They fail because of leadership.

In this episode of the Threaded Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Paul Van Metre—former machine shop owner, co-founder of ProShop ERP, and a leading voice in the industry through MakingChips.

Paul has lived the full journey—from building and exiting a shop to helping hundreds of others bring structure, clarity, and discipline to their operations.

But this conversation goes deeper than systems and strategy.

We break down the identity shifts required to grow as a leader, why so many shops get stuck between $500K and $2M, and how things like culture, gratitude, and mentorship directly impact performance inside a business.

If you're a shop owner, leader, or someone on the floor who knows you're capable of more—this episode will challenge how you think about growth.

🔑 What We Cover:

• The identity shift from machinist to owner
• Why most shops stay stuck in the $500K–$2M range
• The role of people, systems, and technology in scaling
• How gratitude shapes culture and performance
• Why isolation is one of the biggest threats to shop owners
• What separates shops that grow from those that stall

🔗 Connect with Paul Van Metre

• LinkedIn: Paul Van Metre | LinkedIn
• Website / ProShop ERP: ERP System for Manufacturing | ProShop ERP Software Solution
• MakingChips: MakingChips Podcast

🔗 Connect with Ty Haguewood / Threaded Leadership

• LinkedIn: Ty Haguewood | LinkedIn
• YouTube: Threaded Leadership - YouTube
• Website: Threaded Leadership

🚀 Work With Me

If you're serious about scaling your shop and becoming the leader your business actually needs—

join the Threaded Community: https://www.skool.com/threaded-leadership-4135/about

They don’t have a workload problem.

They have a leadership problem.

In this episode of the Threaded Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Mike Payne to break down what it actually takes to lead and scale a manufacturing business.

Mike came into manufacturing from private equity and M&A, then stepped into ownership himself when he acquired Hill Manufacturing. That outside perspective shows up in how he thinks about leadership, systems, and growth.

We get into:

• The mistake most owners make when trying to “work on the business”
• Why delegating too early can break your company
• The identity shifts required to go from operator to owner
• What actually keeps shops stuck under $1M, $3M, and beyond
• How poor hiring and promotions destroy culture
• Why the owner is almost always the bottleneck
• Practical ways to fix cash flow (including the 13-week model)
• How to think about hiring when you “can’t afford it”
• Real shop floor scenarios around leadership, accountability, and growth

This isn’t theory.

This is what actually happens inside real shops.

If you’re an owner, a leader, or someone trying to step up, this conversation will hit home.

👉 If this resonates, this is exactly the kind of work we focus on inside the Threaded Leadership Accelerator.

We start April 28. Limited seats available.

Leadership Training Programs for Manufacturing | Threaded Leadership

In this episode of the Threaded Leadership Podcast, Ty Haguewood breaks down Pillar #3 of the Threaded Leadership Framework: Quiet Discipline—the idea that real change is built in silence, not in announcements.

In a world where leaders often feel pressure to broadcast their goals and personal development, Ty argues the opposite: true discipline happens quietly. Announcing every change or goal can create unnecessary pressure, make growth performative, and amplify the pain of failure when setbacks inevitably occur. Instead, leaders should focus on the internal work—building habits, correcting behaviors, and growing privately until the results speak for themselves.

Ty explains how silence strengthens motivation, keeps your growth rooted in genuine intention, and protects the confidence needed to keep going when the process gets messy.

The episode also explores real-world scenarios from the shop floor and management, including:

• A machinist trying to fix chronic lateness
• A shop employee working to control their temper after scrapping parts
• A manager learning to listen better to their team
• A leader managing stress without letting it damage morale

Through these examples, Ty shows how quiet discipline allows leaders to improve without turning their growth into a public performance. When the work is done in silence, the results become undeniable—and respect follows naturally.

If you're a machinist, supervisor, or shop leader trying to grow into someone worth following, this episode is a reminder that discipline doesn’t need an audience.

Want help applying these principles in your shop or leadership journey?

These are the exact types of real-world scenarios we work through inside the Threaded Leadership Accelerator Program, where emerging leaders in manufacturing learn how to handle pressure, conflict, accountability, and leadership growth on the shop floor.

Learn more and apply here:

Threaded Leadership

Takeaways

• Governing your inner world
• Self-control and leadership

Chapters

• 00:00 The Impact of Governing Your Inner World
• 10:44 Practical Tools for Governing Your Inner World

Takeaways

• Discovering the love for manufacturing
• Learning from failure and pressure for leadership development.

Chapters

• 00:00 Discovering Manufacturing
• 08:00 Leadership Lessons