In this episode of the Industry Edge podcast, host Danielle Neely speaks with Daniel White, HR and Safety Manager at Pan-Oston, about effective HR strategies, onboarding processes, and the importance of workplace culture in retaining employees. They discuss the challenges of attracting younger talent in the manufacturing industry and how Pan-Oston has adapted its hiring practices to improve employee satisfaction and engagement. Daniel shares insights on the company's commitment to work-life balance and the initiatives that make Pan-Oston a desirable place to work.

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Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

[00:00] Introduction to Pan-Oston and Daniel White

[02:12] Onboarding Process and Employee Retention Strategies

[06:22] Identifying the Right Hires: Early Warning Signs

[09:47] Attracting Younger Talent in a Changing Workforce

[13:10] Workplace Culture and Employee Engagement Initiatives

[16:00] Work-Life Balance and Employee Satisfaction

[21:50] Conclusion and Career Opportunities at Pan-Oston

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Key Takeaways:

• Pan-Oston specializes in manufacturing retail store fixtures.

• The onboarding process at Pan-Oston is notably short, focusing on hands-on training.

• Quality of hires has improved by empowering supervisors in the hiring process.

• Early reviews at three days help assess new hires' fit and satisfaction.

• "Word of mouth" is a key strategy for attracting younger talent.

• Pan-Oston offers a unique culture that encourages employee referrals.

• The company provides paid volunteer hours to employees.

• Work-life balance initiatives have led to increased employee satisfaction.

• The leadership pipeline is crucial for promoting internal talent.

• Pan-Oston is committed to being a second-chance employer.

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Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by KNC Marketing.

We help B2B industrial companies grow their brands' reach and increase sales.

KNC is a full-service agency that partners with B2B businesses to either serve as a fully outsourced marketing department or to supplement their in-house marketing departments.

To learn more about our brand development, marketing, and website design services, visit https://kncmarketingagency.com/.

In this episode, Danielle Neely interviews Chad Carter, an expert in predictive hiring. They discuss the importance of a structured hiring process, common mistakes organizations make, and the five essential attributes to look for in candidates. Chad emphasizes the significance of employer branding and the role of soft skills in hiring. He advocates for viewing hiring as a strategic discipline that can transform an organization's culture and performance.

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Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

[00:00] Introduction to Predictive Hiring

[02:47] The Importance of a Structured Hiring Process

[06:03] Common Hiring Mistakes and Their Impact

[09:11] The Role of Interviewers in Hiring

[11:58] Understanding the Five C's of Hiring

[14:52] Balancing Hard and Soft Skills in Hiring

[17:57] Employer Branding and Its Significance

[20:55] Building an Employer Brand from Day One

[24:10] The Gut Feeling vs. Structured Hiring

[26:46] Final Thoughts on Strategic Hiring

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Key Takeaways:

• Hiring mistakes occur 70% of the time due to lack of preparation.

• A structured hiring process can significantly improve hiring success rates.

• Hiring too quickly often leads to poor decisions.

• The five C's of hiring are character, calling, chemistry, competence, and contribution.

• Employer branding is crucial for attracting top talent.

• Soft skills are often more important than hard skills in hiring.

• Hiring should be viewed as a strategic opportunity, not a transactional task.

• The right hire can accelerate organizational success.

• Interviewers should be chosen based on their ability to assess candidates effectively.

• Building an employer brand starts from day one.

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Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by KNC Marketing.

We help B2B industrial companies grow their brands' reach and increase sales.

KNC is a full-service agency that partners with B2B businesses to either serve as a fully outsourced marketing department or to supplement their in-house marketing departments.

To learn more about our brand development, marketing, and website design services, visit https://kncmarketingagency.com/.

In this episode, Danielle Neely discusses the importance of storytelling in marketing, emphasizing the need for brands to focus on their customers rather than themselves. She outlines four key strategies for effective storytelling: making the customer the hero, using origin stories to build trust, sharing transformation stories, and humanizing the brand by showcasing real people. The episode concludes with a reminder that customers are more interested in how a brand can solve their problems and make them feel valued.

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Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

[00:00] Introduction to Storytelling in Marketing

[00:50] The Importance of Customer-Centric Storytelling

[03:04] Four Keys to Effective Storytelling

[06:21] Wrapping Up: Making Customers the Heroes

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Key Takeaways:

• Don't make yourself the hero of the story.

• Your customers don't care about your origin story.

• Use your origin to build trust with customers.

• Tell transformation stories to showcase success.

• Show real people behind your brand.

• People buy how you make them feel.

• Guide customers to the solutions they need.

• Your story should focus on customer outcomes.

• Humanize your team to build credibility.

• Marketing should always point back to the customer.

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Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by KNC Marketing.

We help B2B industrial companies grow their brands' reach and increase sales.

KNC is a full-service agency that partners with B2B businesses to either serve as a fully outsourced marketing department or to supplement their in-house marketing departments.

To learn more about our brand development, marketing, and website design services, visit https://kncmarketingagency.com/.

In this episode of the Industry Edge Podcast, Michelle interviews Justin Larson, Owner of Family Water Treatment, a third-generation family business specializing in water treatment solutions. Justin shares his journey from a career in vehicle manufacturing to joining the family business, emphasizing the importance of customer care, innovation, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. He discusses the unique dynamics of working in a family business, the challenges of scaling while preserving service quality, and the significance of hiring passionate individuals who align with the company's values. The conversation highlights the importance of continuous improvement and the commitment to providing excellent customer service while navigating the complexities of family dynamics in business.

In this episode of the Industry Edge podcast, host Danielle Neely discusses the importance of not just having core values but actively living them within an organization. She emphasizes that core values should be integrated into hiring practices, rewarded, communicated regularly, and made tangible for employees. Through real-life examples, such as the BOLD campaign at Toyota Material Handling Mid-South, Danielle illustrates how living core values can lead to a stronger company culture, higher employee morale, and better retention rates.

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Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

[00:00] Introduction to Core Values

[02:36] Living Core Values in Hiring Practices

[05:38] Rewarding and Recognizing Core Values

[08:16] Communicating and Experiencing Core Values

[09:33] Case Study: BOLD Campaign at Toyota Material Handling Mid-South

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Quotable moments:

"Values are more than just posters."

"Reward them often and publicly."

"Repetition builds that reputation."

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Key Takeaways:

• Core values should be actively lived, not just displayed.

• Hiring practices should reflect the company's core values.

• Rewarding employees for embodying values boosts morale.

• Regular communication about values keeps them relevant.

• Visual representations of values enhance employee engagement.

• Real-life examples of values in action inspire others.

• Creating initiatives around values can lead to significant cultural changes.

• Employee recognition should be specific and public.

• Values should be integrated into everyday decision-making.

• Leadership must embody the values for them to resonate.

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Action Steps:

To embed core values into your organization's culture, begin with leadership. Values must be consistently embodied at the top for them to be taken seriously throughout the team. Leaders should model these values in both their actions and decisions, demonstrating that they are not just words on a wall but standards for how business is done. Integrate these values into your hiring process by selecting candidates whose behavior and mindset already reflect your company's principles. This ensures culture fit from day one.

Once onboard, reinforce values through regular communication; discuss them in team meetings, performance reviews, and internal messaging so they stay top-of-mind. Use visual cues like posters, screensavers, or dashboards to keep them present in the day-to-day environment. Encourage engagement by sharing real-life stories of how values are being lived out across departments. This not only inspires but also provides tangible examples for others to emulate.

Reward employees who exemplify core values with specific and public recognition. Avoid generic praise; name the value they demonstrated and explain how it made a difference. This kind of affirmation strengthens morale and signals what behaviors are celebrated. Go further by creating initiatives or campaigns that focus on living out specific values across teams; whether it's a month focused on collaboration or a challenge around integrity. These efforts foster collective buy-in and lead to measurable cultural shifts.

Ultimately, when values are consistently modeled, reinforced, and celebrated, they become deeply integrated into the way your team thinks, interacts, and makes decisions—turning abstract ideals into actionable culture.

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Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by KNC Marketing.

We help B2B industrial companies grow their brands' reach and increase sales.

KNC is a full-service agency that partners with B2B businesses to either serve as a fully outsourced marketing department or to supplement their in-house marketing departments.

To learn more about our brand development, marketing, and website design services, visit https://kncmarketingagency.com/.

Mark Young is the COO of BAR Environmental, a company specializing in water and wastewater equipment and services. With experience scaling local and national brands, he leads BAR's service operations, marketing strategies, and manufacturing partnerships.

Many B2B service companies struggle to scale while maintaining high-touch customer relationships and operational excellence. As businesses grow, they often face internal breakdowns in service, culture, and communication that can compromise the values that drove their initial traction. How can organizations maintain their core identity while expanding their impact and capabilities?

According to marketing strategist and team development expert Mark Young, hiring for cultural fit is just as important as technical skills, so he prioritizes team alignment and trust in the recruitment process. Additionally, service excellence must be integrated across the organization, not just in customer-facing roles. To support this, Mark invests in frequent internal communication, team coaching, and leadership that leads by example. Creating a one-stop shop for clients requires deepening long-term relationships through reliable execution and care.

Tune in to this episode of Industry Edge as Mark Young, COO of BAR Environmental, joins Danielle Neely to discuss leading with culture while scaling a B2B service company. Mark shares how his background in brand development shapes his leadership, the importance of internal team alignment, and the company's long-term community impact.

Angela Rakis is the Founder of Metis Sales Solutions, a consulting firm focused on helping companies create sales growth strategies and implement sales teams. With over 25 years of experience in sales, she has sold for IBM and Xerox and served as a sales leader at various midsize companies.

Sales leaders at growing companies often struggle to keep pace with rapid changes in technology, evolving buyer behavior, and revenue growth. Without a clear strategy or cohesive team structure, even well-intentioned initiatives can falter. How can businesses create sustainable growth while navigating a modern sales environment?

According to seasoned sales strategist and consultant Angela Rakis, today's sales environment requires more than just meeting quotas; it demands alignment, technology integration, and leadership development. She recommends beginning with a clear sales strategy and aligning it across departments before implementation. Sales strategies often reveal gaps in lead generation and compensation plans, so leaders should implement tailored sales training for various roles. Developing coaching skills, such as patience, motivation, and emotional support, is crucial when training new sales reps.

In this episode of Industry Edge, Angela Rakis, Founder of Metis Sales Solutions, joins Michelle Keckler to talk about building and scaling high-performing sales teams. Angela talks about implementing new technologies like RevTech, mentoring promoted sales reps, and achieving lasting revenue results.

Mark Carlton is the Director of Operations at Schaefer's Electrical Enclosures, a leading manufacturer of customized electrical enclosures. In his role, he oversees daily operations and strategic initiatives to ensure the efficient production and delivery of high-quality products. With nearly 20 years of manufacturing experience, Mark has held various roles at Schaefer's, including Project Manager, Plant Engineer, and Operations Manager.

Building a high-performance team in manufacturing requires navigating fast-paced environments, evolving technology, and retaining top talent while fostering growth. Leaders often struggle to balance operational demands with the human element, like keeping team members engaged, providing meaningful feedback, and navigating tough conversations. How can manufacturing leaders create strong, resilient teams while driving performance and continuous improvement?

According to manufacturing leader and operations manager Mark Carlton, effective leadership begins with understanding each team member's strengths, fostering honest feedback, and creating an environment of trust where leaders approach difficult conversations with empathy and candor. He recommends using assessments to understand team dynamics, maintaining proactive maintenance systems to handle technological shifts, and encouraging open dialogue to prevent blind spots in decision-making. Managing emotions and prioritizing self-care are also crucial for high-performing leaders.

In this episode of Industry Edge, Michelle Keckler hosts Mark Carlton, Director of Operations at Schaefer's Electrical Enclosures, to discuss building strong manufacturing teams. Mark talks about providing direct feedback, balancing technology and people, and using failure as a learning tool.

Cathy Rinne is the Co-founder and President of Flex-Line Automation, a family-owned industrial automation company. Under her leadership, Flex-Line earned the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification. Cathy also creates content on TikTok as The Conveyor Cougar, where she shares her 40 years of experience in the factory automation industry.

Many industrial businesses struggle to stay relevant as markets evolve and younger generations enter the workforce. Leadership often clings to outdated mindsets, rigid processes, and traditional marketing, which limit innovation and employee engagement. How can companies embrace change without losing their identities?

According to automation veteran Cathy Rinne, embracing authenticity, flexibility, and generational collaboration has helped her build a business that stands the test of time. She recommends generating real, unpolished content, like in-the-moment TikTok videos, to boost brand visibility and humanize company culture. She emphasizes trust-based leadership, avoiding micromanagement, and fostering a workplace where people feel valued and free to contribute new ideas. Cathy also advocates for proactive outreach to schools to attract and inspire the next generation of talent.

In this week's episode of Industry Edge, Danielle Neely hosts Cathy Rinne, Co-founder and President of Flex-Line Automation, to discuss building a legacy business through authenticity and adaptability. Cathy explains how working with younger generations altered her leadership style, the importance of rebranding for relevance, and how to collaborate with younger generations.

Greg Richards is an Independent Consultant and Project Manager for the Kitchen Innovation Awards at the National Restaurant Association Show, a network for food service innovation and inspiration. He is also the Founder of GBR Consulting, where he advises on food service technology and equipment strategy. With over two decades of experience in food service equipment and technology, Greg focuses on enhancing operational efficiency, automation, and sustainability within the industry.

The food service industry has long grappled with high stress, labor shortages, and a reluctance to adopt new technologies. As kitchen staff face increasing demands with fewer resources, how can innovation and thoughtful leadership transform operations to meet evolving customer expectations?

According to food service equipment and innovation expert Greg Richards, emerging automation technologies can reduce stress, improve efficiency, and elevate overall kitchen performance. Tools like AI-powered monitoring systems and robotic fryers can automate repetitive tasks and provide real-time support to kitchen staff. Greg stresses the importance of embracing change, supporting frontline workers, and prioritizing customer needs.

In this week's episode of Industry Edge, Danielle Neely chats with Greg Richards, Independent Consultant and Project Manager for the Kitchen Innovation Awards at the National Restaurant Association Show, about the future of food service innovation. Greg explains the significance of the Kitchen Innovation Awards, the evolving food service landscape, and the influence of strong mentors.