Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

Kyle Stoff spent his high school years doing parkour and making butterfly knives by hand. By the end of his Junior Year in high school, he’d decided he wanted to get into manufacturing to perfect his knife-making process. He skipped his Senior Year and dove into a full-time program at Ranken, becoming one of my best—and youngest—students.

Now, Kyle works full-time for Orizon Aerostructures and makes his knives on days and weekends. His knives typically sell starting at $1,800—many are auctioned off even higher. He shares his story and why he’s passionate about manufacturing in this episode of MakingChips. Because if you’re not MakingChips, you’re not making knives, and you’re not making money. BAM!

– Drew Crowe

• [0:17] Palo Alto Networks Industrial OT Security
• [3:08] How MakingChips launched Drew’s career
• [8:40] Shoutout to Mark Bosworth at Southwestern Illinois College
• [11:12] Celebrating MakingChips hitting 1,000,000 downloads
• [17:11] Introducing today’s guest: Kyle Stoff with Orizon Aerostructures
• [24:07] Check out ThomasTM Programs
• [26:52] Shifting to making knives on a CNC machine
• [31:47] Kyle inspired a curriculum change
• [42:12] Kyle’s message to aspiring machinists
• [44:03] The trajectory of Kyle’s future

• Palo Alto Networks Industrial OT Security
• Brandon Dempsey with goBRANDgo!
• Kyle Stoff on LinkedIn
• Kyle’s Instagram page
• ComFlux
• SZN1: #ThankAMachinist, 367

• www.MakingChips.com
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Mike Payne has spent the last 20+ years deeply entrenched in the M&A process with dozens of companies throughout Oklahoma. Early in his career, he realized he loved the world of manufacturing. He also learned that he enjoyed operating a business. He was just waiting for the right opportunity to unfold.

Then it happened: Six years ago, Mike was able to purchase Hill Manufacturing. In this episode of MakingSparks, we chat with Mike about his work in the M&A space, why he made acquisitions close to home, and what led to his passion for manufacturing.

– Matthew Nix

• [1:10] Chit-chatting with Mike Payne
• [5:26] Spark of Knowledge: Strategic Planning
• [6:39] Casey’s dad joke
• [7:29] Mike’s background in manufacturing
• [9:32] Mike’s work in the M&A space
• [12:30] Why start with acquisitions close to home? [17:54] Get NetSuite by Oracle
• [19:11] Why Mike decided to run a business
• [26:02] Why build relationships within the industry?

• Warren Buffett's 2024 Annual Letter To Shareholders
• Get NetSuite by Oracle
• The Six Types of Working Genius

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“King Richard” is a movie about Venus and Serena’s dad, Richard Williams. I remember watching their rise in tennis and was fascinated by this movie that followed their path to success. Their father was a large driving force behind their successful careers. So in this unique episode of MakingChips, we talk about 7 takeaways from King Richard and how they can be applied to the manufacturing world. If you want to rise to the top, you have to make chips. Because if you’re not making chips, you’re not making money. BAM!

• [3:01] The sacrifice(s) it takes to achieve success
• [6:25] What’s happening in our lives
• [9:21] Manufacturing News: Manufacturing Activity Slows
• [15:08] Takeaway #1: The importance of planning
• [18:41] Takeaway #2: What are you willing to sacrifice?
• [21:31] Takeaway #3: Hard work and tenacity can take you places
• [23:20] Takeaway #4: The more successful you are the more haters you’ll have
• [24:25] Takeaway #5: Don’t make success about getting in the spotlight
• [26:23] Takeaway #6: The power of a positive mindset
• [28:20] Takeaway #7: Make no excuses

• The movie: King Richard
• U.S. manufacturing activity slowest in more than 1-1/2 years as workers quit
• Xometry
• IMTS 2022!
• ProShop ERP
• The CNC Samurai

• www.MakingChips.com
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Hello Metalworking Nation and greetings from our studio at the DMDII in Goose Island, Chicago. On this two part episode of MakingChips, we welcome back Nicole Wolter, President of HM Manufacturing Company. Nicole shares the captivating story of HM Manufacturing, a company that began with her father's passion for F1 racing. The downturn of the economy in 2008 proved to be the perfect time for Nicole to enter the family business, but as she would come to find out, things weren't quite what they seemed. Nicole's questioning of all aspects of the family business led her to a startling discovery that would turn an already dire situation into a full blown crisis.

In manufacturing news, we talk about how Summer camps could be the start for the next generation's interest in the manufacturing industry.

Episode Structure: [03:10] - 22,000 Downloads! [03:35] - Manufacturing News [08:30] - Half Fridays [09:45] - Process Driven Sales [13:20] - Welcome Nicole Wolter [14:40] - “Home Made” [18:05] - A Family Business [22:03] - Getting Fired [27:07] - Dire Situations with HM [29:30] - “Something is Happening" [35:01] - New Policies and Procedures Links Mentioned in this Episode:DMDII Manufacturing News HM Manufacturing Company Nicole Wolter | LinkedInSubscribe to MakingChips

We Want to Hear From YOU, The Metalworking Nation: • [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] Telephone: (312) 725-0245

Success is one of those concepts that we all understand, and yet, in reality it means something different to each individual. For some, it is financial, for others it is freedom to be able to lead a certain lifestyle.

On this episode of MakingChips, we examine the concept of personal success as Jim and Jason ask: "What does success look like for you, and have you achieved it?”. Jim Carr makes an appearance in this week’s manufacturing news as we discuss Illinois’ personal income growth.

Episode Structure 02:30] - Manufacturing News [09:00] - The Drought of 1988 [12:00] - What’s New at ZENGERS [13:00] - What’s New at Carr Machine [15:30] - Business Has Changed [23:50] - Bringing in New Technology [25:00] - Longterm Goals [29:00] - Outsourcing [31:20] - What Does Success Look Like For Me? [35:10] - iTunes Review

Links - Mentioned in this Episode Manufacturing News The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII)iTunes Review | MakingChips

We Want to Hear From YOU, The Metalworking Nation • [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] Telephone: (312) 725-0245