Episode 24: 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:
In Praise of Unglamorous Activities
Quality Time with MoreSteam on Facebook
Quality Time with MoreSteam on Instagram
Quality Time with MoreSteam on LinkedIn
Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter
Continuous Improvement Platform
Exploring the Potential of AI in Process Improvement
Subscribe to Quality Time with MoreSteam
Host • MoreSteam
Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.
CEO • MoreSteam
MoreSteam is the brainchild of Bill Hathaway. Prior to founding MoreSteam in 2000, Bill spent 13 years in manufacturing, quality and operations management. After 10 years at Ford Motor Co., Hathaway then held executive level operations positions with Raytheon at Amana Home Appliances, and with Mansfield Plumbing Products.
Bill earned an undergraduate finance degree from the University of Notre Dame and graduate degree in business finance and operations from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
