Lean Built: Manufacturing Freedom
Henry Holsters and Pierson Workholding
▶ Webplayer- Business
- Entrepreneurship
- Management
Henry Holsters and Pierson Workholding
▶ WebplayerTwo successful entrepreneurs talk about manufacturing, lean principles, and the freedom they are pursuing in life and business.
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Sep 28, 2026 · 31:53
What happens when your business grows to the point where you no longer know everything happening inside it? Jay and Andrew talk about the strange transition from doing everything…
Sep 21, 2026 · 58:14
Jay and Andrew are back from IMTS 2026 with sore feet, too much espresso, and a lot to think about. They compare notes on what actually stood out at the show, from higher-density…
Sep 14, 2026 · 51:59
Andrew and Jay are getting ready for IMTS and talking through what they actually want to find when they get there. The conversation starts with high-density workholding and the…
Sep 7, 2026 · 34:15
AI is starting to change the shop in ways that go far beyond ChatGPT. Andrew and Jay compare notes on the AI tools they are actually using, from automating invoices and…
Aug 31, 2026 · 43:55
Andrew recently sold an underutilized CNC lathe, which raises a bigger question: when an investment does not work out as planned, was the money wasted? How do you gauge what…
Aug 24, 2026 · 40:50
What happens when the systems meant to make your shop more efficient start creating more complexity? Can automation be dangerous? When a system works reliably, how do you keep…
Aug 17, 2026 · 24:44
What does a real lean shop look like when the cameras aren’t hiding the mess? In this episode of Lean Built, Jay Pierson goes solo to break down a behind-the-scenes day at…
Aug 10, 2026 · 45:44
If you’re heading to IMTS 2026, don’t spend three days wandering around looking at machines you could have watched on YouTube. In this episode, Andrew and Jay share their best…
Aug 3, 2026 · 40:50
Change is inevitable, but how do you get through it without losing your culture? From improving systems and giving honest feedback to hiring the right people and knowing when…
Jul 27, 2026 · 45:44
This week, Andrew and Jay dive into one of the most overlooked competitive advantages in business: simplicity. Inspired by Stuart Brand’s The Maintenance of Everything , they…
Jul 20, 2026 · 48:57
This week, Andrew and Jay are back from vacation and comparing notes on what it takes to unplug without losing momentum. They talk about the transition back into work, why…
Jul 6, 2026 · 45:24
This week, Jay and Andrew treating vendors like partners, and why that pays off. They also dive into the evolution of their daily morning meetings, sharing how they’re constantly…
Jun 29, 2026 · 18:39
What if one of the fastest ways to improve your machine shop is walking through someone else’s? In this solo episode, Andrew shares lessons from recent shop tours, including…
Jun 22, 2026 · 59:06
Andrew shares how a simple magnetic tag meant to prevent a security mistake failed, not because the idea was bad, but because the process wasn’t complete. From there, Andrew and…
Jun 15, 2026 · 47:09
A single drop of coolant shut down an overnight production run that should have been making parts for hours. Nothing crashed or was broken, yet the machine stopped, production…
Jun 8, 2026 · 25:11
Andrew returns from Japan with 15 lessons that challenged the way he thinks about leadership, training, standards, and continuous improvement. These include thoughts on how…
Jun 1, 2026 · 56:03
What happens when an iconic brand starts fighting its own fans? This week, Andrew and Jay discuss Fender’s controversial cease-and-desist campaign against Strat-style guitar…
May 25, 2026 · 45:19
Jay welcomes John Grimsmo of Grimsmo Knives for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, manufacturing culture, lean systems, and the Six Types of Working Genius assessment.…
May 18, 2026 · 1:00:21
Is a good leader a dictator? In this episode, Jay and Andrew wrestle with the tension between decisive leadership and collaborative growth. What starts as a customer support…
May 11, 2026 · 41:55
Andrew and Jay explore the tension between confidence and delusion in entrepreneurship, the challenge of scaling a company without losing yourself, and the reality that what got…
May 4, 2026 · 43:00
Is anybody too big to fail? (Answer: no.) What actually keeps a business alive when everything around it starts shifting? In this ep, Andrew and Jay talk the quiet reality behind…
Apr 27, 2026 · 40:42
Jay and Andrew start by talking about getting back into work after time away, which leads into a broader discussion about applying work systems and efficiency principles in both…
Apr 20, 2026 · 48:03
Fresh off the Machining Summit on the Summit in Mammoth Lakes, Andrew and Jay sit down to unpack what actually made the experience worth it...and it wasn’t just the sessions.…
Apr 13, 2026 · 1:07:51
What happens when your factory catches fire without warning? In this episode, Brian Meyers (president of Fat American Mfg and host of Lean by Doing podcast) sits down with Jay…
Apr 6, 2026 · 47:51
Jay begins by talking about selling a machine, and when it's better to go direct versus using a dealer, with broader implications regarding alignment, control, and the hidden…
Mar 30, 2026 · 47:39
Jay and Andrew begin with a deceptively simple question: what actually makes a company “lean”? Starting with a quote from Shigeo Shingo, they challenge the common misconception…
Mar 23, 2026 · 45:31
Andrew shares insights with Jay from a recent lean-focused shop tour with Paul Akers . The conversation goes to the hidden dangers of batch processing vs. one-piece flow, why…
Mar 16, 2026 · 51:41
Why do some people naturally notice problems while others don’t? Andrew introduces ideas from the book Living Sensationally , exploring how different sensory personalities affect…
Mar 9, 2026 · 43:10
Andrew shares a recent experiment in his shop: installing a full Sonos sound system and changing the structure of morning meetings and 3S time to give employees more room to…
Mar 2, 2026 · 52:35
A tornado tears through Bloomington, leading Andrew and Jay to discuss practical leadership during real-world emergencies. From there, the conversation shifts back to the shop…
Feb 23, 2026 · 55:07
In this special guest episode, Andrew sits down with Russell Watkins, co-founder of Sempai . Andrew first met Russell at the Gemba Summit in Belfast, where Russell delivered a…
Feb 16, 2026 · 39:20
Jay and Andrew unpack a provocative quote from Shigeo Shingo: “If you don’t know why defects are occurring, make some defects.” It sounds like lean heresy at first. But they…
Feb 9, 2026 · 50:18
The way you treat people in business often matters more than the deal itself. Andrew and Jay talk about what happens when something breaks, an emergency hits, or you need a…
Feb 2, 2026 · 51:33
What does a good lean elevator pitch sound like? Why do small, well-intentioned improvements end up causing problems later (hint: it helps to document things)? And how do owners…
Jan 26, 2026 · 49:11
Andrew and Jay walk through a situation a lot of shop owners have faced: a brutally tight print that can be machined but can’t be verified with confidence. At least not without…
Jan 19, 2026 · 34:10
Jay and Andrew talk through everyday shop systems that seem simple until they aren’t: HVAC, shutdown routines, checklists, timers, and light automation. They compare notes on…
Jan 12, 2026 · 47:49
Andrew and Jay talk about why relationships matter a lot in business. Sometime more than products, systems, or raw talent. They dig into the practical value of local…
Jan 5, 2026 · 33:11
As 2026 begins, Andrew and Jay take a look at one of the most dangerous traps for founders and small shop owners: becoming the hero who always steps in to save the day. Andrew…
Dec 29, 2025 · 1:14:36
In this end-of-year episode, Jay and Andrew unpack all kinds of things: Why business owners are wired to over-promise at the buzzer The difference between employee thinking and…
Dec 22, 2025 · 1:00:02
What happens when a rush job collides with holiday shipping chaos and failure isn’t an option? In this episode, Andrew walks us through a real-world manufacturing crisis…
Dec 15, 2025 · 38:41
Jay and Andrew discuss real-world shop challenges like air quality, ventilation, coolant selection, and bandsaw blade performance. The conversation expands into capacity…
Dec 8, 2025 · 49:54
Tiny improvements won’t move the company forward unless leaders also make the big decisions . Lean is life-changing, but you can’t lean your way into a clear vision. You have to…
Dec 1, 2025 · 44:59
It's Cyber Monday, and Andrew and Jay dive into year-end strategy, the real cost of Black Friday sales, and why deep discounts often hurt more than they help. They also discuss…
Nov 24, 2025 · 54:53
Andrew opens with a simple shop-floor idea that changed how their teams celebrate progress: a six-inch clear tube filled with colored marbles. That playful visual turns into a…
Nov 17, 2025 · 1:14:09
When Jay asks what machine someone should buy to start a small job shop, Andrew gives a direct answer: without committed, repeatable work, he wouldn’t buy anything. But both Jay…
Nov 10, 2025 · 54:32
In this episode, Andrew and Jay take a walk down memory lane. What starts as Andrew revisiting old shop photos turns into a conversation about the hidden value of reflection in a…
Nov 3, 2025 · 56:18
Fresh off the Gemba Summit in Belfast, Andrew shares lessons from across the pond with Jay. What starts as a deep dive into lean culture at the Titanic Belfast turns into a…
Oct 27, 2025 · 45:36
How do you lead your company through the chaos and cadence of a production year without burning out your team or yourself? In this episode, Jay and Andrew unpack Andrew’s “Four…
Oct 20, 2025 · 55:32
Andrew and Jay dive into the art of optimization, from shaving seconds off CNC cycles to teaching kids the power of one-piece flow. Andrew shares how tuning a Brother machine…
Oct 13, 2025 · 32:39
In this episode, Jay recounts the story of a stolen trailer from his tiny home business, leading into a broader discussion on trust, theft, and logistics nightmares. Andrew…
Oct 6, 2025 · 54:32
Jay and Andrew kick off with a quick story about “the yips” — that sudden moment when everything you know just disappears — and use it to launch into a deeper discussion about…
Sep 29, 2025 · 51:31
Running a business means living in the tension between control and chaos—and this week, Jay and Andrew talk about both. From tariffs and supply chain headaches to the quirks of…
Sep 22, 2025 · 59:33
This episode of the Lean Built Podcast starts in the shop but ends up on stage. Andrew and Jay begin by discussing machining decisions—when to model details in CAD versus when to…
Sep 15, 2025 · 58:01
What’s better: a locked-down, push-button system or total control over every parameter? In this episode, Andrew and Jay wrestle with that question across the shop floor and…
Sep 8, 2025 · 53:54
Jay and Andrew unpack the recent sale of Heller to DN Solutions and what it reveals about brand value, culture shifts, and the economics of high-ticket, low-volume machines. They…
Sep 1, 2025 · 51:57
Scarcity sells. But at what cost? In this episode of Lean Built , Jay and Andrew dig into the world of false urgency, hype marketing, and smoke-and-mirrors business tactics. From…
Aug 25, 2025 · 34:21
This week’s conversation covers a little bit of everything. Andrew shares stories from his trip to Japan, including what he noticed at Matsuura’s factory and a clever little chip…
Aug 18, 2025 · 52:38
In this solo debrief, Andrew recounts his visit to Matsuura’s plants in Japan, where he observed firsthand the discipline and detail that define Japanese manufacturing. He…
Aug 11, 2025 · 43:32
Jay and Andrew swap stories about the constant balancing act between buying, making, renting, borrowing, and outsourcing. From renting camera lenses for product shoots to…
Aug 4, 2025 · 37:12
Andrew and Jay unpack a thought-provoking article from The Systems Thinker on the tension between learning and performance. How do you actually learn from failure? Is it a given…
Jul 28, 2025 · 41:21
Jay and Andrew discuss the true cost of doing business with “big name” clients who act like bullies. You know the ones. They demand unfair terms, they're slow to pay, they're…
Jul 21, 2025 · 35:00
Jay and Andrew dig into the difference between organization and orderliness, unpack how simply arranging clutter isn't true organization, and how failing to eliminate what’s…
Jul 14, 2025 · 40:38
As this episode begins, Andrew shares the lessons learned from a recent Matsuura mishap—how a forgotten chip fan caused an unexpected repairs and expensel—and how these bumps in…
Jul 7, 2025 · 40:25
Andrew and Jay trade stories and strategies around one of the most pivotal parts of entrepreneurship: risk. Jay recounts signing the papers for a commercial building just weeks…
Jun 30, 2025 · 45:51
The first half of this episode is all about Inbox Zero (riffing on this blog post ): what it really means, why it might not matter, and how to manage information overload without…
Jun 23, 2025 · 57:59
In our 100th episode special, we take listener questions including: How to retain capital and make smart reinvestment decisions Life expectancy of CNC machines and why not to be…
Jun 16, 2025 · 43:20
Jay walks listeners through how Trello has become the backbone of Pierson's documentation and digital workflow system—replacing binders, Dropbox links, and scattered storage with…
Jun 9, 2025 · 47:35
Is high-density workholding incompatible with single-piece flow? In this episode of Lean Built , Andrew and Jay talk about the intersection of lean manufacturing theory and…
Jun 2, 2025 · 51:52
Andrew and Jay cover everything from the real meaning of 5S (and why people forget “shine”) to the subtle art of good UI/UX—both in software and hardware. Along the way, they…
May 26, 2025 · 36:09
A recent EF2 tornado brushes past Andrew’s church and shop, prompting a frank conversation with Jay about what it takes to run a manufacturing business when the weather—and the…
May 19, 2025 · 55:55
Sound in a shop is more important than you might think, as Andrew and Jay discuss in this episode. They swap stories about soundproofing strategies, and why one bad cut can be…
May 12, 2025 · 51:39
Jay and Andrew dig into the evolving landscape of remote work—what’s working, what’s not, and how their companies have adapted with distributed teams. From time zone headaches…
May 5, 2025 · 54:16
Today we talk practical applications of lean manufacturing, including smarter air management for CNC machines, efficient shipping workflows, and the role of AI in documenting…
Apr 28, 2025 · 32:01
In today’s solo episode, Andrew goes deep on the new Matsuura MX installation at Henry Holsters. He answers key questions about why they chose the MX over the MAM series, the…
Apr 21, 2025 · 48:30
Jay and Andrew discuss the value of getting your hands dirty—and how doing so can give you fresh eyes on your business. Jay shares what it’s been like stepping back into a…
Apr 14, 2025 · 46:00
Andrew leads Jay through the surprisingly complicated world of modular pistols—and what it can teach us about running a lean, efficient shop. What starts as a chat about…
Apr 7, 2025 · 1:01:25
Andrew and Jay get real about one of the biggest headaches in the shop: waiting on other people. Whether it’s parts, processes, or just plain slow responses, Other People’s Lead…
Mar 31, 2025 · 53:50
Andrew and Jay dive into lessons from an improv-based leadership workshop—like how body language and silence shape communication. They explore “last-letter listening,” a simple…
Mar 24, 2025 · 31:57
How do you maintain lean principles when things are temporary? From setting up makeshift workstations to dealing with process drift and forgotten improvements, Andrew and Jay…
Mar 17, 2025 · 46:25
When your entire shipping process is disrupted by a black hole of lost packages, what do you do? In this episode, we dive into a real-world shipping and fulfillment crisis, as a…
Mar 10, 2025 · 43:52
Installing a new CNC machine isn’t for the faint of heart, and in this episode, we dive into the process of rigging and setting up the Matsuura MX420 PC10. From nerve-wracking…
Mar 3, 2025 · 50:24
Jay and Andrew unpack the concept of “Ask for No, Don’t Ask for Yes,” a strategy that flips traditional decision-making on its head. Inspired by this article from Dan Moore ,…
Feb 24, 2025 · 48:33
In this episode, we dive deep into the value of failure—yes, failure—as a crucial tool for growth and success. Jay and Andrew discuss the difference between smart failure vs.…
Feb 18, 2025 · 46:30
What’s harder—your first hire or your tenth? In this episode, Jay and Andrew discuss the growing pains of hiring, when to trust your gut, and how to build a hiring process that…
Feb 10, 2025 · 57:09
In this episode, Jay shares key takeaways from his visit to Gimbal Automation, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at innovation in action. We break down why job candidates who…
Feb 3, 2025 · 45:28
In this episode, Jay and Andrew geek out on the power of routine, why structured days fuel creativity, and how memory palaces can turn you into a mental wizard. Plus, Jay shares…
Jan 27, 2025 · 19:06
In this solo debrief, Andrew talks about his experiences at SHOT Show 2025, sharing reflections on industry trends, the rising costs of Vegas, trade show logistics, connecting…
Jan 20, 2025 · 50:07
Andrew is headed to the SHOT Show, so he and Jay dive into the ins and outs of trade show culture, including the fascinating interplay between established giants and ambitious…
Jan 13, 2025 · 56:44
Andrew and Jay kick off 2025 with a wide-ranging conversation about everything from the history of urban neighborhoods and local governance, navigating customer expectations,…
Jan 6, 2025 · 33:53
Andrew sits down with John Saunders of Saunders Machine Works for a candid discussion about their John's visit to Andrew's shop, lessons in lean manufacturing, and the challenges…
Dec 30, 2024 · 40:53
As 2024 wraps up, Andrew and Jay reflect on the year. They discuss lessons learned in 2024, and how they're preparing for industry shifts in 2025. Plus Jay reveals an exciting…
Dec 23, 2024 · 26:18
Jay goes solo, discussing the challenges and triumphs of launching Pierson's latest product, walking listeners through the “Musk Algorithm”—a five-step framework for process…
Dec 16, 2024 · 44:28
The big reveal: Andrew finally shares which 5-axis CNC machine he chose and why it outshone other strong contenders (you’ll have to tune in to find out which one made the cut).…
Dec 9, 2024 · 1:07:05
How about something a little different? Andrew and Jay take a detour through the world of craftsmanship, innovation, and efficiency by way of music. They discuss the evolution of…
Dec 2, 2024 · 49:38
This week, we dive into the madness of Cyber Monday, Black Friday, and the whole crazy sales season. Ever wondered if discounts are really worth it? We’re talking about the…
Nov 25, 2024 · 50:53
Both Jay and Andrew have made some big purchases lately, including Andrew's final decision on a 5-axis machine. In this episode, they share candid stories about navigating those…
Nov 18, 2024 · 48:55
Jay and Andrew talk about getting paid by ideas versus getting paid by hours, passing the right kind of physical legacy on to your kids, the purposes of reserve cash, and more.
Nov 11, 2024 · 35:20
Jay and Andrew start by discussing what they will focus on as business owners coming out of this election. (Hint: focus on what you can control, which, it turns out, is actually…
Nov 4, 2024 · 43:36
You know what's really nice? When standards are, y'know, standardized. As in...widely accepted and widely implemented. As opposed to changing between different companies,…
Oct 28, 2024 · 20:53
Andrew talks about some really valuable things he's learned from Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin…
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