63. Prepared + Persistent: How Coastal Machine Broke Into Aerospace & Defense

I sat down with Kody Guidry of Coastal Machine & Supply for a conversation that was both fun and really meaningful. I've known Kody and the Coastal team for years now, and it has been incredible to watch their transformation from a 30-person oil and gas machine shop into a 60-person precision manufacturing company serving oil and gas, space, aerospace, and defense.

In this episode, Kody shares how Coastal made the decision to diversify after the oil and gas downturn, pursued AS9100 and ITAR, and slowly but persistently built its way into new markets. We talk about how ProShop helped free up the team's time, improve visibility, support customer audits, and give Coastal the digital backbone it needed to execute at a higher level. Kody also shares the story of how one aerospace opportunity started with a supplier referral, then turned into a year of persistent follow-up before finally becoming real work.

This is a conversation about preparation, execution, and persistence. Coastal didn't stumble into aerospace and defense by accident. They built the foundation, showed customers they were a lower-risk supplier, and kept showing up until the opportunity came. Now, with new partners, major growth plans, and a renewed focus on hard-metal manufacturing, Coastal is aiming to become one of the premier space and defense manufacturing companies in the country.

Resources Mentioned

Coastal Machine & Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/ Kody Guidry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kodyguidry Coastal Machine & Supply on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coastal-machine-%26-supply-inc- ProShop ERP: https://proshoperp.com/ Medora Manufacturing's investment in Coastal Machine & Supply: https://coastalmachinesupply.com/medora-manufacturing-makes-long-term-majority-investment-in-coastal-machine-and-supply-inc/ SpaceX Starbase Louisiana announcement: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/spacex-launches-new-era-of-commercial-spaceflight-with-100-billion-louisiana-campus AS9100 standard: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/as9100d/ ITAR / DDTC: https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/ddtc_public