Buy the Numbers cover art

Buy the Numbers

Buy the Numbers

By: Mike Payne
Listen for free

About this listen

 A deep dive into the financials of running a Manufacturing business.2024 Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Don't Just File the Return — How Smart Tax Planning Pays Off Over Time, Ep #40

    Don't Just File the Return — How Smart Tax Planning Pays Off Over Time, Ep #40
    Feb 12 2026
    Too many manufacturers treat taxes as a once-a-year compliance exercise. You gather the documents, sign the return, write the check, and move on. But the reality is that tax planning is one of the most powerful strategic tools available to business owners, especially in capital-intensive industries like manufacturing. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I'm joined by Dylan Valentyn and Julie Helms from CliftonLarsonAllen to walk through what manufacturers should actually be thinking about as they prepare their 2025 returns and look ahead to 2026. This conversation builds on recent tax law changes and focuses less on loopholes and more on decision-making, timing, and tradeoffs. We talk about accounting method changes, bonus depreciation, R&D tax credits, inventory strategies, and real estate considerations, but always through the lens of practicality. Just because you can take a deduction doesn't always mean you should. The right answer depends on cash flow, growth plans, ownership structure, and even your long-term exit strategy. If you've ever wondered whether you're leaving money on the table or pulling the wrong levers at the wrong time, this episode is a reminder that the biggest tax wins usually come from planning ahead, asking better questions, and having the right advisors in your corner. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:00) Why tax planning should go beyond annual compliance(0:58) Introducing Dylan Valentyn and Julie Helms from CLA(2:51) Cash vs accrual accounting and when switching methods makes sense(6:39) How Factur can help you build out your sales pipeline (7:47) Using accounting method changes to manage cash flow timing(10:19) What didn't change in recent tax law and why that matters(11:39) Bonus depreciation returns: what qualifies and key dates to know(13:47) Net operating losses, carryforwards, and practical limits(17:34) Timing deductions vs paying taxes over the life of the business(18:42) Section 174 changes and catching up prior-year R&D costs(21:30) What qualifies as R&D in manufacturing (without lab coats) (25:00) How to achieve on-time delivery with ProShop ERP(26:54) Economic risk, contracts, and who really owns R&D(29:36) Process changes, automation, and integration as R&D opportunities(31:29) Training vs experimentation and where R&D begins and ends(34:44) Inventory strategy considerations, including LIFO timing(37:12 Cost segregation studies and accelerating building depreciation(38:53) Qualified production property and manufacturing-specific benefits(40:22) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders—and how you can use it (40:54) Why proactive CPA relationships matter more than tax software Resources & People Mentioned Unlocking Tax Savings: Essential Strategies You Can Implement Immediately, Ep #10The One Big Beautiful Bill: What Manufacturers Need to Know Now, 474Get a free report of opportunities in your industry from FacturMFG.com/chipsMaximizing Tax Savings: R&D Credits, Entity Selection, and the Work Opportunity Credit, Ep #11Get ProShop's guide to on-time deliveryUse Hire MFG Leaders for your next recruit Connect with Dylan & Julie from CLA Connect with DylanDylan.Valentyn@CLAConnect.comConnect with JulieJulie.Helms@CLAConnect.com Connect With Buy the Numbers Follow on LinkedInConnect with Mike Payne on LinkedIn Subscribe to Buy the Numbers on Apple + Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • The Cost of Quality — Why Getting It Right Is the Fastest Way to Get Paid, Ep #39

    The Cost of Quality — Why Getting It Right Is the Fastest Way to Get Paid, Ep #39
    Jan 29 2026
    Quality is often treated like a cost center in manufacturing. Something we have to do to satisfy customers, auditors, or certifications. But in my experience, quality is much more than that. It's one of the biggest drivers of cash flow, reputation, and long-term profitability in a shop. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sat down with Mehul from Ground Control to talk through the real, often hidden, cost of quality. Our conversation starts with a simple but critical idea: parts don't get paid for unless the paperwork is right. You can machine a perfect part, ship it on time, and still watch payment get delayed weeks or months because an inspection report or FAI is missing or incorrect. That reality reframes quality documentation from "extra work" into a core financial process. We walk through the full value chain of quality, from inspection planning and bubbled prints to in-process checks, scrap, rework, and external escapes. Along the way, we talk about where shops lose the most time and money, how better systems can prevent problems before they happen, and why catching issues internally is always cheaper than letting them reach the customer. This episode is a practical look at quality as prevention, protection, and leverage. If you've ever dealt with late payments, chargebacks, rejected paperwork, or rework that quietly eats margin, this conversation will change how you think about the true cost of quality. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:00) A real-world quality failure and why documentation mistakes are so costly(1:30) Meeting Mehul and the origin story behind Ground Control(5:01) Grow your top and bottom-line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)(6:12) Why quality documentation is directly tied to getting paid(12:00) Why bubbled prints are the essential first step of quality planning (14:16) Using automation and AI in quality without removing human judgment(15:15) How Factur can help you fill a qualified sales pipeline (16:21) The time and labor cost of manual quality processes(19:07) Prevention vs correction: how better planning reduces scrap and rework(20:31) The importance of in-process checks and smarter inspection strategies(23:26) Why quality education must extend beyond the quality department(24:07) Mark your calendars and come see us at IMTS 2026(25:07) Reporting quality data with or without a fully integrated QMS(26:54) Internal vs external failures and why external escapes are far more expensive(28:55) Supplier scorecards, penalties, and long-term reputation risk(31:40) How paperwork errors can erase margins and delay cash flow(35:56) Reframing quality as a revenue generator, not just a cost center(39:56) When quality failures become safety, legal, and life-or-death issues(41:48) Quick hits: key KPIs, common myths, and no-cost improvements(44:10) How to connect with Mehul and learn more about Ground Control Resources & People Mentioned Grow your top and bottom-line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)Get a free report of opportunities in your industry from facturmfg.com/chipsMark your calendars and come see us at IMTS 2026 Connect with Mehul Shah Ground ControlConnect on LinkedIn Connect With Buy the Numbers Follow on LinkedInConnect with Mike Payne on LinkedIn Subscribe to Buy the Numbers on Apple + Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Owning the Problem: Why Accountability, Communication, and Culture Drive Throughput, Ep #38

    Owning the Problem: Why Accountability, Communication, and Culture Drive Throughput, Ep #38
    Jan 15 2026
    One of the patterns I keep seeing in manufacturing has nothing to do with machines, software, or technology. It shows up in how teams respond when something goes wrong. In this episode of Buy the Numbers, I sat down again with Josh McKain from Throughput Mastery to talk about the habits that actually drive throughput, especially accountability, communication, and culture. Josh has now hosted more than a dozen live conversations with manufacturing owners and leaders, and what stood out to me is how often completely different topics circle back to the same root issue. Whether the discussion starts with cash flow, sales, hiring, or quality, it almost always ends up at communication. The shops that move forward aren't the ones avoiding hard conversations, they're the ones willing to own problems and work through them together. We talked through real, practical examples from the shop floor. Scrapped parts, heat treat failures, non-conformances, and rework are going to happen. The difference is how leaders respond. Even when something isn't technically your fault, it's still your responsibility to solve if you want to deliver for customers and keep improving. This conversation also pushed into leadership and culture. Delegation matters, but abdication is dangerous. Some things, like cash flow, culture, and accountability, are too important to fully hand off. If you're trying to build a shop that consistently improves and doesn't rely on blame as a coping mechanism, this episode will resonate. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:57) Welcoming Josh McKain back to Buy the Numbers(1:41) Josh explains Throughput Mastery and the structure of his leadership groups(4:10) Why small, trusted groups unlock vulnerability and honest discussion(5:43) The most consistent takeaway across episodes: communication(7:51) How trust, not technology, becomes a true sales differentiator(9:10) Showing customers systems, not just machines, to build confidence(11:52) Using data to prove on-time delivery and reliability(12:33) Overcoming manufacturing stereotypes in hiring(14:51) Why authenticity matters more than polished marketing(17:36) Taking responsibility for workforce challenges instead of assigning blame(19:15) Scrap, rework, and why problem-solving is cultural, not procedural(21:22) We detail how Factur can generate new opportunities for your business(23:09) Using non-conformance reports to drive continuous improvement(24:55) Applying AI tools to uncover overlooked process improvements(27:24) Identifying trends through NCR data and KPI reviews(31:18) Why cash flow is too important to fully delegate(32:26) Delegation vs abdication and what leaders must always own(36:24) Can culture be measured? Using simple scoring to track trends(40:39) Combining "gut feel" with turnover and HR data(41:59) How to connect with Josh and participate in Throughput Mastery Resources & People Mentioned Paul Van Metre: Your Tech Stack is Your Best Sales ToolArthur Field: Smashing the "Dark, Diary & Dangerous" Stereotypes in ManufacturingThe Tech Stack Advantage: Turning Software into a Sales Tool for Machine Shops, 465Get a free custom report of opportunities in your industry from facturmfg.com/chipsJim Mayer: The Skills Gap is a Symptom; the Culture Gap is the CrisisMike Payne: Cashflow KingScaling Success: Managing Growth Through Data and Culture, Ep #13QBQ! The Question Behind the Question Connect with Josh McKain Connect on LinkedInThe Throughput ShowThroughput Mastery Connect With Buy the Numbers Follow on LinkedInConnect with Mike Payne on LinkedIn Subscribe to Buy the Numbers on Apple + Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
No reviews yet