Info

Business of Machining

John Grimsmo of Grimsmo Knives and John Saunders of NYC CNC discuss their success, struggles, goals and more as machinists, business owners and entrepreneurs.
RSS Feed
Business of Machining
2024
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February


All Episodes
Archives
Now displaying: March, 2018
Mar 30, 2018

GOOOOD MORNING GRIMSMO!

Lego Batman and Knife #1000 make for an awesome start to the day. Between us, this knife is gonna be a MOTHER!

Knife #1000 on IG

Saunders decreases his RPM, which goes hand in hand with meeting his goal for less stress.

ALLERGIC TO LEAN
Maybe you've had a bad experience or maybe it's got too much
hype--Lean may not sound sexy to some but when it's under
the franchise lens, you might do a double take.

Morning Meetings, Meh?
Saunders and Grimsmo discuss COMPANY CULTURE and how to improve it. How do you do it when you're at that awkward stage?
Bubble Wrap Mount on IG

SOCIAL MEDIA MONSTER - Admit it. You're sick of it too!
Saunders posits that we're living in the "Social Media Bubble" but when will it burst? Find out how they tackle comments and different social media platforms. The NYCCNC website forum is behind the paywall to create a troll-free interaction zone.

We want to thank those who offer constructive criticism and helpful advice. You are part of this supportive community that makes all the difference!

Mar 23, 2018

If winter is over, how can Saunders get chilled out? By CHILLING OUT in Australia, of course. Saunders is back from his 12 day vacation with his wife, and is totally mellowed out, dude, but ready to get back to work.  

What was the hardest part for Saunders about being away from the business? Taking a vacation from Social Media Town.

Challenge accepted: how long can you go without using YOUR cell phone? Saunders went 3 days in Australia on a desert island. 

Grimsmo on social media:

“Instagram is there for you to enjoy, you’re not there for it to be consumed. It’s there for you, you’re not there for it” - Grimsmo

Can news be spam?

“Not willing to pay the price of the daily noise [of daily newsletters and surveys] just for the possible benefit” - Saunders

Besides, the Johns can agree that if it’s important, they’ll hear about it from someone else.

Adapting your business to the country in which you’re running it

Saunders speaking about the Australian mindset on productivity:

“That’s the great thing about travelling and seeing other cultures; you don’t have to accept it, you don’t have to like it, but you need to see it.” So, should he cut back on his hustle?

How might one succeed in a place like Australia? Or succeed in another country in general that might not have access to the same resources as America?

Ask where the demand is, and do a SWOT analysis.

Sometimes it’s just about asking the question...“How do I take this disadvantage and turn it into an advantage?” - Saunders

Grimsmo on changes to the business:

“The one change you make is not solo by itself” - Grimsmo

If you make one change, other things have to change to suit that change.

Pierson Shop Tour video on the Grimsmo YouTube channel!

“Jay does a good job at showing the results, not just the things that you’re planning on doing” - Saunders

Question: if you had to set an expiry date on how long something could sit in your shop without you using it, how long would it be? 

Mar 16, 2018

Today, the Johns are 1000 miles away--literally! Well, 15130 km or 9400 miles to be more exact.

Saunders Soup for the Soul
While in Sydney, Austrailia for the Next Generation Manufacturing event with Autodesk, he allows himself to detach, de-stress, and be in the moment. Woosah, for sure!

The GK team is on track to smash their best-month-ever record yet again! Spending a day cutting foam means enough for the month but still leaves something to be desired.

FOG 'N' BOG
Grimsmo installs 2 mist collectors BUT how will he choose to operate it?  Light Switch or Arduino + Powertail, that is the question. Stay tuned for the installation video!

Did you say NOISE POLLUTION?
While not a common phrase in the U.S., it should definitely be a part of machine shop jargon.

Over the ocean and through parking lots to Nicholas Hacko, we go.
This place might have THE MOST ACCURATE MACHINE IN THE WORLD! Plus, a threadmill so small it leaves Grimsmo saying, "I gotta calculate that, where's my Imperializer?" Stay tuned for a video tour.

Meet Angelo in the GK NEW People and LEAN Improvements Video!

REAL ESTATE WOES
How big is too big? Grimsmo's thinking hard about the decision to move to a bigger shop. When leasing, unused space is as bad as unused inventory--lean goes out the window. Saunders offers some great suggestions.

Check out this ENORMOUS space in the New Possible GK Home Video!

6 Boxes of New Material AHEAD of Schedule? YES PLEASE!
Grimsmo gears up to sort through it while Saunders plays with CERA BLOCKS.

There's another machine up for consideration at GK--find out what it is!

Mar 9, 2018

The podcast flashback last week sent the John’s into a whirlwind of comments about what they were up to around Christmas time. It’s amazing how much changes in just a few months!

 

Is there a monetary value to time?

“There are two limitations in life, time and money” - Saunders

As it turns out, time-related stress doesn’t just stress you out, but also your wallet!

 

So, would spending the money to move to a much bigger shop be worth it for Grimsmo?

 

Check out Grimsmo’s latest video on their reconnaissance mission to see a potential new shop.

 

How to Scale Business: Fire Yourself

Here’s some news; Saunders got bored! So...he’s probably successfully fired himself! And it feels so good to know they have the systems in place to make workers autonomous. The next question is what will he do next?

 

In Grimsmo’s corner, Angelo seems to be autonomous on the lathe! Next step: Set up a system and process for business expansion.

 

“Machining is not a spectator sport” - Grimsmo

But the two John’s are going to keep making videos about it anyway. Keep an eye out for Post Processor videos on Saunders channel! It’s amazing how quickly you can go from “I don’t know”, to “let me teach YOU how to do that”.

 

Grimsmo’s putting it write out in the open...he’s developing a Grimsmo PEN! But will it take 3.14x the amount of desired time to make it to market? Who knows, at least he’ll share as much as he can about the process on the way.

 

Keep an ear out for an episode where the John’s talk about leadership/management styles.

 

See you next week, mate! Saunders is headed to Australia, but he’s sticking to the Business of Machining Schedule.

Mar 2, 2018

Today we're time traveling back to December 20th, 2017. This episode is the ultimate podcast throwback!

Saunders tiptoes around a sabotage situation. While success and influence are perceived as a threat to others, keep doing what you love with good intentions.

End of Year Reflection
Teamwork makes the dream work. While certain employees may not generate direct revenue, long term,
they increase market awareness and brand strength. For Saunders, money means you're doing things right. Plasti-Dip = True Happiness.

Threadmilling Video

Grimsmo has a knack for going full bore on tasks even if they aren't the most important.

YouTube: Flop or Hit?
The SMW team makes a hilarious Thanksgiving video that flopped while another simple, straight forward video is all the rage.

Thanksgiving At A Machine Shop

Saunders opens up about losing someone close and how it's impacted him.

Grimsmo stresses the importance of gaining an audience, while they both agree social media is worth their time, having a big audience isn't the end goal; rather, it's a by-product of doing what you love.

Is Oculus Rift compatible with Mac?
Grimsmo’s got a guy! He's happy to answer this question for a friend. Connections will help Grimsmo maximize his company and Saunders thinks transparency will help both of them reach their goals.

 

1