“One of our core values is family orientation, and that’s something that’s been here since day-one. It’s everything. It’s making employees feel at home here. They spend a lot of time here during the week, they’re hear more than with their family, so we want them to feel comfortable. We want to make it an easygoing place for them.”
—Kody Guidry, General Manager at Coastal Machine Supply
From a part-time job in college to becoming an equity partner in a thriving machine shop, Kody Guidry‘s journey is anything but conventional. In this episode, we explore how Coastal Machine is scaling operations into defense, aerospace, oil & gas, why Kody supports hiring and training inexperienced talent instead of pursuing seasoned machinists, and how developing a strong employee pipeline is just as crucial as a sales pipeline. Plus, we discuss diversifying the business, investing in tech, and building a family-oriented culture.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- 1:36 Kody Guidry’s journey from machinist to equity partner at Coastal Machine.
- 9:53 A family-oriented culture is a core value.
- 12:47 The shop’s investment in technology, marketing, and workforce development.
- 13:35 Coastal’s growth strategy includes technology and diversifying the business.
- 17:39 Why Coastal is focusing on hiring and training green talent.
- 18:44 The importance of having an employee pipeline—just like a sales pipeline.
- 21:52 Kody’s advice to his younger self and what it takes to succeed in manufacturing.
“If you know you’re going to be buying machines later on, how are you going to fill the machines? You have to start recruiting now, months ahead of even ordering the machine.”
—Kody Guidry, General Manager at Coastal Machine Supply
Links Referenced:
- Coastal Machine Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/
- Datanomix: https://datanomix.io/
- mfgmavericks.com: https://mfgmavericks.com