Most fab shops dream of growth. Few are ready when it comes.

Jesse Kleiman didn’t just grow JR Metal Works — he scaled it from a garage startup to a 70-person team taking on enterprise-level contracts.

In this episode, Jesse opens up about the reality of rapid growth: the cash flow crunches, the leadership pivots, and the culture shifts that come with scaling faster than you planned.

It’s not just about welding or expansion. It’s about what happens when your business outgrows you—and how to stay intentional through it all.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to know when it’s the right time to expand

• Why rapid growth can be as dangerous as stagnation

• The cash flow traps every fast-growing shop needs to watch for

• How to build a culture that survives growth pains

• When (and why) to invest in a support team

• The leadership mindset that turns growth into longevity

Timestamps:
2:16 – Jesse’s story: starting JR Metal Works in 2016 and growing to 70 people
11:28 – Taking on gas pipe welding with zero experience (and figuring it out)
16:09 – The cash flow challenges of rapid growth
17:24 – Sales lessons at the enterprise level
30:07 – Why firing the wrong customer is sometimes the best decision
32:26 – The contract that doubled the business overnight
38:44 – Why leadership takes just “10 seconds of courage”
40:28 – Vendor relationships and surviving slow customer payments
43:50 – Jesse’s advice: always be

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/

Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesse-kleiman-685675113

JR Metal Works: https://jr-metalworks.com/

Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/

Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-...

Most golf brands take the shortcut: outsource, import, slap on a logo.

Jared decided to do it the hard way.
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In this episode, we dig into the Hanna Golf story — how a sales guy became a maker, bought a CNC, and built a boutique putter brand rooted in grit, craft, and American-made pride. From betting on himself to cutting through the noise of big brands, Jared shows what it really takes to build something that lasts.
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It’s not just about golf. It’s about what happens when you actually make the thing you sell.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to stand out in a crowded industry without shortcuts

• The lessons (and mistakes) of going from sales to machining

• Why authenticity and American-made still matter to customers

• How to build a brand with zero marketing budget

• The role of social media in growing a small shop into a business

• What golf’s shifting culture can teach manufacturers about customers

Timestamps:
1:24 – Jared’s path from sales to starting Hana Golf
5:23 – Finding a niche at the $300–400 putter price point
7:10 – Learning CNC the hard way (and why it mattered)
12:24 – Selling direct: courses, online, and word of mouth
13:11 – Why storytelling and social media fuel growth
14:07 – The sound and feel of a CNC-milled putter
20:28 – Building an audience online as “free marketing”
23:07 – How golf’s culture shift mirrors blue-collar roots
29:11 – Where to follow Hana Golf and Jared’s journey

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/

Jared's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jared-doerfler-4b04a62b

Hanna Golf Website: hannagolf.com

Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/

Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-...

In this MakingSparks episode, Casey and Matthew talk with Keith — a leader whose career has been shaped by both running a fabrication shop and now serving as General Manager at Fabrication Solutions & Technologies (FST).

Keith’s path started with welding in the blazing heat, learning from old-school fabricators, and grinding his way up to shop management. Today, he uses that first-hand production experience to help shops across oil & gas, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and more choose the right equipment, design smarter workflows, and maximize ROI.

From process flow strategies to cross-training welders, machinists, and operators, Keith shares how shop-floor grit and people-first leadership create stronger teams, better client relationships, and more efficient real-world metal fabrication operations. Whether you’re running a press brake, programming a CNC plasma table, or managing a growing shop, this conversation is full of insights forged in the fire of real-world fabrication.

00:01:12 – Setting the stage and introducing today’s guest.
00:02:22 – Finding common ground through shared industry connections.
00:04:09 – Lessons learned from seasoned shop veterans.
00:05:12 – Insights from seeing manufacturing behind the scenes.
00:10:13 – Building a professional network that drives opportunities.
00:13:14 – Standing out at trade shows by creating meaningful conversations.
00:17:02 – Prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term sales.
00:19:42 – Addressing the challenge of finding skilled, motivated workers.
00:23:06 – How shop-floor experience strengthens leadership and sales roles.
00:37:35 – Encouraging industry connections and in-person engagement at events.

Resources:

Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Dspnz4Qt5/
Keith's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keith-jentsch
Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-...