# Family Businesses, Moneyball, and Supply Chain Innovation with ShelfAware CEO Andrew Johnson

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2020-10-13
- Length: 48m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Andrew Johnson, CEO of ShelfAware, explains how his family's industrial distribution business, O-Ring Sales and Services, evolved into a supply chain innovation company. He details the 'Moneyball' approach to incremental innovation, which allowed the company to triple its size without increasing headcount by automating vendor-managed inventory (VMI). Johnson discusses the development of RFID-powered smart labels and the strategic shift from traditional clipboard-based inventory checks to real-time, cloud-based visibility for manufacturers.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr#t=0) Introduction and Kansas City Barbecue
- [6:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr#t=400) Growing Up in the Family Business
- [16:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr#t=1019) The Origin Story of ShelfAware
- [23:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr#t=1398) Moneyball and Incremental Innovation
- [32:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr#t=1946) RFID Technology and Client Success Story
- [40:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr#t=2429) Advice for Manufacturers and Hiring

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- ShelfAware (company)
- O-Ring Sales and Services (company)
- Jack Stack Barbecue (company)
- Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (company)
- Casey Beer Co. (company)
- Lagunita's (company)
- RFID (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How Smart Labels Transform the Supply Chain | Reelables' David Stanton | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [How to Consumerize the Industrial Supply Chain w/ Todd Leebow](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-12-28-how-to-consumerize-the-industrial-supply-chain-w-todd-leebow) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [The $5 Automation Project Hiding in Your Shop | Ep. 50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-09-25-the-5-automation-project-hiding-in-your-shop-ep-50) (Lights Out)
- [Inventory Management 101 - Get your inventory operations fit as a Fiddle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-01-24-inventory-management-101-get-your-inventory-operations-fit-as-a-fiddle) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Trends in Supply Chain Robotics with John Santagate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-07-11-trends-in-supply-chain-robotics-with-john-santagate) (The Robot Report Podcast)

## Citing this page

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