257: Thinking Differently About Access to Capital in Manufacturing featuring CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)

What does it really take to help manufacturers grow? It’s not just about cutting costs or chasing margins. It’s about understanding how capital really moves through your business. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Erik Skie, Jon Hughes, and Aaron Traut from CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) for a roundtable chat over beers (in spirit, if not literally).

We talk about why profitability is a decision, how to tell your story through your financials, and what manufacturers can do to attract capital and fuel real growth.

We also discuss opportunities like bonus depreciation and the Made in America initiative, giving manufacturers timely insights they can act on right now.

In this episode, find out:

• Why most manufacturers focus on price and cost but overlook capacity, and how filling unused capacity can unlock new profit.
• How profitability is a decision, not just an outcome, and how daily choices around people, machines, and space shape your results.
• Why you don’t manage financial statements; you manage the shop floor activities that create strong financials.
• How staying financially organized builds lender confidence through accurate books and clear storytelling.
• Why looking inside your business before seeking outside funding can uncover hidden capital in cash flow and working capital.
• How telling a clear, confident financial story helps your company stand out to banks and investors.
• And why when you get the fundamentals right, opportunity finds you. Capital naturally flows to disciplined, efficient manufacturers.

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “It’s not just about having the numbers, it’s about understanding the story behind them.” - Jon Hughes
• “Capital may come just because somebody loves what you’re doing and wants to help you do it for that next expansion.” - Aaron Traut
• “We don’t manage financial statements. We manage activities on the floor that create good financial results.” – Erik Skie

Links & mentions:

• Connect with Erik Skie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-skie-9599814/
• Connect with Aaron Traut: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-traut-manufacturing-distribution/
• Connect with Jon Hughes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonhughescpa/
• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), a professional services firm delivering integrated wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, outsourcing, and consulting services.
• Made in America (madeinamerica.gov), a U.S. government initiative led by the Office of Management and Budget that supports American manufacturing by promoting domestic production, strengthening supply chains, and ensuring federal investments prioritize U.S.-made goods.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.