Scaling Success: Managing Growth Through Data and Culture, Ep #13
Release Date: 03/20/2025
The Marketing Metrics That Actually Matter, Ep #21
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What happens when a former MLB.com writer ends up leading marketing for one of the most complex machine tool portfolios in the country? You get a masterclass in translating business goals into real marketing ROI. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, Jon Star—Director of Marketing at Methods Machine Tools—joins us for a conversation about data-driven marketing, building trust with job shops, and how to actually prove your impact in manufacturing. Jon shares his winding path from sports journalism to enterprise tech to metalworking, revealing how his background in internal...
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Beyond the Books: Turning Your Accounting into a Competitive Advantage, Ep #20
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What if I told you that your accounting function could be your greatest weapon in the fight for better margins, smarter decisions, and stronger growth? Too often, we treat accounting like a chore—just another box to check, another invoice to send. But if you're serious about building a resilient, efficient, and scalable manufacturing business, then it's time to look at accounting as a strategic function. In this episode, I’m joined by three experts from CLA—Phil Hanke, Mary Strand, and David Mauch—who live and breathe operational accounting for manufacturers. We dig into how small to...
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Golf, Grit, and CNC: Inside the Launch of Hanna Golf, Ep #19
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Most golfers obsess over their gear—but almost none of them build it. Jared Doerfler did. After playing college golf and spending years in sales, he found himself pulled back into the game he loved—but this time, through the lens of product creation. With zero machining experience, he quit his job, bought a beginner CNC mill, and decided to manufacture putters himself, from his garage. In this episode, we dive into how Jared taught himself CAD/CAM, figured out the physics behind great putter design, and slowly carved out a niche in a crowded marketplace. This wasn’t a white-label brand...
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Compensation Isn’t Just About Money—It’s About Loyalty, Retention, and Legacy, Ep #18
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Most of us shop owners tend to keep compensation pretty simple: pay ourselves what the business can afford, pay our team what feels fair, and hope that keeps everyone happy. But I’ve learned over the years that this approach can quietly hurt the very business we’re trying to grow. In this episode, I sit down with John Jones from Scissortail Executive Advisors to dig into how owner and executive compensation really works—and how getting strategic about it can lead to better retention, stronger tax positioning, and a more valuable business overall. John and I talk through why it’s...
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Personal Guarantees & Loan Covenants: How to Not Get Burned, Ep #17
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Most of us would never machine a part without checking the tolerances first — so why do so many shop owners sign off on financing agreements without understanding the performance “tolerances” our banks are quietly measuring us against? In this episode of Buy the Numbers, commercial banker Danny O’Keefe returns to break down two terms that sound like dry legal jargon but carry real operational consequences: loan covenants and personal guarantees. If your shop relies on bank financing to grow, these aren't just details — they’re the guardrails shaping what we can do, and what...
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Navigating the New Tariff Terrain: What Manufacturers Need to Know Now, Ep #16
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Tariffs aren’t just a line item buried in your supply chain—they’re a fast-moving, often misunderstood force that could have a massive impact on your profitability, pricing, and even your global strategy. In this eye-opening episode of Buy the Numbers, Jennifer Clement and Leslie Boyd from CLA join me for a masterclass in tariff mitigation strategies. As volatility re-emerges on the global trade front, Jennifer and Leslie offer clarity, practical steps, and a proactive roadmap that manufacturers of all sizes can follow. Jennifer and Leslie break down the reality that waiting for the...
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The Quiet Cut That's Loudly Threatening Small Manufacturing
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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...
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Culture’s Not a Beer Fridge: Rethinking Leadership in Manufacturing, Ep #15
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If you're still thinking of culture in your manufacturing shop as a side dish instead of the main course, you're already behind. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sat down with Jim Mayer to unpack what shop culture really looks like on the floor—and why we need to start talking about it differently. This isn't about breakroom ping-pong tables or slogans on the wall. Those things are fine, but they don’t build lasting culture. We're talking about turnover, pride, accountability, and results that actually move the needle. Jim’s got a fascinating story—he went from falling off roofs...
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The Art and Science of Buying Machines: How to Choose the Right Equipment (And When), Ep #14
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This conversation will transform how you think about machine tool investments. Keith Granno, a seasoned expert with over three decades of experience in the machine tool industry, offers invaluable insights on the delicate balance between machine selection and long-term profitability. From choosing the right machines to understanding when it's time to upgrade, Keith dives into the critical factors manufacturers often overlook when purchasing new equipment. You'll hear practical advice on how to evaluate your shop's real needs, focusing on the hidden costs that impact your bottom line,...
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Scaling Success: Managing Growth Through Data and Culture, Ep #13
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In today’s episode of Buy the Numbers, we’re diving into the key metrics that help a company scale successfully. Growth can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, especially when you’re managing multiple locations and divisions. How do you ensure that each part of your business is operating smoothly while also keeping a strong grip on the culture and values that made your company successful in the first place? Our guest, Matthew Nix, shares how his company navigated these challenges and the data-driven strategies they’ve implemented to manage growth effectively. Matthew Nix,...
info_outlineIn today’s episode of Buy the Numbers, we’re diving into the key metrics that help a company scale successfully. Growth can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, especially when you’re managing multiple locations and divisions.
How do you ensure that each part of your business is operating smoothly while also keeping a strong grip on the culture and values that made your company successful in the first place? Our guest, Matthew Nix, shares how his company navigated these challenges and the data-driven strategies they’ve implemented to manage growth effectively.
Matthew Nix, the fifth-generation CEO of Nix Companies, discusses the importance of establishing clear metrics and systems for tracking daily operations. From staffing levels to production capacity and morale, Matthew highlights how small, consistent data points can give a real-time snapshot of a business's health. He also shares the shift from tracking data merely for analysis to using it as a tool for action and decision-making.
One of the major themes in this episode is how to balance growth with maintaining a positive culture. Matthew explains how they’ve used feedback loops and regular check-ins to keep track of their employees' engagement and morale. He also shares insight into how they've systematized their operations to manage multiple business units under one umbrella, making it easier to identify issues early on and take corrective actions before they become larger problems.
Whether you're running a small shop or a multi-location operation, this episode will give you practical takeaways on how to implement simple, yet effective data-driven systems that help you manage growth while maintaining a focus on your culture and values.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- (0:00) Introduction to the episode and Matthew Nix
- (3:46) Overview of Matthew's company, podcast, and book
- (10:49) The role of data in managing business growth
- (14:52) The data used for daily decision-making
- (20:44) How morale impacts company culture (and tracking the data)
- (25:06) Weekly metrics: The strategic priority for each business unit
- (28:28) Why you need to listen to the Lights Out Podcast
- (32:40) How to operationalize strategic goals and tie them to KPIs
- (36:58) KPIs for HR: Recruiting and turnover metrics
- (41:08) Using volume and efficiency metrics in business development
- (46:57) Why lead and lag indicators are important for long-term success
- (51:45) Encouraging employee participation in data tracking
- (54:25) Pro Fab Alliance and how they help other businesses
- (59:06) Why you need to take the Modern Machine Shop Top Shops Survey
Resources & People Mentioned
- Married to Each Other and the Business (Part 1)
- Married to Each Other and the Business (Part 2)
- Josh McKain’s Data-Driven Framework to Align Goals and Accountability, Ep #7
- The 4 Disciplines of Execution
- Halftime
- Hire MFG Leaders
- The Modern Machine Shop Top Shops Survey
Connect with Matthew Nix
Connect With Buy the Numbers
Subscribe to Buy the Numbers
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK