Welcome to Manufacturing Minute!

I'm glad you're here.

Let's get to it.

🚨In the News

Finally, someone gets it.

La-Z-Boy just opened their first centralized distribution hub, ditching multiple smaller centers to streamline their supply chain.

This is exactly what I was talking about in my post on extending lean beyond your four walls. While most companies obsess over 30 seconds of waste in assembly, they tolerate weeks of inventory buffers because "that's just how distribution works."

La-Z-Boy said no thanks to that logic.

They're applying the same principles internally that smart manufacturers should be doing with suppliers: eliminating handoff points, reducing buffers, optimizing the ACTUAL flow instead of just their piece of it.

It's refreshing to see a furniture company think like a lean manufacturer. Makes you wonder why more companies aren't questioning their "that's just how we've always done it" distribution models.

Love to see it.

🏭 Manufacturing Minute

I spent years avoiding anything that felt like "sales" because, somewhere along the way, I'd convinced myself it was beneath me as an engineer.

But starting Axiom forced me to face reality, if I don't sell, my family doesn't eat.

Period.

And I’ve realized that sales isn't manipulation or snake oil.

It's problem-solving with money involved.

Every successful engineer already does this – we just call it "requirements gathering" and "solution architecture."

Three things that changed my perspective:

1. Sales is just engineering with people You identify problems, design solutions, and present recommendations. Sound familiar?

2. The best salespeople aren't smooth talkers They're the ones who listen, ask the right questions, and genuinely care about solving the customer's problem.

3. Avoiding sales stunted my career I could have been helping more people, making more impact, and yes, making more money, if I'd gotten comfortable with this earlier.

At the end of the day, if you're an engineer who thinks sales is "dirty," you're only holding yourself back.

Start small… help a colleague see the value in your solution, advocate for a project you believe in, or simply get comfortable explaining why your approach matters.

You're already solving problems.

Now learn to get paid what you're worth for doing it.

P.S., Whether you're trying to make sense of Industry 4.0, struggling with legacy systems, or just need a sounding board from someone who's navigated similar waters, let's talk. Book Your 30-Minute Strategy Call →

P.P.S., if you are a nerd (like me), the next installment of my Manufacturing-themed D&D comic is out! See it here: