In this bonus episode, Tom Hughes visits FAT American Manufacturing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to talk with Brian Meyers, one of the most prolific GembaDocs users in the world.

In just over a year, Brian’s team have created more than 2,000 SOPs - and actually uses them every day.

This episode dives into how FAT American turned standard work from a chore into a cornerstone of culture. Expect real talk about ownership, respect, and how documenting the little things unlocks big results.

"You're buying back your time by having a standard because you can just say go, here's the SOP, go check it out and follow through with it." - Brian MeyersKey Topics:

1. Making SOPs a Priority

• Why SOPs need to be part of daily conversations and celebrations
• How FAT American turned documentation into a shared responsibility

2. Building Culture Through Standards

• How morning meetings feature new SOPs
• Using standards to respect people and set them up for success

3. Buying Back Time

• The real cost of repeating instructions
• How visual SOPs cut onboarding time and boost clarity

4. Common Challenges

• Managing thousands of SOPs and avoiding duplication
• The importance of clear deployment and naming systems

5. Lessons for Every Manufacturer

• Make standards visual, not verbal
• Think like a new hire
• Don’t just create SOPs - live them

Links and Resources:

• Explore GembaDocs (https://gembadocs.com) for your SOP, skills training and lean needs.

Connect with Us:

• GembaDocs LinkedIn
• Tom’s LinkedIn
• Lean by Doing Podcast by Brian Meyers
• Fat American Manufacturing's website

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