Executive Sessions

On MiddleGround’s twenty-seventh episode of Executive Sessions, Jane Sidebottom and Phil Arra share practical perspectives on scaling businesses.

This episode covers:
1. Why scaling starts with a clear vision, not just growth targets
2. How growth exposes operational gaps and system limitations
3. The role of focus and discipline as complexity increases
4. What successful companies do differently to scale with intention

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/4t3Qyxa

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/ 

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

Follow John Stewart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstewartky/ 

Find Jane Sidebottom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-sidebottom/

Find Phil Arra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-arra/

On MiddleGround’s twenty-sixth episode of Executive Sessions, John Stewart, our Founding and Managing Partner, sits down with Scot Duncan and David Dressman to unpack what it really takes for leaders to stay connected to daily operations. 

This episode covers:
1. Why leaders lose visibility into shop-floor realities, and how firsthand observation bridges the gap
2. Common leadership blind spots and the cultural impact of assumptions vs. actual conditions
3. Practical systems and Gemba routines that strengthen alignment, problem-solving, and accountability
4. How technology, data, and AI support being physically present on the floor

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/48XnmyG

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/ 

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

Follow John Stewart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstewartky/ 

Find Scot Duncan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scot-duncan-45a23211/

Find David Dressman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-dressman-0673819/

On MiddleGround’s twenty-fifth episode of Executive Sessions, John Stewart, our Founding and Managing Partner, joins industry experts John Miller and Victor Roos to explore the relationship between purchasing and sales, and why alignment between these two functions is critical to every manufacturing operation. This episode covers:

1. How communication between purchasing and sales impacts margins and performance
2. Why leadership alignment sets the tone for collaboration across teams
3. The advantages and challenges of driving alignment in both small and large companies
4. How trust and shared KPIs create faster, better decisions across the supply chain
5. What it takes to turn two historically separate functions into one cohesive driver of results

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/4452SCA

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/ 

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/

Follow John Stewart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstewartky/

Find John Miller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-miller-730495/

Find Victor Roos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-roos-672ba08/

*Revenue at 17:53 rounded to the nearest 100,000.

On MiddleGround’s twenty-fourth episode of executive sessions, John Stewart, our Founding and Managing Partner, sits down with Kelly Myers, Managing Director on our Financial Operations Team, and Greg Ramfos, CEO of Dura-Shiloh, to explore one of the most essential and complex aspects of leadership: developing strong teams. This episode covers:

1. How to build alignment and trust from the top down
2. Using data to drive clarity and improve decision-making
3. Why transparency and communication matter more than ever
4. What it means to lead with consistency and empathy
5. How to turn belief into performance across a team

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/3JAaHsV

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/

Follow John Stewart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstewartky/

Find Kelly Myers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-faerber-myers-239b633/ 

Find Greg Ramfos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregramfos/ 

On MiddleGround’s twenty-third episode of executive sessions, John Stewart, our Founding and Managing Partner, steps in as host for the first time. He’s joined by Paul O’Brien, our Managing Director of Human Capital, and Miles Anderson, a Vice President on our Automation Team, to dig into one of the most pressing issues facing manufacturing today: the labor shortage. This episode covers:

1. The impact of an aging workforce and a looming talent gap
2. Why younger generations overlook careers in manufacturing
3. How culture and communication drive retention
4. The role of lean tools and cobots in creating safer, more engaging jobs

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/48abb32

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

Follow John Stewart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstewartky/

Find Paul O'Brien on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-o-brien-3ba9271/

Find Miles Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miles-anderson-155a694/

On MiddleGround’s twenty-second episode of Executive Sessions, Ryan McComb, our Managing Director on the Transaction Team, and Dan Stoettner, CEO of A. M. Castle & Co., lead the discussion. This episode covers:

1.  Strategic Benefits of Company Mergers
2.  Culture Alignment in Mergers
3. Effective Merger Communication and Integration
4. Overcoming Merger Challenges

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/4mzCmZA

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

Find Ryan McComb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-mccomb-1b512663/

Find Dan Stoettner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-stoettner-928a77/

On MiddleGround’s twenty-first episode of executive sessions, John Dotson and Miles Anderson from MiddleGround’s Automation lead the discussion. This episode covers:

1.  Automation as a response to labor shortages
2.  How to identify tasks to automate
3. Ensuring success: training, ROI, and culture

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/3Ry8BdE

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

Find John Dotson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-dotson-5ab9142a/

Find Miles Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miles-anderson-155a694/

On MiddleGround’s twentieth episode of executive sessions, Nate Wheeler, Owner and CEO of marketing agency weCreate, and Leanne Walmsley, the Communications and Marketing Manager for Xtrac lead the discussions. This episode covers:

1. Developing an effective marketing strategy 
2. The importance of digital marketing in B2B manufacturing
3. Leveraging cost-effective marketing for growth 

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/4iYFHie

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

Find Nate Wheeler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-wheeler-91920622/

Find Leanne Walmsley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-walmsley/

On MiddleGround’s nineteenth episode of executive sessions, discussions are led by John Stewart, MiddleGround’s Founding Partner, and Steve Myers, former operations leader at Parker Hannifin. This episode covers:

1. Innovation process and customer-centric development
2. Challenges and risk management
3. Success factors for innovation 

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/4gHJUpc

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/

Follow John Stewart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstewartky/

Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 

On MiddleGround’s eighteenth episode of executive sessions, discussions are led by Bill Krueger, President of Global Manufacturing Operations at The Greenbrier Companies. This episode covers:

1. Transitioning from automotive to rail 
2. Key differences between automotive and rail manufacturing
3. Developing ESG practices in a new industry

Check out our company blog recapping the episode: https://bit.ly/3E1PSnk

Learn more about MiddleGround Capital: https://middleground.com/
Follow MiddleGround Capital on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middlegroundcapital/ 
Find Bill Krueger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-bill-krueger-3916803/