How to Build a Culture While the Last Generation Lets Go
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Release Date: 06/18/2025
From Curiosity to Career: How SparkShop is Building the Next Generation of Makers, Episode #61
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
What if the biggest challenge in manufacturing isn’t technology, but timing? In this episode of MakingSparks, host Brendon DiVincenzo sits down with Shonali Ditz, co-founder and executive director of SparkShop, to explore a powerful idea: we’re trying to solve a talent pipeline problem far too late. Shonali’s journey from engineering student to nonprofit founder started with a realization that many in the industry share—there simply aren’t enough people entering manufacturing and engineering. But instead of focusing on recruiting at the college or job level, she and her team...
info_outline
Passing the Torch: The Next Chapter of MakingSparks, Ep #60
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Change in manufacturing rarely comes quietly—and neither does progress. In this special episode of MakingSparks, longtime hosts Matthew Nix and Casey Velker take a moment to reflect, rewind, and ultimately pass the mic to the next voice of the show: Brendon DiVicenzo. It’s not an ending—it’s a handoff mid-stride. Matthew and Casey revisit the origin story of MakingSparks, from a short-run idea built around 100x growth to a full-fledged podcast embedded in the MakingChips ecosystem. Along the way, they’ve built something bigger than episodes—a platform for honest...
info_outline
The Hard Truth About Pricing Your Work
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
In this episode, hosts Matthew and Casey sit down with Codie Aljets, owner and artist behind Sage Country Customs, to talk about the realities of building a business around custom metal art. Codie shares how he turned his passion for high-detail metal artwork into a full-time career, the lessons he’s learned about pricing creative work, and why relationships, storytelling, and value matter just as much as the craftsmanship itself. From navigating the business side of being an artist to building meaningful pieces that clients will treasure for generations, this conversation dives deep into...
info_outline
What Modern Fabricators Can Learn from Blacksmiths
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Buy the Numbers Podcast by Making Chips:
info_outline
The Critical Few: How to Focus Your Business for Real Growth
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
🔥 Welcome to Making Sparks, the podcast where we ignite your passion for metal fabrication and fuel your business success! 🔥 In this episode, hosts Matthew and Casey sit down with executive coach Brent Rasche to unpack what strategic planning really looks like inside a growing manufacturing business. From shiny object syndrome to identifying the “critical few,” this conversation dives deep into why planning isn’t a one-time offsite event — it’s a discipline that must be exercised consistently. They discuss how to build a leadership rhythm that sticks, why transparency drives...
info_outline
The Price of Progress: Investing in Machines, People, and Trust
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
🔥 Welcome to Making Sparks, the podcast where we ignite your passion for metal fabrication and fuel your business success! 🔥 In this episode, hosts Matthew and Casey sit down with Rob Sublette of Mountain Man Welding and Fabrication to talk about leadership, ownership transitions, smart investment in equipment, and building a business that thrives on quality and process. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why investing in your business can inspire confidence in your team - How buying the right equipment sets up long-term growth - The importance of balancing financial realities with...
info_outline
From Logos to Legacy: Why Your Brand Needs a Story
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
When your back is against the wall, you don’t get a playbook. You get a choice. From credit card debt and loan sharks to customs audits and six-figure B2B deals, this episode breaks down what it really looks like to build a business when you have no experience, no safety net, and no margin for error. Host Casey Voelker and co-host Matthew Nix sit down with Nick Scrivens of Forged Fabrics to unpack how storytelling, quality, and grit turned a struggling apparel startup into a premium B2B brand serving household-name manufacturers. This isn’t just a conversation about shirts. It’s about...
info_outline
From the Shop Floor to Magnolia Network: Why Authenticity Wins
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
You don’t end up on the Magnolia Network by accident. You earn it through craftsmanship, discipline, and work that speaks for itself. In this episode of Making Sparks, host's Matthew Nix and Casey Voelker sits down with Rodney Ross and Jared “Cappie” Capp, the builders, craftsmen, and storytellers behind work that blends tradition with modern visibility. From hands-on trade skills to national recognition, this conversation digs into what it really takes to build credibility that lasts. Rodney and Cappie share their perspective on craftsmanship, leadership, and why authenticity still...
info_outline
The Science Behind Better Welders and Better Shops
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most fab shops say they can’t find good welders. Nate Bowman says that’s not the real problem. From outdated training models to unclear career pathways to leaders expecting loyalty without direction, this episode breaks down why shops struggle to hire and retain talent and what to do instead. Live from FABTECH 2025, host Casey Voelker sits down with Nate Bowman, aka The Weld Scientist, to unpack the real science behind training welders, building sustainable career paths, and adopting technology without falling for hype. This conversation connects people, process, and innovation in a way...
info_outline
You Can’t Elbow Your Way to Leadership — Goodhart Sons’ Wake-Up Call
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most fab shops talk about culture. Marc and Mike Goodhart had to rebuild theirs. From stepping into a fifth-generation family business… to confronting the hard truth that you can’t “muscle” your way into leadership… to reshaping a 90-year-old company around accountability, clarity, and people—the Goodhart brothers’ story is a blueprint for every shop trying to build something that lasts. In this episode, Marc and Mike open up about the real work behind succession, culture, profit-sharing, next-gen recruiting, and running a family business with honesty and humility. Their insights...
info_outlineWhat does it really look like to step in as 2nd Generation & a lead a fabrication shop when the 1st Generation is still helping run it?
In this episode, Jason Hayes, President of Top Coat Fabrication, shares his journey as a 2nd generation leader navigating the slow handoff of full responsibility from his parents, while carrying nearly all of the day-to-day load. Jason shares what it's taken to build a culture that people want to return to even AFTER a layoff.
This episode covers how even during market shifts & team fluctuations, they have a focus on scaling without losing trust & investing in team-wide connection every. single. week.
It's not ping pong tables. It's consistency, buy-in, and leadership that shows up.
You'll learn:
- How to scale up and down without losing your culture
- Why simple weekly habits shape long-term culture
- What it looks like to grow your business AND your people at the same time
Timestamps:
01:06 – Welcome to MakingSparks
03:12 – Jason Hayes & Top Coat History
09:18 – Leading alongside Mom & Dad: Where Top Coat is now
14:59 – Who’s running what? A look at their leadership transition
15:18 – Top Coat’s team size & managing workforce fluctuations
16:00 – Culture as the reason people return
21:28 – Weekly company-wide challenges & meetings
26:14 – The real ROI of investing in your people
28:23 – Using LinkedIn to connect, not to close
34:17 – Why showing your values isn’t bad for business
43:01 – The hardest part of leading people—done with grace
Resources:
Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Top Coat Fabrication on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/top-coat-fabrication/
Jason Hayes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hayes-3a0a327a/
Lights Out podcast by MakingChips: https://www.makingchips.com/lights-out
By The Numbers with Mike Payne: https://www.makingchips.com/by-the-numbers
SmartDollar by Dave Ramsey: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/business/smartdollar
Forging Ahead: https://www.nixcompanies.com/forging-ahead-book-order/