Distribution Talk

Selling your company is one of the most challenging aspects of owning a business. Longtime colleague and Distribution Team Senior Advisor, Marshall Jones knows the mental, emotional, and procedural challenges well. Those experiences put him in a unique position to assist other sellers through the process. 

Jason and Marshall review a client case study highlighting critical aspects of securing a successful (and profitable!) sale and tips for avoiding deal-breaking pitfalls. 

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited & mixed by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. 

Returns, warranties, and repairs are a headache for distribution. Much of that pain stems from the antiquated systems that most companies still rely on to process their returns. Alex Witcpalek, founder and CEO of Continuum.ai, recognized the optimization potential of this largely overlooked in-house activity and created the first B2B returns network for distributors and manufacturers. 

Jason caught up with Alex during a recent conference in Chicago to find out what drew this ex-college footballer to distribution (and podcasting!), why Continuum.ai’s platform is a perfect match for a niche operation with so many variables, and how it boosts the user’s overall profitability. The pair also discuss the role that Continuum.ai’s quality culture plays in attracting and keeping a top-tier workforce. 

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. 

Welcome back for part 2 with the Bader boys, Jason’s in-depth look at his family’s distribution business with patriarch and founder of Acme Construction Supply Co, Inc., Dick Bader, and younger brother Jordan, the company’s current president and CEO. As they wrap up their visit, Dick and Jordan reveal the fundamental principles that have supported Acme’s thriving culture and growth initiatives. They also share the rewards of trade organization participation in this “revisited” episode. 

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.

Jason corrals family patriarch and founder of Acme Construction Supply Co, Inc., Dick Bader, and little brother Jordan, current president and CEO, for an insider’s look at the family business. Like all epic tales, this one comes complete with plot twists, sibling rivalry (of the genial kind), and a cliffhanger.

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.

If entrepreneurs are known for marching to a different beat, then Jeff Peterson is an improvisational maestro. DT fans may remember Jason’s conversation with the CEO of Geneva Supply in episode 21, in which the two discussed growing and expanding that company’s footprint. And did he ever! Just as that business started to get predictable, Jeff stumbled upon his next entrepreneurial challenge: Interstate Music.

This week, we're revisiting Jeff's second appearance on Distribution Talk: The One Where Jeff Went All In to Turn Around a 75-Year-Old Music Retailer (even though the company languished in bankruptcy and the world paused for a pandemic). He applied his extensive e-com knowledge and a lifelong affinity for live music to a new entrepreneurial challenge and has never once regretted taking on that challenge.

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited & mixed by The Creative Impostor Studios.

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. 

Buzzwords can shut down conversations quicker than their end users care to admit. But, when Edward Kuo employs terms like “collaborate” and “innovate” to describe his role as executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), he can back them up with decades of association experience and a successful track record of advocating for an entire industry, not just the members of his organization. 

Jason and Edward chat about the value associations provide businesses beyond their membership, the challenges of attracting younger workers to a career in distribution, and the art of bringing industry competitors together for the good of all. 

CONNECT WITH JASON

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Connected Peers, providing virtual communities for wholesale distributors.

An enterprise resources planning (ERP) system is great…until it's not. But, before you sign on the dotted line for your first warehouse management system (WMS), have you given serious (and honest) thought to how your growing pains might manifest in that pricey new platform? 

Casey Winans has. He's the founder and CEO of Fullstride, an independent advisory firm purpose-built to ensure smooth transitions from ERP to WMS. Jason chats with Casey about the art and science of a successful upgrade and how to perform an internal review of warehouse processes and employee engagement before making the move to WMS.

CONNECT WITH JASON

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. 

You've defined the company's core values, but have you gotten specific about the behaviors that support those lofty goals? Brian Blaushild, the president of Famous Supply, has, and his commitment to these fundamentals is reflected in the company's superb culture. 

Jason caught up with the fourth-generation leader to learn more about the Famous 40 Fundamentals and how those principles have impacted everyday operations at the multi-branch HVAC supplier. The pair also discuss promoting from within and the meticulous succession plan that prepared Brian for the top job at Famous.

CONNECT WITH JASON

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. 

There's a reason for all the chatter around artificial intelligence on Distribution Talk: early adopters gain a competitive edge that's hard to beat. Jason Bader welcomes Jason Sullivan, founder and CEO of Distro AI, to expand on the AI conversation. 

They discuss Distro AI’s process for leveraging vast amounts of raw data (think: key industry insights and thousands of product SKUs) to create rep-friendly, real-time recommendations that boost sales and customer satisfaction. The pair also preview AskA2L, Distro's intuitive AI chat feature purpose-built for HARDI.

CONNECT WITH JASON BADER

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Moblico, helping businesses do more business on mobile devices.

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-steel-fabricator at an industry event and knew that his story––and attitude––would resonate across verticals. The Jasons discuss the benefits of early-career training within a large multinational corporation, taking calculated career risks, and fostering a relentlessly curious mind. 

CONNECT WITH JASON BADER

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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.   

This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.