That’s what Patricia Miller’s professional associates told her when she started investigating the possibility of taking over her family business after she’d already pursued and been successful at a career that included marketing, corporate leadership, and politics. Put yourself in her shoes and you’ll probably understand why they said what they did. She’d already experienced many perks that manufacturing leaders seldom do. Travel, posh offices, important connections - yet, she says her heart and her home pulled her back to take over her grandfather’s failing manufacturing business.
 
Welcome to Making Chips - THE podcast for manufacturing leaders and those involved in the manufacturing industry. Jim Carr and Jason Zenger bring you these shows week after week to help you keep on top of what’s happening in the manufacturing industry and to equip you to be the leader of your company as you desire to be.
 
Today the guys are talking with Patricia Miller in what is likely part one of a two part conversation. Patricia’s story is anything but typical. Though she was surrounded by the world of manufacturing as a child, spending time around her grandparent’s very successful machine shop, she never felt a draw to be “in” the family business. Her parents encouraged her to pursue her dreams and she did exactly that. But when her grandfather retired and his health failed, Patricia was at a juncture in her own life where she was choosing her next step. Suddenly, the option of taking over her grandparent’s business was a very real possibility that she’d not considered before.
 
In this episode of Making Chips you’re going to hear Patricia’s story of moving out of the corporate world to take over a manufacturing business that she admits was “stuck in the 70s” and on its last leg. It’s a story that testifies to the value and importance of long-time manufacturing operations and the leadership abilities of one amazing lady.
 
Grab your coffee, turn up the volume, and join Jim, Jason, and their guest Patricia Miller, CEO of Matrix IV as they discuss the process of moving a old-school manufacturing business into the modern era. On this episode of Making Chips.
 
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Here’s the outline of the conversation with Patricia
 


The story of Matrix IV, beginning with Patricia’s grandfather and grandmother


Patricia’s experience as a child being around the world of manufacturing


Patricia’s education led her into corporate leadership, politics, pharmaceuticals, and everything BUT manufacturing


Patricia’s opportunity to take over the leadership of Matrix IV and how she came to that decision


The realization that the company was stuck in the 1970s and what Patricia did about it


The first steps toward rejuvenating a tired, old business


How 400% growth since Patricia’s arrival is spurring the business forward


 
Links mentioned on this episode
 
Patricia’s company - Matrix IV - http://www.matrixiv.com/
 
An article from “Plastics News” describing what Patricia has done with Matrix IV - http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20141212/NEWS/141219962/new-leader-gives-molder-a-spark
 
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Tweets you can use to tell others about the benefits of vending systems
 
Old-school manufacturing has to move into the modern age. It’s a new day http://www.MakingChips.com/?p=490
 
My family encouraged me not to come back and take over the family business http://www.MakingChips.com/?p=490
 
I had done the things I wanted to do and decided to consider taking over the family business http://www.MakingChips.com/?p=490
 
90% of the business had gone offshore before I took over the leadership http://www.MakingChips.com/?p=490
 
I decided to take over this family business that was 6 months from having no ca