Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

Everybody in manufacturing knows the skills gap is real. Far fewer people are doing anything about it. That tension runs through this entire conversation, and it's why we're glad to have Kyra Tillman back on the show as part of our workforce development series.
Kyra runs BTM Industries, a small job shop in Woodstock, Illinois, and she's a driving force behind the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium, a group of more than a hundred McHenry County manufacturers, every local high school, and dozens of community partners who decided to grow their own talent instead of fighting over the same shrinking pool. 
The numbers back it up. This year 186 students applied for the summer internship program and 85 got placed, with grant funding covering 85 percent of their wages.
We get into the parts most people skip. How do you actually build an internship that works when your team is already slammed? Why do so many shops still say they don't have time for an inexperienced kid? And how did this group push back on a new Illinois foreign language requirement that would have gutted high school manufacturing programs, and win?
There's a bigger idea underneath all of it. The shortage isn't only a skills gap, it's an opportunity gap. Most students have no idea these careers exist, and the fix isn't complicated. Open your doors, bring kids in, and let them try the work. Whether you run a shop, sit on a school board, or just want to see your community thrive, this one's a blueprint you can copy.
What's Covered in this Episode
(0:00) Why workforce development gets its own series, and welcoming Kyra back
(1:56) Kyra's path to owning BTM Industries, a third-generation Woodstock job shop
(4:13) MPC: 100+ manufacturers, every local high school, one focus: the talent pipeline
(5:59) Why it works: stop playing the victim and do something about it
(8:48) Inside the summer internship program: 186 applied, only 85 placed
(10:53) Building a real intern plan instead of winging it
(15:16) It's a manufacturing experience, not a polished college internship
(16:15) CLA: helping manufacturers find millions in savings and revenue
(17:23) Nick's intern Peter and the value of learning what you don't want
(20:00) Why this program is oversubscribed when others can't fill seats
(22:40) The funding model: grants cover 85 percent of intern wages
(25:16) Saving CTE programs from Illinois's new foreign language requirement
(27:45) IMTS Job Shops Workshop and Networking Reception, September 15
(28:39) Putting machined parts on guidance counselors' desks
(32:46) Connecting with students who don't yet know what they like
(35:00) It's an opportunity gap as much as a skills gap, so open your doors
(36:42) Scaling means hiring beyond the shop floor, from coders to accountants
(40:09) Why we love the quality of SMW Autoblok workholding
(41:36) The results so far: 400+ interns, 46 now working in manufacturing
(44:00) Help solve the problem: Let's get more manufacturers involved
(47:15) How to replicate this: start with your local schools
(49:30) Summer events, the Rockford party, and an IMTS kickoff
Resources Mentioned
Manufacturing Pathways Consortium
CLA
IMTS
SMW Autoblok
Connect with Kyra Tillman
Manufacturing Pathways Consortium
BTM Industries
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Keith and Patrick Lee didn't start their machine shop with a giant facility, a full team, or a fleet of high-end equipment. They started with a Tormach in a one-car garage, a willingness to learn, and the belief that if they kept showing up, solving problems, and doing what they said they would do, they could build something real.
In this episode of MakingChips, Keith and Patrick share the story behind their South Jersey machine shop, from discovering CNC through high school STEM projects and YouTube videos to slowly building the business on nights and weekends. Keith brings the hands-on machining background, including time in the Air National Guard and aerospace manufacturing, while Patrick brings a mechanical engineering background and experience in heavy construction operations. Together, they've had to figure out not just how to make parts, but how to build a business from scratch.
Their journey is full of the kind of lessons every shop owner can relate to: learning CNC by doing, finding early work through Xometry, using LinkedIn to build real customer relationships, deciding when to invest in equipment, and building processes before hiring or automating. They also talk openly about what it's like to work with a sibling, how they handle disagreements, and why "family before the business, family after the business" has become a guiding principle.
What sets Keith and Patrick apart isn't flashy equipment or decades of experience. It's their ethos: ownership, duty, discipline, honesty, and a commitment to bringing honor back to American manufacturing. They want to build a shop that treats customers like partners, pays skilled people well, and proves that doing the right thing still matters.
What's Covered in this Episode
(0:00) Keith's "fake it till you make it" CNC job story
(0:47) Keith and Patrick Lee's origin story in manufacturing (STEM, John Saunders, and more)
(3:47) Launching the business and building out the shop themselves
(4:48) First real machines and early customers: Xometry to get started, then upgrading to a Haas mini mill and Prototrack lathe scored at auction
(6:29) Take your shop to the next level with high-end DN Solutions Machining 
(7:40) Current equipment: multiple Haas machines and why standardizing on one brand makes sense at this stage
(8:23) Learning CNC: Keith's self-taught journey through YouTube, a year at a job shop, and why high-mix/low-volume is the best education
(12:00) Customer acquisition and sales challenges they're tackling
(13:55) What actually works on LinkedIn: personal content, authentic connections, and targeted warm outreach to local companies
(17:42) Networking group: Brett Lister's local machinist community and how generously this industry shares
(19:12) Your buyers have technical questions. Navu delivers reliable, accurate answers.
(20:25) Building a process from scratch: why developing process is harder than improving one; the need for standards before automation or hiring
(23:09) QMS and documentation: how they built their QMS, use travelers and job sheets, and adopted Infab ERP
(25:42) Knowledge retention challenges: capturing speeds, feeds, and setup know-how before the next hire
(28:03) Delegate and elevate: having Patrick program and set up jobs as a test run for future onboarding
(30:15) Brand and values: ownership, duty, discipline; what actually sets a two-Haas shop apart in a crowded market
(33:00) High say-do ratio: doing what you say you will do as the primary differentiator; treating customers like family
(36:55) Check out the Hennig Workflow (an automated pallet delivery system)
(41:31) General vs. niche: why being a general job shop makes sense at the start; focusing on milling in a specific size range as a core competency
(43:44) QMS as foundation for certification: AS9100 vs. ISO 9001; getting into aerospace overflow work first before pursuing the cert
(48:09) Closing advice: working with a sibling means family before business and family after business
(49:38) Starting a shop: do it before it is too late; it takes twice as long and costs twice as much, and neither is a reason not to
(50:39) Gates's Law: overestimate what you can do in one year; underestimate what you can do in five
Resources Mentioned
Tormach
Haas Automation
Xometry
NYC CNC (John Saunders) — YouTube
DN Solutions
Navu
Hennig Workflow Automation
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
Connect with Keith & Patrick Lee
Liberty Manufacturing
Keith Lee on LinkedIn
Patrick Lee on LinkedIn
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Some shop owners are born into machining. Others stumble into it through YouTube, side jobs, and a little bit of "sure, I think we can fit that D11 dozer cylinder on the mill." Leighton Hill's story has a little bit of all of it.
In this episode of MakingChips, we continue our Gen CNC series with Leighton Hill of Hillco, a young shop owner from the Kansas City area who grew up around manual machines, learned CNC through hands-on experimentation, and is now building a real business from nights, weekends, Facebook groups, local relationships, and whatever work comes through the door.
Leighton shares how his dad's hobby shop sparked his interest in machining, why he originally had no interest in CNC, and how a used Hurco mill changed the direction of his life. From a cramped two-car garage to a 40x60 shop, he's been slowly turning a family passion into a serious business opportunity.
We dig into the realities of starting small: pricing jobs without overcomplicating it, finding work through word of mouth, learning from YouTube, quoting overflow work, considering job boards, and deciding when it makes sense to invest in new equipment. Leighton also talks about his goal of going full-time, possibly moving into a larger shared shop, and eventually building a small team around production and aerospace work.
Because if you're not learning, quoting, building relationships, and making chips, you're not making money.
Segments
(0:00) How a Facebook machinist group unexpectedly led to a real customer
(0:35) Introducing Leighton Hill of Hillco and the Gen CNC series
(2:16) Leighton's journey from manual machining to learning CNC
(7:02) Starting Hillco as a side business and building momentum
(8:55) Expanding into job shop work and growing into a 40x60 shop
(10:20) Why we love the quality of SMW Autoblok's workholding 
(11:06) Hillco's current machine lineup and capabilities
(13:10) Learning machining through YouTube, mentors, and hands-on experience
(16:40) Finding early work through word of mouth, neighbors, and Facebook groups
(18:19) Considering job boards and overflow work as a learning opportunity
(21:13) How Leighton approaches pricing, quoting, and simple job estimating
(23:46) Exploring AI-assisted quoting and CAM tools like Toolpath
(29:02) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
(30:34) Starting the LLC with low overhead and support from family
(32:12) Thinking through ROI before investing in a CNC lathe
(33:26) Leighton's goal to take Hillco full-time within the next year
(36:35) Taking on any work early, then learning what to specialize in
(37:27) Why walk-in repair work can lead to long-term production customers
(41:54) Get a free report of sales opportunities in your area from FacturMFG.com/chips
(43:00) Advice for young machinists who want to get started
(44:55) Leighton's five-to-ten-year vision for Hillco
(47:19) Building credibility with a website, Google profile, and customer reviews
Resources mentioned on this episode
Why we love the quality of SMW Autoblok's workholding 
Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
Get a free report of sales opportunities in your area from FacturMFG.com/chips
TITANS of CNC
Toolpath
CloudNC
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In manufacturing, everyone talks about the skills gap. Fewer people talk about the relationships, systems, and long-term commitment it takes to solve it. In this episode of MakingChips, we continue our GenCNC series by exploring a powerful partnership between Northridge High School and JD Machine, a collaboration that is creating a steady pipeline of young manufacturing talent and proving that workforce development doesn't happen by accident.
Kurt Jensen has spent more than two decades teaching and inspiring students, but his machining program at Northridge High is unlike most. Built from scratch just six years ago, the program now serves nearly 100 students and gives them hands-on experience with machining, programming, inspection, and real-world manufacturing concepts. Through relentless recruiting, industry partnerships, and a passion for exposing students to the trades, Kurt has created a program that students actively seek out.
On the industry side, Matt Wardle of JD Machine shares how workforce development has become one of the company's most important strategic systems. From registered apprenticeships and structured career pathways to internships and community involvement, JD Machine has spent decades investing in people rather than waiting for talent to appear. The result is a workforce pipeline stronger than ever in one of the most competitive hiring markets manufacturing has faced.
Together, Kurt and Matt demonstrate what happens when educators and employers stop operating independently and start working toward a common goal. The conversation explores apprenticeship models, mentorship, recruiting strategies, soft skills development, and practical ways every shop can support local manufacturing education. Whether you're an educator, employer, parent, or industry advocate, this episode offers a blueprint for building the next generation of manufacturing talent.
Segments
(0:00) Mike celebrates his son's graduation and entry into manufacturing
(1:43) Introducing Northridge High School and JD Machine's workforce partnership
(3:13) Matt Wardle's journey building JD Machine through apprenticeship programs
(5:40) Kurt Jensen's machining program and serving nearly 100 students
(7:13) Check out the Hennig Workflow (an automated pallet delivery system)
(8:04) Why Northridge's machining program continues to attract strong student demand
(10:53) The importance of exposing students to manufacturing career paths
(12:41) Building a machining program from scratch inside a public high school
(14:26) How JD Machine supports schools and develops long-term talent pipelines
(17:06) SkillsUSA competitions and strengthening industry-education partnerships
(19:04) Convincing school leaders to invest in manufacturing education
(21:06) How ProShop can help you achieve on-time delivery
(25:22) Curriculum design, machining pathways, and Titans of CNC integration
(28:03) How portfolio-based learning helps students land manufacturing jobs
(30:01) Announcing A to Z Magazine's 40 under 40 issue
(35:21) Why young people are rediscovering skilled trades and hands-on careers
(39:01) Inside JD Machine's apprenticeship model and workforce development system
(46:10) Teaching work ethic, accountability, and soft skills alongside machining
(55:05) Why today's younger workforce gives manufacturing reasons for optimism
(56:31) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
(57:00) Practical ways employers can support local manufacturing programs
(1:00:05) Becoming a cheerleader for manufacturing careers and workforce development
(1:03:31) The growing challenge of finding future machining instructors
(1:06:10) Why consistent workforce investment pays off over the long term
Resources mentioned on this episode
Matt Wardle from JD Machine
Kurt Jensen with Northridge High School
Check out the Hennig Workflow (an automated pallet delivery system)
Get a free guide to help you achieve on-time delivery at ProShopERP.com/95
SkillsUSA Competitions 
A2Z Manufacturing Magazine: How to nominate someone for their 40 under 40 
Get a copy of A2Z Magazine 
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Recorded live from the Toolpath Machining Summit at Mammoth Mountain, this episode of MakingChips explores what happens when software thinking collides with modern manufacturing. We sat down with SendCutSend founder Jim Belosic and CNC leader Phil Linscheid for a conversation about speed, automation, growth, and the changing realities of manufacturing in America.
What started as frustration sourcing one-off sheet metal parts has evolved into one of the industry's most talked-about manufacturing companies. Today, SendCutSend is processing tens of thousands of orders every month across multiple facilities, all while challenging long-standing assumptions around quoting, inventory, lead times, staffing, and scalability. But underneath the growth is something even more interesting: a company culture built around adaptability, curiosity, and a willingness to rethink everything.
Throughout the episode, we dig into how SendCutSend approaches manufacturing differently. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, they've focused on simplifying processes, automating aggressively, and creating systems that remove friction for customers. Jim and Phil explain why many traditional machine shop habits no longer make sense at scale, and why the future may belong to manufacturers who are willing to specialize, collaborate, and move faster.
We also explore what this shift means for the broader manufacturing industry. Are companies like SendCutSend replacing traditional shops, or creating opportunities for them to evolve into something more specialized and valuable? From hiring philosophies and leadership lessons to AI, automation, and "Home Depot for manufacturing," this conversation challenges the industry to think differently about where manufacturing is headed next.
Segments
(0:00) Recording live from the Toolpath Machining Summit at Mammoth Mountain
(0:49) Why intentional industry events create deeper manufacturing conversations
(2:38) Introducing SendCutSend and the company's rapid growth trajectory
(4:01) The original problem that inspired the creation of SendCutSend
(5:28) Early mistakes, learning manufacturing from scratch, and adapting quickly
(10:15) Scaling to hundreds of employees, multiple facilities, and massive order volume
(12:25) Why SendCutSend focuses on creating talent instead of recruiting it
(14:07) Hiring for enthusiasm, grit, and culture fit over manufacturing experience
(16:41) Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding products
(17:54) Can outsiders successfully buy and grow manufacturing companies?
(19:51) Why great machinists don't always become great managers
(23:13) Building career paths for both technical experts and people leaders
(24:47) How complementary leadership styles drive growth and innovation
(28:25) Get a free report of sales opportunities in your area from FacturMFG.com/chips
(29:30) Breaking down the SendCutSend workflow from upload to shipped part
(33:35) Simplifying manufacturing to improve speed, accessibility, and affordability
(35:40) Why customer experience became SendCutSend's biggest growth engine
(37:44) Inventory strategy, automation, and scheduling at scale
(41:52) Standardized tooling, machine utilization, and operational discipline
(48:51) Why culture is the foundation behind the company's success
(50:21) Check out the Hennig Workflow Automated Pallet delivery solution
(51:14) The vision for becoming a "Home Depot for manufacturing"
(53:30) How traditional machine shops can evolve alongside industry disruption
(58:24) Jim's advice for smaller shops? Say "no" more often - get a longer clip of this
(1:01:07)) Why AI and manufacturing disruption are impossible to ignore
(1:04:57) Leadership lessons on decision-making, pivots, and learning quickly
(1:07:30) Protecting culture while scaling at hyper-growth speed
Resources mentioned on this episode
SendCutSend
Connect with Jim on LinkedIn
Connect with Phil on LinkedIn
Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding products
Get a free report of sales opportunities in your area from FacturMFG.com/chips
Check out the Hennig Workflow Automated Pallet delivery solution
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