Distribution Talk

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...

Could your team pass the litmus test? If you left your distribution business in their hands for four weeks, five, six, would the shop survive in your absence? Jamie Arguello has the real-life data to prove that her business wouldn't simply survive; it would thrive. We're revisiting a conversation Jason had with the CEO of Grady's Foodservice Equipment & Supplies in Pueblo, CO, as we emerged from t...

Professional vulnerability is a hallmark of outstanding leadership. That said, there's a reason so few leaders possess the characteristic: it's uncomfortable at best; terrifying at worst. Alison Bencsik, CEO of BAI Electronic Systems Distributors , a professional and commercial audio, video, and lighting supplier in Ocala, FL, doesn't know any other way to succeed. She's transformed vulnerability...

Your high-potential targets and most valuable accounts are hiding in plain sight. Bob Jordan and Donnie Williamson, vice president of analytics and analytics manager, respectively, at Modern Distribution Management (MDM) , have the tools and expertise to help you locate them.  Jason chats with the pair about MDM's methodology and how it transforms reams of product, sales, and customer intel into v...

Richard Crifasi may have the finish line in sight, but he's not ready to leave the track just yet. Even after decades in industrial and electrical supply distribution, he still gets a charge out of solving everyday customer problems and plotting long-range company goals.  Jason chats with his old friend about his circuitous career path and current role as a safety consultant, his perspective on wo...

Do you have a written step by step plan for what to do when you decide to transfer or sell your business? Do you know the best way to structure the transaction legally? How to minimize tax liabilities? To do the best by your family and employees? That's where The Center for Financial, Legal & Tax Planning comes in. Roman Basi is an attorney, CPA, real estate broker, and title insurance agent at th...

How do we provide more value to the members? It's the question at the forefront of every Association executive's mind. For Brendan Breen, President at Industrial Supply Association (ISA), the answer is to be the best networking association in the industry. And that strategy has paid off! At this past year's convention, ISA got creative with how they delivered on the networking promise, adding a go...

Tim O'Keeffe is a work in progress, and proud of it. Under his leadership at Huyett (formerly GL Huyett), the fastener company has expanded from a distributor-only business to a manufacturer and master distributor. In the process, Tim's management style has shifted from dictator to democratic, and the company's culture has never been better.  Jason chats with the affable CEO about his leadership e...