{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"How to Grow a Small Fabrication Shop without Losing Control","description":"What does it take to run a fab shop, scale a personal brand, and merge two business models\u2014without losing your mind? In this episode, the Ross Brothers, Rodney Ross &amp;amp; Austin Ross joined us from South Dakota to share how they're navigating their journey of running two different welding businesses. One is rooted in boots on the ground fabrication. The other? A YouTube channel that has turned into a full-blown brand &amp;amp; welding instruction hub. They talk openly about burnout, balancing visionary leadership with structured execution, and the real impact of building your personal brand (even as a welder). This episode is for the folks trying to grow fast, stay grounded, and keep the fire lit in the middle of the chaos.&amp;nbsp; You'll learn:&amp;nbsp; - What it looks like to delegate when you're still in the thick of it - Why YOUR personal brand matters; influencer or not - How staying authentic on and off the screen opens doors Timestamps: 01:06 \u2013 Welcome to MakingSparks 04:58 \u2013 How Mid-State Welding started after years on the pipeline 06:34 \u2013 Austin\u2019s YouTube journey and the birth of Ross Welding 09:55 \u2013 Why their personalities had to collide to make this work 14:14 \u2013 TV appearances, Magnolia Network, and what \u201cnatural integration\u201d actually looks like 20:35 \u2013 Building trust online through value, not sales pitches 26:34 \u2013 How Rodney leads young welders with \u201cThere\u2019s always a way\u201d 33:36 \u2013 Delegation, burnout, and finding your first real hire 39:20 \u2013 Should you train green or hire top talent? Here\u2019s what\u2019s working 45:07 \u2013 Final thoughts on grit, gratitude, and moving forward together  Resources:  Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/g\/1Dspnz4Qt5\/&amp;nbsp;  Lights Out podcast by MakingChips: https:\/\/www.makingchips.com\/lights-out  By The Numbers with Mike Payne: https:\/\/www.makingchips.com\/by-the-numbers  Mid State Welding: https:\/\/www.midstate-welding.com\/  ARossWelding: https:\/\/www.arosswelding.com\/ ","author_name":"Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders","author_url":"https:\/\/sites.libsyn.com\/540547","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/37236975\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/190265085"}