December 06, 2022

Pursuing Operational Excellence with Andy Reith

1 hour 3 minutes

Information isn’t the gap between failure and success—action is. Path for Growth’s 1-on-1 coaching helps you create a plan and execute on what matters most for your business. Apply today at pathforgrowth.com/coaching.

In this episode, we share a conversation between Path for Growth COO Zack Estes and Origin Footwear COO Andy Reith about what it means to pursue operational excellence. Andy shares some of the biggest lessons he learned from working at Toyota for ten years, and he explains how he’s grown as a leader since taking on his role at Origin. Andy also shares practical insight about communicating your mission to customers, balancing the tension of serving customers with staying true to your values, and incorporating Lean principles into a service-based business.

Can you tell us about your experience working at Toyota for 10 years? (4:05)

What’s the biggest lesson you learned early in your career? (8:18)

What inspired you to focus on American manufacturing and join Origin? (13:16)

What challenges have you encountered while teaching principle-based thinking? (19:01)

Why is it so important to make work/information visible? (23:37)

What’s the difference between value add activity and waste? (26:26)

How do you encourage innovation while also determining what’s valuable? (29:00)

Is there tension between serving the customer and manufacturing in America? (30:29)

How do you communicate your mission to customers? (37:24)

What have you learned about communication from working at Origin? (41:43)

How do you keep up with maintenance without spreading yourself too thin? (45:49)

What sets Origin apart when it comes to your mission? (51:49)

How can a service-based business pursue Lean ideas? (55:33)

Helpful Links and Resources

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Links Andy Mentioned

Get 30% off Andy’s OpEx Course

“The Toyota Way”

“The Birth of Lean”

Follow Andy on Instagram and LinkedIn

If you’re ready to move beyond just gathering information and start executing on what truly matters, Path for Growth’s 1-on-1 coaching can help. Apply now at pathforgrowth.com/coaching.

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