How to Grow a Small Fabrication Shop without Losing Control | Ross Brothers

What does it take to run a fab shop, scale a personal brand, and merge two business models—without losing your mind? In this episode, the Ross Brothers, ‪@arosswelding‬ & ‪@midstatewelding3194‬ joined us from South Dakota to share how they're navigating their journey of running two different welding businesses. One is rooted in boots on the ground fabrication. The other? A YouTube channel that has turned into a full-blown brand & welding instruction hub. They talk openly about burnout, balancing visionary leadership with structured execution, and the real impact of building your personal brand (even as a welder). This episode is for the folks trying to grow fast, stay grounded, and keep the fire lit in the middle of the chaos. You'll learn: What it looks like to delegate when you're still in the thick of it Why YOUR personal brand matters; influencer or not How staying authentic on and off the screen opens doors Timestamps: 01:06 – Welcome to MakingSparks 04:58 – How Mid-State Welding started after years on the pipeline 06:34 – Austin’s YouTube journey and the birth of Ross Welding 09:55 – Why their personalities had to collide to make this work 14:14 – TV appearances, Magnolia Network, and what “natural integration” actually looks like 20:35 – Building trust online through value, not sales pitches 26:34 – How Rodney leads young welders with “There’s always a way” 33:36 – Delegation, burnout, and finding your first real hire 39:20 – Should you train green or hire top talent? Here’s what’s working 45:07 – Final thoughts on grit, gratitude, and moving forward together Resources: Join our Facebook Group for conversations that will help grow your business:   / 1dspnz4qt5   Lights Out podcast by MakingChips: https://www.makingchips.com/lights-out By The Numbers with Mike Payne: https://www.makingchips.com/by-the-nu... Mid State Welding: https://www.midstate-welding.com/ ARossWelding: https://www.arosswelding.com/