"The Made in America Hour" podcast, presented by America's Inventor Lady and HomeTalk USA

Episode 42, 8:22:2026 - 100+ Years Strong: Why This American Factory Refuses to Sell Out to Foreign Competitors

39min | 08/23/2026|

9

Description

When 95% of the world’s pencils are mass-produced overseas with cheap materials engineered to snap and crumble, one American factory in Shelbyville, Tennessee stands strong.

In this episode of The Made in America Hour, co-hosts Michael King ("The Cajun Contractor") and Rita Crompton ("America's Inventor Lady") sit down with Scott Johnson, President & CEO of the historic Musgrave Pencil Company. Operating continuously since 1916, Musgrave is a testament to American grit, family legacy, and hard-nosed craftsmanship that outlasts cheap foreign alternatives.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The Heritage of "Pencil City, USA": How a small-town Tennessee mill started by bartering wire fences with local farmers for weathered red cedar became an iconic American producer.
Craftsmanship Over Cheap Imports: Why cheap foreign pencils break during sharpening, and how Musgrave utilizes US-harvested lumber and precision engineering across a 100-step manufacturing process to build a tool that lasts.
The Skilling of America: A passionate call for reviving technical trade schools over multi-thousand-dollar degrees—putting skilled trades like plumbing, electrical, and manufacturing back on top.
Fighting Back in the Modern Market: How an analog American icon adapted to direct-to-consumer e-commerce to thrive without selling out to foreign competitors.

🇺🇸 Support Real American Craftsmanship: If you believe in keeping jobs on American soil, buying products manufactured to last, and celebrating our heritage, make sure to Like, Subscribe, and Share this podcast!

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About "The Made in America Hour" podcast, presented by America's Inventor Lady and HomeTalk USA

"The Made in America Hour" podcast is a show about all things made in America, whether it's an "idea" (i.e., invented in the USA), the development of a new product from an original idea, products manufactured in America or even products sold in America after being assembled in the USA. We'll also talk about the problems that American-made products have in overcoming the resistance that so many nations have to having American products compete with products in their own domestic markets.

More:

America's Inventor Lady, Rita Crompton, and HomeTalkUSA's Michael King share a powerful conviction: that supporting "Made in America" products and businesses is the key to sparking a national renaissance. They believe that by harnessing the purchasing power of American consumers, we can reinvest in our communities and workforce, thereby creating an economy that benefits everyone. This movement is not just about economic growth; it's also about bridging the political and social divides that separate us, forging a renewed sense of national unity.

The "Made in America Hour"

To bring this vision to life, Rita Crompton and Michael King have launched "The Made in America Hour." This new initiative includes a weekly, hour-long segment on Michael King’s HomeTalkUSA radio show, as well as a corresponding TV episode on Rita Crompton’s “Made in America TV” YouTube Channel, accessible at www.madeinamericaus.comand a related podcast which appears here on the streaming platform Ausha, as well as 20 other streaming platforms, including the industry leaders such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pandora. The core purpose of all three shows is to highlight American-made products and inspire consumers to patronize the companies that manufacture them.

The show is intended to be a dual-purpose platform, catering to both consumers and businesses. It shares the real-world stories of American entrepreneurs and their companies—showcasing their successes and the hurdles they've overcome—while also creating a networking hub for those committed to the "Made in America" movement.

Meet the Hosts

Rita Crompton and Michael King co-host "The Made in America Hour," and they are joined by a rotating cast of expert co-hosts. Among them is Greg Owens, who is known as "The Made in America Guy” and who is the co-founder and CEO of Sherrill Manufacturing and Liberty Tabletop (Liberty Tabletop is notably the only producer of flatware in the country). Another contributor is Zach Mottl, Chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the American economy for current and future generations.

With the combined influence of Rita's and Michael's broadcast platform and the profound knowledge of their co-hosts, "The Made in America Hour" is poised to lead a renaissance that will benefit every American and, hopefully, help heal our national divisions.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About "The Made in America Hour" podcast, presented by America's Inventor Lady and HomeTalk USA

"The Made in America Hour" podcast is a show about all things made in America, whether it's an "idea" (i.e., invented in the USA), the development of a new product from an original idea, products manufactured in America or even products sold in America after being assembled in the USA. We'll also talk about the problems that American-made products have in overcoming the resistance that so many nations have to having American products compete with products in their own domestic markets.

More:

America's Inventor Lady, Rita Crompton, and HomeTalkUSA's Michael King share a powerful conviction: that supporting "Made in America" products and businesses is the key to sparking a national renaissance. They believe that by harnessing the purchasing power of American consumers, we can reinvest in our communities and workforce, thereby creating an economy that benefits everyone. This movement is not just about economic growth; it's also about bridging the political and social divides that separate us, forging a renewed sense of national unity.

The "Made in America Hour"

To bring this vision to life, Rita Crompton and Michael King have launched "The Made in America Hour." This new initiative includes a weekly, hour-long segment on Michael King’s HomeTalkUSA radio show, as well as a corresponding TV episode on Rita Crompton’s “Made in America TV” YouTube Channel, accessible at www.madeinamericaus.comand a related podcast which appears here on the streaming platform Ausha, as well as 20 other streaming platforms, including the industry leaders such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pandora. The core purpose of all three shows is to highlight American-made products and inspire consumers to patronize the companies that manufacture them.

The show is intended to be a dual-purpose platform, catering to both consumers and businesses. It shares the real-world stories of American entrepreneurs and their companies—showcasing their successes and the hurdles they've overcome—while also creating a networking hub for those committed to the "Made in America" movement.

Meet the Hosts

Rita Crompton and Michael King co-host "The Made in America Hour," and they are joined by a rotating cast of expert co-hosts. Among them is Greg Owens, who is known as "The Made in America Guy” and who is the co-founder and CEO of Sherrill Manufacturing and Liberty Tabletop (Liberty Tabletop is notably the only producer of flatware in the country). Another contributor is Zach Mottl, Chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the American economy for current and future generations.

With the combined influence of Rita's and Michael's broadcast platform and the profound knowledge of their co-hosts, "The Made in America Hour" is poised to lead a renaissance that will benefit every American and, hopefully, help heal our national divisions.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

When 95% of the world’s pencils are mass-produced overseas with cheap materials engineered to snap and crumble, one American factory in Shelbyville, Tennessee stands strong.

In this episode of The Made in America Hour, co-hosts Michael King ("The Cajun Contractor") and Rita Crompton ("America's Inventor Lady") sit down with Scott Johnson, President & CEO of the historic Musgrave Pencil Company. Operating continuously since 1916, Musgrave is a testament to American grit, family legacy, and hard-nosed craftsmanship that outlasts cheap foreign alternatives.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The Heritage of "Pencil City, USA": How a small-town Tennessee mill started by bartering wire fences with local farmers for weathered red cedar became an iconic American producer.
Craftsmanship Over Cheap Imports: Why cheap foreign pencils break during sharpening, and how Musgrave utilizes US-harvested lumber and precision engineering across a 100-step manufacturing process to build a tool that lasts.
The Skilling of America: A passionate call for reviving technical trade schools over multi-thousand-dollar degrees—putting skilled trades like plumbing, electrical, and manufacturing back on top.
Fighting Back in the Modern Market: How an analog American icon adapted to direct-to-consumer e-commerce to thrive without selling out to foreign competitors.

🇺🇸 Support Real American Craftsmanship: If you believe in keeping jobs on American soil, buying products manufactured to last, and celebrating our heritage, make sure to Like, Subscribe, and Share this podcast!

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About "The Made in America Hour" podcast, presented by America's Inventor Lady and HomeTalk USA

"The Made in America Hour" podcast is a show about all things made in America, whether it's an "idea" (i.e., invented in the USA), the development of a new product from an original idea, products manufactured in America or even products sold in America after being assembled in the USA. We'll also talk about the problems that American-made products have in overcoming the resistance that so many nations have to having American products compete with products in their own domestic markets.

More:

America's Inventor Lady, Rita Crompton, and HomeTalkUSA's Michael King share a powerful conviction: that supporting "Made in America" products and businesses is the key to sparking a national renaissance. They believe that by harnessing the purchasing power of American consumers, we can reinvest in our communities and workforce, thereby creating an economy that benefits everyone. This movement is not just about economic growth; it's also about bridging the political and social divides that separate us, forging a renewed sense of national unity.

The "Made in America Hour"

To bring this vision to life, Rita Crompton and Michael King have launched "The Made in America Hour." This new initiative includes a weekly, hour-long segment on Michael King’s HomeTalkUSA radio show, as well as a corresponding TV episode on Rita Crompton’s “Made in America TV” YouTube Channel, accessible at www.madeinamericaus.comand a related podcast which appears here on the streaming platform Ausha, as well as 20 other streaming platforms, including the industry leaders such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pandora. The core purpose of all three shows is to highlight American-made products and inspire consumers to patronize the companies that manufacture them.

The show is intended to be a dual-purpose platform, catering to both consumers and businesses. It shares the real-world stories of American entrepreneurs and their companies—showcasing their successes and the hurdles they've overcome—while also creating a networking hub for those committed to the "Made in America" movement.

Meet the Hosts

Rita Crompton and Michael King co-host "The Made in America Hour," and they are joined by a rotating cast of expert co-hosts. Among them is Greg Owens, who is known as "The Made in America Guy” and who is the co-founder and CEO of Sherrill Manufacturing and Liberty Tabletop (Liberty Tabletop is notably the only producer of flatware in the country). Another contributor is Zach Mottl, Chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the American economy for current and future generations.

With the combined influence of Rita's and Michael's broadcast platform and the profound knowledge of their co-hosts, "The Made in America Hour" is poised to lead a renaissance that will benefit every American and, hopefully, help heal our national divisions.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About "The Made in America Hour" podcast, presented by America's Inventor Lady and HomeTalk USA

"The Made in America Hour" podcast is a show about all things made in America, whether it's an "idea" (i.e., invented in the USA), the development of a new product from an original idea, products manufactured in America or even products sold in America after being assembled in the USA. We'll also talk about the problems that American-made products have in overcoming the resistance that so many nations have to having American products compete with products in their own domestic markets.

More:

America's Inventor Lady, Rita Crompton, and HomeTalkUSA's Michael King share a powerful conviction: that supporting "Made in America" products and businesses is the key to sparking a national renaissance. They believe that by harnessing the purchasing power of American consumers, we can reinvest in our communities and workforce, thereby creating an economy that benefits everyone. This movement is not just about economic growth; it's also about bridging the political and social divides that separate us, forging a renewed sense of national unity.

The "Made in America Hour"

To bring this vision to life, Rita Crompton and Michael King have launched "The Made in America Hour." This new initiative includes a weekly, hour-long segment on Michael King’s HomeTalkUSA radio show, as well as a corresponding TV episode on Rita Crompton’s “Made in America TV” YouTube Channel, accessible at www.madeinamericaus.comand a related podcast which appears here on the streaming platform Ausha, as well as 20 other streaming platforms, including the industry leaders such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pandora. The core purpose of all three shows is to highlight American-made products and inspire consumers to patronize the companies that manufacture them.

The show is intended to be a dual-purpose platform, catering to both consumers and businesses. It shares the real-world stories of American entrepreneurs and their companies—showcasing their successes and the hurdles they've overcome—while also creating a networking hub for those committed to the "Made in America" movement.

Meet the Hosts

Rita Crompton and Michael King co-host "The Made in America Hour," and they are joined by a rotating cast of expert co-hosts. Among them is Greg Owens, who is known as "The Made in America Guy” and who is the co-founder and CEO of Sherrill Manufacturing and Liberty Tabletop (Liberty Tabletop is notably the only producer of flatware in the country). Another contributor is Zach Mottl, Chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the American economy for current and future generations.

With the combined influence of Rita's and Michael's broadcast platform and the profound knowledge of their co-hosts, "The Made in America Hour" is poised to lead a renaissance that will benefit every American and, hopefully, help heal our national divisions.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Share

Embed