WAM

Guidewheel is a global software company on a mission to empower all the world’s factories to reach sustainable peak performance and their CEO Lauren Dunford is on a mission to show everyone how Guidewheel is making this a reality. Lauren sits down with WAM Host Frances Brunelle to share how even the oldest manufacturing equipment can take advantage of Guidewheel’s technology to achieve peak performance. Their simple, non-invasive sensors clip over the power supply of any machine or auxiliary equipment. Data is sent securely to the cloud in real-time, analyzed, and translated into key metrics and visuals accessible on any device, anywhere. Lauren covers not only the many benefits of Guidewheel’s services but also her personal journey from Stanford University to CEO.

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Isn’t pricing just setting and defining the value of a product? Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Antonella Sinito, the pricing operations manager at 3M, is here to explain why this approach is incorrect, and why pricing is actually all about improving customer experiences and simplifying processes. Tasked with creating data processes for 18 Latin American countries, each with different languages and unique currencies, Antonella is an inspiring guest who shares her journey of reshaping the male-dominated industry and coming out on top. To her, it is all about customer experience, and Antonella speaks to the changes in customers’ expectations and needs post-pandemic, the factual common language in data management, and what it takes to create effective change (and make it stick!) From constant transparency to maintaining communication and adapting to changes in the environment, it all comes down to one thing: getting customers what they want. Tune in today to learn more!

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Kara Branch is an engineer who has always been the only Black woman on all the teams she’s ever worked on and has experienced many challenges as a result. When one of her daughters decided she also wanted to pursue a career in engineering, Kara decided she wanted better for the next generation and so she founded the Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation. Today she joins us to tell us more about the fantastic work she is doing. Kara only founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2019 and has she already helped a young Black woman establish a career for herself in STEM. The organization’s goals are to provide access, awareness, and advocate for two million Black American girls to pursue STEM careers by the year 2050 and it is well on its way to achieving this goal. In addition to the first chapter in Houston, Texas, more chapters are now opening up in Los Angeles and New Orleans. Tuning in you’ll discover how the Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation is developing young women in all areas of STEM. To hear all about Kara Branch, the fantastic organization she started, how it is transforming lives, and how you can help, tune in today!

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Have you considered the role that social media has to play in manufacturing? Many experienced members of the manufacturing community maintain that social media is not necessary for their businesses. After all, manufacturers are B2B companies that sell to other manufacturers. This kind of thinking, however, ignores the much larger role that social media has to play in terms of branding and storytelling. Here to help us shed light on this topic today is the wonderful Charli K. Matthews, founder, and CEO of Empowering Brands, a digital media and marketing services company that manages the following brands: Empowering Pumps and Equipment, Empowering Women in Industry, and Empowering Industry Podcast. Charli has worked in the pump and equipment industry since 2005 and has established herself as a leader in brand building, growing online networks, and helping industrial companies embrace digital media. In our conversation with Charli, we discuss her passion for storytelling and enthusiasm for technology, and how this facilitated her deep understanding of how to leverage social media platforms. Tuning in you’ll hear Charli share clear and insightful instructions on how to build a social media presence from the ground up. From sending the first post to making sure you have buy-in from your employees, to finding your authentic voice. She also addresses the value that women bring to the industry and how to overcome the obstacles that are keeping women from pursuing a career in manufacturing and manufacturing acquisition. To hear all of Charli’s incredible insights and valuable tips, be sure to tune in today!

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Culture eats strategy for breakfast. This is a quote from legendary management consultant, Peter Drucker, that implies that it’s the culture of your company that determines your success, regardless of how effective your strategy is. Today, Lydia Di Liello speaks with Jessica Navascues, a purpose-driven C-suite executive and a devout servant leader who uses this quote as the basis for her philosophy that making company culture part of your DNA is critical for every organization. Jessica has held senior roles at several manufacturing companies, including President of Building Systems at Cornerstone BuildingBrands, CEO at Allura Fiber Cement Products, and Managing Director of Sales and Operations for theUS & Canada at Plycem, one of the largest manufacturers of fiber cement and construction solutions inCentral America. In this episode, Jessica emphasizes the importance of building a well-defined, inclusive, and positive corporate culture and highlights the positive impact it can have, from facilitating better communication to driving innovation. We also touch on the significance of employee engagement, using metrics to drive decision making, and encouraging diversity of thought. Make sure to tune in today to hear all this and more from a leader who is passionate about building inclusive teams and creating strong cultures to deliver exceptional results

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Manufacturing can be so many different things. Everything you use in your day-to-day life is essentially manufactured. Are you wondering daily how your favorite things are being made? Or wondering where they come from? Why are we not talking more, especially to young women, about the possibility of careers in manufacturing? Our guest on the show today is passionate about manufacturing, and her name is Devon Winter. Devon is the Vice President and COO at F. W. Winter Inc. & Co, the industry-leading supplier of metals and alloys in powder form for automotive, welding, and aerospace industries. She started as a sales and marketing associate with the company and in 2016 she became the director of operations, successfully implementing LEAN, and became the COO in 2020; overseeing the management of the company globally. Don’t miss out on today’s conversation as we hear all about Devon’s journey through the manufacturing industry, her thoughts on LEAN and ISO certifications, and why she is so deeply passionate about careers in manufacturing! Tune in today!

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As companies grow from national to international, private to public, so does their tendency to apply increased layers of bureaucracy and rigid hierarchical structures, often accompanied by a death knell for innovation. In this episode Frances Brunelle, The President of Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers inc. speaks with Sheryl Corrigan, the Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Koch Industries, about what sets their company apart from other companies of its size. Sheryl explains how Koch’s founding principles of experimentation and entrepreneurship continue to guide the company in pursuing disruptive technologies as well as the competitive advantage that comes with manufacturing. Listeners can expect to hear Sheryl break down exactly how Koch empowers its employees and provide them with opportunities to share their insights and rise through the ranks. We also discuss how disruption can be a disaster, additive manufacturing, and why Sheryl prefers to do business with private companies. For all this and more, join us today!

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Two years into the pandemic, the way that nearly all workers think about the social contract they have with their employers has changed in profound ways. For the hourly wage earners who power the economy, the desire for a flexible schedule, preferred shifts, and competitive pay rates is now more important than ever. In today’s episode of the WAM Podcast, Lydia Di Liello sits down with Cathi Canfield to discuss her role as Vice President of Brand Solutions and Marketing at EmployBridge, a leading provider of technology-enabled, light industrial workforce solutions in the United States. Tuning in, you’ll gain some insight into what it’s like finding jobs for people on a short-term basis, and Cathi shares some of the results from the 2022 Voice of the Blue-Collar Worker Survey and what they mean for the future of attracting, recruiting, and retaining the workforce you want. Tune in today to learn more!

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Today’s guest believes that if you love the workers and workplace before the work, everything else falls into place. Robin Ritz is the creative visionary and the owner of InCord, North America’s largest custom netting fabricator, providing the best in custom netting products to customers worldwide since 1995. From the start, Robin has had a passion to make her company an exemplary workplace and as a result of her efforts, InCord has been voted one of Connecticut’s top places to work for over 10 years running. Robin is also a renowned speaker on subjects like the ABCs of workplace success, work-life balance, and Kaizen strategies.

Tuning in you’ll hear about her focus on company culture, how they implement Kaizen principles at InCord, how they marry process and culture in the company, and how they honor every voice. Robin explains why she believes that the person closest to the problem is also closest to the solution and how she uses this to improve processes at InCord. To find out more about the values they support at InCord, how supporting these values has made the company an exemplary place to work, and how this has led to their success, tune in today!

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Host Lydia Di Liello is joined by the dynamic professional powerhouse and former Senior Director of Nike, Sarah Walton! During her 15-year career in Corporate America, Sarah worked in 10+ functions, proving herself to be an asset to any team, which successfully landed her roles at some of the largest global brands, including Target.

In the episode, Lydia and Sarah discuss Sarah’s decision to part ways with the corporate world in pursuit of a more flexible schedule and new passions, including Bettrmeant — her professional consulting, advising, and coaching startup. As a part of today’s “Great Resignation” period, Sarah delves into what repositioning her work-life balance as life-work balance looks like, and how to transform the trajectory of your career to build a happier life.

Sarah Walton is also a Corporate Director on the Miller Paint Company board, a mother of two, and a graduate of Wellesley College where she played collegiate-level volleyball.

To watch the episode, CLICK HERE

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