Bill Hathaway Reflects on a Quarter Century of MoreSteam

MoreSteam is celebrating 25 years of process improvement! In this episode, MoreSteam founder and CEO Bill Hathaway joins the show to talk about all the milestones, mistakes, and defining moments. Bill shares stories from his early days in manufacturing, including a memorable encounter with instrument panels that didn’t quite fit (spoiler: kicking them wasn’t the best solution). He also talks about the leap from corporate life to starting MoreSteam, how the company got its unique name, and what it was like running the business out of his home—with his dog as VP of Security.

The conversation covers lessons in leadership, the evolution of process improvement, and why unglamorous work is often the most important. Bill also reflects on the future of MoreSteam and the role of technology, like generative AI, in solving tomorrow’s problems. Join us for a candid discussion about the past, present, and future of Lean Six Sigma, operational excellence, and continuous improvement at MoreSteam.

 

In this episode, you will hear about:

1:59 - Bill’s First Experiences with Quality and Process Improvement

5:36 - The Beginning of MoreSteam

10:49 - The Name of the Company

13:36 - The Challenges of Running a Business Out of Your Home

15:17 - Moving Into MoreSteam’s First Office

18:10 - Mistakes Along the Way

22:53 - From Content to Software: EngineRoom

25:10 - Bill’s Secret to Leadership

28:06 - Connecting to MoreSteam’s Mission

30:12 - In Praise of Unglamorous Activities

31:26 - The Future of MoreSteam

35:50 - The Team Sport of Continuous Improvement

 

Additional Resources:

Bill Hathaway on LinkedIn

In Praise of Unglamorous Activities

Quality Time with MoreSteam on Facebook

Quality Time with MoreSteam on Instagram

Quality Time with MoreSteam on LinkedIn

MoreSteam's Website

Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter

MoreSteam on LinkedIn

MoreSteam's YouTube Channel

Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn

 

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