Manufacturing Mavericks

We launched Manufacturing Mavericks in Late 2023 to tell the stories of people who aren’t afraid to shake things up and stand out from the crowd. We’ve had three fabulous guests so far with many more in the pipeline for 2024:

• Hernan Ricaurte, President of Ricaurte Precision Inc.
• Jack Russel, President of ROLAR Products
• Dave Capkovitz, Principal / Owner of EBITDA Growth Systems

To close the year, here is a highlight reel of their best insights and advice for growing a business. Enjoy!

Highlights:

• Just pick up the phone and make friends with your competitors because there’s so much work to go around. (01:03)
• You have to be willing to get rid of some customers. (03:19)
• Without your employees, you can’t make money. (04:16)
• The value is in shortening the cycle or reducing the wasted motion. (04:59)
• Put the deal right on the shop floor. (05:18)
• Invest in technologies that will make an impact. (07:47)
• Technology that talks to each other is incredibly helpful. (11:14)
• Invest in digital technologies early on. (12:18)
• You can’t scale on tribal knowledge. (13:31)
• Understand your ROI. (14:53)
• Identify your costs and rightsize your pricing. (17:34)
• The supervisor is NOT free. (20:17)
• What you need to do to meet your profit margin. (20:44)

Links Referenced:

• mfgmavericks.com: https://mfgmavericks.com
• Ricaurte Precision Inc.: https://www.ricaurteprecision.com/
• ROLAR Products: http://www.rolarproducts.com/
• EBITDA Growth Systems: https://ebitdagrowthsystems.com/

The Datanomix Difference: What Makes It Work?

It’s not just what you see. It’s how fast you see it, how clearly it shows up, and how easily your team acts on it.

• Simple machine and data connectivity, handled by us
• Data that makes sense on day one
• No Operator Input™ means zero burden on your team for data entry
• Product Tracks built for actual shop floor behavior
• Stay connected to your shop floor with the Datanomix Mobile App
• Kick-Ass Coaching that walks the shop floor with your team and keeps you winning
• Best-in-class partnerships and integrations
• The Datanomix Community built on real relationships and real wins
• Mountains of success stories with manufacturers just like you
• Every customer starts with our Pilot Program

Learn more at www.datanomix.io

Serial entrepreneur Dave Capkovitz, of EBITDA Growth Systems, shares how his experiences have shaped how his company helps out manufacturers who fall into the “no man’s land” ($1-$30 million in revenue). He outlines the process his company has developed that guarantees they will double a shop’s valuation in three years. Dave attributes their tremendous success rate to getting clients the data they need to understand their revenue and costs better. 

Dave also provides a sneak peek into an exciting project aimed at rescuing struggling shops, and it sounds like a Netflix series in the making!

Listen in and get some tips on how to improve your shop’s profitability.

Highlights:

• Dave describes why he likes to focus on helping shops in “No Man’s Land”. (4:08)
• Why EBITA Growth Systems’ process for working with new clients starts with chemistry. (5:38)
• Being a matchmaker for machine shop owners who want to sell. (9:25)
• Why it’s lonely at the top—especially without this (10:23)
• How working in his dad’s machine shop morphed into owning landscaping, trucking & welding businesses (12:18)
• Life isn’t meant to be something we do alone. It’s something we should do together. (17:36)
• It’s all about data and understanding your costs. (19:29)
• “Automagically,” getting data is priceless for a production manager looking at 15 things happening simultaneously.  (30:21)
• Calculating the ROI of investments—a lot of people get it wrong. (31:06)
• Why paying taxes is a good thing. (34:17)
• Money-back guarantee to double the valuation of your shop in three years. (37:14)
• Preview of Shop Rescue—Trying to turn a shop around in 6 months. (39:36)

Links Referenced:

• EBITDA Growth Systems: https://ebitdagrowthsystems.com/

The Datanomix Difference: What Makes It Work?

It’s not just what you see. It’s how fast you see it, how clearly it shows up, and how easily your team acts on it.

• Simple machine and data connectivity, handled by us
• Data that makes sense on day one
• No Operator Input™ means zero burden on your team for data entry
• Product Tracks built for actual shop floor behavior
• Stay connected to your shop floor with the Datanomix Mobile App
• Kick-Ass Coaching that walks the shop floor with your team and keeps you winning
• Best-in-class partnerships and integrations
• The Datanomix Community built on real relationships and real wins
• Mountains of success stories with manufacturers just like you
• Every customer starts with our Pilot Program

Learn more at www.datanomix.io

Greg McHale interviews Hernan Ricaurte, President of Ricaurte Precision, on how he went from wanting nothing to do with his Dad’s shop to taking it over and growing it in a very competitive area (southern California) serving extremely competitive markets (aerospace, defense, and medical devices). Hernan also talks about the state of precision machining in general and why he doesn’t like the term “job shop”.

Highlights:

• Learn why Hernan had no interest in working in his dad’s shop as a kid ( 2:51)
• Hernan talks about the evolution of the  machine shop from 7 years ago to where it is now (4:37)
• Learn about the culture at Ricaurte Precision and what part technology plays in it (6:23)
• Everyone wants to be with a winner - how transparency helps motivate employees (8:02)
• Greg asks Hernan how he made his Investment decisions (10:11)
• Greg and Hernan discuss how investments in technology influence hiring & onboarding (14:37)
• Hernan reflects on when he first joined NTMA and how he is giving back to the organization (18:36)
• Hernan explains why being called a “job shop” rubs him the wrong way (20:22)
• Greg digs into the biggest challenges of running an advanced manufacturing facility (23:24)
• Hernan offers a shortcut to his success by answering the classic  “What do you know now that you wish you knew then” question. (27:20)

Links Referenced:

• Hernan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hernan-ricaurte-rpi/
• Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ricaurte-precision-inc./
• Company website: https://www.ricaurteprecision.com/

The Datanomix Difference: What Makes It Work?

It’s not just what you see. It’s how fast you see it, how clearly it shows up, and how easily your team acts on it.

• Simple machine and data connectivity, handled by us
• Data that makes sense on day one
• No Operator Input™ means zero burden on your team for data entry
• Product Tracks built for actual shop floor behavior
• Stay connected to your shop floor with the Datanomix Mobile App
• Kick-Ass Coaching that walks the shop floor with your team and keeps you winning
• Best-in-class partnerships and integrations
• The Datanomix Community built on real relationships and real wins
• Mountains of success stories with manufacturers just like you
• Every customer starts with our Pilot Program

Learn more at www.datanomix.io

Greg McHale, the CEO of Datanomix, kicks off the first episode of Manufacturing Mavericks by interviewing Rolar Products CEO Jack Russell. Jack shares his unconventional path from a kid in Muskegon tinkering on a homemade mini bike to buying a 3-person machine shop with his 401k. Jack talks about the importance of creating a great company culture, technology's role in his success, and how he empowers his employees to help grow the business.

Highlights:

• Tinkering on a minibike (3:32)
• Jack’s first job in manufacturing (8:41)
• Igniting a fire in the belly (11:07)
• Unexpected benefits of working 2nd shift (14:37)
• Jack loses his job and pivots (19:38)
• Getting back into manufacturing (21:02)
• Learning the good and the bad of running a company (25:53)
• Jack cashes out his 401k to buy a company (27:17)
• How Jack grew the business (31:15)
• Building a great company culture (36:15)
• Investing in technology (42:39)
• How to ask employees to help you make more money (54:31)
• Advice for just starting out (59:02)

Links Referenced:

• Manufacturing Mavericks: https://mfgmavericks.com
• Rolar Products: https://rolarproducts.com/ 
• Jacks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-russell-92253914/

The Datanomix Difference: What Makes It Work?

It’s not just what you see. It’s how fast you see it, how clearly it shows up, and how easily your team acts on it.

• Simple machine and data connectivity, handled by us
• Data that makes sense on day one
• No Operator Input™ means zero burden on your team for data entry
• Product Tracks built for actual shop floor behavior
• Stay connected to your shop floor with the Datanomix Mobile App
• Kick-Ass Coaching that walks the shop floor with your team and keeps you winning
• Best-in-class partnerships and integrations
• The Datanomix Community built on real relationships and real wins
• Mountains of success stories with manufacturers just like you
• Every customer starts with our Pilot Program

Learn more at www.datanomix.io

At Datanomix, we've had the good fortune of visiting hundreds of shops all over the country where we've met some of the most innovative, resilient, and driven leaders in American manufacturing. Manufacturing Mavericks is our way of showcasing these amazing people and how they're improving processes, applying technology, and aligning their company culture to ensure American manufacturing will thrive for generations to come.

They are the mavericks, the stewards, and the future of American manufacturing greatness. And it is our honor to have them tell their stories. 

Subscribe to Manufacturing Mavericks on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. You can also learn more about the show at mfgmavericks.com.