Rephonic
Artwork for Machine Shop Mastery

Machine Shop Mastery

Paul Van Metre
Machine Shop Industry
Manufacturing
Aerospace
Workforce Development
Automation
Lean Manufacturing
Family Business
Entrepreneurship
Job Shops
Business Diversification
Leadership
Bankruptcy
Networking
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Oil and Gas
Machine Shops
Aerospace and Defense
Proshop
Aerospace Manufacturing
Cash Flow Management

The Machine Shop Mastery Podcast helps to elevate the importance of the machine shop industry and reveal the secrets of success for machine shops, to inspire other shop owners or would-be shop owners to follow their passions, start and grow their shops to be an economic driver for our economy and their stakeholders.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes127Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusiness

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Machine Shop Mastery

Latest Episodes

Most shops chase the big order. Andrew Henry built Henry Holsters by doing the opposite, and it's hard to argue with the results.

I sat down with Andrew for what turns into a masterclass on running lean without ever saying the word lean. He walks t... more

Most machine shop owners will talk your ear off about spindles and tolerances. Ask Mike Marzetta what makes Altek work and he says the word love. Not as a slogan. As the actual thing holding a 200-person advanced manufacturing company together.

Mik... more

Most family shops don't get a clean handoff. Somebody gets sick, the calendar moves faster than the plan, and one person has to decide whether to step in or let the doors close. That's the story Christy Subia lived at Bedard Machine, and it's why I w... more

Most shop owners who hit 50 employees, steady profit, and a fourth generation coming up behind them would be tempted to coast. Andrew Borg decided to double down instead. Not because he has to, he's quick to say the shop is profitable right where it ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Mike Marzetta
President/Owner, Altek
Altek
Episode: 124. Teamwork, Love, and Lean: The Leadership Philosophy Behind Altek's Success
Christy Subia
Owner of Bedard Machine, Bedard Machine Inc.
Bedard Machine Inc.
Episode: 123. A Daughter's Promise: Preserving Bedard Machine Through One of Life's Hardest Challenges
Andrew Borg
Owner of Borg Design, third/now fourth generation in the family business
Borg Design
Episode: 122. How Borg Design Built a 50-Machine Defense Manufacturing Powerhouse
Chris Welch
Owner/CEO of Swissomation
Swissomation
Episode: 121. Playing the Long Game in Machining with Chris Welch from Swissomation
Kenny Williams
Founder/CEO of Native Aerospace and Defense; former CIO with deep IT/ERP background in manufacturing
Native Aerospace and Defense
Episode: 120. From Startup to Seven Figures: Kenny Williams' Manufacturing Playbook
Ashley Parent
Owner/President, Mills Machine Works, Boston
Mills Machine Works
Episode: 119. From Empty Spindles to a $3M Vision: Ashley Parent's Shop Revival
Matt Schron
Executive/owner at Jergens, Inc. (guest on the episode)
Jergens, Inc.
Episode: 116. 80+ Years Strong: The Reinvention Playbook Behind Jergens' Growth
Alex Mazerolle
Owner of Archer Precision, Ottawa-based five-axis/multi-axis precision machining specialist
Archer Precision
Episode: 115. Building a Valuable, High Performance Shop
Brian Kippen
Owner of KAD Models & Prototypes, expert in prototyping and automation
KAD Models & Prototypes
Episode: 114. Success at the Convergence of Workforce Development & Automation with Brian Kippen

Host

Paul Van Meter
Host focused on growing and valuing machine shops, with a background in leadership and entrepreneurship within the machining community.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 80 ratings
  • Great Content!

    I really appreciate Paul’s interview approach with this podcast and the reason why he’s doing. I’ve learned so much about the challenges that this industry is facing. A huge help as I continue to work with clients in this industry.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BriOn!
    United States5 months ago
  • Great leaders sharing wisdom

    I can’t get enough of this show. The guests (and Paul 😂) are so real and relatable. If you’re in the machining industry, or any for that matter, the leadership lessons are gold.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Machineshopdude
    United States6 months ago
  • Love these stories

    I like that this is less tech focused and is more the stories and people who run these shops. Paul is authentic with his style and I appreciate that.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JudyCNC12
    United States8 months ago
  • Extremely valuable Mfg podcast

    If you own/operate a manufacturing facility, you need to constantly be educating yourself with the latest and greatest methodologies others are deploying across the sector. There is no better place to do that than Machine Shop Mastery.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    johnnydr@ma
    United States8 months ago
  • MakingChips

    Great podcast! I’m excited to see how this show will grow now that it is a part of the MakingChips series of manufacturing shows.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ToolingGuy
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host's interview approach and practical industry insights.
People appreciate relatable guests and leadership lessons for manufacturing leaders.
Audience notes the show focuses on stories and people running shops, with authentic hosting.

Top Entrepreneurship Podcasts

Proven Podcast
Proven PodcastCharles Schwartz
Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)
Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)Hala Taha | Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing | YAP Media Network
The Money Mondays
The Money MondaysDan Fleyshman
The Code To Winning
The Code To WinningKagiso Dikane

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

124. Teamwork, Love, and Lean: The Leadership Philosophy Behind Altek's Success
Q: What is the leadership philosophy that guides Altek's culture and recruiting?
Leadership is modeled on tight teamwork from my wrestling days—three elements: camaraderie, accountability, and empowering frontline leaders. We decentralize improvement, require coaches among supervisors, and celebrate the team's success over individual wins, which has translated into strong recruiting and retention.
124. Teamwork, Love, and Lean: The Leadership Philosophy Behind Altek's Success
Q: What role did industry groups and collaboration play in attracting big customers like Boeing?
The Inwac consortium and later the expanded Northwest manufacturing association let us present Spokane as a unified high-tech manufacturing hub, which made it easier for major players to see the region's capabilities and to start meeting with us as a collective, not just a single shop.
119. From Empty Spindles to a $3M Vision: Ashley Parent's Shop Revival
Q: Can you walk us through what happened after your father fell ill and how you stabilized Mills Machine Works?
Ashley explains that after her father became ill in 2022, she and her siblings took over the business, faced a dramatic revenue drop, and had to pivot from a design-and-build focus to win new customers through marketing, added flexibility, and improved pricing and production planning. They rebuilt trust with customers, expanded into production work, and implemented a data-driven approach to pricing and capacity.
118. From a Garage Bridgeport to 5-Axis Growth: CazTek's 22-Year Journey
Q: What does your business look like today and what are you doing for customers?
We provide end-to-end engineering and manufacturing support, from napkin sketches to final product, including prototyping, DFMs, and manufacturing, with a focus on complex, high-skill projects and rapid iteration.
111. "Create Joy Through Kindness": A Radical Approach to Manufacturing Success
Q: Do you work with local community colleges, and how do you grow people as they enter the business?
We rely on internal development, mentoring, and hands-on training rather than formal apprenticeships. We recruit for culture and potential, then teach people on the job, including sending a Mastercam programmer to school and developing welders with dedicated mentors and higher pay to attract talent who want to teach others.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Machine Shop Mastery

What is Machine Shop Mastery about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Typically features leaders and owners from the machining and manufacturing world, with episodes focused on growing value in machine shops, leadership culture, cash flow, succession, and strategic investments. Conversations often explore real-world lessons from acquisitions, lean transformations, cybersecurity, workforce development, and the role of technology—from automation to additive manufacturing—in shaping the industry. A standout aspect is the emphasis on human-centered leadership and resilient business practices, offering actionable insights for shop owners aiming to scale, diversify, or weather downturns. The format tends to blend personal storytelling with practical guidance, making it helpful for listeners seeking credible, experi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Machine Shop Mastery?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Machine Shop Mastery. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Machine Shop Mastery and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Machine Shop Mastery get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Machine Shop Mastery, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Machine Shop Mastery?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Machine Shop Mastery, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Machine Shop Mastery have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Machine Shop Mastery has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Machine Shop Mastery?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Machine Shop Mastery:

1. Machine Shop Growth
2. Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders
3. Buy the Numbers
4. Manufacturing Transformed: Real Shops, Real Stories
5. Lights Out: Technology and Automation Podcast by MakingChips

How many episodes of Machine Shop Mastery are there?

Machine Shop Mastery launched 4 years ago and published 127 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Machine Shop Mastery?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Machine Shop Mastery?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Machine Shop Mastery from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Machine Shop Mastery?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Machine Shop Mastery. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Machine Shop Mastery?

Recent guests on Machine Shop Mastery include:

1. Mike Marzetta
2. Christy Subia
3. Andrew Borg
4. Chris Welch
5. Kenny Williams
6. Ashley Parent
7. Matt Schron
8. Alex Mazerolle

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days