# 226: Building a Community of Machine Shop Entrepreneurs Featuring Russell Winter, Founder of US MFG

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2025-03-04
- Length: 47m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Russell Winter, founder of USMFG, explains his strategy of acquiring small machine shops from retiring owners and connecting them through proprietary software to balance workloads and labor. He details the evolution of his business model from a direct acquisition model to a community-focused network that empowers other entrepreneurs to buy and operate shops, addressing the critical issue of succession planning in the industry. Winter highlights the importance of 'trust but verify' due diligence, cultural fit, and financial literacy, while also discussing how USMFG collaborates with high schools to prepare the next generation of manufacturing owners.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=0) Introduction: Russell Winter and USMFG
- [4:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=293) Russell Winter's Journey and USMFG Software
- [9:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=588) Acquisition Strategy and Red Flags
- [13:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=796) Finding Mentors and Investors
- [19:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=1146) The Succession Crisis in Machine Shops
- [25:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=1538) Shifting to a Community-Focused Mission
- [35:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=2126) High School Shop Classes and Financial Literacy
- [39:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-03-04-226-building-a-community-of-machine-shop-entrepreneurs-featuring-russell-winter#t=2370) Software for Balancing Workflows

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- USMFG (company)
- MaintenX (tool)
- Skillwork (company)
- SCORE (other)
- EOS (other)
- Great Game of Business (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Lights Out at 20: Inside a One-Man, Multi-Axis Machine Shop with Michael King, Ep #33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-01-30-lights-out-at-20-inside-a-one-man-multi-axis-machine-shop-with-michael-king-ep-3) (Lights Out)
- [STL353: A Big Bit of Community](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2025-10-31-stl353-a-big-bit-of-community) (Shop Talk Live)
- [Stronger Relationships, Stronger Manufacturing: The Power of Trust w/ Michael Kornuta](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-06-17-stronger-relationships-stronger-manufacturing-the-power-of-trust-w-michael-kornu) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Systematizing Machine Shops to Strengthen National Security w/ Justin Baucum](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-02-24-systematizing-machine-shops-to-strengthen-national-security-w-justin-baucum) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Manufacturing's Past, Present, and Future w/ Jim Carr](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-06-15-manufacturings-past-present-and-future-w-jim-carr) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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