Shows
FactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 9: Jeff McNabbToday’s episode features Jeff McNabb, Associate Director of Supply Chain at Myers Industries and a leader whose career spans the U.S. Navy to Fortune 100 manufacturers. Jeff shares lessons from pacing change, aligning teams with the X-Matrix framework, and using AI and automation in ways that actually stick. He also talks about how leading with empathy, clarity, and persistence has helped his teams navigate everything from plant startups to shutdowns while driving measurable improvement. This conversation is full of practical insights on how to modernize operations, strengthen supply chains, and keep people at the center of transformation.
2025-10-2220 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 8: David AriensToday’s episode features David Ariens, founder of The IT/OT Insider and a leading voice helping manufacturers bridge the gap between information technology and operations. David shares how to cut through buzzwords to build real data foundations, what a unified namespace actually means in practice, and why the key to AI-enabled manufacturing isn’t more tools—it’s clarity, connection, and starting where you are.
2025-10-1530 min
Supply Chain..."The Secret Sauce"Lauren Dunford, CEO of Guidewheel, How AI Powered Manufacturing Factory Operations are Changing!Send us a textSend us a textSend us an emailLauren Dunford; CEO of Guidewheel: AI Powered Factory Operations, is our guest. Lauren has created a AI enabled software that is taking the market by storm. Join me in discovering more about Lauren, Guidewheels achievements and how AI Powered Factory Manufacturing Operations are changing in 2026. Lauren Dunford Linked In: Link**THIS PODCAST HAS NO PAID ADVERTISING** EVER...Supply Chain Secret SauceWade Wickus: HereEmail: Info@supplychainsecretsauce.comSupply Chain Sec...
2025-10-1326 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 7: Don WisemanToday’s episode features Don Wiseman, CEO of Teknor Apex and a 38-year veteran of plastics and specialty chemicals. Don shares how to build followership, why people are the only durable advantage, and how his team is using digitization to raise standards, reduce variation, and recognize great work — all while leading with consistency, care, and the speed today’s factories demand.
2025-10-0822 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 6: Juan Carlos AlonsoToday’s episode features Juan Carlos Alonso, Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Committee member at Bekaert. Over the course of this conversation, he shares how he unlocked 15–20 % energy savings across Bekaert’s 80 global plants by rethinking orthodox assumptions, breaking down silos, and empowering cross-functional teams – and how that experience crystallized his philosophy for how strategy must meet implementation. You’ll also hear his lessons on driving change in legacy organizations, prioritizing focus in crowded portfolios, and pushing for AI adoption in traditionally conservative manufacturing environments.
2025-10-0122 min
FactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 5: Norman GocoToday’s episode features Norman Goco, Senior Manager – Operations at ATI Materials, where he helps lead complex manufacturing environments serving critical industries. Drawing on his experience driving change on the factory floor, Norman shares what truly sets great manufacturing operations leaders apart, how to bring new technology into plants in a way that sticks, and how to win over even the toughest skeptics.Whether you’re leading operations, implementing new systems, or working to inspire your team, this episode is a masterclass in leadership from someone who has lived it day to day.
2025-09-2424 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 4: Haley WhiteToday’s episode features Haley White, Managing Director at Madison Industries and formerly in senior leadership positions at several other companies. Drawing on her experience leading plants and scaling teams, Haley shares how clarity and connection can transform culture on the factory floor. She explains why making goals unmistakably clear unlocks ownership, how simple frameworks drive consistency at scale, and why technology must adapt to people - not the other way around.Whether you’re leading operations, introducing new systems, or building resilient teams, this episode is full of practical lessons from a leader who...
2025-09-1725 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 3: Gunter BeitingerToday’s episode features Gunter Beitinger, Senior Vice President at Siemens and author of Crisp Manufacturing. With 25 years of experience leading on the shop floor and driving global digital transformation, Gunter shares guiding principles for leadership in uncertain times. He explains how slowing down and observing deeply can turn challenges into opportunities, why explainable AI is essential to trust on the shop floor, and how initiatives like Sea Green are reshaping supply chains to be both carbon-efficient and resilient.Whether you’re leading digital transformation, introducing AI in manufacturing, or looking to build stronger, people-centered teams, this epis...
2025-09-0331 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 2: Bob ButtermoreToday's episode features Bob Buttermore, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Rockwell Automation. Bob shared lessons from leading through five years of unprecedented disruption, rethinking what resilience really means in supply chains today, and offering concrete examples of how to build the “factory of the future.” He also discussed how to introduce AI and automation in ways that deliver results while strengthening teams.Whether you’re navigating global supply chain challenges or exploring the next wave of smart manufacturing, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!
2025-08-1928 minFactoryOps ExchangeEpisode 1: Christopher SassToday's episode features Christopher Sass, a quality manager for a Pennsylvania based manufacturer. Chris shared his unconventional path into manufacturing, how he learned to tackle improvement one chunk at a time, and how he shifted his mindset to become the kind of leader others want to follow.Whether you're deep in factory operations or just beginning your journey, this episode is full of great takeaways!
2025-08-0125 min
FactoryOps ExchangeTrailer: FactoryOps ExchangeThis podcast is all about celebrating the incredible people behind world-class operations. If you care about operations, about making things better every day, and about learning from people who’ve truly been there—this show is for you. We’ve got a lineup of amazing guests coming up. So follow FactoryOps Exchange —and join us as we learn from the people moving manufacturing forward.
2025-07-3101 min
The Talent TangoHiring Fast Without Lowering the BarHow do you scale fast without lowering the hiring bar? In this episode, Mallory Plank, Head of Talent Acquisition at Guidewheel, joins The Talent Tango to break down how she navigates the constant push and pull between quality and speed. With a background in both agency and in-house recruiting, Mallory brings a clear, operator-level view of stakeholder alignment, prioritization, and TA strategy—especially in scrappy, fast-paced startup environments. Key Takeaways: TA leaders must shift from service center to strategic partner. That means aligning hiring plans to business outcomes—and saying "no" when needed. A st...
2025-07-1625 min
From the Fabricator Podcast for Glass & Glazing ProsFrom the Fabricator! S5E7- James Hatch (Kovach) and Lauren Dunford (Guidewheel)The latest From the Fabricator podcast is live with two incredible guests. I kick it off with James Hatch of Kovach. He and I may have chatted a bit over the years, but this was my first extended time with him, and I was extremely impressed. What he’s done and the excitement around what Kovach does is something to behold. Great stuff. Then to a person and company that I think will be big in our industry and not for glass or glazing but improving the performance of our machinery. I caught up with Lauren Dunford of Guidewheel, and they...
2025-05-171h 01
Culture TalksCulture Talks: From Davos to the Factory Floor: Lauren Dunford’s Guidewheel JourneyIn this Culture Talks episode, Lorne Rubis interviews Lauren Dunford, co-founder and CEO of Guidewheel, exploring her experiences and insights as a leader in the manufacturing technology space. They discuss the significance of company culture, the challenges of leadership, and the importance of values in business. Lauren shares her unique experiences at high-profile events like Davos, her approach to motivation and energy, and the role of a public benefit corporation in aligning purpose with profit. In this conversation, Lauren Dunford discusses the importance of building a productive team culture, enhancing onboarding processes, and measuring company...
2025-02-2849 min
Consensus in ConversationCiC 2024 Year End Wrap Up: Impactful Storytelling2024 brought us 38 new guests, 2,091 minutes of conversation, and an immeasurable wealth of new ideas and narratives about how to use business to make the world a better place. The challenges we face are great, but with every challenge comes opportunity, and it’s never been more important for impact businesses to tell a compelling, mission-centric story. Join Conor Gaughan as he revisits the best storytelling advice from this year’s expert guests, sharing key insights, analysis, and takeaways. Whether it's harnessing your inner Luke Skywalker to wow investors and attract customers with analogies that will resonate, or learn...
2024-12-1253 min
The Bearhug Experience(Funding Recap #19) Bearhug Recruiting's Early & Growth Stage Tech Startup Funding Recap! 8/19/24Here’s this week’s startup funding recap:
1. UptimeAI, led by Jagadish Gattu, has raised a $14 million Series A funding round. UptimeAI provides AI-based plant monitoring software to help industrial firms optimize asset performance and detect anomalies in sectors like oil, gas, and utilities.
2. ITpipes, led by Ned Bebawy, has raised a $20 million funding round. ITpipes offers AI-driven pipeline inspection technology to help municipalities manage waste and stormwater systems, streamlining data collection and analysis.
3. Guidewheel, led by Lauren Dunford, has raised a $31 million Series B funding round. Guidewheel’s AI-powered platform connects factory machin...
2024-10-2413 min
Consensus in ConversationLauren Dunford of Guidewheel on Data-Driven Efficiency, Sustainable Factories, and Finding ChampionsData is one of the most critical, and underused, tools for combating climate change – the more information we have about our impact, the better decisions we can make towards managing it. Lauren Dunford, co-founder of revolutionary startup Guidewheel, is on a mission to place that tool in the hands of manufacturers, offering a unique, data-driven system for monitoring factory operations, reducing energy costs, and improving efficiency.CEO Lauren launched the startup in 2018 with co-founder and current CTO Weston McBride, leading Guidewheel’s development of its core product, the FactoryOps platform, a system they describe as “Fitbit for Factor...
2024-10-1755 min
Manufacturing Happy Hour192: Leading with Productivity to Drive Sustainability Featuring Lauren Dunford, CEO of GuidewheelImprove productivity or work on sustainability? Why not both?In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Dunford, CEO of Guidewheel and a member of the Executive Committee for the US Center for Advanced Manufacturing within the World Economic Forum, for a fascinating chat about productivity, sustainability, and innovation in manufacturing. Lauren shares how Guidewheel evolved from an energy management system to a full-fledged factory ops platform.We kick things off with Lauren's path to manufacturing, including her experience at Stanford's MBA program and how it's proven invaluable as Guidewheel scales globally. She offers a...
2024-07-0248 min
CC PodHow Can Data Decarbonize Factories? (with Lauren Dunford @ Guidewheel)This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Guidewheel is a portfolio company at Climate Capital, where Vijay works as a Syndicate Investor and Advisor.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Don’t miss an episode from Clim...
2024-05-0827 min
Category ThinkersFounder Clarity Through Category Design for Fundraising, Product, and Culture w/ Lauren Dunford, CEO of GuidewheelIn this episode, Lauren discusses the importance of category design for startups. We delve into startup challenges that are addressed by category design. Lauren shares how they've used Guidewheel’s FactoryOps category point of view to attract the right people, investors and customers. We talk about the evolution of sustainability as a priority, the impact of AI on data-driven companies, and the impact of category design on a startup's valuation.Listen in to unpack…How category can provide the type of clarity founders often struggle with...
2023-10-2443 min
The Jennifer Kamara PodcastHow to build a world class team and product - Lauren Dunford, CEO GuidewheelLauren Dunford is the formidable CEO and cofounder of Guidewheel, a leading factory operations platform that is on a mission to empower the world’s factories to reach sustainable peak performance. Guidewheel improves factory productivity by 30% across 7+ countries today and is just getting started. Lauren and I talk about how to learn what your customer really thinks about your product, how pivoting was a great decision for her team, and how her first principles approach and emphasis on testing has contributed to Guidewheel’s growth. You don’t want to miss this game-changing CEO in the manufacturing space.Subsc...
2022-11-161h 05
WAMGuidewheel Is Helping Manufacturers Reach Sustainable Peak PerformanceGuidewheel is a global software company on a mission to empower all the world’s factories to reach sustainable peak performance and their CEO Lauren Dunford is on a mission to show everyone how Guidewheel is making this a reality. Lauren sits down with WAM Host Frances Brunelle to share how even the oldest manufacturing equipment can take advantage of Guidewheel’s technology to achieve peak performance. Their simple, non-invasive sensors clip over the power supply of any machine or auxiliary equipment. Data is sent securely to the cloud in real-time, analyzed, and translated into key metrics and visuals accessibl...
2022-10-1925 min
The Manufacturing ExecutiveAligning Sustainability and Profitability in ManufacturingFor years sustainable business practices have been a plus in manufacturing organizations. But when forced to make a decision between profitability and sustainability, most leaders will choose profitability. Our guest today will tell us why the link between profitability and sustainability is closer than ever. Lauren Dunford is the CEO and Co-Founder of Guidewheel, a company whose mission is to empower all the world's factories to reach sustainable peak performance. In 2022 Guidewheel was recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the 100 most promising companies globally poised to significantly impact business and society. In this episode, Lauren talks ab...
2022-10-1827 min
Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™How Category Designers Create The Future with Lauren Dunford of Guidewheel & Kevin Maney of Category Design AdvisorsOn this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, our guests Lauren Dunford and Kevin Maney discuss how Category Designers work to create the future. On this topic, we also talk about how do you create a company that makes a difference and makes money at the same time.
Lauren Dunford is the cofounder and CEO of an extraordinarily exciting new company called Guidewheel. They are a mission to empower all the world's factories to reach sustainable peak performance.
Kevin Maney is a legendary bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He’s also the co-founder of Category Design Advisors, where he hel...
2022-08-291h 09
SwarfcastTracking Your Shop’s Performance, with Lauren DunfordOur guest on today’s podcast is Lauren Dunford, CEO and cofounder of Guidewheel. Guidewheel produces a sensor that clips onto a machine tool’s power supply to collect data while it runs. The data helps manufacturers understand what processes on the shop floor need to be improved and guides them toward solutions. Scroll down to read [...]
2022-02-1134 min