Lean Whiskey Mark Graban Podcasts

Episode page with links, video, and more
In Episode 39, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh toast the completion of Mark's new book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation (coming soon!).
We also acknowledge Jamie's forthcoming podcast based on the book People Solve Problems. That's already plenty to cover before we even get into our whiskey. 
Our whiskey theme was sourced juice, or essentially whiskey producers that buy whiskey from other distillers. This practice takes many different forms. Jamie is drinking Holla Bourbon Whiskey, a 4 year wheated bourbon, while Mark is drinking The Senator Straight Rye Whiskey sourced from MGP. Holla Spirits is primarily a vodka company with an incredibly wide range of infused vodkas, from jalapeno to pickle to cotton candy. They use higher grade ethanol from either corn or cane.
Our lean topic was CEOs who “go to the gemba,” specifically referencing recent Wall Street Journal articles featuring Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi driving an Uber and Starbucks brand-new CEO Laxman Narasimhan being trained and working as a barista. While there is a lot these articles don't tell you, we have to draw some conclusions about whether these efforts are well-intentioned or not. We didn't like the barista with gold cufflinks or the Uber driver ignoring important calls from his General Counsel. 
We did conclude that there are three dimensions to this practice to get right, and all three must be right for this practice to be worth the effort. First, you have to get the intention correct. Second, you must execute it with the right spirit and curiosity. Third, you have to do the right things with what you learn, not just fixing specific problems but challenging business model assumptions or improving major systems of how the company works.
Links From the Show:
Mark's book page to find out more when The Mistakes That Make Us will be released
Jamie's blog, where you can find the People Solve Problems podcast release
Mark's recent blog post about Glenns Creek Distillery and creativity-before-capital kaizen
NBC News covering sourced whiskey
Whiskey Advocate covering sourced whiskey
Jamie's whiskey from Holla Spirits, a 4-year Wheated Bourbon, distilled by Southern Distilling Company in North Carolina and blended by Cloonaughill Celtic Malts in York, PA
Mark's whiskey, The Senator Straight Rye Whiskey, a 4-grain blend distilled by MGP in Lawrenceburg, IN 
Uber's CEO driving covered by Wall Street Journal as well as Business Insider and Inside Hook 
Starbucks CEO trains and works as a barista, as covered by Wall Street Journal
Jamie's past blog about Undercover Boss, and Mark's past blog about a hospital CEO going undercover 
Mark's recommended podcast is Culture by Design
Jamie's recommended podcast is Stuff You Should Know 
Podcast feed at LeanWhiskey.com or leanblog.org/leanwhiskey or jflinch.com/leanwhiskey 
Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform! 

Episode page with video and more
What do you do when you are chosen as Jim Murray’s US Micro Whiskey of the Year? You pop in to join Mark and Jamie on Lean Whiskey to talk about it. At least that’s what our friend David Meier of Glenns Creek Distilling did in Episode 38. While we were able to drink, and celebrate, the success of OCD #5, we also explored David’s continued learning, problem solving, and improvement of whiskey production. We also learned that he was featured on an episode of Moonshiners: American Spirit, more of a documentary exploring the production of American spirits than the original show. 
After David departs, Mark and Jamie discuss a recent report featured on NBC outlining that 1 in 4 hospital visits result in adverse events. This comes from a recent study on patient safety published in the New England Journal of Medicine. We break down the statistics, explore the real meaning behind those numbers, and discuss the causes and contributing factors. Throughout the dialogue we cover process improvement, problem solving, near misses, organizational learning, and psychological safety. We also spend time looking at Dr. Don Berwick’s editorial about the study, and at least try to summarize his contributions to patient safety. 
Mark and Jamie wrap up the first episode of 2023 talking about books. We hope everyone has a wonderful 2023. Happy New Year, and Cheers! 
Glenns Creek Distilling’s OCD #5 selected US Micro Whiskey of the Year
Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible website
Moonshiners: American Spirit
Glenn’s Creek Distilling 
NBC’s reporting that 1 in 4 patients experience adverse effects, and the New England Journal of Medicine published study behind the statistic
Patient safety advocate Don Berwick’s Commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine
Upcoming webinar hosted by Mark on the proposed National Patient Safety Board
The Economist’s reporting on today’s healthcare system challenges around the world
Jamie’s book recommendation Ikigai
Mark’s future read: If I Betray These Words: Moral Injury in Medicine and Why It's So Hard for Clinicians to Put Patients First 
Podcast feed at LeanWhiskey.com or leanblog.org/leanwhiskey or jflinch.com/leanwhiskey 
Please review us and follow! 
 

Mark Graban & Jamie Flinchbaugh
Alternative title: “I’ll have a half-caff no-whip soy-milk chestnut praline latte… to-go”
Episode page with video and links
In Episode 37, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays with some new (to us) holiday cocktails.
Mark tries the Bourbon Flip, and Jamie makes a Hot Buttered Bourbon. Neither will likely be in our regular rotation of cocktails, but they suit the “spirit” of the holiday season and might be a nice treat to make for guests. 
Your hosts explore the possible reinvention of Starbucks, which began with the return of CEO Howard Schultz. The stores have faced numerous pressures…increasing volume, increasing complexity, and growing barista dissatisfaction. Can these challenges be overcome by lean applied at the store level, or are more structural changes and innovations needed to get the job done? We explore a recent Wall Street Journal article about Starbucks' transformation and walk back to the beginnings of their lean journey over 10 years ago. Some of the problem statements examined: SKU proliferation, new blenders, and store layouts. We may start seeing a brand new layout for Starbucks stores, although the promised improves do not appear to be imminent. 
The hosts finish by exploring gift giving in the whiskey, and wine, genre, including a book recommendation from Mark on the history of the prohibition era in the US. 
Links From the Show:
Ted Stiles from Stiles Associates
David Meier's Glenn's Creek Distilling
Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant
Four Roses' hot buttered bourbon recipe
Used Mellow Corn Bottled in Bond for hot buttered bourbon

Bourbon Flip recipe
Made with Benchmark Bonded bourbon

Mark's 2nd pour, a Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Heavily Peated 
WSJ article Starbucks is Rethinking Almost Everything 
WSJ wrote about lean at Starbucks in 2009, and the same year, John Shook wrote about it for LEI
Starbucks' 3-day strike
LEI's 2020 book about lean at Starbucks, Steady Work
Book on the history of prohibition: Last Call
Podcast feed at LeanWhiskey.com or leanblog.org/leanwhiskey or jflinch.com/leanwhiskey 
 

In Episode 36, Jamie Flinchbaugh is joined by Chris Kauzmann, an Adjunct Faculty and Innovator in Residence at Lehigh University. Chris, a self-described “bottom shelf” whiskey drinker, joins Jamie to sample some Nikka Coffee Malt Whiskey and Blue Run High Rye Bourbon. 
We explore design thinking, which is both distinct from lean but also inherently consistent. The terminology is often quite different, but the essence of the work is very similar. Removing our biases and gaining insight through genuine exploration, whether to develop a business idea or improve a process or anything else, is one such example. Along the way, we cover many aspects of our shared experiences…the student entrepreneurs of Lehigh University that Chris supports and teaches full time and Jamie occasionally shows up to make a contribution. 
We close by deciding which building on Lehigh University's beautiful campus we would most want to convert into a whiskey bar, although we are quite certain that no one will allow us to do this.
Links From the Show:
Chris Kauzmann on LinkedIn
Old Crow, a typical selection for Chris
Nikka Coffey Malt Whiskey
Blue Run High Rye Bourbon
Lehigh University's Baker Institute  
Giana Jarrah's With Meraki Co, a student-founded startup
Sam Benchaghib's Make A Change World and Sungai Watch
Practicing Lean by Mark Graban 
Podcast feed at LeanWhiskey.com or leanblog.org/leanwhiskey or jflinch.com/leanwhiskey

In Episode 35, Mark is recently back from his Scotland gemba visit. He isn't tired from jet lag, or from whiskey, but nevertheless, Mark and Jamie both end up complaining about being tired. Maybe we're just…old (gasp). We also didn't plan our color coordination (for those on video).
Episode page with video and more 
"We’re tired, but not tired of whisky. A gemba walk will pick us up..."
We focus this episode on going to the gemba in the making of scotch whisky, from Mark's recent trip. We talk about what is learned by going to the gemba, both in general and specific to whisky. You can hear more about peat, malting, distilling, and maturing, including is maturing inventory or a value-adding step? 
Of course, we also select scotch as our whisky of choice, opting for more obscure selections that you may not have heard of. Both were excellent. 
We also spend a little time talking about work retreats, whether it be for writing a book as both Mark and Jamie do, strategic thinking as Bill Gates would do, or just simply reflection and planning. We conclude by discussing what job at a distiller we would most like to do, although neither of us likely has the requisite skills. Slainte!
Links From the Show:
Jamie at the National Association of Corporate Directors Summit
Mark heading soon to the Association of Manufacturing Excellence and the Iowa Lean Consortium conferences. Look for him!
GE's Larry Culp's message. 
Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, Admiral Stavridis at NACD
Jamie's whisky selection Kilchoman
Mark's whisky selection Glen Scotia
Where are Islay, Jura, Campeltown?
Ron Swanson's visit to Lagavullin
Journeyman in western Michigan, Two James in Detroit, and Traverse City Whiskey up north
The Multnomah Whiskey Library in Portland
Jamie's post: how to do an effective personal work retreat

Episode page: https://leanblog.org/whiskey34
In Episode 34, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh begin by belatedly celebrating the 3rd birthday of Lean Whiskey. No, this wasn’t a pandemic-launched podcast, although if we hadn’t started it yet it probably would have become one. We also learn of Mark’s pending trip to Islay, where an awful lot of good whisky is produced. Apparently, Jamie wasn’t invited to record an “on location” episode. 
Most of the episode we explore the challenges, benefits, and approaches to developing and seeing through the crazy ideas. This conversation builds from an episode of Mark’s My Favorite Mistake podcast in which he interviews 1-800-FLOWERS founder Jim McCann. FedEx founder Fred Smith told McCann that shipping flowers via FedEx wouldn’t work. Not only did Jim not fold in the face of Fred’s advice, he eventually partnered with FedEx to bring this program to life. But bringing big ideas to life is about more than just ignoring the doubters, but adjusting or trimming the idea, learning through rapid testing, and having the courage to move forward through adversity as our explanation of the Netflix story examines. 
We wrap up exploring another crazy idea, whiskey made from crabs. Well, that’s not technically true, but it is distilled crab stock added to a bourbon base, and specifically to raise awareness about the invasive green crabs that destroy the mussel population. Tamworth Distilling from New Hampshire are the brains behind this particular project. Thanks to our friend Dan Markovitz introduced us to this idea. Maybe Mark will detour his trip to Scotland towards New Hampshire instead.  
Happy 3rd birthday to Lean Whiskey, so here’s Episode 1
Mark heading to the Isle of Islay with their classic distilleries 
Jamie working with Lehigh University on building an accelerator (back of Jamie’s head in the photo while leading the design team)
Mark and Jamie both engaged with KaiNexus
Mark’s Moscatel Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Woodinville near Seattle 
Jamie’s Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel, see their bourbons and recipes
Our discussion builds on this episode of Mark’s My Favorite Mistake podcast with 1-800-FLOWERS founder Jim McCann, with this excerpt of the featured point
What’s crab whiskey all about? Check out Crab Trapper
Podcast feed at LeanWhiskey.com or leanblog.org/leanwhiskey or jflinch.com/leanwhiskey 
Please review us and follow!