How I work, and why it's different.
Five rules that shape every engagement. If they sound like your kind of conversation, the next step is a 30-minute call.
A short honesty check before we get on the phone.
This Is For You If
- You own or run a small to mid manufacturer or industrial distributor
- You are tired of consultants who have never run a manufacturing or distribution company.
- You suspect you are leaving margin on the table and want a straight answer
- Your LTA renewal is coming up and you need outside perspective
- You inherited a family business and want a second pair of eyes
- You are building something new and want someone who has been through patents, trademarks, and federal litigation
What You Get From Working With Keaton
- A straight answer in plain English, not a 60 page slide deck
- Margin you can see on the next invoice, not a year from now
- An outside set of eyes that has actually run the machines and made payroll
- Decisions you can act on Monday morning, backed by real operator experience
- Your time and money treated like ours: fixed scope, fixed fee, no surprise invoices
Honest fits make honest work. If that sounds like your situation, the next step is a 30-minute call.
Diagnose Before Prescribing.
Most meetings start with questions, not answers. A pricing problem is sometimes a sales problem. A sales problem is sometimes a product problem. I get the diagnosis right first so the prescription gets easier.
Make It Here or Make It Overseas.
Real-world advice on where and how to produce. Domestic runs in Georgia and across the US, overseas sourcing in Asia and Latin America, or a hybrid of both. Lead times, tariffs, freight, labor, tooling, and prototyping, weighed against your margin and your timeline. You get an honest read on the trade-offs, plus hands-on help moving a product from prototype to first production run, wherever it makes the most sense to build it.
Operator to Operator, Not Podium to Audience.
No buzzwords. Battle-tested advice. I use the words you use on the shop floor: margin, surcharge, lead time, terms, cash. Real talk, on the phone or in the plant.
Discovery Call is Free.
Thirty minutes, no obligation. If we fit, I'll lay out a two-week paid diagnostic. If not, you walk away with an outside view and a few honest observations.
Everything Stays Between Us.
Confidentiality by default, not an upsell. Pricing, customer names, supplier issues, family business dynamics. Nothing leaves the conversation. NDA on paper if you want one.
Got something keeping you up at night?
Free. No pitch. Battle-tested advice. If I cannot help, I will tell you.