Live from IMTS 2018 day four in Chicago, Jason and Jim are joined by Barry Walter, Dietmar Goellner, Craig Zoberis, and Teresa Beach-Shelow to give their insight and advice that will help manufacturers sleep better at night. There are so many decisions and challenges that manufacturing leaders face that it is sometimes hard to get a good night’s sleep. The four panelists draw from their extensive wisdom and experience to share how you can handle some of those challenges so that you can sleep better tonight. Handing over the keys to the kingdom One issue that keeps manufacturing leaders up at night is succession planning. Manufacturers want to see their business last beyond them. How can you structure your company so that it will run well even if you are no longer the top leader? Barry Walter is a third-generation manufacturer who, despite swearing he’d never work for his father, is now in business with all four of his brothers in his father’s business. Dietmar Goellner is a second-generation manufacturer who has the third-generation working in his business. Listen as all four panelists discuss their succession plan experience and how they are planning to pass along their businesses to the next generation. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact How company culture impacts the bottom line Teresa Beach-Shelow says, “Core values pour out the front door.” It’s true, culture is everything. It guides how you make decisions, how you serve your customers and how you treat employees. Craig Zoberis says, “If we take good care of our people, they will take good care of our customers.” Especially with the generation of millennial workers who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, you have to clearly define the why in your company. Creating a great company culture takes massive amounts of time and energy. But will it translate to more profit? Hear what the panelists have to say about that topic and much more during this episode. The technology that is shaping businesses Technology can be a double-edged sword. New machinery and tools can keep your business relevant and give you the competitive edge over the competition. It can also be daunting, hard to understand, and a challenge that keeps manufacturing leaders up at night. During this panel discussion, each guest talks about how they approach technology and how it is defining their businesses. Find out from them how to sleep better at night by using technology to your advantage. A marketing and sales strategy to help you sleep better Companies used to have teams of salesmen that went business to business trying to sell products or services. It was a simple strategy, but one that wasn’t always effective. Marketing and sales has changed dramatically over the past few years. It is critical for manufacturing leaders and business owners to think about how they are developing their brand. While it can be overwhelming to understand the different marketing avenues, there are tools and resources available today that can help. Listen as the four panelists discuss their marketing and sales experience and give tips for how you can have a better marketing strategy for your company. Here’s The Good Stuff! Introduction of the four panelists at IMTS 2018 day 4 How to implement a succession plan for your manufacturing business How long does it take to activate a succession plan? Does investing in a company’s culture produce profitability? In what ways is technology shaping your company? How the marketing and sales environment has changed in your company? The 4 panelists give their final advice for how manufacturers can sleep better This Week’s Superstar Guest Barry Walter Dietmar Goellner Craig Zoberis Teresa Beach-Shelow Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify