The Laser Lounge Podcast at Pate Ranch

Beyond the Laser: Scaling Your Shop with Sandcarving - Brandon with IKONICS Imaging

Welcome back to the show, everybody! Today, we are pulling back the curtain on a technology that completely bridges the gap between standard customization and ultra-premi

Remove the Friction: Make Your Business Easier to Run and Easier to Buy From

In this episode of The Laser Lounge, we’re talking about friction — the hidden inefficiencies, waste, confusion, and unnecessary steps that quietly cost your small busine

K-Shaped Economy: How Business Owners Can Pivot and Sell Smarter

Sales are not dead, but the customer is changing. In this episode, James and I are talking about the K-shaped economy and what it means for makers, small shops, and crea

The Middle is Gone: Our 2025 Wrap-Up & The K-Shaped Economy

James is back from Houston to kick off 2026 with some "real talk." We start by pulling back the curtain on our own 2025. What worked, what broke, and the numbers behind o

Behind the Scenes at GS2 Awards with Alison Todd

In this episode, I sit down with Alison Todd from GS2 Awards for an inside look at their award-making business, the story behind it, and how they bring recognition to lif

Writing Your Business Plan for a Maker Business.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the Maker/Laser Business Plan Template—section by section—and showing you how to actually use it to shape your business, not just fil

Scrappy Side Hustle vs. A Real Small Business

Today we’re digging into a conversation that every maker, laser owner, and creative entrepreneur needs to hear — the difference between a scrappy side hustle and a real-d

Upgrading Your Shop: Is That Big Equipment Buy Worth It?

Thinking about leveling up your shop with a big-ticket item like a UV printer? In this episode, I break down how I decided to pull the trigger on a major equipment upgrad

Opportunity Costs in the Maker Space

Welcome back to The Laser Lounge at Pate Ranch, the podcast where we talk all things laser engraving, making, and running a successful business in the maker world. I’m yo

Laser Engraving Firearms the Legal Way with Jeff Stockton

"Welcome to today's episode of The Laser Lounge Podcast! I'm thrilled to have a special guest joining us — Jeff Stockton, an expert in the art of firearm engraving. With

Targeting Success: Strategies to Win Over Your Next B2B Client

Welcome to "Targeting Success: Strategies to Win Over Your Next Client" with James Pate! In this session, we'll dive deep into the art of client acquisition. Whether you'

Tool Talk: How a New Addition (UV Laser) Transformed Her Workshop and Profits

We're excited to have a special guest from the woodworking and laser community. Amanda Schwarz, recently added a UV galvo laser to her workshop, and we're here to dive in

FlowPaper Marketing Campaign Application with Erik Engström

Mae Armstrong and I will be interviewing Erik Engström from FlowPaper. If you are not familiar with this tool it is excellent. Mae and I are both using this feature with

Live Working Session with Mae Armstrong in Adobe Express and FlowPaper

Excited to announce a live working session with Mae Armstrong tomorrow! She's a total rocktstar and whipped up a FREE Adobe Express template specifically for us laser ent

Making Neon Signs with Jenna Musgrave

Welcome to 'Glowing Creativity: Crafting Neon Laser Signs' Join us as we delve into the craft of making laser engraved neon signs. In this episode, we're thrilled to have

Beyond The Brim - Making Perfect Hats

We will have as special guests two hat guru's and talk about the do's and don'ts for making a perfect hat. We will also talk about the upcoming trends in materials and ha

UV vs. Fiber vs. CO2 Lasers - What to use when

Come listen to Mae Armstrong and I chat about what material and uses we like for each different laser. We will cover the 2D UV, 3D UV, Fiber and both CO2's (Galvo and Gan

Diversifying Product Offerings Through New Tools

James and I talk about our learnings of adding a new tool to our shop. We currently run 8 lasers and we recently added a CNC. We talk about some of the learning and buyin

Working With Influencers to Highlight Your Products

Howdy Lizards. We will have Michelle Mortman on a livestream on Friday to talk about working with influencers to highlight your products. She will highlight how to engage

Social Media Posting with Reagan Pate (KickinRSilver)

Do you want to hear how to make better social media posts - Insta & TikTok. Posts that resonates more with the younger gen? We will have Reagan in the house to show some