Machine Shop Mastery Podcast Por Paul Van Metre arte de portada

Machine Shop Mastery

Machine Shop Mastery

De: Paul Van Metre
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 The Machine Shop Mastery Podcast helps to elevate the importance of the machine shop industry and reveal the secrets of success for machine shops, to inspire other shop owners or would-be shop owners to follow their passions, start and grow their shops to be an economic driver for our economy and their stakeholders.© 2025 Machine Shop Mastery Economía Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • 79. The BTM Blueprint: Collaboration, Culture, and Growth

    79. The BTM Blueprint: Collaboration, Culture, and Growth
    May 21 2025
    In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Kyra Tillman, third-generation owner of BTM Industries. When Kyra returned to the family shop, she inherited more than just machines—she inherited decades of “this is how we’ve always done it.” What she’s done since is nothing short of a transformation. With grit, grace, and a serious knack for finding and using resources, Kyra has turned a quiet, closed-door machine shop into a vibrant, collaborative, culture-driven powerhouse—one where growth and fun coexist, Nerf guns included. We dig deep into how she transitioned the shop from old-school processes and undocumented tribal knowledge into a modern, ISO-certified job shop with an eye toward continued growth. Kyra shares candidly about the challenges of taking over from her father, navigating culture change, building an apprenticeship program, and leveraging MEP grants and peer groups to grow her business and team. This conversation is a roadmap for any shop owner who's been putting off change, underestimating the power of collaboration, or unsure where to start when it comes to scaling smarter—not just bigger. Kyra’s journey proves that transformation doesn’t require perfection—it requires community, commitment, and a willingness to be both humble and hungry. Whether you're a next-gen leader or seasoned veteran, this episode is full of the kind of real talk and actionable advice that'll get you thinking differently. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:00) Goofballs with grit: The culture inside BTM Industries(0:31) Stay tuned for registration information about Top Shops 2025(1:31) Introducing Kyra Tillman: Queen of resources and collaboration(3:46) Shop snapshot: BTM’s low-volume, high-variety machining work(5:30) The origin story: From grandfather’s founding to Kyra’s return(9:12) Doubling revenue with the same headcount(11:28) Email campaigns and grant-funded lead gen(15:21) Collaborating with MEPs and why you should too(18:00) The power of industry groups like NTMA and peer networks(28:23) Culture change: From isolation to cross-training and teamwork(30:18) Grow your top and bottom-line with CLA(32:55) The family buyout and post-transition challenges(36:30) ERP systems, ISO certification, and lessons from poor fits(40:00) Hiring for character, training for skill(43:36) Tracking metrics and fostering team transparency(45:41) Getting comfortable with growth and being the face of the business(47:05) Culture wins: T-shirt design contests, Nerf wars, and tacos(49:48) Strategic decisions: Standardizing machines and tools(52:23) Advice for successors and new shop owners: Find your support system(53:52) Kyra’s opinion on the trajectory of manufacturing(56:14) Why you need to listen to the Lights Out podcast Resources & People Mentioned Stay tuned for registration information about Top Shops 2025NTMA10,000 Small BusinessesVistageGrow your top and bottom-line with CLAManufacturing Pathways Consortium Connect with Kyra Tillman Connect on LinkedInBTM Industries Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The websiteLinkedInYouTubeInstagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    57 m
  • 78. The Power of Being Mission Driven - Court Durkalski of Truline Industries

    78. The Power of Being Mission Driven - Court Durkalski of Truline Industries
    May 7 2025
    Most shop owners I talk to are focused on the usual things: keeping the machines humming, staying profitable, maybe planning for growth or succession. But what if the real unlock for your shop wasn’t more tech or tighter margins—but a completely different way of thinking about why your business exists in the first place? That’s what today’s episode is about. I sat down with Court Durkalski, CEO of Truline Industries, and honestly, this conversation hit me harder than most. Court runs a $23 million aerospace machining company with 120 employees—and they give away 10% of their gross sales to global charitable causes. Not profits—sales. That level of generosity is unheard of in manufacturing, and yet their quality metrics, delivery performance, and bottom line are world-class. The kicker? That whole culture came from a very personal place, and a journey that includes addiction, near financial collapse, and walking away from a path to ministry. I wanted to understand how a shop like Truline stays so focused, so precise, and so mission-aligned. And what I found is that none of it is accidental. From hiring practices to equipment decisions to the way they manage customer relationships, everything at Truline is built around this core belief that doing great work and doing good in the world aren’t at odds—they’re actually the same thing. If you’re someone who’s always thought values should stay separate from business—or maybe you’ve just never thought about your shop as a force for something bigger—I think this episode will leave you thinking differently. It sure did for me. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:53) Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)(2:09) The moment I got choked up—and why Court's mission moved me(4:12) How Truline evolved from a tax write-off to an aerospace shop(12:10) Court’s addiction and the personal crash that nearly ended it all(15:26) Leaving the shop behind for Bible college—and the shock that came next(17:23) The conference that changed Court’s future and pulled him back to the business(19:20) Early steps toward CNC adoption and finding a niche in jet fuel pump parts(23:35) The tight tolerances, leaded bronze, and engineering details behind Truline’s work(28:19) Ego, submission, and a defining leadership shift between father and son(34:05) What it means to run a “God-owned” company—and the cultural transformation it sparked(37:01) The 2008 recession, credit line debt, and the bold financial leap toward giving(48:42) The ROI of generosity: culture, retention, and $40M+ given away(50:39) How Truline earns customer trust—even when mission gets in the way of margins(57:04) The two things that are intrinsically tied to delivering excellence (1:02:22) Why you need to listen to Making Sparks Resources & People Mentioned Fellowship of Companies for Christ International Connect with Court Durkalski Truline IndustriesConnect with Court on LinkedIn Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The websiteLinkedInYouTubeInstagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    1 h y 3 m
  • 77. Strategy & Execution Wins Customers - Matt Gawlik of 3D Graphite

    77. Strategy & Execution Wins Customers - Matt Gawlik of 3D Graphite
    Apr 23 2025
    What happens when a serial entrepreneur with seven businesses under his belt decides to go all-in on graphite machining—and does it with some of the fastest, most precise equipment on the planet? You get Matt Gawlik, and in this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, he brings the heat. Host Paul Van Metre sits down with Matt to unpack a no-BS journey through business wins, failures, and the strategies that separate thriving shops from the ones barely hanging on. From his early roots in a multi-generational manufacturing family to building 3D Graphite into a tightly focused, high-performing operation, Matt shares hard-won lessons about the value of specialization, the power of investing in elite equipment, and why systems—not micromanagement—should run your shop. His take on partnerships is equally honest: most are a sinking ship unless you go in with rock-solid agreements and aligned values. But the real anchor of this episode is Matt’s perspective on sales. “Sales is the tip of the spear,” he says—and without a full pipeline, your business ends up serving the wrong customers and losing money in the process. He lays out how smart, honest marketing and brand clarity can unlock better-fit clients, smoother operations, and a more profitable shop. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to level up your manufacturing business, this episode delivers straight talk, sharp insight, and more than a few mic-drop moments. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:09) Unlock hidden revenue: How CLA helps manufacturers grow profitably(1:24) Meet Matt Gawlik: Serial entrepreneur, niche expert, and straight shooter(3:46) From family business to seven ventures: Matt’s hard-won startup lessons(6:19) The truth about partnerships—and why most are doomed from the start(9:45) Why high-end equipment like Röders gave Matt a serious edge(17:33) How smart setups + elite machines = unbeatable profitability(21:52) The fast track to innovation: YouTube, tool reps, and expert help(23:24) Benchmark your shop: Why the Top Shop Survey is a no-brainer(25:18) Culture that performs: Grit, self-awareness, and emotional maturity(29:24) Sales is survival: Why most shops are stuck—and how to break free(34:19) Don’t do it all: Why niche focus is your most powerful strategy(37:32) Matt’s playbook for marketing a machine shop the smart way(43:26) Final takeaways: Systems, people, and the power of staying focused(46:54) Why you need to check out the MakingSparks podcast Resources & People Mentioned Learn how to grow your top and bottom-line with CLAKnow how your shop stacks up by taking the Top Shop SurveyAngela Duckworth’s Grit ScaleThe Enneagram TypesThe Sales BibleObviously AwesomeStart with Why Connect with Matt Gawlik Connect on LinkedIn3D Graphite and Machining Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The websiteLinkedInYouTubeInstagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    47 m
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Hello! I feel honored to be the first person to rate this podcast. The host is very inclusive and I find that VERY COOL since I am a female starting off in a field very dominated by men. The biggest takeaway I have learned so far from this podcast is to never stop learning new things. I didn't realize that even people who have been in Machinery for decades still need to keep learning and that learning something new is intimidating for even them! Thanks so much for this podcast and I wish you all the best in future episodes. Keep it coming !

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