The beer business is changing fast — but too many wholesalers are still operating like it’s 2005.

In this episode of the Tapped In Sales Podcast, Bud, Moneyball Ross, and Data Mike are joined by Wes Verno of Verno Consulting, one of the most respected strategic advisors in beer distribution, for a wide-ranging and honest conversation about why legacy structures, outdated service models, and misaligned compensation plans are quietly killing performance.

This isn’t a theory-heavy episode. It’s grounded in real distributor examples — from route design and service levels to middle management overload and compensation structures that reward entitlement instead of results.

If you’ve ever said (or heard):

“That’s just how we’ve always done it…”this episode is for you.

🍺 What’s Covered in This Episode

🧭 Why route structure is a strategy decision, not a spreadsheet exercise

🚚 How wholesalers over-service accounts and quietly subsidize inefficiency

⚖️ The hidden cost of misaligned labor and overloaded middle management

📋 Why most wholesalers don’t actually have a real service policy

🎯 The case for fewer but better managers, positioned to coach — not cover routes

🏆 Why putting your best reps in the wrong accounts kills productivity

💸 How compensation plans drift into entitlement (and why that’s dangerous)

🤝 The difference between being a nice employer and a sustainable employer

🧠 How technology should simplify focus, not overwhelm reps

🤖 What the sales role looks like as order replenishment becomes automated

📈 Why gross profit growth, not cost cutting, is the real long-term solution

👤 About Wes

Wes Verno is a partner at Verno Consulting, working with beer wholesalers across the country on go-to-market strategy, routing, operations, labor alignment, and organizational design. His insights are drawn directly from hands-on work inside distributor warehouses, sales teams, and leadership rooms.

🔗 Learn more about Wes and his team:👉 https://vernoconsulting.com/

Wes also publishes two industry resources widely used by distributor leaders:

• Verno’s Beverage Brief — a monthly deep dive into distributor best practices

• The 2-Minute Manager — short, thought-provoking leadership insights

📬 Subscribe here:👉 https://vernoconsulting.com/subscribe/

🍺 Episode Chapters

🧠 00:00 Consulting in the Wholesaling Industry

🧭 07:30 Route Strategy and Market Adaptation

🚚 13:28 Service Policies and Over-Servicing Challenges

📊 15:38 Understanding Account Discrepancies

⚖️ 17:48 Management Structure Imbalance

🧑‍🏫 19:54 The Role of Middle Management

🏗️ 21:19 Sales Rep Structure and BDRs

🔀 22:11 Bifurcation of Sales Teams

🎯 25:44 Identifying High-Impact Accounts 🏆 26:40 Defining Good Sales Reps

💸 28:58 Evolving Compensation Structures

🤝 32:21 Balancing People and Profit

🧠 37:06 The Role of Technology in Sales

🤖 40:14 Future of Sales with AI and Automation

📈 43:43 Preparing for 2026 and Beyond

🎧 52:54 Episode Wrap-Up

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📩 Contact Us

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📧 Email: [email protected]🎧 Podcast: Tapped In Sales Podcast🌐 More: vxptech.com