Driven by DCKAP

Our guest on this episode showcases how true leadership and wisdom can shape both personal and organizational success. Doug Borchers, the President of Superior Aluminum, shares deep insights and drives the importance of good people and good ideas. In their conversation, we learn from the mindset of personal development, with valuable lessons about creating lasting impact in the community, and how...

Joining the podcast and sitting down with Karthik Chidambaram on this episode is Ez Natarajan, the Founder and CEO of CoreStack. They discuss everything under the cloud, including why cloud governance is such a key piece in business security and how to do it right. Watch the full conversation to know the impacts of internet security, the importance of data, and the best business strategy for succe...

Scott Attman, the Vice President of Acme Paper and Supply Company, joins the podcast this week to talk with Karthik Chidambaram, CEO of DCKAP, all about growing and meeting customer needs in the distribution industry. In their conversation, we hear insights on the volume of distribution Acme Paper and Supply has evolved into, learning more about their philosophy on product diversification, the rol...

Steven Levy, VP of Enterprise Architecture at Infor, sits down with Karthik Chidambaram to discuss pivotal topics in the world of distribution with technology and business strategy. They delve into automation, ERP software solutions, and the critical distinctions between innovation and differentiation. Discover how businesses can accelerate growth in today's dynamic marketplace and explore the...

Joining us for this deep diving episode is Brooks Hamilton, Founder of AI Strategy Advisors, to talk about cutting-edge innovation, game-changing trends, navigating challenges, and more. Artificial intelligence is transforming industries across the globe. As more and more businesses implement AI in distribution, it's essential to understand the implications of this technology on your operation...

Eric Chernik, the CEO of Building Controls & Solutions, joins us on this episode to break down how to navigate challenges and success, cultivating leadership and growth, utilizing technology effectively, strategizing for your long term goals and continually driving towards them, and more. Tune in to gain an invaluable perspective on leading a team to the top!

Kevin Weadick, the CEO of FleetPride, joins this episode to share his journey of over two decades in experience leading teams in digital transformations, industrial product management and marketing, and being appointed to his current role leading for the largest distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts in North America. Their discussion offers valuable insights about organizational effect...

Jim Derry, the CEO of Field Fastener joins this episode to share his journey in distribution, to discuss key leadership insights and explore essential personal development strategies. We learn how an industry pioneer turned a company with humble beginnings into a great success, while continuing to see amazing growth and becoming a touchstone to the community. Through knowledge management practices...

Eric Hoplin, the President and CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), sits down with Karthik Chidambaram while in Washington DC at the NAW Executive Summit for an insightful discussion on the conference, the organization and their dedication to the betterment of distribution, as well as his positive future outlook on the industry.

In the premiere episode of the 2025 season of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, Founder and CEO of DCKAP, Karthik Chidambaram, sits down with Kathryn Poehling Seymour, the President and CEO of First Supply. As a longstanding family-owned leader in the industry, First Supply serves as a comprehensive supplier for plumbing, HVAC, municipal needs, waterworks, well and septic systems, building PVF, and ind...

It’s that time of year once again, where we reflect back on the 2024 season of the Driven by DCKAP podcast. This year has been full of many great conversations, with outstanding guests that we’ve been honored to speak with and to have the opportunity to dive into important topics and share their experiences and expertise.   We’re excited for the new year ahead and our plan to continue featuring in...

Small businesses are said to be the heart of our communities. They are what laid the groundwork for the kind of massive success now seen by the likes of companies such as Amazon and Walmart. Yet, today, many small businesses are waning under their shadow and continuing to struggle in order to stay relevant, growing, and successful amongst these giants. So what’s a small family-owned wholesale supp...

According to research by Fortune Business Insights , the furniture market size in the US will reach an estimated value of 130 billion dollars by 2032. What is it about the industry that drives this kind of demand? How does a successful furniture designer and distributor like Zuo Mod weigh in on the market, or the manufacturing? How do they approach things such as identifying successful trends, nav...

Joining us in this week’s episode, Nishit Asnani, the Co-Founder of Sybill, a Generative AI tool that takes sales calls to the next level, sits down to talk about what it takes to build AI software and where it’s all headed. As one of the inspiring leaders behind the innovative business, Nishit brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation. During the interview, they discuss what...

In this special Chicago episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, our host Karthik Chidambaram, Founder and CEO of DCKAP, has the opportunity to sit down and speak with Mark Brohan, Senior Vice President of B2B and Market Research at Digital Commerce 360. Originally founded as Internet Retailer, Digital Commerce 360 is an industry pioneer and global leader in e-commerce research and media, producing...

Tom Gale, MDM’s lead researcher and industry analyst for more than 25 years on independent distribution channel trends, consolidation, technology and competitive landscape, and the current CEO of MDM, is our guest this week. He joins host, Karthik Chidambaram, CEO of DCKAP, on this special Chicago episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast to discuss the story of MDM, what it provides as an educationa...

In this episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, Jim Hansen, the Chief Product Officer at Advantive, joins Karthik Chidambaram, CEO of DCKAP, to discuss all the ins and outs of successful product management, including when to know a product works and when it doesn’t, the right things to do and the right things not to do, how to ensure you’re providing value to customers, and everything in between....

Brian Gardner, the Founder of SalesProcess360, joins our host Karthik Chidambaram, Founder and CEO of DCKAP, on the latest episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast to discuss the importance of customer relationship management, why it’s often a misunderstood or neglected system for the sales process, and how to get more ROI from CRM.  From their conversation, we learn about Brian’s background and how...

On this very special episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, Karthik visits the Kundinger Fluid Power distribution facility in Neenah, Wisconsin. There he takes a tour of their facilities while speaking with Paul Kundinger, a third generation entrepreneur who took over the Wisconsin business as President and currently co-runs operations of the company along with his extended family.  While touring...

On this episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, Karthik sits down with Brad Feakes, President of EstesGroup - a leader in combining Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, and Managed IT solutions with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Brad has more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing, construction management, supply chain, and ERP systems, and in their conversation he shares his wealth of knowled...

This week on the Driven by DCKAP podcast, we’re joined by Clint Oram - Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at SugarCRM. He sits down with our host, Karthik Chidambaram, to discuss the significance of CRM systems, how to increase sales, the effectiveness of data analysis, how emerging technologies will impact the future, and more. Clint has over 20 years of experience in the enterprise software i...

Joining the Driven by DCKAP podcast this week is Frank Heenan - Group Vice President, Distribution and LBM at Epicor - to talk about the evolution of ERP systems, the importance of using tools like this to their full extent to grow your business, the role of AI within distribution, some of the best strategies to ensure success, how to best execute those strategies, and much more. With over 25 year...

On this extra special episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, our host Karthik Chidambaram sits down with Robert C. Wolcott - Co-Founder of TWIN Global, adjunct professor and esteemed author - to discuss his latest book, “Proximity: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life” which explores the radical shifts in production and service delivery driven by AI...

On this episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, Derrick Murdock, CEO at IPS Packaging joins our host, Karthik Chidambaram, to discuss their strategy in distribution, why it’s important to hire and support veterans, why veterans make amazing employees, how innovation in B2B marketing leads to even greater success, and more. IPS Packaging & Automation is one of the leaders in industrial packagin...

Anne Vranicic, the President of Valin Corporation, joins the Driven by DCKAP podcast this week to speak with Karthik Chidambaram about her 22 year journey with Valin, what she’s learned during her time at the company, how the company navigated the dot com crisis, their strategy with mergers and acquisitions over the years, what they’re doing to stay ahead of the curve in digital transformation, an...