Episode
135: The Lean Maniac: Paul Akers on Eliminating Waste
- Podcast
- The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast
- Published
- Apr 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4199
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com
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Summary
Paul Akers started FastCap in his garage with no MBA, no funding, and one simple conviction: fix what bugs you. Today FastCap ships over 2,000 products to more than 40 countries, and runs on a philosophy so simple it fits in two words — eliminate waste. In Part 1 of this conversation, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with Paul to unpack the Lean methodology that made it all possible, and why it has nothing to do with manufacturing. In this episode: Paul breaks down the eight wastes of Lean thinking — overproduction, transportation, inventory, defects, over-processing, wasted motion, customer waiting, and wasting human potential — using a Costco toilet paper run as the most memorable example you'll ever hear Why Paul calls himself a "Lean maniac", not a lean practitioner: "How do I improve this? And how do I make it easier for everyone around me?" — the two questions that drive every decision at FastCap The communication standard Paul holds his entire organization to: no one should ever have to ask you a question twice, and why every back-and-forth email chain is a symptom of a deeper waste problem How FastCap documents every single process — from cleaning a toilet to setting up a $250,000 injection molding machine — using eight-step visual SOPs, QR codes, and unlisted YouTube videos that any employee can access instantly Why Paul starts every Lean implementation the same way, regardless of company size: the bathroom. And why every visitor to FastCap — including presidents of major corporations — cleans the bathroom before they're allowed a tour The mindset Paul refuses to argue with: if you're not ready to change, he's not interested in convincing you — and why that boundary is itself a Lean principle Episode Highlights: 00:00 - No Questions Twice 00:22 - Podcast Welcome 00:5…