In this episode of Lights Out, Nick Goellner, Eric Nekich, and Dave Vuyk take listeners inside the mindset shifts powering the next wave of lights-out manufacturing. Forget just "working harder" — this conversation is about working smarter, breaking out of fixed thinking, and unlocking massive gains without adding headcount or square footage.

The trio opens by sharing the personal routines and disciplines that keep them at peak performance, then pivots to the real topic: transforming machine shops from fixed to mixed mindsets. By rethinking workholding, machine real estate, and cycle times, they reveal how shops can multiply throughput, free up operators, and set the stage for full automation.

Drawing on real-world examples — from Swiss shops running uninterrupted for 15 years to small teams like Imago Manufacturing using "time freedom" as a business model — Nick, Eric, and Dave show how modular workholding and extended cycles aren't just efficiency hacks. They're the foundation of the automated mindset that drives profitability, sustainability, and freedom.

Whether you run five spindles or fifty, this episode gives you the blueprint to shift your thinking, increase ROI, and build a shop that runs at its best even when you're not there.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• (0:28) Invest in your shop by investing in ProShop ERP
• (3:11) Our morning routines and personal disciplines — how we build leadership habits
• (6:38) The 3 pillars of health: mental, physical, and spiritual wellness
• (8:00) How we're building communication and speaking skills
• (10:34) The five key mindset shifts we're making
• (11:52) Breaking down fixed vs. mixed mindset
• (14:47) The ROI of self-centering vises and zero-point systems
• (19:59) Mixing parts, programs, and setups for longer unattended runs
• (21:21) Partner with CLA to improve profitability and efficiency
• (23:05) Change management tips: How to get your team on board
• (26:00) Lessons from Swiss manufacturing and 15 years of lights-out performance
• (28:45) Moving from operated to automated: Implementing pallet systems and external setups
• (31:14) Running a growth experiment starting with our existing machines and vises
• (33:22) Covering the case study of Feinberg Machining
• (36:15) Imago Manufacturing: Why we think small shops can win big
• (39:04) Mega shops vs. networks of high-performing small shops
• (40:48) Next episode: adaptive vs. aggressive and predictive vs. reactive mindsets
• (41:20) Listen to the Machine Shop Mastery podcast to level up your shop

Resources Mentioned

• Invest in your shop by investing in ProShop ERP
• Partner with CLA to improve profitability and efficiency
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• Imago Precision Machining's episode of Lights Out

Connect With Lights Out

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• MakingChips.com

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Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK