Trial by Fire: How Leadership Finds You on the Shop Floor

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In this MakingSparks episode, Casey and Matthew talk with Keith — a leader whose career has been shaped by both running a fabrication shop and now serving as General Manager at Fabrication Solutions & Technologies (FST).

Keith’s path started with welding in the blazing heat, learning from old-school fabricators, and grinding his way up to shop management. Today, he uses that first-hand production experience to help shops across oil & gas, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and more choose the right equipment, design smarter workflows, and maximize ROI.

From process flow strategies to cross-training welders, machinists, and operators, Keith shares how shop-floor grit and people-first leadership create stronger teams, better client relationships, and more efficient real-world metal fabrication operations. Whether you’re running a press brake, programming a CNC plasma table, or managing a growing shop, this conversation is full of insights forged in the fire of real-world fabrication.

• 00:01:12 – Setting the stage and introducing today’s guest
• 00:02:22 – Finding common ground through shared industry connections
• 00:04:09 – Lessons learned from seasoned shop veterans
• 00:05:12 – Insights from seeing manufacturing behind the scenes
• 00:10:13 – Building a professional network that drives opportunities
• 00:13:14 – Standing out at trade shows by creating meaningful conversations
• 00:17:02 – Prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term sales
• 00:19:42 – Addressing the challenge of finding skilled, motivated workers
• 00:23:06 – How shop-floor experience strengthens leadership and sales roles
• 00:37:35 – Encouraging industry connections and in-person engagement at events

Resources:

• Keith’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keith-jentsch
• Lights Out Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
• Buy the Numbers Podcast: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-numbers/