This episode of Mavens of Manufacturing is exactly what happens when a plan changes and something better takes its place.

After a last-minute guest cancellation, Cathy Rinne steps in for an unfiltered, wide-ranging conversation that blends robotics, leadership, career pivots, and the realities of building a life and business in manufacturing. What unfolds is part industry discussion, part mentoring session, and part reminder that this work is supposed to be interesting—and even fun.

The episode opens with questions from the “junior board of directors,” sparking a discussion on robots, automation, and why curiosity matters at every age. Cathy shares insights from decades in automation, explaining why she’s robot-agnostic, what excites her about cognitive robotics and AI, and how automation, when applied correctly, makes work safer, more sustainable, and more human-centered.

From there, the conversation expands into real talk about the future of work. Cathy addresses common fears around robots replacing jobs, drawing clear distinctions between replacement and augmentation. She highlights examples from manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and emergency response where automation reduces risk, improves ergonomics, and allows people to focus on higher-value work. Exoskeletons, collaborative robots, and emerging AI tools all come up, not as hype, but as practical solutions already changing how work gets done.

Career questions take center stage as well. Cathy speaks candidly about midlife career changes, the myth that it’s “too late” to pivot, and why curiosity and willingness to learn matter more than degrees or perfectly linear resumes. She challenges outdated job descriptions, advocates for skills-based hiring, and emphasizes that manufacturing has room for people from every background, generation, and starting point.

The episode also pulls back the curtain on Cathy’s own journey—from reluctant entrepreneur to 40 years at FlexLine Automation—and the realities of building a family business. She shares hard-earned lessons on leadership, imposter syndrome, resilience, and why loving what you do is non-negotiable if you plan to do it for decades. Along the way, there’s humor, nostalgia, and a reminder that creativity and play don’t disappear just because the work is technical.

Listeners will hear perspectives on:

• Robotics, AI, and where automation is actually headed

• Why ergonomics and safety should never be afterthoughts

• How different generations bring value to the same workplace

• The role of trade schools, self-learning, and alternative education paths

• Why manufacturing still offers opportunity without massive student debt

• How curiosity, collaboration, and community drive better outcomes

The episode closes with a simple but powerful theme: manufacturing is built by people who care, who keep learning, and who aren’t afraid to laugh along the way. Whether the topic is robots, career paths, or squirrels outside the office window, the throughline remains the same; this industry works best when it stays human.

In this episode of Mavens of Manufacturing, the conversation turns to a topic that many manufacturers know they should understand, but often avoid: profitability.

Host Meaghan Ziemba is joined by Leslie Boyd, Certified Public Accountant at CLA, for an honest, practical discussion about value-added revenue and why it matters more than ever in today’s manufacturing environment.

Leslie brings a rare combination of financial expertise and deep manufacturing exposure. After starting her career at a large public accounting firm, she found her way into manufacturing through research and development work and has spent the last 17 years helping manufacturers understand what their numbers are really telling them.

Her approach is grounded in curiosity, accessibility, and the belief that profitability is not selfish; it’s the foundation that allows companies to invest in people, technology, and long-term growth.

Rather than relying on abstract finance language, the episode breaks down value-added revenue in plain terms: revenue minus material and subcontract costs. Leslie explains how this lens helps manufacturers better understand capacity, pricing, and which jobs actually make sense to take, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or uneven demand.

The conversation covers:

• What value-added revenue is and how it differs from traditional margin calculations

• Why idle machines and underutilized labor often point to pricing problems, not demand problems

• How capacity constraints—labor hours versus machine hours—shape smarter quoting decisions

• Why companies sometimes turn away profitable work without realizing it

• How value-added thinking supports better alignment between sales, finance, and operations

• When slowdowns, missed quotes, or growing revenue without profitability signal a need for help

• How data, automation, and analytics can uncover hidden opportunities on the shop floor

Leslie also shares a real turnaround story in which a manufacturer moved from marginal profitability to adding $3 million to the bottom line by rethinking how work was priced and how capacity was filled. The discussion extends into succession planning, investment readiness, and why strong profitability is often the difference between being able to sell a business or being stuck.

The episode doesn’t shy away from broader industry realities, including labor shortages, hesitation around automation, economic uncertainty, and regional differences across manufacturing sectors. Throughout the conversation, one theme remains consistent: manufacturers who understand their numbers have more options. Options to invest. Options to grow. Options to adapt.

Leslie’s closing message is straightforward: focus on getting 1% better every day. Over time, those small improvements compound into meaningful change, not just for individual businesses, but for manufacturing as a whole.

If you’re a manufacturer trying to make sense of pricing, capacity, profitability, or long-term strategy, this episode offers insight you can actually put to work.

In this episode of Mavens of Manufacturing, the focus shifts from a traditional interview format to a practical, behind-the-scenes look at RAPID + TCT, one of the largest and most influential additive manufacturing events in North America.

Recorded ahead of the show’s return to Los Angeles, the episode explores how the event has evolved and what attendees can realistically expect once they arrive.

The episode features Angela Szerlong, Group Director of the Additive Manufacturing Series at SME, who has been involved with RAPID since its earliest days. She shares the history of the event, its growth alongside the additive manufacturing industry, and how it transitioned from a small technical gathering into a global platform for advanced manufacturing innovation.

Listeners will hear insight into:

• How RAPID became RAPID + TCT, including the partnership between SME and Rapid News Group

• Why collaboration has been central to the event’s expansion and relevance

• How the show now represents the full additive ecosystem, from hardware and materials to software and post-processing

• What differentiates RAPID + TCT from other manufacturing trade shows

The conversation also previews what’s new and notable for this year’s event, including:

• Executive Perspectives, a main-stage program featuring C-suite leaders from across additive manufacturing

• The Discovery Zone, spotlighting emerging companies, many under five years old, introducing new technologies

• The Hollywood Showcase, a Los Angeles–inspired exhibit developed with Gentle Giant Studios and Direct Dimension, featuring 3D-printed components used in film and entertainment

• Pitchfest, where startups present live to industry judges

• Expanded conference tracks covering aerospace, healthcare, defense, materials, design, creative applications, and workforce development

• A show floor featuring more than 400 exhibitors, the largest in the event’s history

Angela also explains who RAPID + TCT is designed for. The event welcomes:

• Manufacturers new to additive manufacturing

• Advanced users looking to scale or optimize production

• Engineers, designers, and technical leaders

• Educators and students, with special pricing and strong ties to workforce initiatives through SME

For first-time attendees, the episode offers straightforward advice: plan ahead, wear comfortable shoes, explore beyond familiar booths, attend networking events, and talk to people. RAPID + TCT is positioned not just as a trade show, but as a place where conversations spark real progress in an industry that continues to evolve.

The episode closes with a reminder that the value of RAPID + TCT isn’t only in the technology on display, but in the connections, questions, and curiosity that drive manufacturing forward.

In this episode of Mavens of Manufacturing, Meaghan sits down with Denise (Rice) Hall, founder of Peak Performance and leader at the Smart Factory Institute, for a wide-ranging, deeply practical conversation about workforce transformation and what it really means to be a new-collar worker in modern manufacturing.

Denise’s path into manufacturing started early, inspired by an aunt who was an electrical engineer and shaped by hands-on experience long before automation became the norm. After working her way through engineering roles and plant management positions across multiple states, she saw the same issue everywhere she went: technology was advancing faster than the workforce systems meant to support it. That realization became the foundation for Peak Performance and her work in workforce development.

Together, Meaghan and Denise unpack how manufacturing jobs are changing, and why the old “blue collar vs. white collar” framing no longer fits. Automation, robotics, data, and digital tools are reshaping roles at every level, creating what Denise calls "new-collar work": jobs that require higher technical skills, adaptability, and continuous learning, but not always a four-year degree. Micro-credentials, industry certifications, and earn-and-learn pathways are becoming essential as companies struggle to fill roles and retain talent.

The conversation dives into real, on-the-ground solutions, including:

• How the Smart Factory Institute supports manufacturers by focusing on the people side of automation

• Why small and mid-sized manufacturers often lag behind in Industry 4.0 adoption—and why that matters to the entire supply chain

• How outdated job descriptions quietly turn candidates away

• Why skill-based hiring beats degree-based assumptions

• The importance of clear career progression so employees can see a future, not just a job

• How early exposure, hands-on learning, and regional partnerships can reshape the talent pipeline

Denise also shares the story behind the PI Center in Tennessee—a former manufacturing building turned innovation hub where high school students, educators, and industry partners train side by side. From wraparound services like food pantries and career closets to teacher upskilling programs that put educators inside real factories over the summer, the model focuses on removing barriers that keep people out of manufacturing careers.

This episode doesn’t shy away from hard truths: many workers are entering manufacturing without basic hands-on experience, while others are being screened out by intimidating language, outdated expectations, or rigid hiring practices. Denise makes a clear case for reframing manufacturing careers around purpose, skill growth, and impact—because when people understand why the work matters, engagement follows.

Her big ask for listeners is simple but challenging:
Step back and ask what you’re doing today to help the industry move forward, not just your own operation.

If you care about workforce development, automation, education, or the future of manufacturing careers, this episode offers insight you can actually use.

In this episode of Mavens of Manufacturing, Meaghan Ziemba is joined by Lauren Dreher, trainer recruiter at Skillpath, leadership and mindset speaker, author, TEDx speaker, and co-host of the Misfits Managed podcast. Together, they unpack what neurodiversity really means in manufacturing and why it’s long past time we stopped treating different brains like problems to be managed instead of strengths to be understood.

Rather than offering a textbook definition, Lauren explains neurodiversity through lived experience. She shares her own later-in-life diagnosis, what finally made the dots connect, and how understanding how her brain works changed everything, from her energy levels and focus to the environments she needs in order to do her best work.

The relief of finally having language for something she’d always felt is paired with an honest look at how much masking happens when people are simply trying to survive in systems not built for them.

The conversation expands beyond personal stories into the workplace itself. Lauren talks about how resumes are often misread, how “nonlinear” careers are dismissed, and why recruiters and hiring managers miss incredible talent when they focus too narrowly on job titles instead of transferable skills. She explains how neurodivergent individuals often bring exceptional pattern recognition, problem-solving ability, creativity, and attention to detail—skills that manufacturing and engineering desperately need.

Meaghan and Lauren also dig into practical realities:

• Why some people need silence to focus, while others need background noise

• How eye contact (or lack of it) is often misunderstood

• Why rigid interview environments can unintentionally screen out great candidates

• What small accommodations actually look like in real workplaces

• How leadership, communication styles, and trust impact performance directly

Lauren introduces the three pillars that guide her coaching and leadership work—growing through fear, finding opportunity in difficulty, and shifting perspective—and explains how these ideas apply directly to building inclusive, high-performing teams. The message is clear: when companies stop forcing everyone to work the same way, innovation improves. Morale improves. Retention improves.

This episode also addresses the emotional side of neurodiversity—anxiety, burnout, hyperfocus, impostor syndrome, and the exhaustion that comes from constantly adapting to systems that won’t adapt back. It’s an honest, grounded conversation about what it actually takes to support people as individuals, not just employees.

Lauren’s big ask for listeners is simple but powerful:
Start treating neurodiversity as an asset—and be vocal about it. Nothing changes if it stays hidden.

If you care about workforce development, leadership, inclusion, and building manufacturing teams that truly work—this episode is worth your time.

This episode of Mavens of Manufacturing didn’t go according to plan.

Originally, Meaghan was scheduled to sit down with Angela Thurman to talk about project management in green technology. But severe storms in Texas knocked out Angela’s power, forcing a last-minute pivot.

Instead of canceling outright, Meaghan stayed live and used the time to share an honest, off-the-cuff update on what’s happening across Mavens of Manufacturing, where the show is headed, and why flexibility is sometimes the most important skill in manufacturing and leadership.

In this solo episode, Meaghan recaps recent travel and conversations from the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, including discussions around robotics ecosystems, startup support, standards, and regulation.

She also shares highlights from the NPE Plastics Show in Orlando, touching on workforce development, ESG, communications, and culture shifts happening inside manufacturing organizations. Several upcoming interviews and videos are previewed, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how Mavens' content comes together.

The episode also serves as a real-time pulse check on what’s coming next—events, interviews, and initiatives that extend beyond content creation. Meaghan talks about upcoming coverage at Rapid TCT in Los Angeles, preparations for IMTS, and the momentum behind the Manufacturing Ally Rally, a multi-day series of conversations focused on inclusion, workforce pipelines, allyship, and redefining roles across manufacturing.

Along the way, Meaghan shares personal reflections on travel, learning, and the value of staying connected to people who are doing the work—on the shop floor, in leadership, and behind the scenes. There’s no script, no polished talking points—just an honest check-in with the Mavens community and a reminder that manufacturing, like life, rarely follows a perfect plan.

Angela Thurman’s episode on project management for green technology will be rescheduled once power is restored, and Meaghan gives a preview of why that conversation is worth the wait—especially for anyone managing complex projects, sustainability initiatives, or cross-functional teams.

If you’re interested in the real work behind manufacturing media, industry events, workforce conversations, and community-building, this episode offers a candid look behind the curtain.

In this episode of Mavens of Manufacturing, Meaghan Ziemba sits down with Vanessa Loiola, founder and CEO of Valoy Automation, better known online as the Robot Queen.

Broadcasting from Ireland, Vanessa shares the real story behind her rise in robotics; one built on grit, pattern recognition, and a refusal to accept “good enough” automation work.

Originally from Brazil, Vanessa didn’t set out to start her own company. She spent years working in manufacturing environments where she was often the only robotics engineer on site, responsible for dozens of robots and hundreds of machines.

What finally pushed her to leap into entrepreneurship wasn’t ambition—it was frustration. Again and again, she watched contractors apply temporary fixes that kept lines running for a shift, but never solved the root problem. She’d step in afterward, make a clean correction in minutes, and wonder why the bar for service had sunk so low.

That gap, between patchwork fixes and true problem-solving, became the foundation of Valo Automation. Vanessa made the bold decision to leave her job without a safety net, focusing exclusively on robot programming and clean, readable code that customers could actually understand. Her philosophy is simple but uncommon: robots should work for people, not intimidate them. Code shouldn’t lock customers into dependency. And automation should feel approachable, not mysterious.

The conversation also explores how Vanessa unintentionally built one of the most recognizable robotics education platforms on LinkedIn. After attending Automatica in Munich, she began sharing simple, visual explanations comparing robot brands, axes, joints, and core concepts. What started as casual knowledge-sharing quickly grew into a global following. Her goal has never been to “train” people online, but to remove fear—especially among operators and newcomers—by showing that robots aren’t fragile, magical, or out to replace anyone.

Meaghan and Vanessa dig into:

• Why simplifying robot code improves uptime, safety, and trust

• The real reason many manufacturers hesitate to automate

• How overcomplicated programming scares customers away from future investment

• The difference between fixing symptoms and solving system-level problems

• What it means to build authority without hiding knowledge

• Why women often wait until they feel “ready,” and why that moment rarely exists

• The importance of marketing—even when business is good

Vanessa also speaks candidly about founding a private women-in-automation group, the toll of visibility, and why community matters when the industry still isn’t evenly balanced. With women representing a small percentage of robotics roles in Ireland, she’s committed to showing younger girls that someone like them already belongs here.

Her message to listeners is straightforward and powerful:
You don’t need to be perfect to start. You need curiosity, confidence, and the willingness to try.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by robotics, questioned your readiness to lead, or wondered why automation sometimes feels harder than it should, this episode will resonate.

In this episode of Mavens of Manufacturing, Meaghan sits down with Becca Resnik, founder of Translations by Becca, for a deep—and surprisingly entertaining—conversation about technical translation, manufacturing documentation, and what really gets lost when words are handled without context.

Becca isn’t just a translator. She’s a former Navy nuclear technician, an engineer by training, and a licensed registered nurse, which means she understands the systems, equipment, risks, and regulations behind the words she translates. From operating manuals and patents to safety documentation and sustainability reports, Becca explains why translation is never a simple word-for-word exercise—and why getting it wrong can have real consequences.

Together, Meaghan and Becca break down the critical differences between translation and interpretation, why translators work into their native language, and how subject-matter expertise can mean the difference between safe instructions and dangerous misinformation. They dive into real-world examples of mistranslations that range from confusing and unprofessional to legally risky and potentially life-threatening—especially in manufacturing, engineering, and medical environments.

The conversation also tackles the growing reliance on machine translation and AI tools. Becca explains why grammatically correct doesn’t mean technically correct, how AI “hallucinations” happen, and why automation still can’t replace human judgment, cultural understanding, or industry experience. From reverse-threaded connections to heart valve patents, this episode makes it clear: when meaning matters, guessing isn’t good enough.

Topics covered include:

• Why technical and medical translation requires real industry experience

• The hidden risks of mistranslated manuals, instructions, and contracts

• Common errors made by non–non-subject-matter-expert translators

• The limitations—and dangers—of machine translation in manufacturing

• Localization, culture, and why “good English” still isn’t always right

• How poor translations erode customer trust, safety, and brand credibility

• Why communication is one of the most underestimated skills in manufacturing

Becca’s big ask for listeners is simple but urgent: spread awareness. Translation is invisible when it’s done well—and that’s exactly why it deserves more respect, investment, and understanding across global manufacturing.

If your company operates across borders, languages, or markets—or if you’ve ever trusted a manual, procedure, or website to be “close enough”—this episode is a must-listen.