It sounds like a script for a reality TV show: You hire a business consultant to help organize your startup, only to discover he’s actually a high-net-worth investor in disguise, testing you for his next massive deal.

That is exactly what happened to Mike Vindler, CEO of Tronix3D.

In this episode of Thought Liters, we explore how that "undercover billionaire" moment became the catalyst for Tronix3D. Mike takes us from the early days of uncertainty to building an industrial empire that prints in grade-five titanium for aerospace and life-saving medical devices.

We also get the story of the "genius in the garage": Mike’s partner, Jason, who was hand-building 4K monitors for Samsung before the rest of the world caught up—and discuss why 99% of people are using 3D printing completely wrong.

In this episode, we cover:

-- The "Undercover Billionaire": The wild true story of the consultant who hid his wealth to test Mike’s character.

-- The "Genius" Partner: How Mike’s co-founder built tech for Samsung and Palmer Luckey out of his garage.

-- Building the Empire: Why Tronix3D isn’t printing cheap plastic toys, but rather replacing supply chains.

-- Sustainability: How they became the only facility in the US recycling 100% of their powder on-site.

-- The CEO’s Burden: The brutal honesty about what actually keeps a founder awake at night.

00:00 Intro

02:15 From Corporate to "The Real World"

08:40 Why Most People Use 3D Printing Wrong

14:54 The "Genius in the Garage": Meeting Jason

21:04 We Are The Only Ones Doing This (100% Recycling)

26:58 Fixing a Medical Device by Accident

34:37 The "Undercover Billionaire" Consultant Story

40:15 The Hardest Part of Scaling a Manufacturing Business

43:44 The Real Nightmare That Keeps CEOs Awake

47:55 The 3D Printing Buzzkill: Stop Printing Plastic Trash

54:10 The Future: Titanium & Aerospace

58:32 Where to Find Mike

WHAT IS THOUGHT LITERS?

Thought Liters is a series created and hosted by Adam Conner. On the show, Adam learns from the top of the world through the bottom of their glass. Each episode, we share a flight of local craft with the best and brightest brand minds around – whether it be an entrepreneur, an athlete, an artist, or otherwise. The questions evolve as the sip changes.

The show is proudly founded and produced in Pittsburgh, PA.

The whole goal is to have conversations about business with a more lighthearted look and feel. Adam thinks most business content is dry, and wants to change that.

If you’re interested, follow along! If not, that’s cool too. But if you wanna be where the thought leaders are…you’ll tune in to where Thought Liters is.