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The AC Method

The AC Method

Aaron Clippinger 149 episodes Latest Jun 4, 2026

The AC Method is a podcast about the custom manufacturing industry, hosted by Aaron Clippinger, a CEO with over 20 years of experience in consulting and business management. Drawing from his accounting background, Aaron shares organizational strategies and shortcuts for handling business situations. The podcast blends motivational and entrepreneurial advice with humorous storytelling, offering listeners best practices and insights from his work in the signage and software industries.

Episodes

#150 Why Brokerage Models Fail Jun 4, 2026 00:22:26 If you are running your business from a kitchen table while completely relying on subcontractors to deliver your physical client assets, your scaling potential is non-existent. Your custom brand reputation is entirely exposed to the broken timelines and empty promises of third-party vendors.In this episode, Aaron sits down with Shaun Ensign, CEO and co-founder of Legacy Sign Group, to analyze the
#151 Your Perfect Product is a Logistics Nightmare May 28, 2026 00:44:07 You can own the fastest machinery and design the most visually stunning assets in your region—but if your brand rollout cannot survive the final mile of execution, you do not have a scalable business. You have a logistical disaster waiting to happen.In this episode, Aaron sits down with Chad Haar, CEO and owner of Lakota Sky, to pull back the curtain on managing national rollouts for dominant reta
#149 Stop Pricing Like an Employee May 21, 2026 00:19:08 In this episode, Aaron breaks down the #1 mistake killing sign shop profits — underbidding your own work. From the employee mindset that keeps you pricing too low to the fear of losing deals that actually should walk away, Aaron shares the hard lessons every business owner needs to hear.🔥 Topics Covered:Why trading time for money destroys your growthThe four mindset traps keeping your prices lowWh
#148 Your Shop Is Hoarding Tools (And It’s Costing You Thousands) May 14, 2026 00:09:32 Do you actually know how many tools are in your installers' trucks? Aaron Clippinger recently discovered 14 Hilti drills in his shop—for only 6 installers. In this episode, he dives into the massive "blind spot" of equipment mismanagement and the cultural issue of employees hiding broken tools.Aaron reveals the new SquareCoil "Resources" feature: a Home Depot-style tracking system that monitors ma
#146 Your Competitors Are Your Best Salespeople Apr 30, 2026 00:29:07 In this episode, Aaron sits down with Rick Goyette, owner of All Mark Signs and Graphics, to discuss the "total teardown" of a legacy family business. Rick shares how he applied 30 years of corporate operations experience to move All Mark from a safety signage focus to a high-end custom project management powerhouse.They dive deep into the modern realities of the sign world: why answerin
#145 You Are the Bottleneck in Your Own Company Apr 23, 2026 00:13:27 Are you the most valuable person in your company, or its biggest obstacle? In this episode, Aaron Clippinger explains why being "busy" is the biggest lie entrepreneurs tell themselves. He reveals the exact framework he uses to "fire himself" every year to ensure he isn't the cog stopping his company's gears.Learn the "Keep, Coach, Kill, Replace" audit and how
#144 Why Your Estimates Are Killing Your Margins Apr 17, 2026 00:11:14 Fresh off the massive success at the ISA Expo, Aaron is pulling back the curtain on the most requested feature of the new SquareCoil platform: Precision Cost Accounting. In this episode, we move past the "cool AI tricks" and get into the brutal reality of shop floor labor, scope cards, and the human factor.Aaron discusses why your team—no matter how technical—has no excuse for not tracki
#143 Why Your 20-Year Business is Losing to a Startup Apr 2, 2026 00:13:00 In this episode, Aaron is on the "five-yard line" of the biggest launch in his company's history. Reflecting just days before the ISA Expo in Orlando, he reveals the brutal psychological reality of the long-term entrepreneur: the temptation to quit right before the finish line. Aaron breaks down why a "clean slate" approach is often superior to decades of evolution, how to shift your perspective
#142 Why Is Your Business Broke with a Full Schedule? Mar 26, 2026 00:51:03 Is your sign shop acting as an authority, or just another vendor? In this episode, Aaron sits down with Mike Davis of Hilltop Signs and Graphics to discuss the "Cheesecake Factory" trap of offering too many products and how a 3-day deep dive changed the trajectory of his business. They dive into the "Liquid Gold" of customer data, the necessity of wholesaler relationships, and the brutal reality
#141 Why You Aren't the CEO of Your Own Life Mar 19, 2026 00:12:19 In this episode, Aaron challenges the traditional way we look at leadership and potential. Returning from a grueling trip through Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Houston, Aaron reflects on a powerful lesson from the Iron Oak Society: we often fail as leaders because we try to see our own potential in other people's shoes. He breaks down how to stop "telling" and start "sharing," why true CEOs must ca
#140 Is Your Software Killing Your Growth? Mar 12, 2026 00:11:19 In this episode, Aaron is on the "five-yard line." After a year and a half of intensive development, he shares the raw journey of rebuilding the SquareCoil platform from the ground up. This isn't just a software update—it's a masterclass in recognizing when your current "engine" can no longer support your vision and having the discipline to start fresh. Aaron also dives into his recent experience
#139 This is the truth about running two sign companies at once Feb 26, 2026 00:30:43 What do you do with a bucket truck after Christmas light season is over? If you're Trevor, you start installing signs; and eventually build two separate companies from that single piece of equipment. In this episode, Aaron sits down with Trevor Lavy, a former utility lineman who stumbled into the sign industry through a power washing trailer, some vinyl graphics, and a whole lot of entrepreneuria

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