop #AI #DigitalTransformation #Manufacturing #ShopOwnerLife #FutureOfWork #Innovation #MachineShopMastery #BuyTheNumbers MakingChips Buy the Numbers# Lights Out Machine Shop Mastery Machine Shop Growth Podcast MakingSparks Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication Bryce Barnes

LLCs, EINs & WTFs?! 🫠 The hidden hustle of starting your shop... Starting a manufacturing business isn’t just about buying machines and making parts—it’s about navigating the maze of LLCs, EINs, and all the acronyms that could come back to haunt you. In this MakingChips episode, we dive deep into the hidden hustle of launching a shop and the legal & financial decisions no one tells you about until it's too late. Trust us—this episode will save you from making costly mistakes on your way to becoming a shop owner. 🎧 https://lnkd.in/eEqmCvYG Nick Goellner Mike Payne Paul Van Metre Jennifer Dubose Nicholas Vargosko Brad Boettcher Episode and Series brought to you by Modern Machine Shop and CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) 👊 #Manufacturing #Startups #BusinessTips #EINs #LLC #Entrepreneurship #MakingChips

💥 Starting a shop? You’re either building a business…or a future mess. If your entity isn't set up right from the beginning, you could be risking your money, your time, and your future. 🎙️ Part 2 of our “Starting Your Shop” series is live! Paul Van Metre, Nick Goellner, and I wrap up our conversation with Nicholas Vargosko and Brad Boettcher from CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen). We walk through the practical, real-world steps to forming your company: ✅ Finding the right name ✅ Registering your business ✅ Getting your Tax ID ✅ Setting up finances ✅ Choosing financial software ✅ Business insurance ✅ Building your "start-up" team 🎧 And yes, you'll learn a lot, but you'll also be entertained. This crew knows how to make business formation surprisingly fun. 📢 Tune in now on MakingChips. Because if you’re not making chips… you’re not making money. BAM! #MakingChips #BuyTheNumbers #StartAShop #Entrepreneurship #Manufacturing #SmallBusiness #MFGCommunity #MachineShopMastery #DataDrivenDecisions #BusinessFormation #BusinessTips #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #SaveAShop #GrowingValue #Fabrication #ShopOwnerLife Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication Machine Shop Mastery Lights Out Buy the Numbers# MakingSparks Machine Shop Growth Podcast Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Matthew Nix Casey Voelker Jennifer Dubose Kaleb Mertz Mike Fritz CEO Kirk Phelps Leslie Boyd Jennifer Clement

Another big week out of the MakingChips network! Kicked things off Monday with the next episode in our Machine Shop MBA Series brought to you by Modern Machine Shop and CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)! Paul, Nick and I talked about the right way to start a company with Nicholas Vargosko and Brad Boettcher from CLA. This was sneaky good with more coming tomorrow in part 2 of this episode. Even if you’ve started your company you should give this a listen to make sure you’re in the type of entity best for you and info on how to change it if you need. Machine Shop Growth Podcast knocked it out of the park again with real, actual steps you can take to grow your business! Lights Out had a great episode with part 2 talking with Ryan Bankel from Imago. Ryans story and mission is awesome! MakingSparks was joined by the one, the only, Miss Swiss…Nush A. from ADDMAN and host of the NextGenMFG Podcast Don’t miss this episode! And don’t forget to check out hireMFGLeaders.com to fill out the perfect team on your shop! Thanks to our amazing sponsors for allowing us to keep delivering content that equips and inspires #MFGLeaders in the #MetalworkingNation! CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) Modern Machine Shop AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology IMTS - International Manufacturing Technology Show ProShop ERP Paperless Parts Tree Top Staffing LLC Verdant Capital Paul Van Metre Nick Goellner Kaleb Mertz Mike Fritz CEO Kirk Phelps Matthew Nix Casey Voelker Jennifer Dubose Myles Rickerd Leslie Boyd Jennifer Clement Bryce Ellis Bonnie Gurney Mary Cecile Neville Michelle Edmonson, CEM Sarah Morrow Jason T. Ray Ty Willis

THIS IS NOT OK! Nearly every shop I know has benefitted from the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program and created countless jobs as a result. The MEPs help with grants, training, consulting, retaining jobs, reshoring work, lean manufacturing, and much more. This CREATES MANUFACTURING JOBS! We need everyone in the machining industry to help reverse this initiative. If the administration really wants to build a strong manufacturing sector, the MEP network is a key piece of that puzzle. Eliminating that program entirely is so short-sighted. I know my shop, Pro CNC used the Impact Washington - NIST MEP many times to great benefit, which helped us grow and hire dozens of people in our community. I've heard that same story hundreds of times. We have a coalition of people coming together to bring a voice of the #MetalWorkingNation all as ONE and try to save the MEP network! I'll keep you posted for more soon. Article in the comment below. Please comment with how the MEP has helped your shop, like and please share this post to bring awareness to your network. We need a groundswell of support to make a difference. MakingChips Mike Payne Nick Goellner #ThankAMachinist

Figure it out Friday… 🤷 Guess this part and win some swag! 🏆 ✅ Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication hat? ✅ Hoodie? ✅ MakingChips Swag? ✅ Anything else I see to throw in the box? ✅ Maybe even a bourbon and cigar recommendation if you really impress me? This part plays a very specific role in a production cycle and I guarantee 99% of you have used the final product it helps make. That is roughly 5" OD 304 SS. No, I won’t publicly identify it. But if you comment your guess, I will tell you if you’re right (or close). Let’s hear it… 👇 PS...there are a few of you that I know, you know and if you spoil the fun are disqualified from all swag in the future! If you want a hat, just ask 😁 #Manufacturing #MachinistLife #MakingChips #HillManufacturing #EngineeringChallenge #GuessThePart #Fabrication #CNCmachining Brett Thompson Corey Bartmier Tony Lang Rip L Van Winkle Andrew Payne Hank Anglin Rhett Dawson Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre

Did you know that almost all of our episodes of MakingChips are available on YouTube, too? Check out the latest episode in our #MachineShopMBA series all about the entrepreneurial mindset 👇 https://lnkd.in/eCzYSUnz Brought to you by: Modern Machine Shop and CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) Mike Payne Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Jennifer Dubose #MakingChips #Entrepreneurs #Mindset #Visionary #TopShop

Shop owners and leaders: 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩. The Top Shops survey window closes April 30. The entire process is free, but give yourself time to complete the survey — you can save your progress and come back to it any time before deadline. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 — find out definitively where your shop ranks among the competition. Big thanks to the MakingChips team for the collab (Mike Payne, Nick Goellner, Paul Van Metre) as well as my colleagues in Gardner Intelligence for all of the improvements they've made to the survey. #TopShops #cncmachining #makingchips #MadeintheUSA #metalworking #benchmarking Mike Shirk David Necessary Patrick Smith Emma Deters

From NASCAR Dreams to Swiss Machines 🔥 In the latest Making Sparks episode, Nush A.—a 21-year-old rising star in the trades—shares her journey from operating CNC machines to running quality processes, building community online, and influencing thousands of women to join the industry. Her story isn’t just inspiring. It’s a case study in what happens when a shop invests in someone curious. If you want your next hire to sound like this—ambitious, thoughtful, obsessed with improvement—you need to add this to your lineup 👇 🎥 https://lnkd.in/evuSngXv 🎧 https://lnkd.in/eT_q4Zqp MakingSparks Casey Voelker Matthew Nix Mike Payne Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre

🎙️ Episode 5 is LIVE: Where Growth Starts What’s holding your shop back from the next level? For most owners, it’s not machines. It’s not even a lack of customers. 👉 It’s the uncertainty of where to start. This week on the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, we brought the full team to the table: 📈 Steve Mazza 📢 Harry Westerkamp And your Hosts: Kirk Phelps & Mike Fritz CEO We tackle: ✔️ How to identify your real differentiator (hint: it's not "quality") ✔️ SOPs that actually increase profit ✔️ Why most shop owners are afraid of growth—and how to break through ✔️ Why your website might be silently losing work for you ✔️ How installing a growth mindset across your team changes everything 🔥 This is one of our most practical episodes yet. Real talk. Real strategy. 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/e8RAv-ya Available also thru different streaming platforms, LINK IN THE COMMENTS 👇 #MachineShopGrowth #ManufacturingLeadership #CNC #GrowthMindset #IndustrialMarketing #SalesStrategy #SOPs #MakingChips #ManufacturingBusiness