Eric Strickler is the Head of Marketing at Functional Devices, a company that manufactures electronic control products for HVAC, building automation, and industrial control systems. Under Eric's leadership, Functional Devices produces more than 4 million products annually, with a field failure rate of less than one in 16,000, and its Relay in a Box line has become synonymous with quality and reliability in the sector. With a diverse background spanning sales, marketing, and B2B consulting, Eric brings a customer-centric and data-driven approach to driving growth and operational excellence.

Manufacturing in the US has never been simple, but staying innovative while keeping customers at the center is a different kind of challenge. What does it really take for a manufacturing company to remain relevant, competitive, and trusted over decades without losing sight of the people it serves?

According to Eric Strickler, a seasoned manufacturing and operations leader, the answer starts and ends with genuine customer focus. He explains that at the strongest companies, this mindset isn't a slogan but a shared behavior, from leadership all the way to the production floor, where even the smallest component is treated as mission critical. That kind of discipline creates reliability, trust, and staying power in an industry where failure of a single part can bring an entire system down.

In this episode of In Good Company: Where Relationships Drive Results, Lisa Kilrea is joined by Eric Strickler, Head of Marketing at Functional Devices, to discuss redefining customer focus and innovation in US manufacturing. They explore how customer-centric thinking drives long-term competitiveness, why simplicity and quality fuel product longevity, and how marketing and operations must align to create demand.

Joel Onyshuk is the Vice President of Sales at Formic, a company that helps manufacturing leaders address labor and operational challenges through robots-as-a-service for end-of-line automation. Under Joel's leadership, Formic has worked with thousands of manufacturers to deliver rapid automation solutions that drive operational savings, such as 20% reductions in OPEX costs and dramatic productivity improvements. Joel is also a podcast host and content creator, known for his relational approach to leadership and insights on innovation, growth, and building strong business cultures.

As manufacturing demands intensify, automation is no longer a luxury — it's a necessity. Yet automation still feels out of reach for many. What if the biggest barrier isn't the technology itself, but the way we think about adopting it?

According to Joel Onyshuk, a seasoned manufacturing sales leader with extensive experience in high-growth environments, the answer lies in removing friction from the process entirely. He explains that automation works best when it's treated like a service, not a massive capital gamble, allowing teams to point to a problem and have it solved without disruption. That shift doesn't just accelerate adoption, it changes how manufacturers compete, adapt, and stay resilient in a fast-moving industry.

In this episode of In Good Company: Where Relationships Drive Results, Lisa Kilrea is joined by Joel Onyshuk, Vice President of Sales at Formic, to discuss making automation accessible and effective for modern manufacturers. They explore how robots-as-a-service lowers barriers to automation, why software is becoming just as critical as hardware, and how automation helps address labor and productivity challenges.

Lisa Kilrea is the Founder of WSI eResults, a leading digital marketing agency that specializes in helping manufacturers, distributors, and B2B companies grow through AI-powered, data-driven strategies. With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience and a proven track record, Lisa has led WSI Results to deliver standout lead generation and revenue growth in the industrial sector. Her background includes work with major brands like Quaker Oats and BP Petroleum, and she's known for pioneering innovative marketing tactics that blend traditional expertise with cutting-edge digital solutions.

Search used to feel predictable. Today, it's happening everywhere at once, inside AI tools, chat interfaces, and platforms that never existed a few years ago. So how do businesses stay visible when the rules of discovery keep changing?

For Lisa Kilrea, the answer starts with a mindset shift. Drawing from her experience as a digital marketing strategist focused on complex B2B buying journeys, Lisa explains that SEO has evolved into "search everywhere optimization," where being cited by AI tools matters as much as ranking on Google. She points to how buyers now do deep research inside large language models before ever visiting a website, compressing the sales cycle and raising the stakes for authority and trust. The takeaway is clear: companies that adapt early don't just keep up, they gain a measurable edge as search behavior transforms.

In this episode of In Good Company: Where Relationships Drive Results, Lisa Kilrea, Founder of WSI eResults, is interviewed by Chad Franzen of Rise25 to discuss navigating SEO in an AI-driven world. They explore why SEO is now the backbone of digital strategy for manufacturers, how AI tools are reshaping buyer research and conversions, and what "search everywhere optimization" really means in practice. Lisa also shares advice on measuring SEO success through conversions instead of vanity metrics.