Driven by DCKAP

In the latest episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, Karthik speaks with Scott Sinning, the Founder and CEO of Pricing for Distributors. Scott was formerly the VP of Pricing Strategy at Graybar Electric, has over 30 years of experience working in wholesale distribution, and he is a frequent speaker and writer on distributor industry pricing topics. During this in depth conversation, Karthik and S...

With its ability to analyze vast amounts of data and identify important trends and patterns, to allow the most informed decisions and personalize the customer experience, artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the entire B2B sales process, making it more efficient and effective, leading to increased sales and profits. Innovation greatly drives success in today’s business world, and...

In the latest episode of Driven by DCKAP, Karthik is joined by Mark Dancer, CEO at Network for Business Innovation and a distinguished NAW Fellow. They discuss Mark’s background, including his influence through Mark Dancer on Flourishing Business, his partnership with NAW, his vision for Innovate to Dominate, the process of writing, how to gain influence, and the growing need for innovation in dis...

In this episode of Driven by DCKAP, Karthik Chidambaram speaks candidly with Muliadi Jeo, Chief Technology Officer at Sirclo, to find out more about his decades long journey in eCommerce, his motivations, and what drives him to succeed.   During their conversation, we learn more about Muliadi’s career journey, building a successful business, the e-commerce market in Indonesia, his love of gadgets...

Success is the main objective for many business owners, careers climbers, and even in our personal lives. But what does strategizing for success in business look like? What is the purpose of having a well defined strategy, and why do we need it? In this episode of Driven by DCKAP, Karthik Chidambaram, Founder & CEO of DCKAP, sits down with Ian Heller, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of...

This week, our special guests open up about the sometimes difficult to navigate dynamics of running a family business in the distribution industry. While so many companies are going through mergers and acquisitions, as new generations move away from the traditional takeover of the business, some companies like Spruce Industries are doubling down, as the newer generations are taking the reins and l...

In this episode of Driven by DCKAP, we’re excited to have Brendan Breen, the CEO of ISA (Industrial Supply Association) as our guest, where we learn about his in-depth experience and dedication to educating and supporting the industrial distribution industry.  Karthik Chidambaram, Founder & CEO of DCKAP, speaks one on one with Brendan about his work-life experience and career journey, how he c...

In the 2024 premiere episode of the Driven by DCKAP podcast, we welcome a very special guest – Tammy Miller, the Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota. With a well established background as a highly successful leader in the distribution industry, having been the CEO of the sixth-largest electrical distributor in the US, Border States, Tammy has carved out a unique path in her career as she has trans...

For the last episode of the year, we turn back time to review the 2023 season of the Driven by DCKAP podcast. We’ve had some great conversations with amazing guests that we’ve been privileged to share with our followers, and we’re honored to have had them all on the show to share their experiences and expertise.   In this special episode, Karthik Chidambaram, Driven podcast host and the Founder &a...

In this episode, we review “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport. In this book, Newport argues that those who perform ‘deep work’ are more productive and are able to produce more efficiently than those who do not. In a distracted world, those who are able to resist distraction and work with the right amount of intensity and focus will be better situated to ach...

The special guest in this episode is known for the art of speaking and storytelling, being a highly sought after public speaker and having hosted dozens of in depth discussions through his traveling platform, We Supply America. As a well-known figure in the distribution world, an entrepreneur, researcher, author, and the Founder of UnleashedWD, Dirk Beveridge understands and embraces this industry...

In this new series on the Driven by DCKAP podcast, we turn the spotlight on the books that have inspired us, as well as undoubtedly thousands of readers, many of which have come up during past interviews with guests here on this podcast. Each month, Founder & CEO of DCKAP and the host of the Driven podcast, Karthik Chidambaram, will highlight an important text in his own library that has the p...

In this episode, our guest Mark Lavelle joins Karthik Chidambaram for a conversation that spans a wide breadth of the e-commerce world, as they dive deep into Mark’s background and break down the formation of his successful leadership style, the challenges Magento faced when Mark first came on board as CEO, and the question of its sustained significance in the industry. While there were many hurdl...

In his previous life, Roy Rubin co-founded and held the reins as CEO of Magento, a globally successful open source ecommerce platform that skyrocketed and soared across the world from its inception to its ultimate acquisition by the tech giant, Adobe. In his recent conversation with Karthik Chidambaram, Founder and CEO of DCKAP, we learn all about Roy’s amazing journey, his standout vision and str...

The National Association of Wholesaler Distributors (NAW) is a top American trade association that represents dynamic companies in the wholesale distribution industry. In this compelling conversation, President & CEO of NAW, Eric Hoplin, sits down with the Founder & CEO of DCKAP, Karthik Chidambaram, to discuss his role in leadership and how exactly his organization helps support and impro...

On this episode of Driven, our very special guest knows what it takes to drive success, having led their company to becoming the 2023 Top Rated Ecommerce Platform. Brent Bellm, CEO of BigCommerce, joins the Founder & CEO of DCKAP, Karthik Chidambaram, for a fascinating deep dive into what it takes to compete, lead, and succeed in the often saturated world of eCommerce technology.  From his hum...

This episode of the DRIVEN Podcast features great insights into the National Association of Electronic Distribution: an over hundred-year effort towards the continued success of the industry. Hear from Edward Orlet, Interim CEO, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Strategic Projects, and Satya Sanivarapu, Technology Director, Digital Distribution Supply Chain as they share more about...

Kevin Kalish is the Vice President of Business Development at Sunrise Electric Supply . With a strong background in data-driven software development, he oversees sales management and digital solutions that help support their customers in electrical distribution. In this insightful interview with Karthik Chidambaram , Founder & CEO of DCKAP , Kevin talks about the journey he’s taken in his care...

Kicking off the new season of Driven is our special guest, Lisa Pope, President at Epicor, to join us for a deep dive into her career and the focus and strategy that drives her success. Before her role at Epicor, Lisa’s impressive background also included holding strategic leadership roles at Infor, QAD, and Oracle, driving growth and the shift to SaaS. In this exclusive interview with Karthik Chi...

Matt Johnson is the Marketing Manager & IT Admin at Jendco Safety, and he recently sat down with DCKAP’s Founder and CEO, Karthik Chidambaram , for a conversation that spans the inception of the company itself, up to their most recent digital transformation to amplify their online sales through integration with Cloras and the 3M Marketplace. From the path of success Jendco Safety has experienc...

Chris Brackett is the Vice President of Operations & General Manager at C.W. Hayden, and he recently sat down with DCKAP’s Founder and CEO, Karthik Chidambaram . Their conversation spans through the incredible journey Chris has had within the company, into the mindset they hold on early adoption of technology, their most recent integration with Cloras to help connect their 3M Marketplace with...

Danny Silverman is the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at Maintex, and he recently sat down with DCKAP’s Founder and CEO, Karthik Chidambaram , for a conversation that goes back over the history of the company itself, up into their most recent use of software and technology to amplify their online sales through integration with Cloras and the revolutionary process of digital transformati...

Erin Griffin is the V.P. of Marketing & Communications at Riddell , and she recently sat down with DCKAP’s Founder and CEO, Karthik Chidambaram , for a conversation that touches upon the history of the company and their most recent evolution into the world of online sales through digital transformation. From the importance of women in sports and leadership roles, to the support of brand ambass...

Videos are the future. While sending emails after every new signup will help increase the customer engagement, do you know converting that to a personalized video will increase it by 2x? A personalized video can be triggered for any customer relationship...

Building an eCommerce business from scratch is always a great experience to have in your lifetime. Starting from the manufacturing and distribution of the product to getting that to the actual customer, you will enjoy every phase of your customer...