Why Reliable Manufacturing Must Be an Entrepreneur’s Best Friend

Getting a business off the ground requires more than just a good idea. You need around-the-clock work, tireless grit, and near-limitless determination. Everyone who is a successful entrepreneur already knows this; anyone who wants to be must learn it quickly.

Lost in all this talk of individual will, however, is one other necessity: a great set of partners. In most sectors, you need reliable suppliers and manufacturers that you can count on to provide quality materials on time — every time.

That isn’t as easy as it might sound. Beyond finding manufacturers that can deliver at the level you demand, just receiving quality materials is not always enough.

With that in mind, it’s key to know what to look for in a partner and how to prioritize the values you need to succeed. The following guidelines will help you get there.

Being Budget Conscious

Especially at the beginning of any venture, budgets are tight. Scrimping and saving is just a way of life. You can’t get everything you want, so you need to make do and find workarounds. Author Mike Michalowicz has a clever name for those workarounds in this startup phase: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.

His philosophy makes a lot of sense and can be seen as a useful stepping stone to future success. Those fortunate few who start out lucky with limitless cash end up wasting a lot of it. They never learn how to prioritize as their life depends upon it — because it doesn’t. On the other hand, you will learn much more, including how to get the most out of every order with your manufacturer, when you’re forced to stretch your limited resources.

Understanding Actual Value

At the same time, it’s important to realize that price isn’t everything. Sometimes there are just no savings to realize with your manufacturer. You need to understand when tradeoffs can be made and where you simply cannot budge. After all, if you compromise too much in certain areas of the manufacturing process, that’s how you end up with defects, complaints, a bad reputation, and maybe even lawsuits and recalls.

As a rule, the most essential parts are not where you look for bargains. When quality matters the most, get what you need to create an optimal end product. This is one reason why — especially early on as you’re learning the ropes — it helps so much to partner with the right manufacturer. They likely have some experience in these areas and can help you understand all your options. While a partner only in it for the best returns will constantly look for the upsell, a real friend will shoot you straight and try to make sure you both win in the end.

The Details Always Matter

While the big-ticket items will understandably dominate your thinking — and your budget — try not to overlook anything. The smaller parts within your supply chain represent potential points one failure, and it is amazing how many companies cheap out just to save a few pennies and then get bitten for it down the line.

Seeing poor material quality in the seemingly “small things” is common among unreliable, lower-tier manufacturers. This should be a tell. For example, if they don’t prioritize the details on the material quality of rubber seals, fasteners, and gaskets, how much can you trust them with everything else? Your weakest link can break you, so it always pays to have materials that you can rely on. If your manufacturer doesn’t understand that, they probably don’t understand you as a customer.

Why Reliable Manufacturing Partners Are So Important

In modern business terms, we all think about our supply chains. For massive conglomerates, this mentality makes sense. Even smaller entrepreneurs are wise to read up and learn as much as they can on the principles of manufacturing and delivery throughout the chain.

Still, on some level, they aren’t just our suppliers, they are our partners, and we can even come to see them as friends. Supply chain management has major effects on the company’s bottom line, and you need to learn to maximize revenue by analyzing everything and finding areas to streamline.

Be budget conscious — but not too much. Know the true value and what is worth spending on. Finally, don’t forget that the details matter. If you can find manufacturers who are reliable and align with you on these key areas, this may just end up being the beginning of a beautiful friendship.