Episode Summary

In this episode of The Allied Advisors Podcast, I sit down with Chad Bareither, Founder and Principal of Bareither Consulting Group and author of The Improve Less Improvement System. Chad and I dive deep into what it really takes for mid-market manufacturers to transform their operations — not through tools or slogans, but by leading with principles, discipline, and culture.

Chad shares how his background in the U.S. Army introduced him to process improvement and how that foundation shaped his approach to helping mid-market manufacturers scale sustainably. We talk about the realities of driving change in 300–500-person organizations, why leadership commitment is the single biggest differentiator in successful transformations, and how principles like standardization, accountability, and Kaizen remain the bedrock of continuous improvement.

Memorable Quotes

About Chad Breather

Chad Bareither is the Founder and Principal of Bareither Group Consulting, where he helps mid-market manufacturers optimize operations, recover lost margins, and build healthier, more sustainable businesses. A certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and U.S. Army veteran, Chad brings decades of hands-on experience in process improvement, leadership development, and operational transformation. He’s also the author of The Improve Less Improvement System, a practical guide to making continuous improvement simple, actionable, and effective.

Connect with Chad:

• Website: https://www.bareithergroup.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadbareither/

Episode Overview

In this episode, I sit down with Mr. Winfried Rockensteiner, Global Vice President of Logistics for Bosch Powertrain Solutions, to discuss what it takes to lead large-scale transformations in manufacturing. With more than three decades of experience at Bosch, Mr. Rockensteiner shares valuable lessons from guiding global logistics and supply chain operations through digitalization, electrification, and organizational change.

While Bosch operates on a global scale, the principles he outlines are directly relevant to mid-market manufacturersthat are striving to modernize operations, strengthen leadership cultures, and prepare their teams for the realities of an AI-driven future.

Key Discussion Points

• Leading from the Shop Floor: Why real change begins on the shop floor, not in the conference room, and how leaders can build credibility by staying visible and engaged.
• Making Change Stick: The importance of defining a clear purpose for transformation, communicating it clearly, and sustaining engagement over time.
• Culture Over Systems: Why successful transformation is less about IT systems and more about cultural evolution and employee enthusiasm.
• AI and the Future of Work: Mr. Rockensteiner’s perspective on how AI will reshape supply chain roles, leadership, and organizational competencies in the coming years.
• Lessons for Mid-Market Manufacturers: How smaller firms can use agility, collaboration, and peer benchmarking to accelerate transformation without large-scale resources.

Memorable Quotes

Why You Should Listen

If you’re an operations leader, plant manager, or executive in a mid-market manufacturing company, this episode will resonate deeply. Mr. Rockensteiner offers actionable insight into how to sustain momentum, engage teams, and navigate technological transformation without losing sight of what matters most: people and culture.

Connect with Mr. Rockensteiner

You can connect with Mr. Rockensteiner on LinkedIn to follow his insights on logistics, leadership, and manufacturing transformation.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winfried-rockensteiner-11329043/
Email: winfried@pnrsolutions.ch

AI isn’t here to replace your team—it’s here to amplify them. In this episode, Justin Goethe sits down with Larry Collett, founder of Larry Collett Consulting Group and Automation Captain, to cut through the hype and show how mid-market manufacturers can get real value from AI right now.

Larry shares how to start small by automating repetitive, rules-based workflows—like order admin or reporting—while keeping a human in the loop for oversight. He explains why process clarity is more important than tools (“never skip paper”), how to use prompts effectively, and why AI should augment your expertise rather than replace it.

The conversation highlights where AI delivers immediate wins (debugging, data analysis, forecasting) and where it risks slowing you down if used outside your domain knowledge. Most importantly, Larry emphasizes that the goal isn’t headcount reduction—it’s about giving people better tools so they can shift energy to higher-value work.

**Connect with Larry:**

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lcollett/
Website: http://www.LarryCollett.com

**Resource:**

Download Larry’s **Automation Impact Matrix** here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xsTTy-Duqap9Bxj46ttLWVolAlxIhb0ZUlS5mNplN4w/edit?gid=0#gid=0

**Memorable Quotes**

"Garbage in, garbage out. What you put into a GPT is what you’ll get out of it."
"Never skip paper. If you miss a step on paper, you’ll miss it in your automation."
"Use AI to remove the 80% repetitive work so your team can focus on the 20% high-impact priorities."
"Always keep a human in the loop—AI is powerful, but oversight makes it trustworthy."

In this episode of The Allied Advisors Podcast, Justin Goethe sits down with Meg Lanza, Head of Technology at BSH, to explore what it really takes to lead teams through continuous improvement. Drawing from her 20+ years at Bosch and now in home appliances, Meg shares practical insights on:

• How leaders can align projects with customer needs and strategy
• Why accountability and follow-up are non-negotiable for sustaining progress
• Balancing day-to-day operations with improvement work without burning teams out
• The importance of hiring for mindset and passion over technical expertise
• Building effective daily leadership routines and using KPI trees to drive clarity
• Swarming problems with urgency and standardizing problem-solving approaches

Whether you’re a mid-market manufacturer or a leader looking to strengthen your lean journey, Meg’s perspective offers both hard-earned lessons and actionable advice to help you drive sustainable results.

Check out Meg on LInkedIn @

https://www.linkedin.com/in/meglanza/

In this episode of The Allied Advisors Podcast, I sit down with Blair Dorneanu to explore the challenges mid-market manufacturers face when trying to build a culture rooted in standards and continuous improvement. Blair shares her approach to lean conversion training, why cultural buy-in is just as important as process tools, and the key actions leaders must take to make their lean initiatives truly stick.

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-dorneanu-35b58943/

Email

Blair.Dorneanu@scra.org

In this episode of The Allied Advisors Podcast, I sit down with Vincent Nelson, Sales Executive at UNEX Manufacturing, to explore how smart storage solutions transform the way manufacturers handle material. Vincent shares how UNEX products not only maximize storage efficiency but also present materials in ways that improve ergonomics, reduce strain, and enhance overall associate productivity. If you’re looking for practical strategies to streamline your warehouse operations while supporting the health and performance of your workforce, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-nelson1/

Website - www.unex.com

Email - VNelson@UNEX.com

In this episode of The Allied Advisors Podcast, Chris Mennona, Global Supply Chain Manager for AESC, shares how he applies lean principles to optimize supply chain planning on a global scale. Chris also offers his perspective on the current tariff landscape and how manufacturers can adapt to stay competitive. Whether you’re managing a complex supply chain or looking for ways to reduce risk and waste, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can put to work right away.

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermennona?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app