Most people think automation replaces welders.
Graham Williams thinks it saves them.

In this episode, recorded live at FABTECH, we sit down with Graham Williams of Vectis Automation to talk about how cobots are changing the game for small and mid-size shops — not by cutting people out, but by helping them do more, learn faster, and stay longer in the trade.

From breaking the stigma around automation to using AI for smarter workflows, Graham shares how the best shops are blending tech and talent to create the next generation of fabricators.

It’s not about robots replacing humans. It’s about giving humans better tools.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How cobots help small and mid-size shops compete with less overhead

• The biggest misconceptions shop leaders have about automation

• How to get buy-in from your welders before bringing in robots

• Why AI should simplify your work — not overcomplicate it

• How automation can extend careers and attract new tradespeople

• What “crawl, walk, run” really looks like when adopting new tech

1:12 – Matthew introduces Graham and the story behind Vectis Automation
3:40 – How cobots are helping small shops do more with the same crew
6:15 – Breaking the biggest myths about automation in fabrication
8:54 – Why automation isn’t just for high-volume production
12:07 – How AI fits into the future of welding and manufacturing
14:48 – Getting buy-in from seasoned welders on new tech
18:22 – How cobots can extend careers and attract young talent
22:50 – What the “crawl, walk, run” approach to automation looks like

Resources:
Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business:
👉 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/

Connect with Graham on LinkedIn:
🔗 linkedin.com/in/graham-williams-532174b8

Learn more about Vectis Automation:
🌐 https://vectisautomation.com

Lights Out Podcast:
🎧 https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/

Buy the Numbers Podcast:
🎧 https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-numbers/

Most shop owners talk about culture. Few actually put it into practice.

In Part 2 of our conversation, Jesse Kleiman shares how he’s building JR Metal Works on values that stick — from making hard work “cool again” to leading with “simple scales, fancy fails.”

This isn’t theory. It’s how a fast-growing fab shop operationalizes culture, keeps people bought in, and builds a team that can scale.

It’s not just about welding or leadership. It’s about what happens when you decide values aren’t posters on the wall — they’re how you run the business every day.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “making hard work cool again” matters for shop culture

• How to elevate tradespeople and keep talent engaged

• Why “simple scales, fancy fails” is a rule every shop should live by

• How Jesse teaches leadership through Extreme Ownership and The Four Agreements

• Practical ways to embed values so they survive growth pains

Resources:
Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesse-kleiman-685675113
JR Metal Works: https://jr-metalworks.com/
Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-numbers/

Most fab shops dream of growth. Few are ready when it comes.

Jesse Kleiman didn’t just grow JR Metal Works — he scaled it from a garage startup to a 70-person team taking on enterprise-level contracts.

In this episode, Jesse opens up about the reality of rapid growth: the cash flow crunches, the leadership pivots, and the culture shifts that come with scaling faster than you planned.

It’s not just about welding or expansion. It’s about what happens when your business outgrows you—and how to stay intentional through it all.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to know when it’s the right time to expand

• Why rapid growth can be as dangerous as stagnation

• The cash flow traps every fast-growing shop needs to watch for

• How to build a culture that survives growth pains

• When (and why) to invest in a support team

• The leadership mindset that turns growth into longevity

Timestamps:
2:16 – Jesse’s story: starting JR Metal Works in 2016 and growing to 70 people
11:28 – Taking on gas pipe welding with zero experience (and figuring it out)
16:09 – The cash flow challenges of rapid growth
17:24 – Sales lessons at the enterprise level
30:07 – Why firing the wrong customer is sometimes the best decision
32:26 – The contract that doubled the business overnight
38:44 – Why leadership takes just “10 seconds of courage”
40:28 – Vendor relationships and surviving slow customer payments
43:50 – Jesse’s advice: always be

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/

Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesse-kleiman-685675113

JR Metal Works: https://jr-metalworks.com/

Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/

Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-...

Most golf brands take the shortcut: outsource, import, slap on a logo.

Jared decided to do it the hard way.
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In this episode, we dig into the Hanna Golf story — how a sales guy became a maker, bought a CNC, and built a boutique putter brand rooted in grit, craft, and American-made pride. From betting on himself to cutting through the noise of big brands, Jared shows what it really takes to build something that lasts.
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It’s not just about golf. It’s about what happens when you actually make the thing you sell.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to stand out in a crowded industry without shortcuts

• The lessons (and mistakes) of going from sales to machining

• Why authenticity and American-made still matter to customers

• How to build a brand with zero marketing budget

• The role of social media in growing a small shop into a business

• What golf’s shifting culture can teach manufacturers about customers

Timestamps:
1:24 – Jared’s path from sales to starting Hana Golf
5:23 – Finding a niche at the $300–400 putter price point
7:10 – Learning CNC the hard way (and why it mattered)
12:24 – Selling direct: courses, online, and word of mouth
13:11 – Why storytelling and social media fuel growth
14:07 – The sound and feel of a CNC-milled putter
20:28 – Building an audience online as “free marketing”
23:07 – How golf’s culture shift mirrors blue-collar roots
29:11 – Where to follow Hana Golf and Jared’s journey

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/

Jared's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jared-doerfler-4b04a62b

Hanna Golf Website: hannagolf.com

Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/

Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-...

In this MakingSparks episode, Casey and Matthew talk with Keith — a leader whose career has been shaped by both running a fabrication shop and now serving as General Manager at Fabrication Solutions & Technologies (FST).

Keith’s path started with welding in the blazing heat, learning from old-school fabricators, and grinding his way up to shop management. Today, he uses that first-hand production experience to help shops across oil & gas, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and more choose the right equipment, design smarter workflows, and maximize ROI.

From process flow strategies to cross-training welders, machinists, and operators, Keith shares how shop-floor grit and people-first leadership create stronger teams, better client relationships, and more efficient real-world metal fabrication operations. Whether you’re running a press brake, programming a CNC plasma table, or managing a growing shop, this conversation is full of insights forged in the fire of real-world fabrication.

00:01:12 – Setting the stage and introducing today’s guest.
00:02:22 – Finding common ground through shared industry connections.
00:04:09 – Lessons learned from seasoned shop veterans.
00:05:12 – Insights from seeing manufacturing behind the scenes.
00:10:13 – Building a professional network that drives opportunities.
00:13:14 – Standing out at trade shows by creating meaningful conversations.
00:17:02 – Prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term sales.
00:19:42 – Addressing the challenge of finding skilled, motivated workers.
00:23:06 – How shop-floor experience strengthens leadership and sales roles.
00:37:35 – Encouraging industry connections and in-person engagement at events.

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Keith's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keith-jentsch
Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-...

What happens when a self-proclaimed “mechanically deficient” leader takes the reins of a 170-person fabrication business? For Brandon Stanchock, it meant leaning into curiosity, asking “dumb” questions, and spending a week in every department—boots on the ground, in the heat of summer.

In this episode of Making Sparks, Brandon joins Casey and Matthew to talk about:

• How imposter syndrome shaped his leadership style
• Why asking the right questions beats having all the answers
• His mission to turn culture into a competitive advantage
• Practical ways he’s using AI and AR to improve operations
• And the launch of his internal content series: The Clueless CEO Chronicles

Whether you're a seasoned executive or an up-and-comer in the trades, this one’s for anyone who believes leadership is earned, not inherited.

Timeline:

00:00 – LinkedIn Is the Wild West
06:00 – From Project Manager to CEO
09:40 – Imposter Syndrome at the Top
14:30 – Leading Without Knowing the Trade
20:00 – Culture as a Leadership Strategy
24:00 – Walking the Floor, One Department at a Time
27:00 – AR, AI & Asking Better Questions
36:00 – Culture Sells

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Brandon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonstanchock/
Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-numbers/
Connect with Brandon: https://justsomebs.buzzsprout.com/share

What do you do when your fab shop isn’t broken—but you know it could be better?

In this episode, Alfonso Aramburo joins us from Southern California to talk about the work he does turning around underperforming manufacturing companies. But his approach isn’t about flashy strategy or instant fixes—it’s about people, process, and product, in that order.

Alfonso breaks down the three core problems most shops face, why culture is the engine that drives real improvement, and how small, consistent action wins out over big, clunky systems every time.

This episode is for the shop owners trying to get out of fire-fighting mode, the leaders stuck in the weeds, and the folks who know their team could run smoother—but aren’t sure where to start.

You'll learn:

• The three issues every struggling fab shop has in common
• Why communication—not tools—is the real problem
• How to build a process system without SOP overload

Timestamps:
01:06 – Welcome to MakingSparks
03:10 – Alfonso’s background in lean manufacturing and turnaround leadership
06:15 – The only 3 problems shops ever really have
08:22 – Why leadership is usually the real people problem
13:00 – Building trust by creating safe space for growth
17:32 – How culture actually drives performance
21:01 – When to start building processes (and how to keep them simple)
26:13 – Using single-point lessons to document and sustain change
30:11 – The DMAIC framework and why most fixes fail from the start
34:52 – Aligning your team before adding a new product or service
39:00 – Why misalignment between departments tanks your product quality
45:11 – Final thoughts on capability, communication, and long-term growth

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Lights Out podcast by MakingChips: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
By The Numbers with Mike Payne: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-numbers/

What does it take to run a fab shop, scale a personal brand, and merge two business models—without losing your mind?

In this episode, the Ross Brothers, Rodney Ross & Austin Ross joined us from South Dakota to share how they're navigating their journey of running two different welding businesses. One is rooted in boots on the ground fabrication. The other? A YouTube channel that has turned into a full-blown brand & welding instruction hub. They talk openly about burnout, balancing visionary leadership with structured execution, and the real impact of building your personal brand (even as a welder). This episode is for the folks trying to grow fast, stay grounded, and keep the fire lit in the middle of the chaos.

You'll learn:
- What it looks like to delegate when you're still in the thick of it
- Why YOUR personal brand matters; influencer or not
- How staying authentic on and off the screen opens doors

Timestamps:
01:06 – Welcome to MakingSparks
04:58 – How Mid-State Welding started after years on the pipeline
06:34 – Austin’s YouTube journey and the birth of Ross Welding
09:55 – Why their personalities had to collide to make this work
14:14 – TV appearances, Magnolia Network, and what “natural integration” actually looks like 20:35 – Building trust online through value, not sales pitches
26:34 – How Rodney leads young welders with “There’s always a way”
33:36 – Delegation, burnout, and finding your first real hire
39:20 – Should you train green or hire top talent? Here’s what’s working
45:07 – Final thoughts on grit, gratitude, and moving forward together

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Lights Out podcast by MakingChips: https://www.makingchips.com/lights-out
By The Numbers with Mike Payne: https://www.makingchips.com/by-the-numbers
Mid State Welding: https://www.midstate-welding.com/
ARossWelding: https://www.arosswelding.com/