In this episode of The Radical Job Shop Show, Emily Joann Wilkins sits down with Paul Hendricks, president of Creston Industrial Sales and co-founder of the Advanced Manufacturing Expo (AME).

Paul shares the story behind AME’s origin, his journey from construction to owning a top industrial distribution company, and the leadership philosophy that’s helped him build a thriving business and community.

From rigging in massive machines to saving clients hundreds of thousands of dollars with smarter tooling choices—this conversation goes deep on what it really takes to lead in manufacturing today.

Thanks to our friends at Creston Industrial Sales who've backed our mission since day one. We were able to kick things off live at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Learn more about Marketing Metal’s work with Radical job shops:https://www.marketingmetal.com/how-it...

🚀 Ready to build a brand that attracts better-fit work?Book a call with Emily: https://www.marketingmetal.com/the-setup

Timestamps

0:00 – Intro: Who is Paul Hendricks?

1:06 – 10 Years of the Advanced Manufacturing Expo

2:47 – “Rigging Day” and Cutting Thor’s Hammers

5:00 – How AME Got Started

8:00 – Building a Local Show with Real ROI

10:42 – Creston’s Origin Story

13:00 – Paul’s Leap into Ownership

14:00 – Learning on the Job + Industry Shifts

16:00 – Saving Clients $280K with Smarter Tooling

18:30 – True Cost vs. Price in Manufacturing

19:45 – Leading with Humility and Building a Team

21:10 – Mentorship, Advisory Boards & Accountability

22:40 – What’s Next: Automation, AI & Smarter Systems

25:00 – Why West Michigan is a Manufacturing Destination

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