Zen and the Art of Manufacturing – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Bryan Sapot and special guest Dr. Paul Snowdon delve into the art of creating transformational shifts within teams. Discover strategies to foster innovation, enhance collaboration, and drive meaningful change. Bryan and Paul share their experiences and insights on overcoming challenges and unlocking the full potential of your team. Tune in to learn how to cultivate a culture of growth and adaptability that propels your team to new heights.

Follow ⁠Dr. Paul Snowdon on LinkedIn⁠

Follow ⁠⁠Bryan Sapot on LinkedIn⁠⁠

Working Theory ⁠Website⁠

Originally recorded July 2025

Learn more about Nulogy Smart Factory (formerly Mingo Smart Factory) at ⁠⁠https://nulogy.com/smart⁠⁠

#LeadershipTransformation #changemanagement #strategicleadership #organizationalchange #manufacturingleadership

In this episode of the Zen and the Art of Manufacturing podcast, Bryan Sapot and Jesse DePriest discuss the principles of Lean Management and the OpEx management strategy. They explore the importance of leadership, daily management systems, and the role of data in improving processes. Jesse shares insights on the continuous improvement kata problem-solving method and emphasizes the need for clear expectations and standards in leadership development. Lean principles can be applied across various industries to foster continuous improvement and effective management.

Follow Jessie DePriest on LinkedIn

Follow ⁠Bryan Sapot on LinkedIn⁠

5L Performance Group Website

Originally recorded June 2025.

Learn more about Nulogy Smart Factory (formerly Mingo Smart Factory) at ⁠https://nulogy.com/smart⁠

#LeanManagement #OPEX #LeadershipDevelopment #ProcessImprovement #Manufacturing #ContinuousImprovement

"A process is a process, no matter the industry. Most organizations can apply Lean principles and Lean thinking." Paul Dunlop, Founder of Dunlop Consultants and a world-renowned Lean expert, joins us on this week's episode of Zen and the Art of Manufacturing to discuss all things, you guessed it, lean! 

Most industries are more receptive to "dipping their toe in the water" and using Lean principles to improve workflow, but often, these initiatives fail. Paul explains why and what needs to be done to make these initiatives successful.

Join Bryan Sapot, CEO of SensrTrx, and Paul as they talk about:

• Implementing Lean from the top-down
• Engaging all employees, regardless of role 
• Developing the habits needed to make Lean stick
• Prioritizing good habits and behaviors 
• Effective communication throughout the company 

"Developing people and process is the only thing you should be focused on" Paul says. In this episode, you'll learn how to tackle the challenge of implementing (and achieving) Lean practices that transform your business. Tune in!

If you would like to reach out to Paul, he can be contacted by email at paul@dunlopconsultants.com.au, on LinkedIn, or throughout his website dunlopconsultants.com.au. 

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Creating a successful brand is difficult, yet Trevor Crotts, Founder and President of BuddyBrands and CEO of Compel Commerce, has figured out the winning formula. Trevor joins us on this week's episode of Zen and the Art of Manufacturing to talk about all things manufacturing marketing. 

Learn why his first trade show after founding Buddy Brands was a disaster yet it led to key insights. Discover how the brand yet again pivoted after lackluster sales, creating an opportunity in eCommerce that would prove to be the key to success. 

Trevor walks listeners through effective eCommerce sales strategies as a direct-B2C company, positioning your brand in a way that captures the attention of potential customers, driving traffic to your website, and investing in employees that are going to encourage company growth and a great culture. 

Featuring real-world strategies and lessons to learn from, Trevor explains the marketing strategies that work for manufacturers. Tune in!

If you would like to discuss more with Trevor, he can be contacted by email at trevor@buddyrest.com, on LinkedIn, Clubhouse, or through his one of two company websites: BuddyBrands, an award-winning pet product manufacturer, or Compel Commerce, an eCommerce digital consulting agency.

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!

How do you define what excellence is in an organization? Jesse DePriest, a Lean Transformation Coach and Director of Operational Excellence at First National Bank of Omaha, joins us once more to explore defining, measuring, and solving challenges. He demystifies and pushes aside all of the well-known terminology for a straightforward look at what it takes to continuously improve, no gimmicks. 

"That's magic. We're creating that environment where people are asking for help to solve these obstacles. Now we've got an environment for learning ripe for process improvement." Tune in to learn more about simple process improvement! 

During this episode, Jesse mentions two books which can be found with the links below:

• Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More by Mark Graban
• Working Great!: Lean Leadership Lessons for Guiding Your Organization to Excellence by Richard Mr Brimeyer 

If you would like to discuss more with Jesse, he can be contacted at fjdepriest@gmail.com or through his LinkedIn. 

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing! 

How do you figure out the difference between data and information? What is going to drive change in your organization? Jesse DePriest, a Lean Transformation Coach and Director of Operational Excellence at First National Bank of Omaha, tackles these questions, giving the listener informative and actionable answers. 

There is such a thing as too much data that becomes overwhelming and complex, and at the same time, all of the information you use should support the common objective throughout the company. 

Join us as Jesse DePriest tackles the problems and questions most manufacturers are all too familiar with - data, information, and goal setting.

If you would like to discuss more with Jesse, he can be contacted at fjdepriest@gmail.com or through his LinkedIn.

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!

When and how should you move to automatic data collection? Dick Willis, Industrial Digitization Leader at Trane Technologies, a skilled veteran in the digitized factory industry, tells us how to structure data collection and reporting, and do it successfully. A solid structure of collecting and reporting data is essential in manufacturing, but data collection is hard. And, it's hard to do it well. 

"Show me that you were able to get the right data at the right time in enough time to fix it." 

There are quite a few hurdles to getting that structure just right. Two of those hurdles are a reliance on paper and pen and Excel reporting methods and meaningless measurements. Controversial, right? But, Dick has a point. These are barriers to efficient problem solving and valuable insight. So, in this episode of Zen and the Art of Manufacturing, learn when the best time to move to automatic data collection is and what that looks like for your plant.

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!

"By doing these things, you will improve across the board." In the second part of John Broadbent's interview with SensrTrx's Founder and CEO, Bryan Sapot, the two discuss getting started with Industry 4.0 and why it doesn't need to be hard or expensive.

According to John, you may need to enact Industry 3.0 first, and that's ok, but at least you're starting somewhere. The concept of a connected, smart manufacturer isn't going anywhere. It's a proven idea. But, if you get on the horse, you're entering the race and working towards that idea.

"We've got a decade of information and experience to show this stuff does work."

John mentions a book during this episode which can be found at the link below: 

• Passionate Marriage by David Schnarch 

If you'd like to talk to John about industry 4.0, he can be contacted via LinkedIn.

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!

Industry 4.0 has been around for years. Surprised? You shouldn't be. Industry greats like John Broadbent, Founder of Realise Potential, have been exploring the benefits of a new era of manufacturing technology since the early '90s.

Part 1 of Zen and the Art of Manufacturing, features Bryan Sapot, SensrTrx CEO and John Broadbent exploring the history of industry 4.0, how it's expanded throughout the years, why there's a certain role essential to executing industry 4.0 initiatives, and tips for implementing it at your own plant.

Don't miss this exceptional episode discussing the past, present, and future of industry 4.0 and John's name for the role key to encouraging industry 4.0 growth - stewardship.

If you'd like to talk to John about industry 4.0, he can be contacted via LinkedIn.

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!

Part 2 of Stuart's podcast episode dives into the maintenance metrics that you need to care about, getting operators onboard with maintenance goals, daily meetings involving the entire plant, and working together as a team. 

"We're all in this together, and how are we going to get back up and running?," Stuart asks. Essentially, the main idea behind the 2nd half of a "Healthy Maintenance Culture" is communication. If a machine goes down, it's affecting both production and maintenance, and as such, what can be done to get that machine back up and running? 

Dive into the details of a healthy culture in the plant, going beyond just maintenance in this episode. 

Stuart Fergusson is the Director of Solutions Engineering at Fiix Software, a Rockwell Automation company. If you would like to get in touch with Stuart, he can be contacted through his LinkedIn. 

Enjoy this podcast? Hit the share button, subscribe for free if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us create calm and improve flow in manufacturing!