NIH Syndrome
Don’t let Not Invented Here (NIH) Syndrome get in your way! You as an entrepreneur (or manufacturer or maker or craftsperson or small business owner or whatever you call yourself) probably pride yourself on being open to new ideas. And not without reason – you probably ARE far more... Read More...
Favoritism in the workplace
Yes, it’s something that can be awkward to talk about… but we all have people we naturally do and don’t connect with. Or people we would or wouldn’t choose to spend time with. This is true in all arenas, from romantic partners to family members to coworkers to members... Read More...
Business Structures 2
You know that there are several legal structures a business can take. And if you’ve read our most recent Zattattat article, you’re familiar with the most common structures in the US for for-profit companies of all sizes. But of course there are also… Less-Common Business Structures (And as you... Read More...
Business Structures
Yes, it’s a topic that’s a little on the dry side. But how you structure your business (in the legal sense) is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make as a business owner. And it’s also a decision that you may choose to re-evaluate over time as... Read More...
Personality Types
Yes, the most successful teams (not only in business but in government, nonprofit, or even in recreational endeavors) achieve their success by bringing together people with a range of perspectives. That’s why this week we’re continuing our recent series of articles where we’ve branched out a bit from our... Read More...
Psychological Safety
Psychological Safety Yes, research has shown that psychological safety is a key determiner of success for teams of all sizes and for all types of endeavors – from business to government to nonprofit. And yes, you as a small business owner need to think about the team environment you’re... Read More...
Age Diversity in Your Workplace
You as a small business owner have a million things on your plate already. There’s the technical side of your manufacturing process, the marketing and sales side of the business, the inevitable legal and logistical issues that arise… But yes, if you’re not 100% self-employed (meaning, if you have... Read More...
Lean Six Sigma
You care about both quality and efficiency on your manufacturing line (or your production floor or your workshop or whatever you call it!) But did you know that these two aims are not always at odds? Many small business owners assume that they are, that speed necessarily comes at... Read More...
The Toyota Way
If you’re a regular here at Zattatat, you know that we mainly stick to advice on operations, and even more specifically, manufacturing. But sometimes it’s useful (or even necessary!) to step back and look at the institutional context that’s required for a given manufacturing practice to succeed. No surprises... Read More...
Toyota Production System
Yes, the Toyota Production System (TPS) was invented by the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, which is now a multinational conglomerate. But it’s relevant to your small- or medium-sized business too! See, TPS is just one of many different models for Lean Manufacturing. And while lean isn’t the best approach... Read More...
THE ZATTATAT CAST:
Meet the characters with the skills & Zattatudes who can help engineer your manufacturing success
Princess Capybara
Age: 35
Background: Biotech
Current Gig: Mold-Making
Zattatude: Seeks to geek out with the top tech she knows best
Gary
Age: 44
Background: Accounting
Current Gig: Baking
Zattatude: Lives to figure out how everything in life adds up
Process Cat
Age: Timeless
Background: Manufacturing
Current Gig: Helping People
Zattatude: Loves to teach others how to scale up their businesses
Rhonda
Age: 53
Background: Nursing
Current Gig: Woodworking
Zattatude: Celebrates ditching her bureaucratic hospital job for her hands-on craft business