The Handcrafted Podcast: The Business of making things
Paul Mencel
33 episodes
2 days ago
Join the Network Summary: In this episode, Paul pulls back the curtain on how he actually hires at Philadelphia Table Company—what’s worked, what’s burned him, and how he’s refined the process as the team has grown to 10+ people. He talks about why “greatness is in the agency of others,” why waiting too long to hire can hold your whole business back, and how to know when it’s time to bring someone new into the shop or office. From vetting true self-starters to using 30/60/90-day check-ins and...
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Join the Network Summary: In this episode, Paul pulls back the curtain on how he actually hires at Philadelphia Table Company—what’s worked, what’s burned him, and how he’s refined the process as the team has grown to 10+ people. He talks about why “greatness is in the agency of others,” why waiting too long to hire can hold your whole business back, and how to know when it’s time to bring someone new into the shop or office. From vetting true self-starters to using 30/60/90-day check-ins and...
The Handcrafted Podcast: The Business of making things
16 minutes
2 months ago
Different Beats Best: Be the Purple Cow
In this episode of The Handcrafted Podcast, Paul revisits Seth Godin’s Purple Cow and lays out how makers break through by being deliberately different rather than chasing “best.” Sparked by a marketing convo earlier in the day, he reframes how to position a craft business so it stands out in a sea of look-alike messaging. He distills the approach into a set of practical moves: Difference over “best.” Compete by being meaningfully distinct, not by claiming superiority.Name your edge. Replace ...
The Handcrafted Podcast: The Business of making things
Join the Network Summary: In this episode, Paul pulls back the curtain on how he actually hires at Philadelphia Table Company—what’s worked, what’s burned him, and how he’s refined the process as the team has grown to 10+ people. He talks about why “greatness is in the agency of others,” why waiting too long to hire can hold your whole business back, and how to know when it’s time to bring someone new into the shop or office. From vetting true self-starters to using 30/60/90-day check-ins and...
