I Help Professionals Put Their Passions to Work | Leveraging Leadership Capacity | Connections with a Purpose | SDVOSB | USMC VET

Some leaders talk about growth. I’ve built it, again and again. From turning dirt lots into multimillion-dollar fabrication and manufacturing operations to standing up a chemical manufacturing plant that achieved both ISO 9001 and OSHA SHARP initiative recognition, my path has never been theory, it’s been proof.

That proof began long before titles. I grew up working in my family’s grocery stores, butcher shops, and restaurants, where I learned that culture isn’t a slide in a deck, it’s forged through shared effort. The Marine Corps honed that foundation with discipline, accountability, and servant leadership, teaching me that execution is the purest form of belief.

My philosophy reflects James 2:22—faith and works completing each other. In business, faith is strategy: the belief that a company can reach beyond its current reality. Works are the systems, processes, KPIs, and accountability that give that belief evidence. My role is to bring those two together so vision and velocity become one.

Areas of Expertise:
★ Concept to Commercialization | ★ M&A Strategy & Integration | ★ ERP & KPI System Integration
★ Business Growth & Scaling | ★ Supply Chain Optimization | ★ Strategic Partnerships
★ ISO 9001 Implementation | ★ Facility Development | ★ Regulatory Compliance
★ P&L Management | ★ Culture Development | ★ Process Improvement | ★ Constraint Focused

Bravis Brown, MBA

Most manufacturers I meet think their problem is capacity.
It’s not.

Last month, I toured a $22M aerospace/defense parts shop. Owner wanted to buy a second 5-axis mill for $850K.

I asked one question: “What’s your OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) on the first one?”  Said other ways, billable/unbillable, uptime vs. downtime, actual speed vs. ideal speed, quality parts vs. total parts produced, etc.. 

Silence.

We spent 2 hours on the floor. Here’s what we found: → Machine sat idle 2 hours/day waiting (avg) for fixtures → Setup averaged 1.5 hours (should be 45 minutes) → No standardized work instructions → Operators guessing at what good/productive production rate is. 

The constraint wasn’t the machine. It was the system around it.
We didn’t buy new equipment. We:  Standardized fixture staging - Created setup checklists - Cross-trained 3 operators (in the process) - Built a daily dispatch board

No CapEx. No new headcount.

Before you throw money at capacity, ask: “Are we maximizing what we already have?”

The answer is almost always no.  If the demand increases out weights an efficient setup, then perhaps you do move forward with the purchase but implement the system around it prior to going live with the new machine.

CTA: What’s your current OEE? Drop it below. Let’s talk about whether you need more machines or better systems.  If you're culture isn't that of CIP why isn't it?  Would you like it to be?  DM me if you would.

Veteran Executive | Fractional COO | Driving Scalable Growth for Manufacturing & Industrial Companies Through Systems, Automation & Servant Leadership

Leadership isn’t position. It’s posture.

Most founder-led companies don’t get stuck because the team doesn’t care. They get stuck because the leader becomes the router for everything—decisions, approvals, problems, priorities.

A servant’s heart shows up like this:
	•	you put people ahead of your agenda
	•	you initiate service instead of waiting to be asked
	•	you’re not attached to being needed
	•	you lead with love and standards

But here’s the part most miss: servant leadership isn’t soft. It’s structured.

It looks like installing:
	•	clear decision rights
	•	operating rhythms
	•	simple, visible KPIs
	•	escalation paths that don’t end at you
	•	documentation + training so tribal knowledge isn’t the strategy

That’s how you scale without burning out and how you build a business that can outlast the founder.

What’s one area in your business where “picking up the towel” would actually mean installing a system?

Owner wanting to “become the CEO”? Stop acting like the GM.

Becoming CEO isn’t about doing less work.
It’s about owning different work.

If you’re still the default for:

scheduling conflicts

customer escalations

purchasing approvals

quality release decisions
…you’re still running operations by force of habit.

Integrator move:
delegate decisions, not just tasks.
Install decision rights + cadence + scoreboard owners so the org stops bouncing back to you.

Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.
The 96% Perfect Podcast

Nearly 45% of small businesses say poor financial/resource management is holding them back.

Translation in manufacturing:

Overtime surprises
Expedites as a strategy
Stockouts + “where is it?”
Margin you can’t explain
And a founder glued to the operation

3 installs fix most of it (fast):

WIP limits (stop starting, start finishing)
Weekly cadence (same meeting, same scoreboard, same owners)
Cost capture discipline (so pricing stops being a guess)

This is how you stop “growth” from feeling dangerous.

Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call link.

P.S. I had a fractional COO project fall off.  I have unutilized capacity, help me with my efficiency, I can pass it on!!! 🙌

Today I had a conversation with an individual I respect and hold in high regard.  She and I were talking about communication in business and the multilayed approach that is required to make it successful.  

I go back to 2018 when I was asked if I felt the issue was communication.  I was a little offended by the question at first.  I spent a great deal of time ensuring I was communicating with all the leadership.  

What I learned was there were several ways that I could help cascade that down into the entire company.  I'll save that detail for another day and stay on topic... for now. 😉 

Our conversation lead to examples of how companies cascade it down into their organization.  The attached documents show an easy way to do so.  It just so happens I did an education moment on this in December as well.

If you'd like to discuss how communication of strategy leads to execution, accountability, and drives culture improvement/alignment I'd be happy to discuss (link below). 

https://lnkd.in/gZAEpEra

Accountability w/o Confrontation

DM me if you identify 🤣 as an individual that has manufacturing/operations training experience.  I have become aware of a content developer and trainer position here in the Fort Worth area.  I'll make an intro if you believe this role could be a fit.

Your Business Runs Through You (That's the Problem)
If every decision, fire, and “weird exception” still routes back to you…

You don’t own a company.
You own a job with overhead.

Most founder-led manufacturers don’t get stuck because their people don’t care. They get stuck because the owner became the operating system.

Symptoms:

Work pauses until you approve it

“Urgent” requests wreck the week

Good leaders hesitate because decision rights aren’t clear

You can’t step away without things slipping

The fix isn’t “try harder” or “hire one more manager.”
It’s installing a playbook the team can run without you:

Decision rights (who decides what), AKA empowering others.

Weekly operating cadence (the same rhythm, every week)

A small scoreboard (owners for every number)

One example: Every time a client identified an asset they wanted refurbished or a finished asset they wanted to pick up, it took an average of 2 hours. 

After installing visibility + handoffs + ownership, it dropped to ~15 minutes.
More importantly: the owner stopped being the router.

If you want, I’ll send a quick “Founder Dependence Self-Check” + the 30-min Constraint Snapshot link.

Comment SNAPSHOT and I’ll DM it.

If it can’t run without you, buyers price that as risk.

I’m visiting yet another manufacturing facility where one person knew it all & ran it all. A tragedy happened, and now they’re scrambling to sell. Do you think they’ll get market price… let alone a premium? Of course not.

Succession planning and operating manuals aren’t phrases to throw around. They’re how you stabilize a business.

Whether you’re the owner still carrying the operation, or a newly appointed CEO inheriting it:
owner dependence = fragile performance.

Exit readiness isn’t a future project.
It’s proof, installed weekly:

decision rights
cadence
scoreboard ownership
repeat-fire elimination

Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

83% of employees have had to recreate missing or lost documents.

In manufacturing, that’s not an “admin inconvenience.”
That’s capacity leakage and key-person risk.

Because when people can’t find the latest:

Quotes get rebuilt
Travelers get rewritten
Inspection plans get guessed
CAD gets redrawn
Mistakes ship… then you pay twice

And the worst part?
It’s invisible on the P&L. It shows up as “billable or unbillable labor.”

The villain isn’t your team.
It’s tribal operations + weak document control.

De-founder moves (lightweight, not bureaucracy):

One home for critical docs (quotes, travelers, QC, prints)
One “released” rule (if it’s not released, it’s not real)
One owner per doc type (so updates don’t drift)

That’s how you stop rework, protect knowledge, and scale without heroics.

Comment SNAPSHOT and I’ll DM the link to a 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

Question: where do you lose more time today, missing docs, wrong versions, or tribal knowledge (ask the Bobs)?

Firefighting isn’t a job description. It’s a signal.

If your team is constantly reacting, it usually means:

priorities aren’t stable

escalations have no path

decisions aren’t clearly owned

issues don’t get closed (so they repeat)

Here’s the trap: the CEO/founder becomes the hero, which trains the org to escalate more.

Integrator move = put chaos on a rhythm:

Scoreboard (numbers only)

Flow/constraint (what’s blocking throughput/OTD)

Issues (solve 3–5, assign owners + due dates)

Podcast coming soon with 96% Perfect (https://lnkd.in/gE-3A2Kg).

Comment SNAPSHOT for a 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

New CEO reality: you inherited a routing problem. 
I don't mean of the MSP type either. 

If everything routes through you, your calendar becomes the constraint:

approvals / exceptions / escalations

“just checking” interruptions

You can’t strategy your way out of that. You have to install your way out.

Start here:

Write decision rights for the top 10 repeat decisions
Create a weekly cadence that produces decisions + accountability
Stop repeat fires with issue ownership + due dates

Podcast on “Why Leadership Fails Without an Integrator” coming soon.
Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.
The 96% Perfect Podcast

Newly appointed CEO? Don’t become the new Mr./Ms. Fix-It.

If you’re in the seat <18 months, you usually inherit a company where every decision, fire, and exception routes through one person.

The org will try to make that person you.

Watch for these tells:

“Quick question…” all day

Schedule changes happen in hallways

Quality holds wait for your blessing

Leaders escalate instead of decide

Priorities shift weekly based on noise

That’s not a leadership problem first. It’s an operating system problem.

The fix is boring (and effective):

decision rights

weekly cadence

issue ownership (owner + due date)

Podcast on “Why Leadership Fails Without an Integrator” coming soon.
Comment SNAPSHOT and I’ll DM the link to a 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

If your best people are burning out, it’s not “seasonal.”

Constant emergencies are usually a system outcome:

Unclear priorities
Unclear decision rights
Invisible WIP aging / late jobs
No consistent escalation path

New CEOs often feel pressure to “prove it” by fixing everything personally.
That turns you into the new router.

Better move:
Install a weekly cadence that forces clarity and closes issues before they repeat.  You know, root cause Nija stuff.

Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

Most manufacturers don’t have a “capacity” problem.

They have a flow + decision system problem.

If you’re constantly expediting, drowning in WIP, missing ship dates, or living in priority whiplash, the root issue usually isn’t effort or talent, it’s that the business lacks the operating system to identify constraints and manage them consistently.

That’s why I’m sharing the link below: in February there’s an Introduction to Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints (TOC) Flow Solutions session (from The Goal) built for real-world manufacturing execution — how to find the constraint, protect it, and drive reliable throughput.

Why I’m sharing: Goldratt’s TOC work is highly practical. I’m attending as a guest to observe their process and explore ways I can help manufacturers turn the learning into sustained, on-the-floor execution.

This is best for executive and senior leadership teams — especially if you’re asking:

“What are our constraints… and how do we prove it?”
“Why does everything feel urgent?”
“Are we about to spend capital because we don’t know what else to do?”

What manufacturing teams are reporting after TOC Flow Solutions workshops:
ACT Test Panels, LLC: On-time delivery +10%, overtime costs -25%, and monthly revenue + net income up double-digits.

FAMCO (HVAC accessories): clearer constraint prioritization, reduced multitasking, “full-kit readiness,” improved on-time delivery + operational efficiency.

Teton Machine Company: strong team buy-in + practical exercises; applied TOC to build real throughput improvement plans.

Charter Steel: better understanding of flow + buffer management; actionable changes to scheduling and day-to-day execution.

Spudnik Equipment Co: TOC made relatable; quick wins via a WIP board to reduce multitasking.

PedSafety: stopped defaulting to “more people/more machines;” mapped flow, found the constraint, focused effort, often saving money without adding resources.

If you’re considering TOC or you’re currently treating CapEx as the default fix, DM me “TOC” and I’ll see you there.

#Manufacturing #Operations #TheoryOfConstraints #TOC #OperationalExcellence #ContinuousImprovement #Leadership #FractionalCOO

Open article: North Dallas Chamber Event | Goldratt Flow Solutions by goldrattflow.com

North Dallas Chamber Event | Goldratt Flow Solutions

Bandwidth is the real constraint.

My approach to conserve bandwidth is addressing the root cause, delegating and empowering.

Most ops teams don’t lose because they lack effort.
They lose because decision traffic overwhelms the week:
interruptions → switching → rework → late jobs → escalations.

If you want capacity without heroics, remove the true constraint:

Reduce approvals (empower/delegating)
Stabilize priorities (empower/delegating)
Protect the constraint (address the root cause of the bottle neck)
Close issues so they don’t repeat (address the root cause) 

Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

Additive Manufacturing is projected to grow ~4× this decade ($20.37B in 2023 → $88.28B by 2030).

I’m spending time with DFW operators already doing AM (polymer or metal) to separate what’s real from what’s hype.

Not to “talk tech”… to understand:
Where AM actually makes money in a small/medium shop
What quietly kills margins (post-processing, QA, quoting, workflow)
How teams avoid turning a new printer into a new bottleneck

If you’re local and willing, I’d love to buy coffee or tour your setup.

Unfortunately the Metroplex Manufacturing Resource Expo at UTARI (Fort Worth) on Jan 30, has been canceled.  I'll be looking into other events on advanced manufacturing, if you have any you recommend, please share.

Comment AM and I’ll DM you to coordinate.

P.S. If you’re evaluating AM adoption and want a quick “operating system” gut-check (flow → visibility → decision rights → cadence → then tech), comment SNAPSHOT.

Binderware is why “change” doesn’t stick.  You know, the consultants that put it all in a binder and disappear.  Last thing I want to be is a Seagull, fly in and shit on everything and leave. Kyle Phillips

Most companies aren’t short on ideas.
They’re short on installs/implementation.

A binder doesn’t change behavior.
A slide deck doesn’t create flow.
A meeting doesn’t equal accountability.

Installed looks like:

Leaders run the week without waiting on the CEO/owner
KPIs reviewed weekly (same time, same owners)
Issues get owners + due dates (and close)
Exceptions shrink over time

Comment SNAPSHOT for the 30-min Constraint Snapshot Review Call.

I’m leaning into Additive Manufacturing for one reason: 

It changes the cost/lead-time equation when implemented like a business system.

Right now, I’m having conversations with:

Leaders trying to deploy AM inside their operations (without the common pitfalls).

Owners of AM businesses who may be considering a transition, asset sale, partnership, or a clean handoff plan.

If you’re in either camp (or know someone who is), I’d value an intro. DM is fine.

#AdditiveManufacturing #AdvancedManufacturing #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement

For those who wanted to see what the education piece looked like, here you go! This is part of the education associated to the JD post yesterday.

Accountability Turns Strategy Into Action

Reposting for reach!  Great resource if you have a need in the space, I'm not talking about the crane solutions, I'm talking about Sam F. Bean

Vistage Chair I Vistage Certified Speaker I Executive Coach I Leadership Development I Speaker

Network, you want to up your safety game and shore up your uptime with your lifting systems?

Check out my guy at Zephyr Cranes Sam F. Bean

Healthy leaders build healthy organizations. These are the two outcomes I strive to cultivate in every space I have the privilege to lead. With 23 years of executive experience, both globally and nationally, I am a visionary leader with a proven track record of driving business transformation, operational excellence, and scalable growth across diverse sectors. I specialize in aligning strategy with execution, building agile and high-performing teams, and leveraging data-informed decision-making to deliver sustainable results.

Gareth Keown

#ExtremeWeatherUpdate – City Union Mission 

This is real weather, and it changes the environment fast. Yesterday when I recorded this it was 7° with a wind chill of -8°, the cold didn’t  just feel uncomfortable, it could quickly become dangerous and slow even basic cognitive and facilty operations down.

We are currently at full capacity, across our men, women and family centers, and we’re able to sustain that because of the funding God has provided through generous donors.

City Union Mission is a 24/7/365 operation, and that only works because of the dedicated staff who keep showing up day and night to care for people when conditions are at their worst. Our frontline staff are our real heros! 

In moments like this, our role is clear: we are a beacon of hope and a strategic safety net for #KansasCity and beyond.

https://lnkd.in/ggDPQfTz

#Homelessness #Homeless #Shelter #Nonprofit #Nonprofitleadership #CommunityDevelopment #CelebrateHope #Weather #TheHumanCondition

Gareth Keown, MSML

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