Hardware Podcasts

Andy Wells | Touching Lives Through Engineering

Being an Engineer · 5 May 2023 · 1h 00m · Episode 18

What this episode covers

Andy Wells, founder and CEO of Wells Technology, a Minnesota-based manufacturing company, shares his journey from a poverty-stricken upbringing to building a successful aerospace and medical device supplier. He details how Wells Tech grew from a $1,300 startup into a multi-industry manufacturer by developing proprietary air-powered tools and offering rapid, high-tolerance CNC job shop services. Wells emphasizes the importance of integrity, customer relationships, and hiring practices that provide second chances to individuals with felonies or from disadvantaged backgrounds, transforming them into loyal, skilled employees.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Wells Technology, Polaris Industries, Pipeline Design & Engineering

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast · 1h 40m

    Ep. 8 - Ryan from V1 Engineering

    Ryan Zellers, founder of V1 Engineering, explains how his passion for making things led to the creation of the Mostly Printed CNC (MPCNC) and the growth of his company. He details his journey from working at Robo 3D and a medical device firm to bootstrapping V1 Engineering from a garage, leveraging the Thingiverse community for design feedback and sales. Zellers discusses his deliberate choice to remain a solo operator, using automation and contractors to handle logistics while he focuses on product design and community engagement.

    Industrial & consumer product designStarting a product company
    8 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 38m

    Why We’re Proud to Be Manufacturers & Engineers

    Tony Gunn, General Manager at MTDCNC Global and founder of Your Tea of Life, shares his unconventional journey from being expelled from three colleges to becoming a manufacturing leader. He details his career progression through various machining roles, including working with precious metals, steel, and micro-machining at Air Turbine Technology, emphasizing that technical skills and tech school can offer a viable, high-paying alternative to traditional college. Gunn advocates for the pride and societal value of manufacturing, highlighting how engineering creates life-changing medical devices and stabilizes economies, while also discussing his natural healing company and its partnership with Hippocrates.

    Careers & educationIndustrial & consumer product design
    5 chapters

  • Just Gonna Send It · 54m

    Zane Hengsperger (Founder/CEO, Nox Metals)

    Zane Hengsperger, founder and CEO of Nox Metals, explains how he transitioned from a software career to building a modern metal service center in Detroit. He details the process of acquiring a massive high-speed saw, managing the high costs of rigging and installation, and leveraging software to automate quoting and nesting for American manufacturers. Hengsperger discusses his journey through Y Combinator, the importance of building a strong network, and his strategy for scaling operations to serve the aerospace and defense sectors in California.

    Starting a product companyManufacturing partners & offshoring
    8 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1h 07m

    180: Made in Missouri, Live from the 2024 Midwest Manufacturers Trade Show & Conference

    Pavel Bosovik, founder and CEO of 27North, explains how he industrialized the process of making expedition vans by documenting detailed standard operating procedures, such as counting specific screws, to enable scaling. Josh Shelton, owner of Etched Nameplate Company, discusses how being fired served as the springboard for his business and details his strategy of acquiring companies annually since 2020 to grow the brand. Kevin Thompson, a leadership coach at Cambridge Air Solutions, describes how the company uses daily morning meetings and core values to build a culture that enriches lives, moving beyond just manufacturing HVAC equipment.

    Design for manufacturing & NPILeadership, teams & culture
    7 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 38m

    On-Demand Labor, Operations, and Finding a Co-Founder with Veryable CEO Mike Kinder

    Mike Kinder, CEO and co-founder of Veryable, discusses the company's growth from its pre-pandemic origins to becoming five times larger, driven by a labor shortage that he views as an amplification of long-standing manufacturing challenges. He details his transition from aerospace engineering and GE operations to consulting, and explains how he and co-founder Noah Labhart complement each other with operations and software expertise. Kinder argues that manufacturers must 'play offense' by adopting startup-like agility and reclaiming operational authority to innovate, emphasizing that establishing a clear vision is the key to industrial innovation.

    Scaling productionHiring & workforce
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Being an Engineer. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.