Zachary Elkins, Chief Operating Officer of LFG Manufacturing, Real Leadership

Zac Elkins didn’t wait for the supply chain to fix itself. He built his own.

As COO of LFG Manufacturing, Power Design’s specialty manufacturing division, Zac is leading one of the boldest vertical integration bets in the electrical industry. When COVID-era backlogs pushed switchgear lead times from 12 weeks to nearly two years, most contractors adjusted. Zac and the LFG team invested millions, bought the equipment, stocked two years of copper and steel…and started manufacturing their own.

LFG stands for “Let’s Freaking Go.” And it’s more than a name—it’s the mindset behind a company that refuses to blame the market.

In this episode of Real Leadership, Zac shares how a billion-dollar “mom and pop shop” is disrupting the electrical supply chain, why apprenticeship programs are the future of skilled labor, and how a scarcity mindset is the fastest way to lose.

In this episode, we cover:

🔥 Turning a 90-week supply chain crisis into a manufacturing company
🔥 Why holding two years of inventory isn’t risk—it’s opportunity
🔥 The data center boom and what it’s doing to construction economics
🔥 Reinventing apprenticeships (and cutting dropout rates from 80% to 20%)
🔥 Lessons learned from burning bridges early in your career
🔥 Building competitive, culture-driven teams that don’t think small

From digging ditches in his dad’s electrical business to overseeing 85% in-house switchgear production, Zac’s story is about ownership of mistakes, of opportunity, and of the entire supply chain.

If you’re in construction, manufacturing, workforce development—or just trying to build something that lasts—this one’s for you.

Key Moments

07:28: The Decision to Manufacture Switchgear

10:56: LFG's Manufacturing Journey and Innovations

14:15: Inventory Management and Financial Strategy

16:39: Industry Evolution and Future Outlook

24:15: Addressing Skilled Worker Shortages

28:56: Innovative Apprenticeship Programs

31:20: Lessons from the Family Business

36:40: Cultivating a Competitive Mindset

39:42: Setting Goals in a Growing Organization

 

Show Notes

• Zac Elkins — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyelkins/ 
• Power Design Inc. —  https://www.linkedin.com/company/power-design-inc-/ 
• Contact Zac: zelkins@powerdesigninc.us 
• Jim Weaver — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jim-weaver-36457418
  Real Leadership Podcast: realleadership.oningroup.com 
• Real Leadership — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104897916/

The Ōnin Group: oningroup.com/clients