Machine Shop Growth

Everyone talks about the opportunities in aerospace.Very few talk about the costs.In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps breaks down what machine shops need to know before pursuing AS9100 certification—and why getting the certificate is actually the easy part.From inspection equipment and calibrated gauging to ERP systems, cash flow challenges, ITAR requirements, personnel, and expensive aerospace materials, Kirk shares the realities that many shops discover only after they're already committed.You'll learn:✅ Why AS9100 is a culture—not a checkbox✅ The hidden costs most shops underestimate✅ How to evaluate whether your current equipment is aerospace-ready✅ Why cash flow can become a major challenge in aerospace manufacturing✅ How to enter the aerospace market without betting the entire companyIf you've ever thought about pursuing aerospace work, this episode could save you from some very expensive mistakes.And Kirk leaves us with a question:Are you ready for AS9100—or are you only ready for the certificate?If you enjoy the show, please leave a review—it helps more machine shop owners find the podcast.

You don’t start a machine shop by buying a machine.You start it by solving a problem.In this episode, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps unpack the reality behind building a machine shop from scratch—and it’s probably different than what most people expect.Everyone talks about machines.Very few talk about:• Cash flow pressure• Customer concentration risk• Investors and financing mistakes• The hidden costs nobody budgets for• Why your first customer matters more than your first machineAnd one statement from this episode flips conventional thinking upside down:"Don't buy the machine and then go find customers."If you're dreaming of launching your own shop—or wondering if now is the right time—this episode walks through the real-world decisions that determine whether you grow... or struggle before you ever get started.PLUS A MAJOR announcement about the future of Machine Shop Growth and the launch of Manufacturing M&A🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

Your shop may be busy…But is it actually growing?In this episode, Mike Fritz breaks down the 5 KPI’s every machine shop should track if they want more control over sales, production, profitability, and long-term growth.Most shops judge success by whether there’s money in the bank, parts are shipping, and customers seem happy. But that only tells part of the story. Without tracking the right numbers, a shop can miss warning signs like low margins, weak RFQ flow, poor follow-up, or dangerous customer concentration.Mike walks through the five growth KPIs that reveal what is really happening inside your shop:You’ll learn how to track:RFQ volume from new, current, and dormant customersWin rate and why you are winning or losing workPO volume and customer concentration riskShipping volume and how it connects sales to the floorMargin and how to improve profit without always raising pricesThis episode also covers why dormant customers need intentional outreach, why OEMs change vendors, how to use KPIs to drive decisions, and why growth should be measured before it becomes a crisis.If you want your shop to stop living and dying by the next PO from your biggest customer, this episode will help you start tracking the numbers that actually drive growth.Subscribe to our 2026 weekly format:Sales & Marketing — 1st & 3rd TuesdaysOperations & Engineering — 2nd & 4th TuesdaysBonus joint episodes on 5th TuesdaysIf this episode helps, please leave a review. It helps more shop owners find the show and grow their business.

A second shift sounds like growth.More hours. More output. More revenue.But what if adding a second shift is actually the fastest way to multiply your problems?In this joint episode, Mike Fritz and Kirk Phelps tackle one of the most common ideas floating around machine shops right now: “Should we add a second shift?”On paper, it sounds simple.In reality, it can create more complexity, more liability, more labor pressure, and more process breakdown than most shops are prepared for.In this episode, we break down:Why most sub-$5M shops are not actually ready for a true second shiftThe hidden cost of off-shift managementWhy process refinement should happen before labor expansionHow automation, fixturing, tooling, and better routing can unlock capacity firstWhy lights-out manufacturing is often a better “second shift” than a manned oneHow bad processes duplicated at night only fail fasterThis episode is a must-listen for shop owners who are feeling maxed out, thinking about growth, and wondering whether second shift is the answer—or just a very expensive distraction.Because sometimes the capacity you need is already sitting inside your current shop...You just have not uncovered it yet.Subscribe to our weekly format: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays: Sales & Marketing 2nd & 4th Tuesdays: Operations & Engineering Joint episodes: Special industry deep-dives with Mike and KirkIf this episode helps, leave a review. It helps more shop owners find the show.

The skilled labor shortage didn’t happen by accident.We built it.In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk Phelps sits down with Andrew Skoog of Machinist X to unpack one of the hardest questions in manufacturing:How did we let the skilled machinist pipeline get this thin — and what do we do now?They dig into the real causes behind the shortage:offshoring and trade shiftsgenerational gaps in the shopgatekeeping of tribal knowledgenegative industry messagingpoor mentorship and broken career pathsBut this conversation doesn’t stop at the problem.It goes into what actually needs to change if manufacturing wants to win the next decade — from how we train and promote people, to how we talk about the trade, to why AI still won’t replace real machinists.You’ll also hear:why the “dying trade” narrative is dead wrongwhat separates operators from skilled machinistswhy effort and initiative still matter more than everhow collaboration may be the missing piece in rebuilding the workforceAnd here’s the twist:The shortage may actually create one of the best long-term opportunities this industry has seen in years… but only for the shops and people willing to adapt.If you care about the future of manufacturing, this is an episode you need to hear.

You don’t have an OEE problem.You have a perfection problem.In this episode, Kirk Phelps breaks down Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and challenges one of the most ingrained beliefs in machining: that zero scrap equals a high-performing shop.We unpack Availability, Performance, and Quality—and explain how fear of scrap quietly kills throughput, adds downtime, and limits growth. This isn’t about being careless. It’s about understanding risk, planning for reality, and operating your shop like a system.You’ll learn how to:Rethink scrap as a byproduct of manufacturing—not a failure Identify how perfection erodes availability and throughput Use OEE to see where capacity is really being lost Apply standardization to reduce setup time and improve performance Balance quality with risk management instead of fearIf your shop is busy, clean, and still stuck, this episode will change how you think about OEE—and what “good” really looks like.Subscribe to our new 2026 weekly format:Sales & Marketing (1st & 3rd Tuesdays)Operations & Engineering (2nd & 4th Tuesdays)Bonus joint episodes on 5th TuesdaysIf this episode helps, please leave a review—it helps more shop owners find the show.

2026 isn’t about staying busy—it’s about winning on purpose.In this episode, Mike Fritz breaks down a simple, proven framework to grow your shop using Top Line, Bottom Line, and People. Learn how to clarify who your shop really is, cut loser parts, focus on winner work, and pull the lowest-effort, highest-impact levers for growth.If you want to break through plateaus like the $2M ceiling and build a shop that’s profitable, scalable, and intentional—this episode is for you.Subscribe to our new 2026 format: ✅ Sales/Marketing (1st & 3rd Tuesdays) ✅ Operations/Engineering (2nd & 4th Tuesdays) ✅ Bonus joint episodes on 5th TuesdaysIf this episode helps, please leave a quick review—it helps more shop owners find the show.

What if your next big customer came with a whole shop attached?In this episode, Mike Fritz sits down with Mike Payne—shop owner, dealmaker, and host of By the Numbers- to pull back the curtain on how real machine shops grow through acquisitions.From understanding what makes a deal worth it to financing it without millions in the bank. This episode reveals the real-world strategies behind building an empire, one acquisition at a time.Tune in to learn how to avoid costly mistakes, find the right opportunities, and structure deals that actually make money.

Hiring can make or break your shop’s growth, but how do you know when it’s the right move? 👀In this episode, Mike and Kirk share their playbook for spotting the signs that it’s time to hire… and the costly mistakes to avoid if you pull the trigger too early. Should you automate first? Push more overtime? Promote from within? Or make that big hire now?Listen in before you post that job ad—you might be looking at the problem all wrong.

In Part 2 of our three-part growth series, Mike and Kirk tackle the essential—but often neglected—side of machine shop growth: improving your bottom line. Before chasing more revenue, it’s critical to plug the profit leaks that are silently eroding your business.From tooling waste and bloated staff structures to broken quoting systems and inefficient processes, this episode dives deep into real-world strategies to help you keep more of what you already earn.What you'll learn:Why better organization and tooling control can instantly save thousandsHow rethinking cycle times and throughput can double your marginsThe value of third-party engineering audits in uncovering hidden inefficienciesWhen to automate vs. optimize vs. outsourceHow mindset, data, and documentation play into long-term profitabilityWhether you’re running a high-mix job shop or a production-driven operation, this episode is packed with practical advice to make every dollar work harder—and stick around longer.

If you’ve been leveraging MEP programs for training, grants, or equipment purchases, there’s a chance that these benefits could be going away. Today, we’re talking about the potential changes to these programs, what it means for your shop, and how to prepare if these resources are no longer available.We’re resharing this important discussion from the Making Chips podcast to broaden the discussion and to ensure you’re up-to-date on the latest developments surrounding MEP funding and what it means for your business. It's crucial to understand how these changes could affect your shop and what steps you can take to stay ahead.Tune in to hear insights from the Making Chips team and learn more about the future of these programs.

In this episode, we're diving into the often-overlooked but incredibly valuable topic of re-engaging dormant customers. After exploring how to grow current customer relationships in our previous episode, we're now shifting focus to those who've slipped away. We'll discuss why customers become dormant, how it's not always due to negative experiences, and the subtle art of re-engagement. You'll hear firsthand about the strategic approaches and real-life examples from our own experiences in reigniting these old flames. Whether you're looking to improve on-time delivery, uphold product quality, or navigate pricing changes, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you bring dormant customers back into the fold. Join us as we unpack the tools and tactics necessary to transform lost opportunities into revived partnerships.

Here’s a question for you—are you running your shop, or is your shop running you?In this episode of the Machine Shop Growth Podcast, Kirk and I are diving into the 3 biggest challenges shop owners face—things most of us don’t even realize are slowing us down:1️⃣ Why trying to do it all might be your biggest mistake.2️⃣ How one simple change could completely transform your workflow.3️⃣ The surprising reason your shop down the road is growing faster (hint: it’s not their parts).We’re here to help you break out of the grind, grow your shop, and finally see the profits you’ve been working so hard for.🎧 Pilot Episode is live now—don’t miss it!