Manufacturing Happy Hour · 11 Sept 2026 · 25m
Chris Luecke hosts IMTS After Hours with Emily Wilkins of Marketing Metal and Jim Mayer of the Manufacturing Connector to discuss the unofficial social scene of IMTS 2026 in Chicago. The guests share favorite memories from past events, such as karaoke at Brando's Speakeasy and concerts at Reggie's, while previewing specific 2026 after-parties including 'Extra Innings' at Kaiser Tiger and 'Manufacturing Mic Drop' at Brando's. They emphasize that these after-hours connections are as valuable as the show floor, offering advice on pacing oneself and prioritizing events during the busy week.
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The host of the Being an Engineer podcast announces that tickets for PDX 2026 are 50% off from August 3rd to 7th. The event, taking place October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ, is described as a hands-on training event for product development, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers rather than a traditional trade show. The episode serves as a promotional announcement for the conference and the podcast itself.
Daniel Scharff and Patricia Menegoto of Startup CPG preview the organization's extensive lineup of events for Expo West 2026 in Anaheim. They detail the Monday Grocery Run with Gelson's 2.0, the Tuesday Kickoff Dinner and Industry Leader Dinners at the Anaheim White House, the transformed Alley Rally with 50 sampling brands, and the exclusive Thursday Founders Dinner at Poppy and Seed. The hosts emphasize tactical advice for attendees, such as bringing cold product, wearing brand swag, and leveraging the curated Startup CPG section for 500+ one-on-one buyer meetings.
Hosts Nate Paget and Chris Rill discuss the 'hardware renaissance' and recent industry shifts, highlighting Samsung's controversial decision to push ads to smart refrigerators as a sign of changing monetization economics. They provide a strategic guide to CES 2026, emphasizing that the event's true value lies in high-density networking and private suite meetings rather than the show floor itself. The conversation covers practical survival tips for attendees, including navigating the LVCC and Venetian venues, managing health, and understanding booth costs, while predicting trends like humanoid robots and embedded AI in everyday devices.
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their current projects, including Diresta's new CNC plasma cutter and steel apple casting, Clagett's Shape Poco assembly, and Picciuto's custom silverware organizer and Juno 106 synthesizer restoration. The conversation shifts to the theme of making friends as adults, with the hosts sharing anecdotes about connecting through local communities like comic book stores, music shops, and bluegrass concerts. They reflect on how shared creative interests and physical spaces facilitate social connections for makers and hobbyists.
Wendy Covey, CEO of True Marketing, and Joe Sullivan, co-founder of Gorilla 76, discuss the strategy behind creating the Industrial Marketing Summit, a niche event for B2B marketers in the manufacturing sector. They detail the event's evolution from a track at Content Marketing World to a standalone gathering in Austin, highlighting the importance of building community and addressing the isolation felt by industrial marketers. The conversation covers the operational challenges, the value of long-term relationship building over immediate ROI, and practical advice for manufacturers looking to host their own events.
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