{"podcast":{"title":"The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast","slug":"the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974","podcast_index_feed_id":6619974,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast/","website_url":"https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/d60303ca-06f9-4428-b377-d92c00793503/hJJTQNtCfVPB4sQZH5QGHh6l.jpg","author":"Dwayne Kerrigan","episode_count":152,"summary":"Welcome to The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast. Dwayne has navigated the business world for over 35 years, owning close to 30 businesses in 12 distinct industries. Today, entrepreneurship often seems more about glitz, glamour, and a celebrity venture. On this podcast, Dwayne collaborates with overlooked but accomplished entrepreneurs, delving into their journeys of forging exceptional enterprises. Join them as they share their personal journeys, lessons learned, and strategies that keep them moving forward. Let’s celebrate the true essence of entrepreneurship and inspire the next wave of business trailblazers.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-22T22:17:36.518679+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974"},"episode":{"title":"135: The Lean Maniac: Paul Akers on Eliminating Waste","slug":"135-the-lean-maniac-paul-akers-on-eliminating-waste","published_at":"2026-04-15T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974/135-the-lean-maniac-paul-akers-on-eliminating-waste","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974","url":"https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com","audio_url":"https://pdcn.co/e/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/5ef92b35-cc11-43f0-944d-a4f066030344.mp3","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…","meta_description":"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…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4199,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974/episodes/135-the-lean-maniac-paul-akers-on-eliminating-waste/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974/135-the-lean-maniac-paul-akers-on-eliminating-waste.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}