The Manufacturer’s Mindset Podcast by Ballantine Digital

Ryan Cote
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The Manufacturer’s Mindset Podcast features casual conversations with manufacturing and industrial professionals about their journeys, lessons learned, and more. Your host is Ryan Cote, Managing Partner at Ballantine Digital.

  1. Jul 30

    Brandon Lincoln: How to Sell When Your Customers Aren't Online

    Brandon Lincoln handles all the marketing for Ideal Manufacturing and all the marketing and sales for Ideal Rockaway, two companies under one roof in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. One sells industrial woodworking machinery. The other sells skid steer attachments. They could not be more different from a marketing standpoint, and Brandon explains why. On the woodworking side, his team ranks for the right keywords and even shows up in Google's AI overviews, but the leads still don't come through the site. The reason is simple. Those buyers are not searching. Many are still flipping through trade magazines and relying on dealer relationships and in-person visits. Brandon found something that does work: five-minute, long-form video demonstrations filmed while machines get tested before they ship. Buyers watch a full cycle, see the finished parts, then call with technical questions. He says that video content sells better than the best SEO he can produce. The skid steer attachment side is the opposite. Short-form Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Meta ads drive a steady stream of leads that convert. Brandon also walks through how he runs a day (leads and follow-ups first, projects second), what it takes to coordinate trade shows like the International Woodworking Fair and Equip Exposition, and the sales framework that changed how he talks to customers: sorting every negotiation into assertive, accommodating, or analytical, then speaking that person's language back to them. If you market or sell technical products, especially into an industry that has not moved online, this one is worth your time.

    Brandon Lincoln: How to Sell When Your Customers Aren't Online

  2. Jul 14

    John Hilgendorf: Why Fundamentals Always Beat Marketing Shortcuts

    John Hilgendorf handles all marketing for ABM Equipment, a company that designs dry bulk solid systems and inspection equipment for the food, chemical, and nutraceutical industries. And when I say all marketing, I mean all of it. Content, trade shows, brochures, the website, even a custom training platform he built from scratch. In this episode, John explains why he avoids paid ads entirely and has gone all-in on organic marketing. He shares how repeated website hacks nearly tanked their SEO, what his high school wrestling coach taught him about the danger of shortcuts (and why that lesson applies directly to SEO), and how his team landed one of the biggest food producers in the world as a client by pulling together a presentation over a single weekend. We also get into a great conversation about managing uncertainty, why Ubersuggest might be the best SEO tool for solo marketers, and what it's like to be the only marketing person at a growing manufacturer. If you're wearing multiple hats at a manufacturing company, this one's for you.

    John Hilgendorf: Why Fundamentals Always Beat Marketing Shortcuts

  3. Jun 23

    Ryan Tilly: How Human Marketing Wins in Manufacturing

    Ryan Tilly of MSC Floors shares how honest marketing, SEO blogs, paid search, and real human connection help drive growth in a niche manufacturing industry. We also talk AI, trade shows, storytelling, and why effort still matters.

    Ryan Tilly: How Human Marketing Wins in Manufacturing

  4. Jun 1

    Michael Brooks: Why Relationships Still Drive Manufacturing Success

    Michael Brooks has spent nearly 38 years with Oneda Corporation, so he’s seen a lot of change in manufacturing. In this episode, he shares what he’s learned about building strong customer relationships, doing business with a Japanese-influenced company, handling urgent customer needs, and staying useful as the industry keeps changing. It’s a down-to-earth conversation about trust, experience, problem-solving, and why listening still matters.

    Michael Brooks: Why Relationships Still Drive Manufacturing Success

  5. May 13

    Gabriela Miraglia: How to Build a Manufacturing Business Around People and Innovation

    Gabriela Miraglia of FormuNova shares her journey of building a cosmetic contract manufacturing company focused on small-batch production, innovative product development, and strong team culture. She also talks about the leadership lessons she learned from her entrepreneurial family, the challenge of managing finances as a business owner, and how her team is using AI.

    Gabriela Miraglia: How to Build a Manufacturing Business Around People and Innovation

  6. Apr 24

    Frank Lamb: Lessons on Scaling, Automation, and Staying Ahead

    Frank Lamb joins The Manufacturer's Mindset Podcast to share his unconventional path from uncertainty to a 40-year career in industrial automation. He explains what manufacturers should know about PLCs, robotics, AI, and the risks of scaling too fast, offering practical advice for engineers, entrepreneurs, and the next generation of technical talent.

    Frank Lamb: Lessons on Scaling, Automation, and Staying Ahead

  7. Apr 7

    Jeff Steele: How to Lead a Manufacturing Business Through Crisis and Come Out Stronger

    Jeff Steele shares how a series of career experiences prepared him to step in, buy a manufacturing company during a chaotic period, and lead it forward. In this episode, you’ll pick up lessons on navigating uncertainty, leading through crisis, and building a business that lasts.

    Jeff Steele: How to Lead a Manufacturing Business Through Crisis and Come Out Stronger

  8. Mar 13

    Steven Reif: Real-World Cold Calling Lessons for More Meetings and Better Sales Results

    In this episode, Ryan Cote talks with Steven Reif of Roof Maintenance Systems about what it really takes to succeed in sales. Steven shares practical lessons on cold calling, persistence, listening, and building trust, with real-world advice that sales and business development professionals can put to work right away.

    Steven Reif: Real-World Cold Calling Lessons for More Meetings and Better Sales Results
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The Manufacturer’s Mindset Podcast features casual conversations with manufacturing and industrial professionals about their journeys, lessons learned, and more. Your host is Ryan Cote, Managing Partner at Ballantine Digital.

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