This week on the Tapped In Sales Podcast, we take a detour from the normal strategy talk for our next origin story this time with Moneyball Ross.

Ross walks through how he went from a finance and economics kid in St. Louis to cutting his teeth inside wine, spirits, beer, operations, purchasing, technology, forecasting, and eventually building the original idea behind VXP.

Along the way, we get into the good stuff: internships, warehouse systems, craft beer in Oregon, near-bankruptcy moments, big customer losses, acquisitions, GP per case, and what it really takes to keep building when the easy answer is to quit.

In this episode, we talk about:

🍻 How Ross forced his way into the beverage business

🛠️ Why he became the “grab the problem and fix it” guy

📈 The moment he realized GP growth beats cost cutting

💻 Building Craft Portal, OrderStream, and the early vision for VXP

😅 The scary side of entrepreneurship

🤝 How Bud and Ross first connected

🔥 Why failure shaped the way Ross thinks today

Big takeaway

Ross’s story is a reminder that success in this business usually comes from curiosity, grit, and being willing to solve the problem in front of you — even when nobody asked you to.

Have questions for Ross, Bud, or the VXP team after listening?

Shoot us a note at [email protected] — we’d love to hear what stood out, what you’re wrestling with, or what topics you want us to dig into next.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Early Career Challenges and Opportunities

02:00 Education and the Balancing Act of Work and Study

05:02 Operational Efficiency: The Foundation of Success

07:56 The Transition to Oregon: New Challenges and Opportunities

10:18 Craft Beer Revolution: Embracing Change in Distribution

11:34 Acquisitions and Career Decisions: A Fork in the Road

23:45 The Entrepreneurial Journey Begins

29:12 Navigating Challenges and Building Relationships

33:01 Lessons from Running Two Businesses

38:17 The Impact of Acquisitions on Business

44:29 The Evolution of OrderStream

51:07 Finding Purpose and Passion in Business

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About Tapped In Sales:  

Tapped In Sales is a podcast dedicated to beer distributors and beverage industry professionals who are looking to elevate their sales strategies and drive profitability. Hosted by industry experts Bud Dunn and Mike Hall, we dive deep into real-world stories, actionable insights, and the latest trends to help sales teams and managers unlock their full potential. Each episode blends data, strategy, and motivation, making complex topics easy to understand and implement.

This podcast is powered by VXP Tech – the leading Sales Strategy Management system designed for beer distributors. VXP simplifies the complexities of goal setting, variable compensation, and sales team performance, helping you master your market and grow profits, case by case.

Stay tuned for expert advice, fresh perspectives, and tools to sharpen your sales approach!

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