Hardware Podcasts

Identifying Cost Savings That Save Jobs with Josh Fox

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 14 Apr 2020 · 45m

What this episode covers

Josh Fox, CEO of Bottom Line Concepts, explains his performance-based business model that helps large corporations save money on indirect costs without upfront risk. He details how the company audits historical invoices and benchmarks future spending on categories like shipping, utilities, and payroll to identify savings, sharing in the results. Fox discusses specific examples, such as decoupling shipping and insurance costs to save 40%, and leveraging tax credits for hiring veterans, emphasizing that their vendor-agnostic approach preserves existing vendor relationships. The conversation highlights how these savings protect jobs and employee benefits, particularly during economic downturns, by avoiding headcount reductions.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Bottom Line Concepts, FedEx, UPS, Milwaukee Bucks
Also
University of Michigan

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 27m

    Bring 5 Million Manufacturing Jobs Back to the U.S. w/ Harry Moser

    Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative, explains his mission to bring 5 million manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. to balance the trade deficit and improve national security. He details the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculator, a tool that reveals hidden costs of offshoring such as freight, inventory, and IP risk, arguing that domestic production is often cheaper when these factors are included. Moser cites a case study of Maury Corp, which used the TCO tool to win a $6 million order by demonstrating lower total costs to a customer despite higher unit prices. He also outlines strategies for companies to identify 'pain points' in their supply chains, such as late deliveries or quality issues, as entry points for reshoring decisions.

    Policy, trade & tariffsPricing, margins & unit economics
    8 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 34m

    How Safety Drives Your Bottom Line and Why It Starts With You w/ Brian Fielkow

    Brian Fielkow, former CEO of JetCo Delivery and author of 'Making Safety Happen', argues that safety must be a core value rather than a priority or compliance function. He explains that safety failures cost five times more than insurance claims due to hidden costs like downtime and reputation damage. Fielkow illustrates how Alcoa CEO Paul O'Neill used safety metrics to drive operational excellence and how JetCo leveraged frontline driver committees to improve performance. He also advocates for 'just culture' over progressive discipline to build trust and distinguish between honest mistakes and reckless behavior.

    Leadership, teams & cultureQuality & yield
    8 chapters

  • Oxide and Friends · 1h 31m

    Surviving the Dot-Com Bust

    Bryan Cantrill, Adam Leventhal, and other Oxide Computer Company engineers discuss the dynamics of the dot-com bust, using historical examples like Sun Microsystems, boo.com, and Trilogy to draw parallels with the current tech environment. They analyze how 'picks and shovels' companies like Sun survived by focusing on cost-efficiency during downturns, while speculative ventures like boo.com and AllAdvantage failed due to a lack of viable revenue models. The group also examines the human impact of these busts, including the 'Delionaire' phenomenon at Dell and the psychological shift from greed to survival, offering advice on how startups like Oxide can navigate potential economic contractions by emphasizing value and cost savings for customers.

    Policy, trade & tariffsStarting a product company
    12 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 31m

    How to Retain Your Manufacturing Workforce w/ Dan Johnston

    Dan Johnston, Co-Founder and CEO of WorkStep, explains how WorkStep’s retention management software helps manufacturers identify the true drivers of frontline turnover by analyzing real-time feedback rather than relying on C-suite opinions. He highlights that career growth is the number one driver of attrition, surpassing pay and schedule concerns, and details how high turnover costs companies between $8,000 and $50,000 per event due to hiring, training, and opportunity costs. Johnston argues that addressing these retention issues through objective, real-time listening not only stabilizes the workforce but also directly impacts top-line revenue by ensuring production capacity and delivery reliability.

    Hiring & workforceLeadership, teams & culture
    8 chapters

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