Building a Legacy of Quality and Creativity in Manufacturing with David Socha

In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast, host Lisa Ryan chats with David Socha, CEO of Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company. David shares how he built a family business focused on creativity, ethics, and global adaptability in the world of plush toys. Whether you're a manufacturing leader, entrepreneur, or curious about business culture, this episode is full of practical advice and actionable steps.

Key Takeaways You Can Use:

1. Consistency Is Key

- David credits showing up every day and looking beyond daily setbacks as crucial to long-term success in manufacturing. If you’re managing a team or a business, build routines that keep you and your employees focused on the bigger picture, not just the day-to-day challenges.

2. Focus on Quality Over Quantity

- For manufacturers in crowded markets, David’s advice is simple: Make great, unique products. Don’t just copy trends; put effort into improving your product and set higher standards. Customers and employees notice the difference.

3. Legacy Through Family Culture

- David involves his family at every stage of the business—from warehouse work to creative brainstorming. He believes exposing children to the business early increases the chance of generational succession. For other family-owned companies: get your kids involved in small, meaningful ways.

4. Ethical Manufacturing Matters

- David’s company visits every manufacturing site, builds long-term relationships, and chooses partners who share their values. If you outsource, audit your suppliers and don’t compromise on ethics for lower costs.

5. Global Adaptability

- Trends in toys (and other products) now travel fast worldwide. Manufacturers must track global influences and adapt quickly. David’s team keeps a close watch on rising trends from places like Asia and pivots accordingly.

6. Employee Engagement and Purpose

- Today’s workforce wants to be part of something meaningful—they’re not interested in making throwaway goods. If you want to attract and retain talent, communicate your business’s larger purpose and invest in product improvements that employees can be proud of.

7. Resilience in the Face of Challenges

- From supply chain disruptions to market shifts, David explains how deep, long-term partnerships with suppliers help weather storms. Invest time in building trusted relationships with your vendors and partners—find allies who share your long-term vision.

Action Steps for Listeners:

- Audit your supplier relationships and visit their facilities where possible.

- Review your product line—where can you raise the standard or add unique value?

- Bring team members or family into business brainstorming sessions; fresh perspectives spark innovation.

- Develop a “bigger purpose” message for your employees to help foster pride and retention.

- Track rising trends, especially from international markets, and stay agile in your planning.

Connect with David Socha:

- Email: david@plush.com

- LinkedIn: Search “David Socha Toy Company”

- Website: https://plush.com

Listen, learn, and start building a legacy of quality and ethics in your manufacturing business.

Quick question, when's the last time your team truly celebrated a win? Not the "pizza in the breakroom" celebration. I mean real, meaningful recognition that made people feel proud and inspired them to keep going.

Here's the truth: celebrating wins isn't just nice-to-have, it's fuel for your culture. When you do it right, your applause doesn't just pat people on the back. It keeps them engaged, loyal, and striving for excellence.

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This episode is brought to you byGrategy, where we help manufacturing leaders create cultures people want to work in and nobody wants to leave. Through the Six Gears of Grategy®, we give leaders practical tools to strengthen their teams and drive results, from onboarding to recognition strategies that actually stick. Learn more at LisaRyanSpeaks.com.

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We celebrate the big wins, major milestones, huge contracts, and completed projects. And we definitely talk about problems when things go wrong. But what about the middle ground? The day-to-day excellence when people are quietly doing great work? That usually goes unnoticed.

Here's what we're missing: countless moments worth celebrating. Catching a problem before it becomes a crisis. Finding a better way to do something. Consistently hitting deadlines. These small victories deserve recognition too.

When you celebrate these moments, you're not just making someone feel good. You're reinforcing the behaviors you want to see more of. You're connecting employees back to the mission and reminding them why their work matters. That's what fuels pride, loyalty, and ongoing engagement.

Busting the Myths:

Myth #1:

Recognition means big, formal programs

Truth: Awards dinners and plaques have their place, but if that's the only time people hear"thank you," you're missing the most powerful driver of engagement: recognition in the moment.

The best applause happens organically. When someone calls out a coworker during a shiftmeeting for jumping in to help. When a team lead thanks an operator right on the line for catching an error. These moments are specific, sincere, and tied directly to behaviors you want to see again.

And recognition doesn't have to come from leadership alone. Peer-to-peer recognition is often more powerful because it comes from people who work alongside you every day and know exactly what it takes to do the job well.

Myth #2: If people are doing their job, they don't need applause

Truth: There's a huge difference between doing your job and doing it well. If leaders only speak up when something goes wrong, employees start feeling like their best efforts don't matter.

Recognition isn't coddling, it's reinforcing right behaviors, building morale, and keeping people motivated to give their best. And here's the kicker: it doesn't matter what generation someone belongs to. Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, everyone wants to feel valued for their work.

Four Strategies That Work

Strategy 1: Be Specific, Not Generic

A quick "good job" is fine, but it's vague. Instead, call out exactly what the person did and why it mattered. "You caught that defect before it left the plant, which saved us from a costly recall." Now they know their actions had real impact.

Quick Action: In your next conversation, name the specific behavior and the result it created.

Strategy 2: Make It Timely

Recognition loses its punch when it comes weeks later. I remember a colleague who won a trip to Hawaii. Her manager took three weeks to congratulate her. After she went on the trip, she left the company.

Quick Action: Recognize someone within 24 hours of their achievement. Even a quick hallway conversation matters when the timing is right.

Strategy 3:...

Welcome to The Manufacturers Network Podcast! In this insightful episode, Lisa Ryan sits down with Jason Rolland, Senior Vice President of Materials at Carbon Inc., to explore the rapidly evolving impact of additive manufacturing on how products are designed, produced, and scaled. Jason offers an insider’s view informed by years of expertise in polymer chemistry, entrepreneurship, and industrial material science.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How Additive Manufacturing Evolved

Jason Rolland traces how 3D printing moved beyond prototyping, now enabling the production of finished parts with improved speed, precision, and material properties.

-Key Innovations Driving Production Viability

Discover the breakthroughs in materials science, hardware speed, and software that allow for faster print times, better mechanical properties, and digital-driven production processes.

- Breaking Down the Technology

Not sure about acronyms like FDM or SLA? Jason explains the main categories of 3D printing in clear, simple language and describes their pros and cons.

- Where Additive Manufacturing Makes the Biggest Impact

From footwear and sports equipment to medical devices and dental models, Jason shares real-world examples where 3D printing offers a competitive edge—especially for customized parts and foam replacements.

- Barriers to Adoption & How to Overcome Them

Find out why manufacturers hesitate to adopt new technologies, and how issues of cost, awareness, and application fit can be addressed.

- Evaluating If Additive Manufacturing Is Right for Your Business

Get practical advice on the types of products best suited for 3D printing and the factors manufacturers should consider before making the transition.

- Sustainability and Flexibility Benefits

Learn how additive manufacturing supports supply chain resilience, reshoring, reduction in carbon footprint, and new approaches for cleaning, recycling, and using bio-based materials.

- Getting Started Without Overinvesting

Jason outlines Carbon’s partnership model, emphasizing collaboration over upfront equipment sales so manufacturers can test applications risk-free.

Tangible Takeaways

1. Focus on Product Application:

Evaluate whether additive manufacturing will improve your product’s performance or unlock new design possibilities—don’t just jump in for the technology’s sake.

2. Consider Customization and Complexity:

Additive manufacturing thrives in producing complex, customized, or low-volume parts—especially when traditional tooling is cost-prohibitive or slow to adapt.

3. Factor in Speed, Cost, and Flexibility:

Digital production allows rapid switching between product types, making it ideal for nimble, local, and scalable manufacturing operations.

4. Think Sustainability:

Local production and material efficiency can lower the carbon footprint. Explore innovations in part cleaning and bio-based resins for further environmental benefits.

5. Start with Collaboration:

Instead of investing heavily upfront, partner with experienced additive manufacturers like Carbon to test the fit for your specific application.

Ready to explore additive manufacturing for your business?**

Reach out through Carbon’s website contact form to start a conversation with Jason and his team.

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Tune in next time on The Manufacturers Network Podcast for more insights, strategies, and manufacturing success stories!