74. From Employee to Employer - Adam Zimmer from Zimmer Design & Manufacturing
Release Date: 03/12/2025
81. Perseverance and Processes with Rhys Andersen
Machine Shop Mastery
What would you do if your very first CNC machine didn’t even power on? For most people, that’s where the story would end. But for Rhys Andersen, it was just the beginning. In this episode, I sit down with one of the most determined shop owners I’ve ever interviewed. Rhys is the founder of Method Manufacturing in Austin, Texas — and his journey into precision machining is anything but conventional. From wildland firefighting to architecture school to a series of trial-by-fire business ventures, Rhys took the long road to building a thriving aerospace and defense machine shop. You’ll...
info_outline
80. 4x Your Money with Machine Shops with Mike Payne
Machine Shop Mastery
What if you could double—or even quadruple—the value of a machine shop within just 12 months of buying it? For Mike Payne, this isn’t a hypothetical. It’s a repeatable system he’s refined across five acquisitions (and counting). In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Mike returns to the mic to break down exactly how he transforms tired shops into thriving, high-value operations—without starting from scratch. Mike walks us through his bolt-on acquisition strategy, sharing how he targets shops with legacy customers, retiring owners, and underutilized assets. But the real...
info_outline
79. The BTM Blueprint: Collaboration, Culture, and Growth
Machine Shop Mastery
In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Kyra Tillman, third-generation owner of BTM Industries. When Kyra returned to the family shop, she inherited more than just machines—she inherited decades of “this is how we’ve always done it.” What she’s done since is nothing short of a transformation. With grit, grace, and a serious knack for finding and using resources, Kyra has turned a quiet, closed-door machine shop into a vibrant, collaborative, culture-driven powerhouse—one where growth and fun coexist, Nerf guns included. We dig deep into how she transitioned...
info_outline
78. The Power of Being Mission Driven - Court Durkalski of Truline Industries
Machine Shop Mastery
Most shop owners I talk to are focused on the usual things: keeping the machines humming, staying profitable, maybe planning for growth or succession. But what if the real unlock for your shop wasn’t more tech or tighter margins—but a completely different way of thinking about why your business exists in the first place? That’s what today’s episode is about. I sat down with Court Durkalski, CEO of Truline Industries, and honestly, this conversation hit me harder than most. Court runs a $23 million aerospace machining company with 120 employees—and they give away 10% of...
info_outline
77. Strategy & Execution Wins Customers - Matt Gawlik of 3D Graphite
Machine Shop Mastery
What happens when a serial entrepreneur with seven businesses under his belt decides to go all-in on graphite machining—and does it with some of the fastest, most precise equipment on the planet? You get Matt Gawlik, and in this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, he brings the heat. Host Paul Van Metre sits down with Matt to unpack a no-BS journey through business wins, failures, and the strategies that separate thriving shops from the ones barely hanging on. From his early roots in a multi-generational manufacturing family to building 3D Graphite into a tightly focused, high-performing...
info_outline
The Quiet Cut That's Loudly Threatening Small Manufacturing
Machine Shop Mastery
Most small manufacturers don’t realize they’re being quietly supported by one of the most impactful public-private partnerships in the country. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has long been the hidden backbone behind training programs, grant facilitation, process improvements, and critical tech upgrades for shops across the U.S. But recent Federal decisions to defund these programs—without clear communication or reasoning—have sparked confusion and alarm among industry insiders. In this episode, a passionate roundtable of manufacturers and advocates reveals just how...
info_outline
76. Inside Secrets of a 200+ Machine Shop
Machine Shop Mastery
When I first heard about Screwmatics—a shop with over 200 machines, 110 employees, and 16 buildings—I knew I had to talk to the guy behind it. In this episode, I sit down with Billy Hogge, the second-generation leader of Screwmatics out of Pageland, South Carolina. His story is incredible. His parents started the company 37 years ago with just two screw machines, and today it’s grown into one of the largest and most efficient high-volume machining operations I’ve ever seen. We talk about how Billy and his team have scaled so effectively by staying relentlessly sales-driven—even when...
info_outline
75. I’ve Seen It All: From Apprentice to Cars, Rockets, Implants & Robots – Jim Cooney
Machine Shop Mastery
How do you go from being the kid who couldn’t sit still in class to leading the machine shop for one of Elon Musk’s most ambitious ventures? In this gripping and often jaw-dropping episode, I sit down with Jim Cooney—Head of the Machine Shop at Neuralink—for a raw and refreshingly honest conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the unconventional road to mastery in machining. While Jim isn’t a shop owner (my usual guest profile), his story offers every bit of the leadership lessons, grit, and insight that Machine Shop Mastery is known for. From his humble...
info_outline
74. From Employee to Employer - Adam Zimmer from Zimmer Design & Manufacturing
Machine Shop Mastery
Have you ever thought about what it takes to make the leap from employee to employer in the machining world? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I’m joined by Adam Zimmer, the founder of Zimmer Design & Manufacturing. Adam’s journey is a remarkable one—he went from working as a tool and die maker to owning and growing his own successful machine shop in just three years. What started as a one-person shop is now an operation with 11 employees, nine machines, and three shifts running. In our conversation, Adam reveals how he made this transition, from learning the ropes as an...
info_outline
73. A Recipe for Winning High-Volume Work - Marvin Rodriguez of True Precision Machining
Machine Shop Mastery
What if understanding the true cost of every part you produce could be the key to scaling your machine shop? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul Van Metre is joined by Marvin Rodriguez from True Precision Machining to explore the strategies that have driven the company’s remarkable growth. Marvin shares his journey from starting with little formal education to leading a high-performance machine shop that blends cutting-edge technology with a deeply rooted commitment to craftsmanship. The conversation covers essential topics that all machine shop owners and managers should...
info_outlineHave you ever thought about what it takes to make the leap from employee to employer in the machining world?
In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I’m joined by Adam Zimmer, the founder of Zimmer Design & Manufacturing. Adam’s journey is a remarkable one—he went from working as a tool and die maker to owning and growing his own successful machine shop in just three years. What started as a one-person shop is now an operation with 11 employees, nine machines, and three shifts running.
In our conversation, Adam reveals how he made this transition, from learning the ropes as an employee to becoming an employer and leader. Adam explains how he built a company culture based on trust and autonomy, while networking and community involvement played a key role in his success.
He also highlights how strategic investments in technology, such as ERP systems and automation, have fueled his rapid growth. Adam also talks about the value of working with a business coach to refine his management and financial strategies.
If you're considering making the jump from employee to employer, or simply looking for ways to scale your own machine shop, Adam’s insights into hiring, process optimization, and leadership are sure to inspire you. This episode offers practical lessons from a business owner who has experienced it all firsthand.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- (0:00) Adam’s transition from musician to machinist
- (3:53) How Adam started Zimmer Design & Manufacturing
- (7:06) Diving in and acquiring a business and customers
- (11:21) The importance of networking to grow your customer base
- (13:31) Building a company culture based on trust and autonomy
- (16:01) Delegation and leadership: Adam’s approach
- (18:25) Using technology and automation to scale the business
- (20:57) How Adam finds and hires the right people
- (26:21) Why you need to check out Buy the Numbers
- (28:14) How Adam builds trust with his team
- (35:41) Overcoming challenges in the early stages of growth
- (42:58) Adam’s strategic moves and biggest wins
- (45:37) Advice for new shop owners or those looking to scale their business
- (49:40) Why Adam decided to hire a business coach
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Adam Zimmer
- Zimmer Design & Manufacturing
- Connect with Adam on LinkedIn
Connect With Machine Shop Mastery
Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK