Hardware Podcasts

258: Mentorship, Mid-Career Entrepreneurship, and Inspiring Women in Manufacturing with Patti Nowak, Owner of Control+M Solutions

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 21 Oct 2025 · 1h 04m

What this episode covers

Patti Nowak, owner of Control+M Solutions, discusses her journey from cost accountant to mid-career entrepreneur and her firm's specialized focus on the Plex ERP system by Rockwell Automation. She explains how she de-risked her business by terminating a major client relationship, which triggered explosive growth, and details her strategy of building trust through community engagement like the Plexapalooza conference and free YouTube content. Nowak also shares extensive advice on mentoring women in manufacturing, emphasizing the importance of visibility, salary negotiation, and creating flexible work environments to attract and retain talent.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Control+M Solutions, Rockwell Automation
Products
Plex, Plexapalooza, SAP, Oracle
Also
Automation Fair

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