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Welding Business Owner PodcastAuthor: Kevin Johnson
We discuss with other business owners how to start and grow your welding business. Our guests range from single owner operators up to people who manage teams of 50 with decades of experience.We discuss how they got started, strategies for growth, team management, bidding and winning jobs, downfalls to avoid and lots more! Language: en-us Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Mike - Rockin 2 Industries
Monday, 19 January, 2026
In this engaging conversation, Kevin and Mike delve into the evolution of Mike's welding business, Rockin' Two Industries, which he started in 2012 with no prior experience. Mike shares his unique journey from a novice welder to a successful business owner, emphasizing the importance of networking and collaboration within the welding community. He discusses how he built connections through social media and local groups, which have been instrumental in his growth. The conversation also touches on the challenges of managing a team, maintaining a positive work culture, and the significance of saying 'no' to unprofitable projects to ensure sustainable growth.As they explore the intricacies of running a welding shop, Mike reflects on the importance of building a network within the industry and the value of collaboration over competition. He stresses that many welding business owners make the mistake of trying to grow too quickly without establishing a solid foundation. The episode wraps up with insights on project management tools and the necessity of adapting to the evolving needs of the business, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and improvement in the welding industry.Takeaways"I didn't know what I was doing. Got on YouTube and 13 years later, here I am.""Saying no has been the hardest thing for you to do in business.""The internet for the welding business has been really, really helpful for a lot of us.""If you're not thinking, if you're like the old school mindset of competition, you better rewire it or you're just going to fizzle out.""I will protect the culture of this shop at all costs." "It's tough to balance that out.""You have to have that base in place.""It's better to stay small and perfect what you're doing.""If you can justify that, go get it.""You need to get out there and knock on some doors.""You can't get rid of that.""There's a cost to changing gears.""You have to charge for that or else it catches up to you.""Creating that network is a pretty big deal.""You need to have the will to make it work."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Setup02:09 Mike's Unique Journey into Welding05:05 The Power of Networking in the Welding Community08:35 Profit Sharing and Collaboration with Other Businesses17:32 Managing a Team and Maintaining Work Culture26:48 Future Aspirations for Rockin' Two Industries33:49 Team Skills and Project Diversity35:25 Overview of Shop Projects42:18 Challenges of Business Growth46:16 Learning to Say No50:15 Customer Relations and Advertising Strategies57:24 Financial Lessons Learned01:09:51 The Right Tools for the Job01:11:00 Space Constraints and Shop Organization01:15:58 Common Pitfalls in Business Growth01:19:54 Lessons Learned and Advice for New Owners01:24:06 Managing Projects and Invoicing
