For Daniel Nieves, manufacturing is personal.
Before joining FloridaMakes as a Business Advisor for Southeast Florida, Daniel spent years inside his family’s elevator manufacturing business. He started on the warehouse floor as an assembler, learned to weld, worked with production equipment, and later moved into quality, plant operations, supply chain, engineering, and operations leadership.
That experience shapes how he works with manufacturers today.
“I was in your shoes not long ago,” Daniel said. “I was working with a FloridaMakes Business Advisor.”
Daniel understands the pressure manufacturers face every day: finding and keeping skilled people, managing costs, meeting customer expectations, improving operations, navigating supplier challenges, and still finding time to plan for what comes next.
Starting With the Right Questions
As a Business Advisor, Daniel does not start by listing programs. He starts by learning about the company.
“What do you do? What do you make? How do you make it?” Daniel said.
From there, he works to understand the challenge behind the challenge. A workforce issue may also point to training, culture, leadership, retention, or career pathways. A growth opportunity may require support with operations, suppliers, financing, technology, or regional connections.
For Daniel, the goal is to help manufacturers identify the right next step.
What Daniel Is Hearing From Manufacturers
Across Southeast Florida, Daniel says workforce continues to be one of the biggest concerns. Manufacturers are not only trying to find qualified people, they are also preparing for an aging workforce and looking for better ways to connect young people to manufacturing careers.
He also hears about cost pressures, supply chain needs, permitting challenges, and the difficulty of stepping back from daily operations long enough to work on the business.
Daniel understands that challenge because he has lived it.
Use the Network Available to You
One message Daniel wants manufacturers to hear clearly is this: they do not need to know every program, service, or partner before reaching out.
They just need to start the conversation.
“If you see something that you need, let me know, let us know, and we will help you,” Daniel said.
In Southeast Florida, Daniel works closely with the South Florida Manufacturers Association and the broader FloridaMakes network to help manufacturers access support tied to training, operations, supply chain, workforce, growth, and other business needs.
The manufacturer does not need to have the solution before making the call.
Start With the Challenge
For manufacturers who are not sure where to begin, Daniel keeps the message practical.
“What help do you need?” Daniel said.
From there, FloridaMakes can help manufacturers identify priorities, explore options, and connect with the right resources, partners, and next steps.
For Southeast Florida manufacturers, the first step can be simple.
Start with a conversation.
Connect with a FloridaMakes Business Advisor to identify your next step and learn more about the resources available to support your business.
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