Distribution Talk

Welcome back for part 2 with the Bader boys, Jason's in-depth look at his family's distribution business with patriarch and founder of Acme Construction Supply Co, Inc. , Dick Bader, and younger brother Jordan, the company's current president and CEO. As they wrap up their visit, Dick and Jordan reveal the fundamental principles that have supported Acme's thriving culture and growth initiatives. T...

Jason corrals family patriarch and founder of Acme Construction Supply Co, Inc., Dick Bader, and little brother Jordan, current president and CEO, for an insider's look at the family business. Like all epic tales, this one comes complete with plot twists, sibling rivalry (of the genial kind), and a cliffhanger. CONNECT WITH JASON LinkedIn CONNECT WITH DICK LinkedIn CONNECT WITH JORDAN LinkedIn ***...

If entrepreneurs are known for marching to a different beat, then Jeff Peterson is an improvisational maestro. DT fans may remember Jason's conversation with the CEO of Geneva Supply in episode 21, in which the two discussed growing and expanding that company's footprint. And did he ever! Just as that business started to get predictable, Jeff stumbled upon his next entrepreneurial challenge: Inter...

Buzzwords can shut down conversations quicker than their end users care to admit. But, when Edward Kuo employs terms like "collaborate" and "innovate" to describe his role as executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), he can back them up with decades of association experience and a successful track record of advocating for an entire industry, not just the members of his...

An enterprise resources planning (ERP) system is great…until it's not. But, before you sign on the dotted line for your first warehouse management system (WMS), have you given serious (and honest) thought to how your growing pains might manifest in that pricey new platform?  Casey Winans has. He's the founder and CEO of Fullstride , an independent advisory firm purpose-built to ensure smooth trans...

You've defined the company's core values, but have you gotten specific about the behaviors that support those lofty goals? Brian Blaushild, the president of Famous Supply , has, and his commitment to these fundamentals is reflected in the company's superb culture.  Jason caught up with the fourth-generation leader to learn more about the Famous 40 Fundamentals and how those principles have impacte...

There's a reason for all the chatter around artificial intelligence on Distribution Talk: early adopters gain a competitive edge that's hard to beat. Jason Bader welcomes Jason Sullivan, founder and CEO of Distro AI , to expand on the AI conversation.  They discuss Distro AI's process for leveraging vast amounts of raw data (think: key industry insights and thousands of product SKUs) to create rep...

Search for a list of soft skills, and you'll come across essentials like reliability, resilience, and creativity. But there's one character trait that list-makers should put at or near the top: curiosity. Jason Mattinson, president of Riverside Steel, Inc. , credits his inquisitive streak for repeatedly placing him in the right place at the right time.  Jason met the Ohio-based engineer-turned-ste...

Hollywood loves to cast artificial intelligence as the villain. In reality, AI is more likely to win best supporting character accolades from those in the c-suite, says Nelson Valderrama, founder of Intuilize , the AI-driven firm specializing in helping distributors use analytics to optimize pricing, purchasing, and inventory management.  Jason chats with Nelson about AI's ability to sift through...

Distribution Talk fans already know that Jason's a big proponent of artificial intelligence. If you're still on the fence regarding the benefits of AI for distribution, it's time to transition away from shock and awe and into fearless adoption. A great place to start is Applied AI For Distributors , the only annual conference with sessions for both AI aficionados and the AI curious of the distribu...

"Distribution has a PR problem." Fans of Distribution Talk will recognize that quote as one of Jason Bader's favorite industry laments. It's more than a pithy soundbite, however. The phrase is shorthand for the talent acquisition and development issues facing most small-to-mid-sized wholesale distributors.  One answer? A tiered progression plan.  On this rare solo episode, Jason discusses strategi...

Do you know which activity is sabotaging your company's potential? All of them. Busywork across every department––from order processing to inventory management––is a real drag on employee morale, customer relationships, and the bottom line. Conventional software won't save you, but AI could. In this episode of Distribution Talk, Jason chats with Michael Delgado, founder of Canals AI , about bringi...

Leave it to Dirk Beveridge, keynote speaker, best-selling author, executive film producer, and founder of UnleashWD , to reference ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, comparative mythology expert Joseph Campbell, and Tatooine farmboy Luke Skywalker in the same conversation. When you're in the company of this self-professed advocate of distribution and champion of positive leadership, all of the ph...

Successful change management is about knowing your audience and anticipating what they can accept and when. Whether you run a family-run distribution company or a member-owned cooperative in the professional turf, ornamental and specialty landscape vertical, that formula remains the same.  Jeff Braun, CEO of Primera Co-Op , thoroughly understands the critical moves his organization must take to ex...

Can EOS® transform your company? Yes, and Charlton Keultjes not only has the case studies to prove it, but he also has the training to help you easily integrate the Entrepreneurial Operating System. Charlton is a professional EOS implementer with over a decade of experience coaching owners and leadership teams.  Jason invites Charlton to share his experiences using EOS at his former privately-held...

Senior members of the C-suite take note: distribution's next-gen leaders are out there. You must know where to find them and how to support their growth. Seth Gordon, CEO of Glacier Supply Group , didn't grow up in the HVAC distribution business. Still, he recognized an opportunity to innovate within the industry and work with a tangible product.  Jason chats with Seth about his journey from finan...

If you're in distribution, you probably belong to an association, one that's focused on advancing the concerns of your specific vertical. Chances are also good that you have no idea who manages the day-to-day activities of that organization or that it offers excellent career opportunities for young professionals.  Kevin Gammonley has been getting those messages out for 30+ years as a senior direct...

Movies portray embezzlement as a big-money, high-flying romp. Fact is decidedly different than fiction––and surprisingly common!  Jason dives into the realities of pink-collar crime with Kelly Paxton , a workplace dishonesty expert, fraud educator, and host of the Fraudish podcast. The pair offer case studies (including Jason's personal experience) that expose the motives behind the misconduct, co...

Guitze Messina is a man of many qualities. As the eminently personable executive director of HARDI LATAM , Guitze has transformed what was once HARDI Mexico into a powerhouse organization representing heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration distributors across nine Latin American countries and counting. Not one to hoard his success, Guitze recently published Moneycall , his savvy, entertainin...

If data is the new gold (as touted on TV), distributors would be wise to entrust their assets to someone well-versed in the malleable but often dense nature of distribution-centric information.  Vinny Maurici, vice president of data engineering at Object Edge , is that person. Jason chats with Vinny about his early days in distribution, the importance of attaching C-suite buy-in to revolutionary i...

Leading with compassion is one thing (and a good thing at that). But what if whole departments ran on a standard of sensitivity to and emotional concern for the people in their care, be they customers or employees? Before leaving The Granite Group to start her own consultancy, Tracie Sponenberg held the title of Chief People Officer. She's credited for shifting the company's human resources perspe...

Robert Rovira, president of Energy Pipe & Supply , has plans for his C-suite successors, but that hasn't always been the case. Rob admits to having missed opportunities to strengthen his organizational structure. Now, he and his management team are preparing the next generation to lead the charge at the New Orleans-based company his family has owned since 1988.  Jason chats with Rob about his succ...

Martha Brooke is a repeat guest on Distribution Talk for good reason. In her two previous visits, the founder and lead customer experience consultant of Interaction Metrics made a compelling argument for conducting customer satisfaction evaluations via third-party, objective methodology rather than an in-house survey.  This time, Jason chats with Martha about her most recent consulting case study,...

What happens when a self-described mad scientist tinkers around with vendor-managed inventory software? He creates an automated supply chain solution tailored to the needs and budgets of small-to-medium-sized industrial distributors.  Andrew Johnson, CEO of ShelfAware VMI, returns to chat with Jason about the practical, transformative power of the company's RFID-based tracking system. The pair als...

If this episode's title has you shaking your head or, worse, burying it in the proverbial sand, hold on. Give AI a chance, and it will supercharge your business. That's the message that Ian Heller, founder and chief strategy officer of Distribution Strategy Group , hopes to spread through his consulting work and Applied AI For Distributors , the massive, first-of-its-kind conference for wholesale...