Two things have helped me build my small manufacturing business: keep it 100% private to avoid the influence from other owners with little skin in the game, and use only US-made materials and components. My criteria for suppliers and fabrication partners - I should be able to reach them by car within one hour. As a Christian-owned company we will generally seek out other Christians as our suppliers. Works great. We have zero supply chain issues. Decisions are influenced solely by customer input and our own innovation. Growth might be slower than otherwise possible, but we prefer growing something solid like an oak tree as opposed to a fast-growing pine that gets knocked over by the first gust of wind. Some aircraft components are of course nearly impossible to source in the US.