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The Rest is Lean

The Rest is Lean

By: Alan Lothian John Dee Russell Watkins
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The Rest is Lean Channel is a light-hearted and educational look at how to make businesses better through Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence.

Suited for all levels of understanding and from any industry or geographical region.

John, Alan & Russell are time-served lean professionals with over 30 years each in this field. Leading and coaching some of the best businesses from SMEs to multi-nationals.

Trained by some of the highest calibre Japanese masters from Toyota(one step from Ohno himself), Honda and Nissan , we want to share our experiences with you, allowing some of these 'pearls of wisdom' to help make your business processes, people, and profitability that little bit better each day.

We welcome your comments, questions, and guidance on future discussion topics so feel free to drop us a line via the comments section or via email.

therestislean@gmail.com

Oh, and don't forget to subscribe!!

© 2026 The Rest is Lean
Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • The Rest is Lean Podcast LIVE Edition at Subcon 2026 aka Why does lean fail & how to avoid it
    Aug 9 2026

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    Suffering with long lead times, poor productivity, quality, or delivery performance? Struggling to make your improvement efforts stick?


    Learn from those with over nearly 30 years experience in the field. Japanese trained from Toyota & Honda

    #TheRestIsLean goes live with our annual pilgrimage to the NEC for #SUBCON 2026. The second of 2 episodes recorded at the 2-day event which showcases some of the best products and companies that support global manufacturing

    This episode involves our live interactive podcast event on the topic of "Why Lean Fails and How to Avoid It."

    A fantastic audience as ever for this one and it never failed to disappoint


    #TeamTRIL get up to their usual exploits of sharing their views, experiences, and their failures that have allowed them to develop and learn through their 25+ year careers


    Most importantly they share some pointers on where to start on your journey, and what's most important to have in place before you start! Apologies for some sound quality, mainly attributable to Alan's microphone wandering!!

    Big thanks to Sam Wibrew and Mark Allen Group for allowing us to attend another great show, and for allowing #TeamTRIL to be part of it once again

    Our channel aims to explore the world of lean manufacturing, operational excellence and continuous improvement, by sharing our decades of experience in this field. Trained by Japanese Master Engineers from Toyota (2nd Generation Ohno trained) and Honda, we want to share our knowledge, experience and failures so you don't have to!


    If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested

    Remember also that we are now available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms


    We also have a Leadership Interview Series which involves members of Team TRIL engaging with global lean leaders who are willing to share their experiences and challenges.

    The #TRIL Team are:
    John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net
    Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd. www.aaabel.co.uk
    Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd. www.sempai.co.uk

    Remember that if you want to get involved with your questions, comments, and tips of your own then don't forget to email the podcast at therestislean@gmail.com or drop us a comment below.

    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • The TRIL Leadership Interview Series Part 2 - Mark Hemming
    Jul 26 2026

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    The Rest is Lean (#TRIL) Leadership Series of Podcasts brings you powerful conversations with professionals from across the globe, sharing real-world experiences in lean manufacturing and leadership

    Each episode dives into the principles, challenges, and successes that shape modern organisations—told by those who live them every day

    This episode welcomes Mark Hemming. Mark is a transformational business leader who has led major operations at Amazon, Eurocell, and HelloFresh, delivering large-scale growth, innovation and operational excellence. Having managed businesses of significant scale across multiple countries, he now advises organisations through Hemming Advisory, helping leaders navigate growth, complexity and change with a strong focus on people-centred leadership

    Russel takes charge for this 2-part Podcast with part two covering a lot of ground.

    Conversations include the importance of purpose, people, and process. Find out what Mark thinks is his 'Superpower', and his future book 'The Tapestry of Leadership'

    From industry veterans to innovative thinkers, our guests reveal practical insights, cultural shifts, and leadership strategies that drive transformation

    Whether you’re a business leader, lean practitioner, or simply curious about what makes organisations thrive, #TRIL delivers stories and lessons that inspire action.
    Tune in and discover why, when it comes to leadership and lean, the rest is just noise

    If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested

    Remember that we are also available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms!
    You can even email us at therestislean@gmail.com

    The #TRIL Team are:
    John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net
    Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd. www.aaabel.co.uk
    Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd. www.sempai.co.uk

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • The TRIL Leadership Interview Series Part 1 - Mark Hemming
    Jul 12 2026

    Send us Fan Mail

    The Rest is Lean (#TRIL) Leadership Series of Podcasts brings you powerful conversations with professionals from across the globe, sharing real-world experiences in lean manufacturing and leadership

    Each episode dives into the principles, challenges, and successes that shape modern organisations—told by those who live them every day

    This episode welcomes Mark Hemming. Mark is a transformational business leader who has led major operations at Amazon, Eurocell, and HelloFresh, delivering large-scale growth, innovation and operational excellence. Having managed businesses of significant scale across multiple countries, he now advises organisations through Hemming Advisory, helping leaders navigate growth, complexity and change with a strong focus on people-centred leadership

    Russel takes charge for this 2-part Podcast with part one covering a lot of ground.
    Conversations include old school book-throwing, the importance of honesty and integrity with your employees, and how tiring leadership can be!

    From industry veterans to innovative thinkers, our guests reveal practical insights, cultural shifts, and leadership strategies that drive transformation

    Whether you’re a business leader, lean practitioner, or simply curious about what makes organisations thrive, #TRIL delivers stories and lessons that inspire action.
    Tune in and discover why, when it comes to leadership and lean, the rest is just noise

    If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested

    Remember that we are also available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms!
    You can even email us at therestislean@gmail.com

    The #TRIL Team are:
    John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net
    Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd. www.aaabel.co.uk
    Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd. www.sempai.co.uk

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
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