Fullerton Unfiltered Episode 940: “What Paul Akers Taught Me About Lean, Waste, and Fixing What Bugs You”
Host: Brian Fullerton | Guest: Paul Akers
Date: March 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of Fullerton Unfiltered, Brian Fullerton sits down with Paul Akers—innovator, author of "2 Second Lean," and champion of the Toyota Production System—for a rich, no-nonsense discussion on the principles of Lean, the elimination of waste, and how intentional process improvement can revolutionize any business or life. Recorded live at the Leanscaper Operations Intensive in Cape Coral, Florida, the conversation is energetic, practical, and filled with actionable ideas for entrepreneurs, tradespeople, and anyone looking to improve efficiency and profit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Paul Akers’ Background and FastCap Journey [01:09–04:00]

• Paul describes himself as “a carpenter, a simple guy,” who learned about Lean and the Toyota Production System 25 years ago and applied those principles to his cabinet-making business.
• FastCap, his company, began with a simple product (the FastCap screw-hole cover). Now, FastCap has 2,000 products in 40 countries.
• Paul’s business philosophy grew from solving small, real-world problems and grew as he listened to others’ ideas (paying inventors a 5% royalty).
• Memorable quote:

  “It's the simplest product in the world. But today, we have 2,000 products on the market.” — Paul [03:49]

2. What Lean Really Means [06:03–13:43]

• Lean is defined by Paul as “the elimination of waste.” He stresses there are eight major types of waste (overproduction, excess inventory, etc.).
• Paul calls Brian “the epitome of Lean” for his streamlined podcast setup:

  “You are Lean. I don't say that to people very often because most people are an effing disaster.” — Paul [06:09]

• Most workspaces are chaotic, filled with unnecessary items and over-processing. Lean is about simplifying, reducing steps, and removing anything that isn’t value-adding.
• Key Lean principle:

  “The only time there's value is when something is changing.” — Paul [10:51]

• The majority of people’s work lives are spent in “non-value” activities—even at the world’s leanest companies (Toyota, for example, estimates 95% of what they do is non-value add).
• Paul’s challenge:

  “99.9% of everybody's life is non-value.” — Paul [11:30]

3. The “Strike Zone” and Everyday Inefficiency [09:20–10:00]

• Paul introduces the “strike zone” concept: in work (and life), your most-used tools and processes should be within immediate reach, reducing wasted movement.
• Anecdote: “Most people are walking, turning, shuffling, bending over way outside the strike zone... Instead of having a hook right where you walk out the door, you grab the car keys, you get in the car.” — Paul [09:22]

4. The Mindset: Humility, Learning, and Continuous Improvement [12:54–14:39, 17:04–17:58]

• Paul values “learners” more than people who are just high performers:

  “There's something more important than a nine or a ten. In my mind. It's a learner. Someone who wants to change and learn.” — Paul [12:54]

• Humility and curiosity are the connectors; the “2%” of people who constantly ask why, seek discovery, and improve, are rare and valuable.
• Notable moment:

  “When the Japanese came into my plant 25 years ago... they told me, you have no clue what you're doing. I could have said ‘Do you have an airplane? I have two airplanes...’ Instead I said, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ and that changed everything.” — Paul [17:31]

• Paul asserts: Focus on those eager to learn; “You can’t save them all!” [18:11]

5. Common Waste & Practical Examples [15:28–16:27]

• Paul encourages listeners to start by noticing waste everywhere—not just the obvious business inefficiencies, but everyday things like food waste after a meal or cluttered presentations:

  “If you can just start to see waste everywhere... that's Lean thinking.” — Paul [15:28] “He put slides up... said, ‘I’m not going to read them.’ Why the hell did you put them up? The only thing should be the point you want to convey.” — Paul, referencing a speaker at the event [16:15]

6. Can Everyone “Get” Lean? [18:02–18:24]

• Paul is pragmatic: “No, I don’t bother with [the 98% who don’t want to learn]. All I do is focus on the people that want to learn and their success gets the interest of the other 98, and a couple more come on.”
• Memorable insight: “If you expend any energy towards these 98, you're wasting... your time.” [18:24]

7. Lean, Flow, and Intentionality [19:05–20:21]

• Lean isn’t robotic efficiency—it’s about “flow,” making every process smooth and frictionless.
• Intentionality alone isn’t Lean; you can be “intentionally organizing waste.”

  “You can organize waste and be proud of it too and feel like you're the best on the planet.” — Paul [20:19]

8. Resources and Paul Akers’ Work [20:25–21:13]

• Paul has written seven books, but “2 Second Lean” is the best-known and available for free (in 20 languages, video format, etc.) at paulakers.net.
• “Everything I do is free... all my books, voice message me on the app, ask me a question.”

9. Real-Life Transformations: Lean in Action [22:28–23:22]

• Paul shares his favorite Lean transformation: Tennessee Cheesecake, where 70 employees changed from “heads down doing their work” to “heads up, looking for improvements.” Now, the bakery uses standards, visual learning, and encourages curiosity and efficiency at every level.
• “It's like—it gives me chills when I think about it.” — Paul [23:15]

10. Legacy and Final Thoughts [23:30–24:26]

• Paul’s reach has affected “hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people’s lives.”
• His book is successful because it tells a real, practical story—“no theory, zero theory from Paul Akers.” [23:59]
• Brian notes firsthand seeing lean operations in major manufacturing plants versus inefficient ones.

Memorable Quotes & Attributed Moments

• On Lean:

  “Lean is essentially the elimination of waste.” — Paul Akers [06:09]

• On Value-Added Work:

  “The only time there's value is, is when something is changing.” — Paul Akers [10:51]

• On Humility and Growth:

  “Humility. I don't know. You... People who are humble are curious people and full of non stop discovery.” — Paul Akers [17:04]

• On Legacy:

  “I'm humbled by it.” — Paul Akers, regarding the global impact of his work [23:30]

• On Focus:

  “If you expend any energy, zero energy towards these 98, you're wasting... your time.” — Paul Akers [18:24]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:09] — Paul’s background and first FastCap product
• [06:03] — Brian’s podcasting—an example of Lean in action
• [09:20] — “Strike zone” principle explained
• [10:51] — “Only time there's value is when something is changing.”
• [12:54] — Learners vs. high-performers: “There's something more important than a nine or a ten… a learner.”
• [15:28] — Noticing waste in all areas of life
• [17:31] — Humility: Key to adopting Lean
• [18:24] — Why Paul doesn’t expend energy on the “98%"
• [20:25] — Book recommendations and resources from Paul
• [22:28] — Tennessee Cheesecake: Favorite Lean transformation story

Actionable Takeaways

• Start by noticing waste—physical, process, and even mental clutter—in your environment.
• Adopt the “strike zone” mentality: Arrange your workspace and routines so everything essential is immediately accessible.
• Focus on continuous improvement rather than perfection; celebrate learning and curiosity as core values on your team.
• Seek out and cultivate the “2%” who naturally question, improve, and adapt.
• Remember: Being Lean is about flow and improvement, not just being busy or organized for its own sake.

Resources

• Paul Akers’ books & resources: paulakers.net (all free)
• 2 Second Lean (video and print in 20 languages)

Final Thoughts

Brian’s energetic questioning and Paul’s forthright wisdom offer a masterclass in practical Lean thinking. Whether you're new to the concept or seeking ongoing improvement, this episode delivers actionable ideas, candid stories, and memorable advice—straight from the world’s preeminent Lean practitioner.