In this episode of the Allied Advisors Podcast, Justin Goethe sits down with Braydon McCormick, C-suite operator, serial entrepreneur, and Co-Founder & Managing Director of Light Forge Works, to cut through the noise surrounding artificial intelligence in manufacturing.

Rather than dashboards, chatbots, and “AI for AI’s sake,” Braydon brings an operator-first perspective on how AI should actually be deployed inside mid-market and PE-backed organizations — focusing on real bottlenecks, measurable ROI, and execution on the shop floor.

This is a grounded, tactical conversation for leaders who want AI to drive margin, throughput, and enterprise value, not just check a buzzword box.

🔑 Key Topics Covered

• Why most AI initiatives fail to deliver ROI
• The danger of “AI in search of a problem”
• How AI can connect siloed systems without massive IT projects
• Real examples of communication breakdowns in manufacturing operations
• Using AI to shorten RFP cycles and prevent dropped opportunities
• Why single-purpose AI applications beat large enterprise rollouts
• How AI augments people instead of replacing them
• The economics of modern AI-first software development
• CapEx vs. OpEx thinking for custom AI tools
• What mid-market manufacturers need to know about AI security and data privacy
• Where companies get burned by chatbots and poor AI implementations

🚨 Common AI Mistakes Braydon Sees in Manufacturing

• Deploying chatbots that don’t improve revenue, margin, or service
• Trying to “boil the ocean” instead of solving one clear problem
• Ignoring broken communication flows between sales, engineering, vendors, and the shop floor
• Treating AI as a replacement for people instead of an accelerant
• Rolling out tools without validation, guardrails, or human oversight

💡 Big Takeaway

AI delivers value only when it’s tied to a specific business problem. The real power of AI isn’t flashy interfaces — it’s quietly eliminating friction between systems, people, and processes. When done right, AI dramatically compresses cycle times, reduces errors, and allows teams to operate at a higher level without adding headcount.

As Braydon puts it: Don’t ask what AI can do. Ask what problem you’re trying to solve — then apply AI surgically.

🧠 AI on the Shop Floor (What Actually Works)

The conversation dives deep into how AI can:

• Read drawings and historical data to support faster engineering decisions
• Assist with RFP triage and prioritization
• Reduce handoffs, rework, and miscommunication
• Act as a “gatekeeper” that ensures critical steps aren’t missed
• Enable faster, cleaner execution without massive ERP replacements

Rather than enterprise-wide transformations, Braydon advocates for small, high-impact AI applications that deliver fast wins and compound over time.

👤 About Today’s Guest

Braydon McCormick is a seasoned C-suite operator and serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience helping mid-market and PE-backed companies turn advanced technology into real operating results. As Co-Founder & Managing Director of Light Forge Works, Braydon has led companies from zero to exit-ready, built high-margin services businesses, secured FDA approvals, and developed defensible IP through patented innovation.

He specializes in AI-first software development, digital transformation, and operational scaling in complex, regulated environments.

📬 Connect with Braydon & Light Forge Works

• Light Forge Works: https://www.lightforgeworks.com
  
  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbmcco/

In this episode of the Allied Advisors Podcast, Justin Goethe is joined by Reid Klosowsky and Bill Moroney, co-founders of Freight Think LLC and former senior leaders at Bed Bath & Beyond. Together, they unpack why freight and transportation spend is one of the most misunderstood — and most powerful — levers for improving profitability in today’s supply chains.

With decades of experience spanning transportation, vendor management, and retail supply chain operations, Reid and Bill share practical insights on how companies can move beyond averages, silos, and “default decisions” to truly understand the real cost of moving products.

🔑 Key Topics Covered

• Why freight data is notoriously messy — and why most companies stop too early
• The hidden cost of “average-based” freight assumptions
• How product decisions and transportation decisions quietly work against each other
• The danger of premium freight becoming the default instead of the exception
• Why e-commerce magnifies freight mistakes (and losses) at scale
• The difference between shipping a truck vs. shipping a SKU
• How incentive structures drive freight behavior — for better or worse
• Where AI is already helping (and where human judgment still matters)
• Early thoughts on blockchain, visibility, and what actually creates value
• Why companies with thin margins feel freight pain the fastest

🚨 Common Freight Mistakes Reid & Bill See All the Time

• Paying for faster service levels that provide zero real benefit
• Treating freight as “someone else’s problem” instead of a total landed cost issue
• Making sourcing decisions that lower unit cost but raise total supply chain cost
• Letting fear of stockouts justify permanent premium freight behavior
• Celebrating sales spikes without realizing they’re losing money per unit

💡 Big Takeaway

Freight isn’t just a logistics problem — it’s a profitability problem. When companies connect freight data to products, forecasts, service levels, and incentives, they unlock opportunities that directly improve the bottom line. As Bill puts it: a dollar is a dollar — whether it’s freight, inventory, or markdowns.

🤖 Freight, AI, and the Road Ahead

Reid and Bill also share a grounded, experience-based perspective on AI in freight and supply chain analytics. While AI can dramatically speed up analysis and surface insights, they emphasize the importance of clean data, context, and human oversight — especially when decisions impact margins at scale.

👥 About Today’s Guests

Reid Klosowsky is Co-Founder of Freight Think LLC and former VP of Global Transportation & Supply Chain Flow at Bed Bath & Beyond, where he led a $10B transportation network through massive disruption and transformation.

Bill Moroney is Co-Founder of Freight Think LLC and former VP of Vendor Management at Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY, with deep expertise in supplier performance, cost-to-serve models, and profitability optimization.

📬 Connect with Freight Think

• Website: https://www.freightthink.com
  
  
• LinkedIn: Bill Maroney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-maroney-07b5a61a1/
• LinkedIn: Reid Klosowsky - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reid-klosowsky-8909831/

Guest:

Steve Cook, Executive Managing Director, LFM Capital
MIT LGO (MBA/MSEE) | Former Dell Plant Manager | Private Equity Operator & Educator

🎙️ Episode Overview

In this powerhouse conversation, Justin sits down with Steve Cook, Executive Managing Director at LFM Capital, a private equity firm uniquely built and led by operators and engineers. Steve shares rare, behind-the-scenes insights on how LFM identifies, acquires, and transforms mid-market manufacturing companies—not through financial engineering, but through people-centric leadership, hands-on operational excellence, and a relentless commitment to long-term value creation.

With decades of experience leading industrial businesses, teaching at Harvard Business School, and mentoring future leaders at MIT, Steve brings a refreshing blend of humility, clarity, and practicality to the world of PE-backed manufacturing.

If you're a manufacturing leader, business owner, aspiring CEO, or private equity stakeholder, this is a must-listen.

1. Why LFM Capital Breaks the Traditional PE Mold

• LFM is one of the only U.S. private equity firms where an operating partner also runs the firm.
• True parity between deal partners and operating partners leads to better diligence, alignment, and execution.
• How LFM avoids the “painted-on operating partner” problem common in the industry.

2. What PE Really Looks for in Mid-Market Manufacturing Deals

• Why LFM invests in companies with $3–$15M EBITDA and fewer than ~250 employees.
• How leadership quality, culture, and values matter more than perfect metrics.
• Why buyers should not pursue “perfect companies”—real value is created where opportunity exists.

3. Leadership: The Make-or-Break Factor in Value Creation

• Arrogance is the enemy of leadership—humility is essential.
• Why effective CEOs must be able to “play the full keyboard”:
  • Shop floor → Board room → Customer meetings.
• LFM’s CEO Development Program: a 5–7 year rotational system creating cross-functional, hands-on, next-generation executives.

4. The First 100 Days After Acquisition

• LFM’s collaborative approach: no “one-size-fits-all” playbook.
• How they co-create an Operational Agenda before closing a deal.
• Why focusing on just three priorities at a time is essential for smaller companies.

5. Implementing Lean in Resource-Constrained Environments

• Why Lean is easier to implement in small companies than large ones.
• The cultural importance of leadership buy-in—especially from the CEO.
• Steve’s take on fractional CI leadership, external facilitation, and when companies should backfill with full-time CI talent.

6. How LFM Navigates Tough Deals & Upholds Values

• The Apollo 13 story: how LFM refused to abandon a distressed deal, preserving jobs, paying back lenders, and honoring the seller’s legacy.
• Why LFM optimizes for a 50-year time horizon, not a 5-year fund cycle.

• Mid-market manufacturing owners considering an exit
• CEOs and plant leaders navigating growth or operational challenges
• Private equity operating partne