Legacy, Liquidity, and the Long Game: Building Value Before You Sell, Ep #24
Release Date: 07/24/2025
The Cost of Quality — Why Getting It Right Is the Fastest Way to Get Paid, Ep #39
Buy the Numbers
Quality is often treated like a cost center in manufacturing. Something we have to do to satisfy customers, auditors, or certifications. But in my experience, quality is much more than that. It’s one of the biggest drivers of cash flow, reputation, and long-term profitability in a shop. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sat down with Mehul from Ground Control to talk through the real, often hidden, cost of quality. Our conversation starts with a simple but critical idea: parts don’t get paid for unless the paperwork is right. You can machine a perfect part, ship it on time, and...
info_outline
Owning the Problem: Why Accountability, Communication, and Culture Drive Throughput, Ep #38
Buy the Numbers
One of the patterns I keep seeing in manufacturing has nothing to do with machines, software, or technology. It shows up in how teams respond when something goes wrong. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sat down again with Josh McKain from Throughput Mastery to talk about the habits that actually drive throughput, especially accountability, communication, and culture. Josh has now hosted more than a dozen live conversations with manufacturing owners and leaders, and what stood out to me is how often completely different topics circle back to the same root issue. Whether the discussion...
info_outline
How a Fourth-Generation Manufacturer Measures Success, Ep #37
Buy the Numbers
What changes when you’re not building a business to sell, but building one to hand down? That’s the question that kept coming up for me in this conversation. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sat down with Jack Watson of HFW Industries, a fourth-generation manufacturer whose family has been operating the same business for nearly 80 years. Jack’s story starts with his great-grandfather in 1947, fresh out of World War II, taking a bet on an emerging technology that would eventually become the foundation of HFW’s identity. What struck me wasn’t just the history, but how that...
info_outline
The Inventory Blind Spot: How LIFO Can Unlock Massive Tax Savings, Ep #36
Buy the Numbers
Inventory is one of the most overlooked levers in manufacturing finance, yet it is often the single largest asset sitting on a company’s balance sheet. In this bonus episode of Buy the Numbers, Mike Payne is joined by inventory accounting experts Erica Parra and Cindy Houser from CLA to unpack why inventory accounting methods deserve far more attention than they typically receive. Most manufacturers default to FIFO or weighted average simply because that is how their ERP is set up. But in periods of inflation, tariffs, and volatile raw material pricing, that default choice can quietly...
info_outline
Innovation at the Speed of Trust: Why Real Progress Happens When People Connect, Ep #35
Buy the Numbers
Innovation in manufacturing is often framed as a technology problem. Better machines, faster software, smarter automation. But in this episode of Buy the Numbers, the conversation takes a different turn, one that looks past tools and toward the human systems that actually make innovation stick. Mike Payne is joined once again by Al Whatmough, CEO of Toolpath, for a wide-ranging discussion on why innovation truly happens at the speed of communication and why trust, relationships, and shared experiences matter more than ever in an AI-driven world. From AI-powered productivity to the limitations...
info_outline
QDISC Explained: A 5-KPI System for Smarter, More Profitable Manufacturing, Ep #34
Buy the Numbers
KPIs can feel like a buzzword—every manufacturer knows they should be tracking them, but few feel confident about where to start or what actually matters. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, Mike Payne sits down once again with Jon Hughes of CLA to unpack the real purpose of KPIs, why they’re so misunderstood, and how data-driven decision-making can completely change the way a shop performs. Mike and Jon dive into the QDISC framework—Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Safety, and Cost—and explore how these five buckets give manufacturers a clear, stable foundation for...
info_outline
Cash Flow Power Moves: Pricing, Terms & Tools That Protect Your Business, Ep #33
Buy the Numbers
In this special crossover episode of Buy the Numbers, Mike Payne joins Josh McCain on The Throughput Show for a fully interactive, live conversation about one of the most misunderstood and mission-critical topics in manufacturing: cash flow. Unlike traditional episodes, this one unfolds in real time with audience questions, open dialogue, and the kind of raw, honest examples operators rarely get to hear outside of private masterminds. Josh kicks off the episode with his hallmark energy and levity—complete with an unexpected “musical” intro for guests Mike, Jon Hughes,...
info_outline
The Section 179 Trap: Why Tax Breaks Shouldn’t Drive Your Equipment Purchases, Ep #32
Buy the Numbers
When Section 179 and bonus depreciation come back into play, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of “saving on taxes.” Every year around this time, I start hearing from shop owners who are ready to buy a new machine before the end of Q4—sometimes for the right reasons, but often for the wrong ones. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good deduction as much as anyone. But if you wouldn’t buy that equipment without the tax break, you probably shouldn’t buy it because of it. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sit down with my good friend Ty Willis from Verdant...
info_outline
How Foreign Trade Zones Can Unlock Millions in Working Capital, Ep #31
Buy the Numbers
When tariffs, trade policy, and cash flow collide, manufacturers are forced to think creatively—or risk being crushed by uncertainty. That’s exactly where Mary Buchzeiger, CEO of Lucerne International and Lucerne Global Solutions, found herself. With skyrocketing tariffs on imported automotive components, Mary realized the solution wasn’t to absorb the hit—it was to rewrite the playbook altogether. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, we dig into how Mary leveraged a little-known financial and logistical strategy: the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). By turning Lucerne’s Michigan...
info_outline
Building a KPI Culture That Drives Real Improvement on the Shop Floor, Ep #30
Buy the Numbers
In this episode of Buy the Numbers, host Mike Payne sits down with continuous improvement coach and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Brian Karp to dig into the metrics that matter most for manufacturing leaders. Together, they explore how data can be used not just to measure performance, but to transform culture, drive engagement, and spark meaningful improvement across every department. For more than a decade, Brian has helped manufacturers simplify their approach to measurement—turning overwhelming spreadsheets and endless KPIs into tools that actually guide better decisions....
info_outlineIf you’ve ever thought, “I’ll sell when I’m ready”—you’re already behind. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sit down with three powerhouse advisors from CLA—Erin Mickels (owner transition expert), Mike Britten (tax wizard), and Mike Pohl (wealth whisperer)—to unpack what it really takes to set yourself up for a successful exit from your manufacturing business.
We talk through the overlooked planning window between “someday I’ll sell” and “it’s time to list.” Whether you're ten years out or just three, this conversation will help you shift your mindset from just growing revenue to building transferable value. Because a higher top line doesn't always mean a bigger payday—and once you understand the levers that actually impact valuation, you can start pulling them now.
We also hit some real talk about what happens after the wire hits your account. What are your personal goals? How much do you actually need to retire, launch your next thing, or leave a legacy? And how can you avoid giving too much to the IRS—or your kids, if that’s your preference?
Bottom line: The best exits aren’t lucky. They’re engineered. And if you want to stack the odds in your favor, this episode will show you where to start.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- (0:12) Grow your top and bottom line with CLA
- (1:20) Meet the guests: CLA’s experts in wealth, tax, and transition
- (4:03) Start with the end in mind: How much do you really need to walk away?
- (8:10) Why personal financial clarity should come before valuation
- (11:37) Bridging the gap between what your business is worth and what you need
- (14:10) Growing value ≠ growing revenue—what actually drives multiples
- (15:32) The buyer’s perspective: asset sales, stock sales, and tax surprises
- (17:44) Market timing matters: Don't let ego miss the window
- (19:37) Check out Verdant Commercial Capital to get a true partner in your corner
- (20:17) Why it's normal to feel overwhelmed—and how to build the right team
- (22:30) The critical three-year window: Your numbers matter more than ever
- (27:00) From handwritten notes to a valuation nightmare
- (28:10) Here's why you need quality audited/reviewed financials
- (31:25) Quality of earnings reports: Not just validation, but storytelling
- (32:43) Building buyer confidence with customer profiles and payment history
- (35:24) Don’t ignore risk: succession, estate planning, and key-person exposure
- (38:10) Tax landmines: personal expenses, nexus issues, and employee bonuses
- (41:42) Top Shops 2025 preview—join us in Charlotte!
Resources & People Mentioned
- Grow your top and bottom line with CLA
- Check out Verdant Commercial Capital to get a true partner in your corner
- Top Shops 2025 preview—join us in Charlotte!
Connect with CLA
- Connect with Erin Mickels, CPA
- Connect with Mike Britten
- Connect with Michael Pohl, CPA, CFP®
Connect With Buy the Numbers
Subscribe to Buy the Numbers