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• MLC Lean Virtual Coffee with Tricia Hembling

  • When
    Friday, September 12, 2025
  •  
    8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Join us for a MLC Lean Virtual Coffee!

  Virtual | Free For Members | 8:30am - 9:30am

  The Lean, Value-Centric (Product) Organization Imperative

  The nature of work has fundamentally shifted. The pace of change has never been faster or the competitive landscape more challenging.  Successful organizations recognize that work is now emergent requiring them to organize around the flow of value to enable a tight alignment from strategy to outcomes while minimizing waste.  It is no longer good enough to be efficient; we must also be effective.  We will explore how we identify and organize around value, the components required to establish a value-centric operating model, and the results this transformation can drive for your organization.

  Speaker: Tricia Hembling
  Modern Value-centric (Product) Organization Transformation Leader | Slalom

  Tricia is a business and technology leader with over 25 years of professional experience in all aspects of creating value-centric organizational structures, cultures and practices for a wide array of organizations from top consulting firms to Fortune 500 companies, and technology start-ups.  Her primary focus over the past two decades has been bringing a pragmatic approach to help organizations go from surviving to thriving and shifting their culture from traditional to adaptive and resilient, all while reducing cost and time to value and accelerating their ability realize their strategies. 

  
  

  What is a Virtual Coffee?

  A Virtual Coffee offers a relaxed and engaging platform to connect with Lean professionals and explore meaningful discussions in a collaborative virtual environment. These sessions combine the best of our Coffee Chats and Book Club, offering a platform to discuss all things Lean, share professional challenges, and explore solutions with like-minded peers. 

  • Opportunity to connect with other Lean practitioners and like-minded individuals. 

  • Attendees are able to ask questions, interact with the presenter and other attendees virtually.  

  Why attend?

  • Leverage Collective Knowledge: Tap into the expertise of our MLC membership. 

  • Focus on Lean Implementation: Discuss practical applications of Lean tools and strategies. 

  • Networking Opportunities: Expand your network of Lean professionals. 

  • Share and Learn: Exchange best practices and gain insights from others' experiences. 

  • Stay Engaged: Stay connected with the MLC community and learn about upcoming events. 

  Join us for a session filled with ideas, insights, and inspiration—all from the comfort of your home or office!

  Cost

  Members: Free

  Non-Members: $20

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  
  

  Show details
• 2025 MLC Student Competition at Lean Solutions Summit

  • Start
    Wednesday, September 24, 2025
  •  
    8:00 AM
  • End
    Thursday, September 25, 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • Location
    Detroit, MI

  Register

  

  2025 MLC Student Competition at

  Lean Solutions Global Summit

  
  

       

  
  

  A DYNAMIC TEST OF TEAMWORK, CREATIVITY, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

  Three teams set to compete in this fast-paced, hands-on challenge where real-world problems meet innovative student solutions. Modeled after the Lean Excellence World Championship, this student edition provides future Lean leaders to take on a live Kaizen-style challenge designed to push the limits of collaboration, critical thinking, and continuous improvement.

  Student formed teams of four will use a catapult system to observe and collect process data. The teams will then be challenged to create the most standardized and repeatable process they can develop throughout the competition. As a team they will be working together to identify and reduce variation in a fun competitive setting! Teams will be scored on their use of the methods, the results of their catapult throws, their ability to work together as a team, and more!
  

  Student Teams:

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Opportunities to Support:

  
  

  Your contributions will help provide students the ability to attend Lean training and events now and in the future.

  
  

  Competition Sponsor $500: 

  Your donation will help fund the student competition, allowing students and coaches to compete and attend the Summit with minimal costs. Sponsors will have the option to include their logo on the student competition t-shirts, a sponsor banner that will be displayed throughout the 2025 Lean Solutions Global Summit, and the MLC Student Competition event webpage. 

  Advertising Sponsor $100: 

  Your donation will help fund the student competition, allowing students and coaches to compete and attend the Summit with minimal costs. Sponsors will have the option to include their logo on the  sponsor banner that will be displayed throughout the 2025 Lean Solutions Global Summit and the MLC Student Competition event webpage.

  Penny Wars: 

  Support your favored team by casting votes through our online "Penny Wars". Each vote will contribute towards the Popular Vote portion of the Student Competition. Your donation will help fund the student competition, allowing students and coaches to compete and attend the Summit with minimal costs.

  
  

  Donors can choose from 3 online voting options: 

  $5 = 1 Vote for your favored Team

  $20 = 10 Votes for your favored Team

  $50 = 50 Votes for your favored Team

  Select your Teams "Penny War" link and Vote Today!

  
  

  Registered guests of the 2025 Lean Solutions Global Summit may elect to cast their Penny War votes in-person at the Michigan Lean Consortium Booth.

  
  

  Competition winners will be announced at the 2025 Lean Solutions Global Summit on Thursday, September 25th.

  MLC Student Fund: 

  MLC Student Fund: We've made it easy to support the MLC Student Fund. Your donation will help provide current and future students the ability to attend Lean training and events. Select the Scholarship Fund link on this Student Competition page to donate $50 towards the fund, or to donate another amount of your choice contact admin@michiganlean.org for a link to donate another amount of your choosing.

  
  

  

  
  

  Sponsors:

  
  

  
  

  

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  

  
  

  Show details
• Gemba Tour - Menlo Innovations

  • When
    Friday, October 03, 2025
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    339 E Liberty, Ste 210, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • Spaces left
    18

  Register

  
  

  MLC Gemba Tour – Menlo Innovations

  October 3, 2025 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

  339 E Liberty, Ste 210, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

  
  

  Come experience the Menlo Innovations Software Factory! We invite you to experience the joyful and disciplined methodologies that are the foundation on which we have built our business culture. On this tour, a pair of Menlo team members will spend 90 minutes guiding you through the Menlo “factory” while sharing our practices, culture, and values. Plus, you'll have time to ask us any questions you want- really, ask us anything your heart desires!

  Some commonly covered topics include:
  

  • How Menlo built an intentional culture focused on joy and agility
  • How we handle our projects, from user-centered iterative design to visual management to show-and-tells with our clients
  • How pairing and strategically rotating resources through project teams, departments, or roles can cut down on "towers of knowledge"
  • How to promote collaboration in your work environment
  • Using High-Tech Anthropology® to create products people want to use
  • Running experiments as a way to pursue culture change
  • What a lack of traditional HR means for our team in relation to hiring, promotion, and feedback
  • How we adjusted our culture/practices to support a hybrid work environment

  
  

  Bonus for Attendees

  When you register to attend the Menlo Gemba, you’ll receive a complimentary copy of your choice of Joy Inc. or Chief Joy Officer, two powerful books by Menlo co-founder Richard Sheridan.

  • Joy Inc. shares the story of how Menlo Innovations created a culture of joy in the workplace through radical transparency, collaboration, and purpose-driven work.

  • Chief Joy Officer dives deeper into the leadership principles that sustain joyful cultures, offering guidance on how to lead with authenticity, trust, and humility.

  These books offer valuable insights that complement your Gemba experience—helping you take the joy back to your own organization.

  

  Logistics

  Who Should Attend?
  This event is perfect for Lean professionals, continuous improvement leaders, and anyone interested in hands-on problem-solving through real-world observation.

  Parking

  Limited metered street parking is also available near the building. Maximum parking time is 2 hours.

  Parking Structures

  Liberty Square Parking Structure

  This structure is located at 510 E Washington Street with a pedestrian exit on Liberty Street, a block east from our location.

  Library Lane Parking Garage

  This underground garage is located at 319 S. Fifth Avenue. Access the lot by turning on Library Lane from either Fifth Avenue or Division Street. Our location is one block north of this garage.

  Registration Cancellations
  

  We understand that plans change. In the event you are unable to attend an event, refunds will be issued in full for cancellation refund requests received in writing via the events@michiganlean.org email at least seven (7) days before the event. Refunds will not be issued when less than a seven (7) day notice is provided. After submitting your cancellation refund request via email, please allow up to ten (10) business days for your refund to be processed. If the event is rescheduled, all purchases will be honored for the rescheduled event date. If the event is cancelled, all purchases will be refunded in full.
  

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  
  

  Show details
• MLC Lean Virtual Coffee with Author Elizabeth Swan

  • When
    Friday, October 10, 2025
  •  
    8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Join us for a MLC Lean Virtual Coffee with Author Elizabeth Swan!

  Virtual | Free For Members | 8:30am - 9:30am

  What we are Reading:

  Picture Yourself A Leader by Elizabeth Swan

  Picture Yourself a Leader is a guidebook designed to help problem solvers hone their leadership skills by recognizing growth opportunities and learning from real-world experiences. Through stories and illustrated vignettes, Elisabeth Swan shares lessons from her own stumbles and those of others, offering readers practical insights and invitations to experiment with their habits, mindsets, and skills as they develop their potential.

  The book defines leadership as untethered to titles or positions yet critical to influence and problem-solving. Whether leading a life, a team, or an organization, the micro-lessons provide actionable ways to improve collaboration, recognize strengths, and navigate common challenges. From listening better to breaking down silos, each chapter invites reflection and encourages readers to embrace their flaws while building better pathways for themselves and others.

  Grounded in methodologies like Lean, Practice Kata, and Six Sigma, the book offers a low-risk approach to testing new behaviors and discovering what works. With its unique combination of storytelling, illustrations, and practical advice, Picture Yourself a Leader serves as a versatile resource for professionals at any stage, helping them foster innovative, people-focused cultures while addressing everyday leadership challenges.

  Author

  Elizabeth Swan 

  President | Swan Consulting & Associates, Inc

  
  

  Elisabeth is a co-founder of Just-in-Time Cafe learning nexus, and co-host of the Just-in-Time Cafe podcast with mission to lift all boats with a rising tide of continuous improvement.

  She has consulted in the business process performance industry for over 30 years. Her experience spans from helping local non-profits expand their reach to guiding Fortune 100 companies through Lean Transformations. She has mentored thousands of people in improvement efforts generating millions in savings. She has deep experience coaching problem solvers and guiding leadership to operational excellence.

  An innovative educator, she was the co-designer and instructor for Lean Six Sigma Leadership Course at University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She is the Lead Instructor for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt at UC San Diego Health, and she also designs and runs Lean Six Sigma courses at UC Davis, and the University of Denver.

  She is the award-winning author of, Picture Yourself a Leader: Illustrated Micro-Lessons in Navigating Change, and the second edition of her co-authored, Problem Solver’s Toolkit: A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Your Lean Six Sigma Journey, is publishing in early 2025.

  What is a Virtual Coffee?

  A Virtual Coffee offers a relaxed and engaging platform to connect with Lean professionals and explore meaningful discussions in a collaborative virtual environment. These sessions combine the best of our Coffee Chats and Book Club, offering a platform to discuss all things Lean, share professional challenges, and explore solutions with like-minded peers. 

  • Opportunity to connect with other Lean practitioners and like-minded individuals. 

  • Attendees are able to ask questions, interact with the presenter and other attendees virtually.  

  Why attend?

  • Leverage Collective Knowledge: Tap into the expertise of our MLC membership. 

  • Focus on Lean Implementation: Discuss practical applications of Lean tools and strategies. 

  • Networking Opportunities: Expand your network of Lean professionals. 

  • Share and Learn: Exchange best practices and gain insights from others' experiences. 

  • Stay Engaged: Stay connected with the MLC community and learn about upcoming events. 

  Join us for a session filled with ideas, insights, and inspiration—all from the comfort of your home or office!

  Cost

  Members: Free

  Non-Members: $20

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  
  

  Show details
• MLC Lean Virtual Coffee

  • When
    Friday, November 14, 2025
  •  
    8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Join us for a MLC Lean Virtual Coffee!

  Virtual | Free For Members | 8:30am - 9:30am

  What is a Virtual Coffee?

  A Virtual Coffee offers a relaxed and engaging platform to connect with Lean professionals and explore meaningful discussions in a collaborative virtual environment. These sessions combine the best of our Coffee Chats and Book Club, offering a platform to discuss all things Lean, share professional challenges, and explore solutions with like-minded peers. 

  • Opportunity to connect with other Lean practitioners and like-minded individuals. 

  • Attendees are able to ask questions, interact with the presenter and other attendees virtually.  

  Why attend?

  • Leverage Collective Knowledge: Tap into the expertise of our MLC membership. 

  • Focus on Lean Implementation: Discuss practical applications of Lean tools and strategies. 

  • Networking Opportunities: Expand your network of Lean professionals. 

  • Share and Learn: Exchange best practices and gain insights from others' experiences. 

  • Stay Engaged: Stay connected with the MLC community and learn about upcoming events. 

  Join us for a session filled with ideas, insights, and inspiration—all from the comfort of your home or office!

  Cost

  Members: Free

  Non-Members: $20

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  
  

  Show details
• MLC Lean Virtual Coffee

  • When
    Friday, December 12, 2025
  •  
    8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Join us for a MLC Lean Virtual Coffee!

  Virtual | Free For Members | 8:30am - 9:30am

  What is a Virtual Coffee?

  A Virtual Coffee offers a relaxed and engaging platform to connect with Lean professionals and explore meaningful discussions in a collaborative virtual environment. These sessions combine the best of our Coffee Chats and Book Club, offering a platform to discuss all things Lean, share professional challenges, and explore solutions with like-minded peers. 

  • Opportunity to connect with other Lean practitioners and like-minded individuals. 

  • Attendees are able to ask questions, interact with the presenter and other attendees virtually.  

  Why attend?

  • Leverage Collective Knowledge: Tap into the expertise of our MLC membership. 

  • Focus on Lean Implementation: Discuss practical applications of Lean tools and strategies. 

  • Networking Opportunities: Expand your network of Lean professionals. 

  • Share and Learn: Exchange best practices and gain insights from others' experiences. 

  • Stay Engaged: Stay connected with the MLC community and learn about upcoming events. 

  Join us for a session filled with ideas, insights, and inspiration—all from the comfort of your home or office!

  Cost

  Members: Free

  Non-Members: $20

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  
  

  Show details
• 2026 MLC Annual Conference

  • Start
    Tuesday, August 04, 2026
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • End
    Friday, August 07, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    460 W Western Ave, Muskegon, MI 49440
  • Spaces left
    123

  Register

  
  

  Save the Date

  August 4 - 7, 2026

  VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center

  460 W Western Ave

  Muskegon, MI 49440

  
  

  New To The MLC?

  At the MLC, we do our best to be inclusive at every level of experience, whether it’s a conference, Gemba walk or any other of our membership activities.

  An individual or organizational membership gives you a year’s worth of great Lean learning and networking at low- or no-cost!

  
  

  Conference Cancellation Policy

  We understand that plans change. In the event you are unable to attend an event, refunds will be issued in full for cancellation refund requests received in writing via the events@michiganlean.org email at least seven (7) days before the event. Refunds will not be issued when less than a seven (7) day notice is provided. After submitting your cancellation refund request via email, please allow up to ten (10) business days for your refund to be processed. If the event is rescheduled, all purchases will be honored for the rescheduled event date. If the event is cancelled, all purchases will be refunded in full.

  Show details