What happens when someone with a background in software buys an 80-year-old machine shop? That's exactly what Brandon Worrell did when he acquired KCSP Machine in Kansas City. He inherited a business with decades of experience, talented employees, and loyal customers, but also a collection of paper travelers, spreadsheets, and tribal knowledge that made it difficult to grow.

In this episode, Brandon joins me to share how he's modernizing KCSP Machine while preserving the expertise that made it successful in the first place. We discuss the transition to ProShop ERP, getting longtime employees on board with new technology, documenting critical shop floor knowledge, and achieving AS9100 certification.

Brandon also shares how these investments are helping KCSP attract skilled employees, improve quality, and win new business. It's a great example of how the right systems can help an established shop build a foundation for its next generation of growth.

• KCSP Machine: https://www.kcspmachine.com/
• Brandon Worrell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-worrell-183a74
• KCSP Machine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kcsp-machine
• ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/
• National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA): https://ntma.org/
• MakingChips Podcast: https://www.makingchips.com/
• Top Shops Conference: https://www.topshopsevent.com/

We know what precision looks like on the shop floor. A part either meets the print or it doesn't. But when I look at the business surrounding that part—quoting, scheduling, purchasing, job costing—I see opportunities to bring that same level of discipline to how a shop runs. That's the idea behind my new book, Precision Manufacturing, Precision Business.

I didn't arrive at that idea by getting everything right. I started Pro CNC with five friends, one machine, and very little experience running a business. When our aerospace work dried up after 9/11, we came close to losing the shop. Getting through it forced us to become more deliberate about sales, processes, and the information our team needed to do its work.

Since then, I've had hundreds of conversations with shop owners through this podcast, Machine Shop Mastery, and MakingChips. They've shared what worked, what failed, and what they wish they'd understood sooner. I wrote the book to bring those lessons together with my own; more than 50 people I've spoken with are quoted in it.

In this episode, I'll share how the book came together and take you through some of its big themes, from knowing your numbers and building a sales process to developing your team and creating a business that can thrive beyond your day-to-day involvement.

• Precision Manufacturing, Precision Business: https://disciplinetoprofit.com/
• Get the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGNLFB2C
• ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/
• The E-Myth Revisited: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280

I sat down with Kody Guidry of Coastal Machine & Supply for a conversation that was both fun and really meaningful. I've known Kody and the Coastal team for years now, and it has been incredible to watch their transformation from a 30-person oil and gas machine shop into a 60-person precision manufacturing company serving oil and gas, space, aerospace, and defense.

In this episode, Kody shares how Coastal made the decision to diversify after the oil and gas downturn, pursued AS9100 and ITAR, and slowly but persistently built its way into new markets. We talk about how ProShop helped free up the team's time, improve visibility, support customer audits, and give Coastal the digital backbone it needed to execute at a higher level. Kody also shares the story of how one aerospace opportunity started with a supplier referral, then turned into a year of persistent follow-up before finally becoming real work.

This is a conversation about preparation, execution, and persistence. Coastal didn't stumble into aerospace and defense by accident. They built the foundation, showed customers they were a lower-risk supplier, and kept showing up until the opportunity came. Now, with new partners, major growth plans, and a renewed focus on hard-metal manufacturing, Coastal is aiming to become one of the premier space and defense manufacturing companies in the country.

Resources Mentioned

• Coastal Machine & Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/
• Kody Guidry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kodyguidry
• Coastal Machine & Supply on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coastal-machine-%26-supply-inc-
• ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/
• Medora Manufacturing's investment in Coastal Machine & Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/medora-manufacturing-makes-long-term-majority-investment-in-coastal-machine-and-supply-inc/
• SpaceX Starbase Louisiana announcement: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/spacex-launches-new-era-of-commercial-spaceflight-with-100-billion-louisiana-campus
• AS9100 standard: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/as9100d/
• ITAR / DDTC: https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/ddtc_public