Damn. It’s already 2025? I was just getting used to the idea that it was 2024. Today, Lloyd and I are reflecting on what worked and didn’t work in our used machinery business and our personal lives over the last year. We’re also discussing our intentions and predictions for the new year. Will we sell more old multi-spindles in 2025 like we did this year? Will our incoming president be good for precision machining? And how does it feel to turn 80? Question: What are your greatest hopes and fears in 2025? *********** Listen on your favorite podcast app using…
Author: Noah Graff
Do you ever ask yourself why the majority of businesses out there are struggling to survive while an elite handful are crushing it? On today’s podcast we are discussing that question. Our guest is Steve Preda, founder of Steve Preda Business Growth. He is also an author of three books and the host of the Management Blueprint Podcast. Steve coaches business owners to help them reach their ambitions, which often means scaling and maximizing their companies’ profitability or making business ownership a more pleasurable, fulfilling experience. Steve’s life mission is to eradicate what he calls “Business Covid.” He says 180,000…
One of my favorite machinery dealers we work with is from Brazil. He specializes in sending machine tools to South America. A used machinery deal is usually a challenge to close—even if a customer says they need it. Even if it’s an excellent machine that’s rare on the used market, at a good price, it is hard to close a used machinery deal. But selling a machine to Brazil from the United States adds extra challenges. The customers usually can’t inspect the machine in person, and the Brazilian government charges more than 30% import tax on used machinery brought into…
I often ponder—why do some people own and build companies, while most people are destined to spend their careers as employees. In Part II of my interview with Mike Payne, owner of Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication, we explore this question. Mike comes from a family of six generations of teachers, not business managers or entrepreneurs, and he says he was a “mess” in high school without direction. There’s no question that he’s smart and ambitious, but there are lots of people out there with those qualities, and only a small handful of them acquire and grow manufacturing companies. I enjoyed…
On today’s podcast, I’m talking with Mike Payne, owner of Hill Manufacturing and Fabrication in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to peek inside the mind of a prolific acquirer of manufacturing companies. Before purchasing Hill in 2018, Mike spent 20 years in M&A, orchestrating over 100 deals across nearly every industry. Since then, Mike has acquired four machine shops, and he’s constantly scouting for more opportunities to expand. What struck me about Mike isn’t just his deal-making successes – it’s his genuine passion for manufacturing. While some people get caught up in the game of acquisition deals, Mike seems to remain committed…
Today’s show is the first episode of a multi-part series about how machining companies acquire new work. Our guest is Federico Veneziano, CFO and COO of American Micro Products Inc., a precision machining company in Batavia, Ohio. Federico says one his key strategies for getting new customers is proving to them his company will minimize the problems that are bound to occur in most manufacturing jobs. Scroll down to read more and listen to the podcast, or listen with Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or your favorite app. Main Points Federico talks about how the selling process in the machining business…
Have you ever wondered how a used machinery dealer like myself approaches buying secondhand equipment? About a month ago, I did my first LinkedIn live talk and featured that subject. I focused the talk on my techniques for communicating with sellers and equipment experts. I believe the majority of people these days lean too much on online networking, emailing, texting, and instant quotes. I discussed the art of actually talking to people to better understand the machines they’re looking at, to discover serendipity, and negotiate the best price. This episode is a little different style than our typical interview or…
Sometimes machining companies tell Graff-Pinkert they have long running, lucrative jobs supplying parts to the D.O.D., and it always has seemed a little mysterious to me. What are these parts they are supplying to the government? How does a company get to become a supplier to the D.O.D.? Is supplying parts to the U.S. Government a good idea for a small-sized or medium-sized machining company? I got some answers from today’s guest on the podcast, Mike Topolewski Jr. Mike is Vice President of Sales and Operations at Perigee Manufacturing Company in Detroit, Michigan. Perigee is a three generation, screw machine…
Just got back from Dunkin’ with my semi-daily Iced Americano with oat milk. Made sure to get the phone out for my rewards! Not sure yet how much I’m actually being rewarded or how much I care. I currently have rewards apps or rewards cards for several eating establishments I frequent: Panda Express (I promise I only go there once a week), Dunkin’ Donuts (I know it’s a world chain, but I have to admit they have the best Cold Brew and Iced Americanos), as well as two local Chicago establishments: Vaca, a vegan ice cream/coffee spot near my home,…
You may have noticed that I often talk about friction on this podcast. That’s because everyone has to fight friction in business—and there is A LOT of friction in the manufacturing business. Friction from time consuming stuff. Friction from stuff being too hard to figure out. Friction from stuff we’re not qualified to do or just don’t want to do. My guest on today’s podcast, Constantine Ivanov, founded a business called DigiFabster that alleviates friction for manufacturers, providing features like instant quoting, a CRM, and payment platforms that are specifically tailored for different manufacturing types. I loved our conversation. Along…