# Tony Kelbert | Authenticity, Engineering, and the Business of Manufacturing

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2026-08-14
- Length: 1h 11m
- Episode: 34
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing

## Summary

Tony Kelbert, a mechanical engineer and manufacturing strategist at AeroGrowth, discusses his career path from defense vehicle design at Oshkosh Defense and medical oxygen systems at Gulfstream Aerospace to his current work helping precision manufacturers win aerospace and defense contracts. He shares insights on the challenges of small machine shops, the importance of diversifying customer bases to avoid reliance on single large OEMs, and the cultural differences between engineering firms and family-run manufacturing businesses. Kelbert also explains his approach to LinkedIn content creation, emphasizing authenticity and humor to build genuine professional connections, and discusses his interest in open-source hardware and community-driven engineering education.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=0) Introduction: Tony Kelbert and AeroGrowth
- [8:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=522) Engineering Career: Oshkosh Defense and Gulfstream Aerospace
- [15:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=921) Startup Experience and Form Logic
- [19:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=1151) Pipeline Design & Engineering Projects: Dual-Powered Bicycle and Automation
- [35:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=2111) Coaching and Leadership Philosophy
- [41:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=2519) Machine Shop Strategy and Customer Diversification
- [49:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=2986) Company Culture: Engineering vs. Manufacturing
- [54:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=3299) LinkedIn Authenticity and Personal Branding
- [58:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-14-tony-kelbert-authenticity-engineering-and-the-business-of-manufacturing#t=3537) Product Development Expo (PDX) and Open Source Hardware

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- AeroGrowth (company)
- Oshkosh Defense (company)
- Gulfstream Aerospace (company)
- Form Logic (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Omni Ventures (company)
- Influence (other)
- Robert Cialdini (other)
- PDX (other)
- LinkedIn (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [CNC, Hip Hop, and Turning Manufacturers into Heroes with Tony Gunn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-09-07-cnc-hip-hop-and-turning-manufacturers-into-heroes-with-tony-gunn) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Why We’re Proud to Be Manufacturers & Engineers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-08-03-why-were-proud-to-be-manufacturers-engineers) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Inspirations and Aspirations - Recanting Rocket Rationale](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-06-26-inspirations-and-aspirations-recanting-rocket-rationale) (The Amp Hour)
- [Ep. 8 - Ryan from V1 Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2023-11-09-ep-8-ryan-from-v1-engineering) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [Kyle Kuhnhausen (Owner/Operator, Kuhnhausen Metal Concepts)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2025-11-12-kyle-kuhnhausen-owner-operator-kuhnhausen-metal-concepts) (Just Gonna Send It)

## Citing this page

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