The Art of Manufacturing

Manufacturing is sexy. Sounds crazy? Just wait! Every Thursday, Z Holly takes us on a behind-the-scenes look at how entrepreneurs and pioneers who make stuff are trying to ‘make it’ in their industries. Get a sneak peek inside these risk-takers’ factories and studios — and most of all, their minds. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a brand, a business, or just a better mousetrap, tune in and enjoy. (More: http://artofmfg.com)

James Webb Space Telescope: Krystal Puga and Scott Willoughby 09/13/2018

James Webb Space Telescope: Krystal Puga and Scott Willoughby $9 billion and a million miles away: we get a special behind-the-scenes tour of NASA’s most ambitious and risky project ever. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/7038058

Hydroswarm: Preeti Battacharyya 09/06/2018

Hydroswarm: Preeti Battacharyya An underwater roboticist is determined to map the 70% of our globe covered in water. But exploring our oceans is much harder than you think. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6988266

Knock Knock: Jen Bilik 08/30/2018

Knock Knock: Jen Bilik Comedy isn’t always easy: one entrepreneur has learned some tough lessons manufacturing irreverent gifts that don’t meet everyone’s tastes. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6970223

Lumi: Jesse Genet [encore] 08/23/2018

Lumi: Jesse Genet [encore] Packaging should be your secret weapon, and this episode will show you how. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6958957

Desktop Metal: Ric Fulop, Jonah Myerberg & Andy Roberts 08/16/2018

Desktop Metal: Ric Fulop, Jonah Myerberg & Andy Roberts Meet the 3D printing company that might totally change how we manufacture, design, and even develop products. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6929441

SmartyPants Vitamins: Courtney Nichols Gould [encore] 08/09/2018

SmartyPants Vitamins: Courtney Nichols Gould [encore] Amazon is eating the world! A wellness entrepreneur shares her secrets to launching a consumer product in today’s complex retail environment in this rebroadcast episode. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6901136

Tulip Interfaces: Rony Kubat & Erik Mirandette 08/02/2018

Tulip Interfaces: Rony Kubat & Erik Mirandette Digitizing the factory isn’t always easy. A former counter-intelligence officer and former reality TV star, both manufacturing nerds, talk about how they hope to bring modern data tools, the Internet of Things, and Lean Manufacturing to every factory floor. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6879217

David Charlot: Charlot Biosciences 07/26/2018

David Charlot: Charlot Biosciences We meet a bioengineering startup with a groundbreaking new tool that might change the way we identify and treat disease. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6851272

Wiivv: Shamil Hargovan and Chris Bellamy 07/19/2018

Wiivv: Shamil Hargovan and Chris Bellamy A startup builds custom, on-demand 3D printed shoes and gives a glimpse of what innovation might look like in the future. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6826004

Micki Krimmel: Superfit Hero 07/12/2018

Micki Krimmel: Superfit Hero Roller derby inspires a body-positive athletic fashion brand that’s just hitting a tipping point. Though finding a factory that will take her business has gotten easier, the real challenges have just begun! /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6798104

Should I make it in the USA? [live] 07/05/2018

Should I make it in the USA? [live] Four experts explore the dilemma of where to do your manufacturing. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6772100

Meredith Perry: uBeam 06/28/2018

Meredith Perry: uBeam Pioneering wireless power: a rare interview from the charismatic and controversial founder of an L.A.-based startup that everyone thought would fail. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6752026

Taboo! Julia Rose of VaGenie and Melanie Cristol of Lorals 06/21/2018

Taboo! Julia Rose of VaGenie and Melanie Cristol of Lorals Two brave women build businesses that might make you blush. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6727883

Tim O’Reilly: WTF! [live] 06/14/2018

Tim O’Reilly: WTF! [live] What’s the Future? The “Oracle of Silicon Valley” shares his contrarian thoughts about technology, capitalism, and preparing for the big shifts on the horizon. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6703064

Lidia Yan: NEXT Trucking 06/07/2018

Lidia Yan: NEXT Trucking There’s a shortage of 50,000 truck drivers impacting manufacturing in America, and demand keeps growing. A serial entrepreneur tries to beat the odds with a portal that better matches carriers and shippers. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6676816

Dr. Anita Sengupta: Virgin Hyperloop One [live] 05/31/2018

Dr. Anita Sengupta: Virgin Hyperloop One [live] Speeding through tubes at nearly the speed of sound; a former NASA systems engineer is helping make the future of transportation a reality. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6651911

Brent Bushnell and Eric Gradman: Two Bit Circus 05/24/2018

Brent Bushnell and Eric Gradman: Two Bit Circus Two clowns (literally) reimagine entertainment through micro-amusement parks. They use technology, a bit of showmanship, and a unique process of innovation to develop their immersive social games. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6627577

Julio Ruiz: LiquidSky Sports 05/17/2018

Julio Ruiz: LiquidSky Sports A skydiver with an unusual past shares how his business delivers custom apparel for action athletes and Hollywood by adopting new digital design and manufacturing technologies. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6601107

Natasha Case & Freya Estreller: Coolhaus 05/10/2018

Natasha Case & Freya Estreller: Coolhaus Cult favorite ice cream brand Coolhaus started in a broken down postal truck at the Coachella music festival. Two founders explain how they’ve stayed true to their quirky past while scaling with manufacturing partners and keeping their marriage intact. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6575284

Felix Ejeckam: Akash Systems 05/03/2018

Felix Ejeckam: Akash Systems Cube Satellites could soon be streaming live video of anywhere on earth and get broadband data to the last three billion people around the globe. This innovator is using his revolutionary diamond composite material to help bring this future to life. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6548636

Ashley Crowder: VNTANA 04/26/2018

Ashley Crowder: VNTANA Hardware meets experiential marketing: a holographic projection system is just one piece of VNTANA’s strategy to being the go-to platform for brands to engage with customers using AR and mixed reality. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6521897

Cat Chen: Skylar Body 04/19/2018

Cat Chen: Skylar Body Customer trust and deep supplier relationships is the foundation for the Honest Company’s former head of operations as she launches a new venture-backed company pioneering all natural fragrances sold online. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6496051

Titan Gilroy: TITANS of CNC & 7 Myths, Busted 04/05/2018

Titan Gilroy: TITANS of CNC & 7 Myths, Busted Ex-prisoner turned elite CNC machinist and TV personality talks about how to save American manufacturing and the joy of sending something you created into space. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/6446487

Kevin Czinger: Divergent 3D + Jeff Krause: SME 09/07/2017

Kevin Czinger: Divergent 3D + Jeff Krause: SME 3D printing micro-factories—not electric vehicles—might be the key to sustainability and innovation. We learn why, from the CEO of Divergent 3D. Plus, the head of SME gives some hints on what to expect at WESTEC next week! /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5715537

Courtney Nichols Gould: SmartyPants Vitamins 06/15/2017

Courtney Nichols Gould: SmartyPants Vitamins Launching a consumer product in a complex retail environment: For our season finale, we’re speaking with Courtney Nichols Gould, the co-founder and CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins. She and her partner Gordon Gould both had their own really successful careers in tech, before launching a consumer packaged goods company. Before this venture, she was the Chief Operating Officer of a very complex business called Clear, the first fast pass for airport security. I was curious what her path has been like, from tech entrepreneur to a maker of things, and what we can learn from the process. What surprised me most was the importance of getting the product launch process right, and how hard it is to succeed in today’s complex retail environment. But they’re kicking butt, and she has tons of war stories and tips for the rest of us. Everything from protecting IP to picking your manufacturing partners, cultivating your first customers to thriving on Amazon, negotiating with brick and mortar to being pioneers in the early wellness industry. She’s mission-driven but doesn’t flaunt it. At one point, she goes deep about her awkward early years, before she finally discovered her identity as a successful CEO, and we broach the touchy subject of starting a business and then falling in love with your co-founder. We hear about that and a whole lot more on this week’s episode of the Art of Manufacturing. The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes at . /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5449069

Rodney Brooks: Rethink Robotics 06/08/2017

Rodney Brooks: Rethink Robotics If you own a Roomba, you can thank Rod, because he’s the co-founder of iRobot. He launched the company almost three decades ago when he was a professor at MIT. Well, today, he's at it again. He’s trying to disrupt the world of industrial robotics with his new startup, Rethink Robotics. While I was in Boston a few weeks ago, I visited him at his home in Cambridge and captured some great stories. His extensive experiences over his career inspired the new company. We hear about the pending workforce shortage (yes, really!) and why location matters with manufacturing, whether it’s China, America, or anywhere else. It’s possible that the influence of the Prague Spring on his college math classes in Australia might have been the key influence in his research years later. He warns us about the hype of artificial intelligence and the potential of collaborative robotics. I’m surprised to hear how difficult it has been for his company to get their robots onto the factory floor given the obvious ROI. He shares humbling lessons about finding product market fit, which he learned the hard way across all three of his startups, and the lessons he takes away. But thanks in large part to his evangelism, the conversation around industrial robotics is changing. Might his ideas help save the manufacturing industry? The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes at . /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5429102

Sonja Rasula: The Unique Empire 06/01/2017

Sonja Rasula: The Unique Empire Connecting with customers to build a great business, with the creator of the weekend pop-up market. In 2008, Sonja Rasula, risked her entire 401k savings to start UNIQUE LA, a popup marketplace that features over 300 independent artists and designers. Over the years she has worked with thousands of artisans and entrepreneurs, and she built an agency to work with brands to develop content and social strategy. Her ambitions have expanded to a conference for entrepreneurs and a co-working space in Downtown LA. I was curious if she had tips for brands and manufacturers based on her years of working with her vendors, and she shares great advice for connecting with customers to build your business. We talk about the future of retail and how to use social media and technology to build loyalty. She shares the story of starting UNIQUE LA when everyone thought she was crazy. And she also cracks the lid on two big new projects she has cooking that she hasn’t announced yet. The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes at . /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5406522

Jeni Britton Bauer: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams 05/25/2017

Jeni Britton Bauer: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Gourmet ice cream that takes the whole state of Ohio to manufacture! This week we’re talking with Jeni Britton Bauer, the founder and CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. She’s been a pioneer in gourmet ice cream since she started over two decades ago, and continues to innovate. I was curious about how she develops her inventive flavors and what it takes to make award-winning ice cream at scale. It turns out there’s a lot more art and science--and logistics—than I ever imagined. She shares her greatest challenges—from product recalls and regulatory requirements, to angry consumers blaming you for buying up all the state’s strawberries. And we talk about the importance of just rolling up your sleeves in order to learn and evolve your product. In the process, she has engaged partners across the whole state and beyond, from the dairies and growers to the service providers and suppliers, to create a “Fellowship Model” for making her ice cream. The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes at . /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5383279

Ben Horowitz: Andreessen Horowitz (live) 05/18/2017

Ben Horowitz: Andreessen Horowitz (live) Imagine your startup is down to its last bit of cash, your investors won’t follow on, you’re sure you’re going bankrupt, and everyone tells you to give up. What do you do? You decide to take your company public--it’s dubbed by BusinessWeek as “The IPO from Hell.” That’s just one of many cold-sweat moments Ben Horowitz has experienced first-hand in his career. Ben took that beleaguered company public and eventually sold it to HP for $1.65B in one of the most impressive turnaround stories in history. He went on to co-found the prestigious Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Andreessen Horowitz. His blog and his book “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” are essential reading for tech entrepreneurs, and are an honest look at entrepreneurship from his personal experience. I interviewed him live at UCLA. He shared some really deep leadership insights that can be translated to any industry, so while he's not a manufacturing entrepreneur, I wanted to share it with you this week. I was curious to hear about what he’s learned through his rollercoaster journey as an entrepreneur. We talk about his love for rap music and the technology trends he’s most excited about. He gives plenty of advice to the students in the audience to prepare them for meaningful careers. We spent a lot of time talking about leadership, making hard decisions, and how to build the right culture in your company. And as we learn, decision-making and culture go hand-in-hand in pursuit of success. The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes at . /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5363504

Rodney Mullen: godfather of street skating 05/11/2017

Rodney Mullen: godfather of street skating In this episode, “the godfather of street skating” Rodney Mullen reveals his insights on the history and future of skateboarding. He invented most of the foundational tricks used today—including the flat-ground Ollie which allows skaters to pop their boards off the ground—and he co-founded the largest skateboard company in the world in the 1990’s. Despite his worldwide fame, Rodney is a bit of an enigma to his millions of fans, but in this interview we delve into some parts of his past he hasn’t shared before. We trace the pioneering path of World Industries through times of greatness and trouble and to greatness again, and we discover some leadership and innovation lessons along the way. He tells stories of forklift races, mutiny, and late nights of drinking with the Chinese as they grew the company. We peek behind the scenes to hear how they designed and manufactured their boards, and their pioneering approach to cultivating talent. Rodney shares the challenges of catering to a culture driven by rebellion, and the dilemma of brands that want to scale when “selling out” is the worst thing you could do. We hear about Rodney’s comeback, and how technology and innovation are impacting the future of skateboarding as he looks to his next venture. For more information, photos, and links, check out the show notes: Best of Rodney Mullen (darkslide at 4:02) Steven Sebring's in Rolling Stone The views expressed on The Art of Manufacturing podcast are those of the guests, and not our sponsors or partners. /episode/index/show/artofmfg/id/5341972

The Art of Manufacturing

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