Across the Yard Podcast

We've got a very special episode for you this week! Liz was at the Women of Lumber and Forestry (WOLF) conference in British Columbia, and had a chance to catch up with a group of women who are taking the industry by storm! What does it take to get established in a new job? How does one even find jobs in this industry? And once you have that job - how do you get better? To find out, we're talking...

What did your career path look like? How did you arrive where you are today? More importantly - if you could tell that things weren't working out, did you make a change? That's the conversation we're having this week on Across the Yard with Colin McColl of Windsor Plywood Sherwood Park in Alberta. Liz and Colin talk about how he came to get involved in the building supply business. He also talks a...

It's one thing to be an effective salesperson, but when you're in charge of the team, it's a whole other ballgame! Jil Reid of Federated Co-operatives Ltd. joins Liz to talk about her journey from outside sales to successfully running a team of sales professionals. They talk about coaching, fostering a collaborative workplace, and how to approach (and train your team to approach) Contractor Sales....

The job of a sales representative is simultaneously one of the most straightforward, and most complex roles on your business' team. On the one hand, you are going out and getting people to agree to buy products from you; on the other, you're managing personal relationships, histories, preferences, and the unique needs of possibly hundreds of contacts across hundreds of businesses - and that's if y...

Why the West? Liz is joined by Matthew Brennan from Greenfiber, manufacturers of cellulose insulation. They talk about the company's expansion across Canada into the west, but that's just the beginning! In this episode, Liz and Matthew get into the nature of reclaimed and recycled materials, the logistics and supply chain challenges that, while not unique to the west, are keenly felt across the pr...

Why would a customer choose your store over your competitor? What sets you apart? Liz is joined by returning guests Sarah Hounslow from BMF and Joel Siebert from Mountainview Building Materials. They discuss how Joel, in working with the merchandising experts at BMF, became a destination store that leads with their materials expertise. You may not be the one-stop-shop, but you can be the leading a...

What are your customers thinking? Knowing how people think when preparing for a purchase can give you a big lift in your sales strategies. Liz is joined by Lee Waltham of Brandish Inc. to talk about these subjects as well as the importance of brand recognition, customer feedback, and three questions you can ask today to start improving your business! Enjoy the show! Links: WRLA: www.wrla.org Brand...

What does it take to grow a product from idea to one of the world's leading professional tools? Join us this week as we find out from Rolf Effertz and Blessy Liquido of TurnX tools. Learn how a chance encounter with a stubborn window shade kickstarted innovation and why today, nothing compares with the in-store experience. Thank you to TurnX for a fabulous conversation about an even more fabulous...

"Race to the bottom", "Circling the Drain", "Bleeding Out" There are many ways to describe it, but everyone who runs a business knows the situation where price (and only price) seems to be the only thing that matters. Margins get thinner, needed expenses get trimmed, and growth? What growth? Liz is joined by Joel Seibert of Mountainview Building Materials and Pete Baran from Blueneck Business Mech...

Have you ever thought about running a golf tournament? Maybe you want to support a local charity, maybe you're looking to get your customers all together in one place - maybe you just really, really like golf! But where to start? This week, Liz is talking to the WRLA Events team - Amanda Camara and Brenda Bourns, who have worked on dozens of successful golf tournaments about how they work, why the...

Everyone loves events, but it can be an expensive proposition to participate in everything you want to do! How do you and your business make the most out of the opportunities present at an industry event? We're joined by Jason, Mathieu, and Patricia from Acceo Solutions Inc., who talk about how they approach event marketing, and what they plan to get out of their presence. They highlight the strat...

This week's episode is one we've been looking forward to for awhile now. Let's get down to business and talk about sales! We're thrilled to have Brian Glen of Vicwest with us on the show to talk sales strategy, what it means to keep growing and adapting, and even how to run a successful sales team. (Spoiler: sometimes there are setbacks!) Thanks for joining us - enjoy the show! Links: https://www....

Let's Go Build is WRLA's signature program to help recruit new talent into the Lumber and Building Materials industry. Promotion of this program kicked off last year with a public awareness campaign in newspapers, magazines, podcasts, and social media. Now, in 2024, we're taking this program to the next level as we head out on the road for a series of Career Fairs and school information sessions,...

This week’s podcast is one you won’t want to miss! Liz is joined by Sarah Hounslow of Burlington Merchandising & Fixtures (BMF) and Lee Waltham from the Brandish creative agency. They have a great discussion about what it means to step back and look at the big picture in your business, and why it’s worth taking the time to be strategic. There's also a great chat about why it’s just as important fo...

What does it take to innovate in building science? QuikTherm has a few ideas about that! Jesse Watson and Ryan Cullen join Liz to talk about their company's commitment to engineering a product that goes above and beyond in both application and installation, and why "It pays to go green!" WRLA retail members will get a chance to learn all about it as QuikTherm opens their doors to our first ever "K...

Are you covered? Are you sure? Liz is joined this week by Ryan Desjardins of Programmed Insurance Brokers (PIB), the benefits administrator for WRLA, and a partner in providing insurance coverage to our WRLA members. They discuss the importance of preparation when you're travelling, what to do if something happens, and how insurance companies spring into action in times of emergency. Liz and Ryan...

We think that membership in the WRLA is a valuable resource that every business in the Lumber and Building Materials Industry should take advantage of. But why? What is it about associations (like ours) that makes it worth your time and money to participate? Liz is joined this week by Andrew Brassington from Owens Corning, Chris Hogan from Henry Company Canada Inc., and Ken Crockett from Star Buil...

What does it take to bring a high-quality product to an increasingly competitive market? This week, we're talking to the 2024 Best New Product winner from the WRLA Building & Hardware Showcase. Rob Mitchell, President & CEO of Vista Railing Systems Inc. joins Liz to talk about supply chain, in-house manufacturing innovations, and much much more. We also get some in-depth info on their award-winnin...

Building supply stores are cornerstones of their community. It makes sense, then, that partnering and supporting those communities in return is the right thing to do. Liz is joined this week by Ryan Kurzac and Brian Hamilton of Kamloops Home Hardware Building Centre and they chat about the store's incredible track record of community outreach and support, including their support of the TRU Carpent...

What makes a Sales Superstar? Liz catches up with the 2023 Recipients of the WRLA Sales Rep of the Year Awards to find out that answer to that question and more! Congratulations and thanks to Joe Maher of Taiga Building Products, Jillian Richards of Canadian Engineered Wood Products, John Randell of Gillfor Distribution, and Derek Warren of Metrie Winnipeg.

What does it take to become a destination store? What does it take to gain and retain loyal customers? It starts with building better retail and becoming a store that's a pleasure to visit. Liz is joined by Sarah Houslow, president of Burlington Merchandising and Fixtures, to discuss this and so much more! BMF is the presenting sponsor of the 2024 WRLA Building & Hardware Showcase, so if you're he...

There are four definable stages of business - startup, growth, scaling up, and succession. Where is your business at? Where would you like to be? Liz dives into these questions and more with Pete Baran of Blueneck Business Mechanics. Enjoy this quick dive into the stages of business and then, for those attending the 30th Anniversary WRLA Showcase - you can sign up for Pete's half-day session on We...

Celebrating sixty years in business is a pretty big deal. What does it take to keep a company growing and thriving after all that time? The answer is simple, but it isn't easy! Liz is joined this week by Ken Jenkins of Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. and they talk about that, the state of the Building Materials Industry, and why independent dealers are uniquely positioned to gain a huge edge in...

What if you send your employees for training, and they don't stay at your business? How about this - what if you invest in training, and it changes your business for the better - forever? On this episode, Liz is joined by Shawn Wiesner from Kamloops Home Hardware, who also happens to be delivering our newest WRLA Academy course, "Increasing Profitability through Yard & Warehouse Management." They...

Are you ready for "A Breath of Fresh HR?" A business is only as good as the people that work there, and having the right employees can mean the difference between getting by and, “what’s their secret to success?” Once you’ve got the right staff – how do you keep them? Enter Natalie Bell, People & Culture Consultant and expert in all those tricky questions that keep you up at night as you're trying...