In-House Manufacturing = Better Customer Service | Ep 229
Release Date: 12/17/2025
Small Shops vs Big Industry: Thrive & Scale | Ep 241
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Are you a small CNC shop owner feeling like a tiny player in a massive manufacturing world? In Episode 241 of Talking Shop with ShopSabre, hosts Brandon Bombardo and "Vacation Nick" prove that small businesses aren't just surviving—they're the backbone driving real innovation, agility, and local economies. Kicking off with a hilarious (and snowy) morning mishap story, the guys dive straight into listener Q&A: best tools for scanning boat/truck templates (Proliner scanner recommendation), securing spoil boards on CNC routers (vacuum + resurfacing wins), and why torch collision...
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Fail Forward: Turn Setbacks Into CNC Success | Ep 240
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
What if you knew exactly how many failures stood between you and massive success in your CNC shop? In Episode 240 of Talkin' Shop with ShopSabre, hosts Brandon Bombardo and "The Psychiatrist" Nick Peters tackle the real reason most businesses stall—not the failures themselves, but the fear, doubt, and hesitation they create. They flip the script: Imagine success was guaranteed after exactly 25 failures—how fast would you move? How little would those setbacks sting? This deep-dive episode explores reframing failure as progress, data, and a countdown to breakthroughs rather than defeat....
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Inconvenience Fuels CNC Business Growth | Ep 239
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
If everything in your shop ran perfectly, you'd never actually get better. Think about that for a second. Today on Talkin' Shop, Brandon Bombardo and Nick Peters dig into a topic every business owner deals with but nobody really talks about — inconvenience. The delays. The missed deadlines. The customer who changes the scope at the last minute. It all feels personal in the moment, but the truth is, it's just part of running a real business. Brandon got the idea for this episode from his own experience with a travel insurance headache. He was told his refund would take six weeks instead of...
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Plasma to Fiber Laser: The Brad Goodman Journey | Ep 238
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
In this episode of Talkin' Shop with ShopSabre, hosts Brandon Bombardo and Nick Peters sit down with longtime customer Brad Goodman of Goodman Metal Fab in Mississippi. After seven years running ShopSabre plasma and router machines, Brad opens up about why he invested his own hard-earned money in their 2kW single-phase fiber laser and how it completely transformed his shop. Brad runs a busy aluminum fabrication business serving the racing world (think Street Outlaws and local heroes like Cat Kelly) plus high-volume industrial production parts. He walks through the real differences that matter...
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Turning Business Frustration Into Growth | Ep 237
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Frustration isn't usually a sign of failure; it’s often a signal that you are on the edge of growth. In this episode of Talkin Shop, Brandon and "The Highlighter" Nick Peters dive deep into the psychology of business frustration. We explore why reaction without clarity can lead to disaster and how to transform that "daily grind" pressure into fuel for your company’s expansion. Whether you are a shop owner, a manager, or an employee, learning to separate emotion from information is a critical skill for long-term success. Before we get to the main topic, we answer your technical CNC...
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Perception vs Reality: Real Business Trust | Ep 236
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Tired of online hype making every company seem perfect or fraudulent? In Episode 236 of Talkin' Shop with ShopSabre, hosts Brandon Bombardo and Nick Peters sit down with long-time customer Chris McCormick of Hatch X to cut through the noise and talk real-world business—perception vs. reality, building trust over time, and why dependable CNC equipment matters when deadlines are non-negotiable. Chris shares his journey from a home-based operation to a 100,000 sq ft powerhouse creating massive exhibits for global brands (including White House projects and high-stakes trade shows). This episode...
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Ditch Gimmicks: Sell Real Value in CNC Business | Ep 235
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Tired of chasing viral sales gimmicks that never deliver for your CNC shop? In Episode 235 of Talkin' Shop with ShopSabre, hosts Brandon Bombardo and Slippery Nick dive into why selling on tricks and shortcuts ultimately fails—and what actually builds long-term customer trust and business success. We kick off with a hilarious (and painful) ice-falling story, answer viewer questions about satisfying CNC videos, in-stock vs. custom machines, and the myth that "any idiot can push a button." The heart of the episode? A powerful restaurant analogy exposing outsourced "private label" machines...
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Stop Scrolling & Start Building | Ep 234
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Are you tired of endless scrolling, online drama, and highlight-reel success stories that make you feel behind? In this raw episode of Talkin' Shop, Brandon Bombardo and Nick " The Thermometer" Peters deliver the wake-up call every shop owner needs in 2026: the internet is loud and emotional, but real business growth happens quietly — off the apps and in the shop. Close the phone, open the doors, and get to work. They dive into why social feeds show wins without the grind, sacrifices, late nights, failures, and unglamorous tasks like refining processes, training teams, fixing issues, and...
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Hiring vs. Automation: Scale Your Business Without Chaos | Ep 233
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Stop trying to fix chaos with a "panic hire" and start building a scalable business through the power of automation. In this episode of Talking Shop, Brandon and Nick are joined by Curtis from HR to pull back the curtain on the harsh reality of hiring in today’s unpredictable labor market. We explore why the old model of "hiring more people to grow" is increasingly fragile and why successful shops are prioritizing process over traditional staffing to achieve consistent results. Hiring is harder than ever, with smaller labor pools, rising wage expectations, and higher turnover rates. We...
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Stop Losing Money in January: New Year Business Strategy | Ep 232
Talkin Shop with ShopSabre
Don’t give away the first month of the year! In this kickoff episode for 2026, Brandon Bombardo and Nick Peters dive into why January is the "bridge month" that determines your success for the entire year. Many businesses lose momentum after the Q4 grind, but we’re discussing why taking your foot off the gas now is the most dangerous mistake you can make for your annual goals. We break down the "January Reputation"—the myth that customers aren't buying and that it's okay to ramp up slowly. The reality is that your competitors aren't resting, and every day you spend "catching your breath"...
info_outlineWelcome to Talkin’ Shop Episode 229 with Brandon Bombardo and Nick Peterson!
Today we’re diving deep into the #1 thing that matters more than marketing, automation, or even price: Customer Service – and why manufacturing in-house (instead of outsourcing or importing) gives your customers a dramatically better experience.
Most shop owners think customer service starts when the phone rings. Wrong. It actually starts the moment you decide WHO builds your product. In this episode we break down:
How in-house manufacturing gives you total control over quality, lead times, and accountability
Why outsourcing breaks the feedback loop and leaves customers frustrated
Real-world stories: 5-day freight-damage turnaround vs. months of waiting on import parts
The hidden costs of “cheaper” overseas products (downtime, lost loyalty, damaged reputation)
How bringing production in-house skyrockets long-term profit, customization, and customer loyalty
Whether you’re a cabinet shop, sign maker, metal fabricator, or any small-to-medium manufacturer, this episode will change how you think about outsourcing forever.
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro & Fantasy Football Banter
06:20 - Why Customer Service Marketing, Automation, or Price
18:04 - Customer Service Starts the Day You Decide Who Builds Your Product
22:16 - How Outsourcing Breaks the Feedback Loop
25:43 - Real Story: 5-Day Freight Damage Turnaround (In-House Wins)
29:24 - Vertical Integration = Faster Support & Better Training
32:05 - Higher Margins & True Customization with In-House
38:20 - Support Speed, Parts Availability, and Customer Confidence
40:11 - In-House Isn’t Just Operations – It’s a Customer Service Philosophy
46:57 - Final Motivation & 2026 Challenge
🔥 Like this video if you’re done sacrificing customer experience for a few bucks up front!
💬 Comment below: Are you bringing more in-house in 2026?
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📞 Ready to own your process and deliver legendary customer service?
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For over 20 years, ShopSabre CNC has provided businesses and hobbyists with the best CNC machines at the best value. By focusing on unbeatable customer service and high-quality products built in the USA, we’ve grown from a single machine built at home to one of the most trusted CNC machine manufacturers in the country.
Since building our first machine two decades ago, we now have over 10,000 CNC routers, plasma, and laser engraving machines in a wide variety of industries in over 40 countries. Our success is a result of our commitment to developing a better way to build CNC machines and support our customers.
ShopSabre CNC
www.ShopSabre.com
21673 Cedar Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044
800-493-6021