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Buy the Numbers

Buy the Numbers

De: Mike Payne
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A deep dive into the financials of running a Manufacturing business.2024 Economía Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo
Episodios
  • Inside the Numbers: Roger Atkins’ MTForecast 2025 Preview for Small Manufacturers, Ep #29

    Inside the Numbers: Roger Atkins’ MTForecast 2025 Preview for Small Manufacturers, Ep #29
    Sep 25 2025
    In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sit down with Roger Atkins, President of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), to talk about the real state of U.S. manufacturing as we close out 2025. Representing more than 1,000 small and medium manufacturers nationwide, Roger brings a boots-on-the-ground perspective to the headwinds, opportunities, and trends shaping the industry right now. The conversation goes well beyond statistics to explore the forces behind them. Roger shares his preview of the MTForecast conference and NTMA’s ENGAGE event, pulling back the curtain on survey data straight from job shops across America. From tariffs to labor shortages, election-year uncertainty to international trade shifts, he outlines what’s truly affecting shops and where he sees signs of stability. We also dig into the “new math” of manufacturing leadership — the push to do more with the same workforce, invest in automation and workholding instead of just machines, and partner with builders and integrators to drive productivity. Roger explains why this collaboration between equipment makers and shops is more critical than ever. Finally, we focus on one of Roger’s favorite topics: benchmarking. He shares a powerful story about how one shop used benchmarking against itself to command a premium sale price, underscoring why every shop owner should measure not just against the competition, but also against their own past performance. This episode is a blueprint for owners, operators, and leaders who want to thrive despite uncertainty—and who believe small manufacturers make the world go round. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (1:00) Introducing Roger Atkins and the NTMA’s 1,000-member nationwide network(1:50) Previewing NTMA ENGAGE 2025 and MTForecast 2025(3:57) Expectations vs. reality in 2025: Flat performance and sector-by-sector differences(5:32) Get 20% off your MTForecast registration with code MAK20(6:47) Mike’s oil and gas perspective—slow and steady(8:32) Why no shop can depend on one industry anymore(10:22) Tariffs, international pressures, and how uncertainty delays investment decisions(11:28) Why “just make a decision” is Roger’s message to legislators(13:00) Why small manufacturers navigate uncertainty better than anyone(16:20) Forecasting equipment purchases: Bigger interest in workholding and automation(17:22) Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)(18:00) Why MTForecast is where builders and users come together to collaborate (19:22) Doing more with the same workforce: automation, quick-change workholding, and better tooling(22:23) Benchmarking: why every shop should start by measuring against itself(24:40) Benchmarking surveys as a top NTMA member benefit (and a sign of top-shop discipline)(28:14) Roger’s call to action: Business as usual no longer works(29:11) This is not your grandfather’s industry—adapt, invest, and collaborate(31:00) Paul’s Top Shops 2025 invitation and MAK20 discount code Resources & People Mentioned See us at NTMA ENGAGE 2025 in Detroit (7th-10th of October) AND MTForecast 2025Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)Get 20% off your Top Shops registration with code MAK20 Connect with Roger Atkins Connect on LinkedInNTMA MTForecast Connect With Buy the Numbers Follow on LinkedInConnect with Mike Payne on LinkedIn Subscribe to Buy the Numbers on Apple + Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    32 m
  • From First Questions to First Deals: Navigating Machine Shop Acquisitions, Ep #28

    From First Questions to First Deals: Navigating Machine Shop Acquisitions, Ep #28
    Sep 11 2025
    When you’re buying a machine shop for the first time, it’s easy to feel like you’re lost in the dark. I’ve been through more than 150 transactions in my career, but I still remember what it was like sitting across from my first seller—wondering if I was asking the right questions or if I was missing something important. That’s why I love conversations like this one. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sit down with Jeff Lee, Operations Manager at Hayer Engineering in Singapore. Jeff reached out after listening to some of our episodes on acquisitions, and the quality of his questions made me realize they weren’t just for him—these are the same questions countless first-time buyers wrestle with but rarely get answered. Jeff shares his story of joining his family’s 30-year-old oil & gas machining business, beginning the search for potential acquisitions in the region, and running into the roadblocks that every buyer faces: how to evaluate opportunities, when to buy assets versus equity, and what really happens when you integrate a new shop. As we work through his list, I pull from my own playbook—what I look for in a shop, how I handle customer concentration, and why ‘people’ issues almost always end up being the biggest surprises. Whether you’re on your first acquisition or your fiftieth, I think you’ll find this conversation valuable, practical, and maybe even a little reassuring. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in… (0:43) Jeff Lee’s background and path to Hayer Engineering(3:00) Why pursuing deals can feel lonely and stressful(5:13) The characteristics I look for in a shop(7:47) Verdant Commercial Capital makes the process smooth & easy(8:25) What my acquisition strategy looks like: diversification and capabilities(11:08) Asset vs. equity deals and what transfers(14:13) Handling customer concentration risks(16:00) Declining revenue: neglect or market forces?(19:25) CapEx spending and owner age as indicators(21:18) Implementing a tech stack post-acquisition(23:53) Level up your workholding with SMW Autoblok (24:34) Onboarding employees and infrastructure quickly(27:01) Centralization vs. decentralization decisions(30:17) Managing customer relationships across shops(31:23) How people issues as the biggest surprises(33:58) Valuation approach and doubling value(39:54) Leveraging your strengths in due diligence(43:49) The future of machining: consolidation and automation(49:51) Grow your top and bottom line with CLA Resources & People Mentioned Episode #24: Demystifying the Buying and Selling of Machine ShopsEpisode #80: How to 4x Your Money with Machine ShopsVerdant Commercial Capital makes the process smooth & easyProShop ERPDatanomixLevel up your workholding with SMW Autoblok Grow your top and bottom line with CLA Connect with Jeff Lee Hayer EngineeringConnect on LinkedIn Connect With Buy the Numbers Follow on LinkedInConnect with Mike Payne on LinkedIn Subscribe to Buy the Numbers on Apple + Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    51 m
  • Top Shops Benchmarking: The Numbers That Separate Leaders from the Rest, Ep #27

    Top Shops Benchmarking: The Numbers That Separate Leaders from the Rest, Ep #27
    Aug 28 2025

    In this episode of Buy the Numbers, Mike Payne sits down with Dave Necessary, Executive Vice President of Products and Markets at Gardner Business Media, to dig into the power of benchmarking and the Top Shops program. For more than a decade, Top Shops has been the definitive survey that shows manufacturers where they stand—highlighting the practices, strategies, and investments that consistently separate the best from everyone else.

    Dave shares how the survey functions like a business health check-up, providing both an industry-wide benchmarking standards report and a personalized scorecard for participating shops. From capital investment and automation strategies to marketing, HR practices, and efficiency metrics, Top Shops reveals the numbers that matter most to shop owners serious about growth.

    Mike reflects on his own journey—how filling out that survey after acquiring his first shop in 2018 shaped a five-year plan to transform into a Top Shop. Along the way, he and Dave connect the dots between numbers like revenue per employee, profit margin, and capacity utilization, and the strategies that drive them upward.

    Whether you’re buying, selling, or scaling a manufacturing business, this conversation underscores why understanding and acting on benchmarking data isn’t optional—it’s essential. And with the upcoming Top Shops Conference in Charlotte this November, you’ll discover why being part of this community can accelerate your shop’s success.

    You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
    • (0:14) Register for Top Shops and meet us in Charlotte, NC!
    • (1:38) Learn about today’s guest, Dave Necessary
    • (3:34) Hill Manufacturing's experience with the Top Shops benchmarking report
    • (6:27) How the survey works, personalized reports, and five key differentiators
    • (12:02) Why benchmarking matters for any shop size and metrics that drive performance
    • (15:03) Automation and efficiency: horizontals, pallet changers, robots, ERP/MES, lights-out
    • (17:34) Using Top Shops metrics in acquisitions, valuations, and profitability decisions
    • (22:25) HR and marketing differentiators: cross-training, leadership, recruiting, video marketing
    • (27:50) Adding customer value with turnkey services and expanded capabilities
    • (28:46) Why you need to check out the SMW Autoblok catalogue
    • (30:58) Strategic investments: automation upgrades, workholding, and optimizing older machines
    • (39:55) Why you need to embrace the continuous improvement mindset
    • (43:39) Survey timeline, reporting process, and the upcoming Top Shops Conference
    • (46:20) What makes the event unique: peer learning, panels, networking, and fun
    • (49:20) Accessing the Benchmarking Standards Report and Dave’s special offer
    • (52:19) Grow your top and bottom-line with CLA
    Resources & People Mentioned
    • Register for Top Shops 2025 and meet us in Charlotte, NC!
    • Why you need to check out the SMW Autoblok catalogue
    • Contact Dave at DaveN@gardnerweb.com to get the Benchmarking Standards Report
    • Grow your top and bottom-line with CLA
    Connect with Dave Necessary
    • Connect on LinkedIn
    • DaveN@gardnerweb.com
    Connect With Buy the Numbers
    • Follow on LinkedIn
    • Connect with Mike Payne on LinkedIn

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    53 m
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