# Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap with Joe Carson

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2019-11-25
- Length: 38m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Joe Carson, founder of Pacific Blue Engineering, a Long Beach-based control systems integrator, discusses his transition from Rockwell Automation to starting his own company to avoid living with regret. He explains how Pacific Blue Engineering differentiates itself through strong team culture, heavy investment in technical training, and personal development strategies like those taught by Tony Robbins. The episode highlights their focus on migrating legacy PLCs to modern, connected automation systems, citing a specific project where text-based fault alerts reduced downtime for a life sciences customer. Carson also details the company's recent expansion into Northern California to guarantee 24-hour on-site engineer response across the state.

## Chapters

- [0:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=44) Introduction: Joe Carson and Pacific Blue Engineering
- [5:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=330) Company Overview and Industries Served
- [6:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=383) Leaving Rockwell Automation and Starting Pacific Blue
- [8:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=484) Early Survival, Financial Planning, and Customer Relationships
- [10:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=644) The Human Element and Building Track Record
- [15:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=919) Challenges of Entrepreneurship and Team Culture
- [19:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=1190) Investing in Team Training and Personal Development
- [21:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=1265) Physiology, Psychology, and Tony Robbins Influence
- [24:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=1468) Migrating Legacy PLCs and the Connected Enterprise
- [28:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=1687) Case Study: Fault Alerts and Text Message Notifications
- [31:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-25-taking-the-entrepreneurial-leap-with-joe-carson#t=1904) Daily Habits, Morning Routines, and Future Growth

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Pacific Blue Engineering (company)
- Rockwell Automation (company)
- Tony Robbins (other)
- Audible (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Training the Technician of the Future](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-08-30-training-the-technician-of-the-future) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [An Interview with John Davis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-03-26-an-interview-with-john-davis) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Gerry Roston](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-02-04-an-interview-with-gerry-roston) (The Amp Hour)
- [Developing a Winning IoT Platform with André Jacobs of IoT.nxt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-01-19-developing-a-winning-iot-platform-with-andre-jacobs-of-iot-nxt) (Over the Air)
- [S2E36 Shaking Things Up As We Get to Know Aaron Moncur](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-08-23-s2e36-shaking-things-up-as-we-get-to-know-aaron-moncur) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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