David Marshall
-
Marketing Tactics for Manufacturers
- August 24, 2022
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Manufacturing
No Comments
Manufacturers have one of the easiest-but-most-difficult times marketing their products, especially in the B2B realm. They have a small, defined audience, which makes their buyers easy to identify and reach. On the downside, having a small, defined audience — generally, purchasing agents or directors of operation/COOs of other companies — means that traditional marketing methods
-
Hire Older Workers on a Contract Basis
- August 17, 2022
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business
Even during the Great Resignation, there are certain groups of workers who are having trouble finding work: People 50 and older. People who have been in the workplace for two to three decades. People who are a few years away from retirement, but still have plenty to offer. I can’t tell you the number of
-
Remote Work is Hurting Professional Growth
- August 10, 2022
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Leadership, Management, Productivity
Last week, I wrote about how remote work is ruining water cooler conversations and making it harder for people to have those simple conversations that lead to great innovations. I said: Or they have a company culture where it’s acceptable to pop in on a colleague at their cubicle or desk. In open-concept offices, people
-
We’re Missing the Water Cooler Conversations
- August 3, 2022
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Management, Productivity
The American workforce has been largely working remotely for the last two years, and for the most part, everyone has loved it. (Well, almost everyone. I’m not a fan of it.) They love working at home, they don’t miss the commute, and many people are even leaving their jobs (without another one in the wings)
-
How Would You Start a Manufacturing Business Now?
- November 24, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Manufacturing
Every new business needs an idea, or at least an opportunity, to get things rolling. And these days, during the supply chain crisis, there are plenty of opportunities that abound. Rather than trying to come up with a new product and convincing people that they want it, you could become wildly successful by giving people
-
Three Ways to Fix Your Supply Chain Right Now
- November 17, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Management
There are shortages and inflation throughout the country, thanks to a number of supply chain issues. Container ships are stacked up outside different west coast ports, there are labor shortages to unload and reload container ships, and there are shortages of labor to make parts and goods here in the United States. But all is
-
How Do You Manage a Disruptive Employee, Especially in a Union?
- November 10, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Leadership, Management, Safety
One of the most difficult things to do in a manufacturing operation is to fire union employees. Unions have historically played an important role in establishing workers’ rights and guaranteeing their safety. But there are some workers who take advantage of the union and hide behind it when they’ve been doing poor quality work or
-
How Do You Find Leaders In Your Organization?
- November 3, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Management, Manufacturing
There’s no one best source for hiring leaders for your organization. Some will insist on only promoting from within, moving people up the corporate structure as the opportunities arise. Others believe you need a fresh pair of eyes in certain leadership roles, so they’ll hire outsiders to come in and lead the organization. I often
-
How Do You Get Executives to Clean Toilets?
- October 27, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Leadership, Management
Years ago, when I was at Robroy, I made it a condition that everyone had a turn cleaning the toilets. And that went for the executives, too; I even took a turn. So someone asked me, how do you get executives to clean toilets? Short answer? It’s a condition of employment. If you don’t do
-
What are the First Steps a Manufacturer Should Take to Modernize?
- October 20, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Digital Transformation, Innovation, Manufacturing
Last week, I talked about how there’s still a need for old-school manufacturing, but that doesn’t mean that there will always be a need. Some of you old-school manufacturers need to modernize and update your systems. If you’re still running labor-intensive processes and you’re struggling to find labor just to meet your orders, then maybe