HIRED! The Podcast (Ft. Chris Stevens) | Ep. #56
How to Stay Relevant in a Disrupted Industry
On this episode of HIRED! The Podcast, host Travis Miller sits down with Chris Stevens, PMO Business Excellence Manager at Abbott and founder of The Home of Manufacturing, to talk about the rapid evolution of the manufacturing industry—and what professionals must do to keep up.
Chris shares how a personal pain point turned into a thriving platform, and why upskilling, adaptability, and decentralizing decision-making are the real drivers of progress in today’s industrial world. “If your technology is over 10 years old,” he says, “you’re probably already behind.”
Building a Platform to Connect the Industry
What began as a search for trade shows became The Home of Manufacturing, a free, community-driven resource unifying industry voices and events. With over 8,000 events listed and hundreds of curated creators, Chris’s platform helps professionals find answers, inspiration, and each other.
“There really wasn’t a good, free source of information that people could use to share and gain knowledge,” Chris explains. “So I built it.”
Why Upskilling Is Everything
From automation to ERP systems, the tools of manufacturing are evolving faster than ever. But Chris believes the real shift is in the mindset. “The best companies are intentionally learning every month,” he says. “They send someone out to explore new tools, then bring that knowledge back to the team.”
In today’s world, upskilling in manufacturing is no longer optional—it’s what separates thriving organizations from stagnant ones. That’s a major theme of Chris’s upcoming podcast, Manufacturing Nation, which aims to spotlight the untold stories of frontline problem-solvers.
Leading Through Flexibility
Chris shares how modern leaders are moving away from rigid systems and embracing flexibility, empowerment, and small-scale wins. “Too many companies chase the one-size-fits-all solution,” he says. “But the future belongs to those hitting consistent singles, not swinging for the fences.”
The conversation covers everything from industry 5.0 trends to workforce culture shifts—and how businesses can plan for uncertainty without falling behind.
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