Normally people are used to seeing shops that have been in business for years, however it's not often that a brand-new shop is showcased as was the case with our Rainier Metal Works coverage. In Fall of 2024, our team visited Rainier Metal Works to hear their unique perspective on entering the market in the Seattle area. In this Clear the Air podcast episode, SMACNA spoke with Ryan Hoggatt, Kirk Mansanarez, and Caitlin Perez Robichaux, some of the company’s leadership team, to hear how the business was fairing 6 months after our visit.
While it is important to highlight how businesses have seen incredible success and growth over many years of service, highlighting the obstacles as well as wins that many new businesses face becomes a tool for others in the industry. This episode is an opportunity for our members across the country to learn new ways to empower workers, build leadership skills, and even network with fellow workers in the industry.
The Rainier workers and leaders’ experience provided the shop with immediate success as heard in the six-month update and SMACNA has already booked a follow up with them for a visit to share their story a little over a year later to see how things have changed, where they’ve expanded the business, and how they’ve built key trust in their customers and clients as a newcomer.
The Rainier Metal Works conversation was challenging in its own ways. Beyond scheduling conflicts of trying to solidify a meeting plan with busy shop leadership, putting together questions that will yield meaningful answers for our larger membership and audience requires careful crafting. This being a podcast episode with three speakers and just over 15 minutes, we needed to ensure that our speakers were providing valuable tips and insight for the audience we knew would be tuning in. While we trust the genuine voice of the speakers, we also needed to provide a guide through moderation. In this industry, you’re often hearing the voices of men and seeing the faces of the male workforce. It was especially important for us to highlight women leaders and give them a platform to share their unique experiences. Members, both male and female, benefit from a range of voices.
With the six-month update being a success, SMACNA has already booked a one year follow up visit with Rainier Metal Works to discuss their continued success, obstacles they’ve faced and overcome, and how their team has contributed to the continual improvement of the new business. We’ve also partnered with Ranier to bring their leadership in as speakers at our conferences so that they may pass on innovative ways they’ve been able to thrive in the market within their first year. This ensures that we’re not just highlighting a chapter in a member’s journey, but we’re helping them tell their story. As we shared, stories are valuable tools for our members, who are people and companies we exist to serve. When we can give a platform to a company like Rainier Metal Works over a longer period of time, our members can experience a deeper connection. Our initial visit served as a launchpad, and we feel this sets the tone for voicing future meaningful projects and company stories.