Distribution Talk

"My theory is that "status quo" kills the future." -Paul Glover

In a rush to put distance between this year and the last, what opportunities have you left behind?

Paul Glover, the "no BS" work performance coach, is back, with a new webinar and an urgent directive: stop referring to 2020 as the worst year ever!* He sits down with Jason to discuss keys to building more robust, engaged environments that will thrive in the next normal.

"Well, obviously everybody is happy to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. But, after having lived it and taking some time to reflect, I'm calling b***s*** on considering 2020 as a throw-away year!"

If you caught Paul's last appearance on this podcast, then you already know he's the definition of dynamic. He's also knowledgeable, and he's watched the status quo kill bottom lines more thoroughly than any pandemic. "In the times of good, we develop really bad habits," he says - as individuals and organizations.

Cast your memory back a decade or so. Although not without their hardships, the last 8-10 years have corrected much of the subprime crisis of 2008. Sure, innovation remained a big-picture buzzword, but the day-to-day? We've all gotten comfortable with our processes, as humans are wont to do after such a massive collapse. And then...

2020 served up a once-in-a-lifetime disruption with vast potential - and a limited shelf-life. "The chaos is yours to take advantage of," Paul says, referencing the title of his latest webinar.

Thanks to the pandemic, most companies already have a head start at an organizational renaissance. From the warehouse to the C-suite, employees have proven their adaptability. Even those steadfastly reluctant to change in the past have mastered new tech and rigorous safety regulations. "How about if we build on that by saying you've shown me that you have the ability to do more," Paul says. "And...reward that! Help them grow!"

Now the big question: How?

Paul suggests crafting a thoughtful plan that considers ground-level processes as well as sky-high wishes. Just remember that the status quo is always lurking, ready to derail best intentions with bad habits. The next normal, he says, requires both forward-thinking and hindsight. "We have such a tendency to want to rush to the future. But you can't leave that experience behind." Bring those lessons with you and pay 2020 the respect it deserves.

Two ways to get ahead of the next normal: Join Paul's next webinar The COVID Crisis Would Be A Terrible Thing To Waste and Jason's professionally moderated, industry-specific peer-to-peer forums at Connected Peers.

*All points of view are relative, of course. Our intent is not to diminish anyone's personal suffering or disregard genuine struggles that business owners have faced since the pandemic began. We wish only to provide some positive context.

CONNECT WITH PAUL GLOVER

The No BS Work Performance Coach

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

CONNECT WITH JASON BADER:

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

DT041 - Paul Glover

DT013- Martha Brooke

DT054 - Martha Brooke

Herb Kelleher

***

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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

"By working together, you can really improve the quality of the solutions that you bring to bear against, you know, the problems that you deal with day in, day out." - Marshall Jones

As years go, 2020 didn't leave much behind to recommend it...or did it? Amidst the difficult aspects of the last ten months, distributors managed to string together small but mighty bright spots. In this episode, Jason is joined by business partner Marshall Jones to discuss their favorite takeaways from the last year.

The pair also debut an exciting new leadership forum focused on peer support. If you're ready to commit to 2021's promise or simply looking to banish a few overexposed phrases, Marshall and Jason have you covered.

Last year's silver lining is easy to find - if you know how to look. Instead of searching for a considerable gain, Marshall urges owners and management to add up their small wins instead, then build upon them. "Everyone that survived this [2020] walks away with a really strong sense of accomplishment. They've learned a lot about themselves and their teams and their strengths and what they're capable of doing."

But what should leaders do with that information? How do they transform 2020 hindsight into 2021 insight? And who can they turn to address the challenges that lay ahead?

Peers.

Connected Peers, to be precise, our professionally moderated, industry-specific peer-to-peer forums. Our new concept fosters growth for members and their companies by harnessing the power of experience sharing. "These peer to peer networks have been fantastic," Marshall says. "They really create an opportunity for professionals within the distribution industry that really are often alone in their companies."

With Connected Peers, leaders can interact with their counterparts in other companies and even in different verticals to share best practices, exchange ideas, and fend off stagnation in an environment of inclusive collaboration

Thanks to last year, members of Connected Peers forums have an entirely new catalog of professional experiences from which to share and learn. Masterful pivots, tech triumphs, quick-changes. The pandemic hastened in months transformations that, historically, have taken years to complete. "In the past, for us to find these innovations," Marshall says, "we've had to have a recession or a depression to get us to make these changes." Not this time. Distribution adapted to incredible pressures in months or, in some instances, weeks.

That's the kind of in-the-trenches expertise Connected Peers aims to harness. Listen in to learn more about this incredible forum as well as the words Jason hopes to banish in 2021.

CONNECTED PEERS

***

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.

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Marshall Jones on LinkedIn.

http://www.distributionteam.com

"The old sales process is dead and, frankly, good riddance. " ~Jason Bader

Can a decade-old film about baseball provide fresh ideas for distribution? In this rare solo episode, Jason talks with you about driving company growth using the intelligence you already have at hand.

As a self-professed data junkie, it's no great leap for Jason to pull cues from Moneyball while discussing the lessons he's learned at his day job as a consultant. The 2011 true story follows Billy Beane, the general manager of a middling baseball team, as he becomes first in the major leagues to embrace economic algorithms as a tool for uncovering value - in his case, underrated and, therefore, underpriced players. The gut instincts of seasoned field scouts couldn't override empirical evidence: intelligent analysis saves money and wins games.

In baseball, the data begins with an analysis of past performance. In distribution, past transactional data provides the foundation upon which to build new customer avatars and expand current client profiles. T

his data allows businesses to grow sales by understanding what people are currently doing versus what they could be doing in the future. Business intelligence prompts smarter questions and provides more precise answers. That information translates into more efficient and more profitable sales teams.

If COVID has taught us anything, it's that the old ways of courting and calling on customers are dead. And good riddance, too. The worldwide reset has forced companies to address wasted time and energy, own up to mediocrity in their sales process, and get serious about their survival. All distributors have to do is extract (and use!) the data they've already collected.

Just like Beane did with his 2002 Oakland A's.

***

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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

If you need any help out there in your distribution business, reach out to Jason. Thank you for helping drive this podcast over the year. Have a safe and happy holiday. And, hey, let's look forward to 2021.

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

"Your best customers are subsidizing your worst customers." ~Franke Hurtte

Talking shop with Frank Hurtte is akin to auditing a masterclass in distribution longevity: no matter the vertical, he's always ready with a personal anecdote and answers to some of today's most challenging problems.

Frank has successfully parlayed 28 years in direct distribution into a consultancy, as well as a byline on multiple books and hundreds of industry articles. He shares some of that expertise with DT listeners for free - a tactic he says distributors themselves should abandon now before it costs them their entire business.

"The people I work with are people that add some value to everything that they sell." Frank dubs these clients knowledge-based distributors, men and women who trade in more than just boxes of stuff. They're product specialists, and it's beyond time to stop giving away that knowledge for free, in essence, devaluing the customer service they bring to the table.

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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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Franke Hurtte on LinkedIn.

***

"The small guys got to do something to differentiate themselves," Frank says. He suggests the best way to survive amidst the big players in the industry is through product information and customer service - two benefits Amazon isn't interested in providing. The trick, of course, is to know when, how, and who to extend the value to - and at what cost.

Frank counters pushback from those who balk at charging for expertise with trademark earnestness. "Unless you get a handle on that, you're going to be a former, really-popular-but-out-of-business distributor."

Far less controversial a topic, but equally important to a company's success, is participation in distribution associations. Frank champions active membership, citing engagement as one of the best ways to cultivate resilience in yourself and the industry as a whole.

"Somebody's [within the group] going to have a solution out there, and it's good to build that network of friends that can help you through those situations." Frank sees the knowledge shared among members as a real difference-maker to a company's culture and its bottom line. "That's the trade secret."

Listen in for more of Frank's trade secrets, including his favorite resources: Value-Added Selling by Tom Reilly and Paul Reilly; and Dr. Albert D. Bates of Distribution Performance Project

CONNECT WITH FRANK HURTTE:

The Distribution Channel

The Distributor's Fee Based Services Manifesto on Amazon

[email protected]

"You just have to play the niche and work with what you can and take the good with the bad." Ed Flemmons

Ed Flemmons takes poolside particulars seriously. As president of Pool Contractors Supply, Inc. headquartered in Memphis, TN, he maintains a firm grip on the company's financials as well as its future.

Not one to lounge around, Ed's responsibilities extend to his buying group, where he heads the largest cooperative of independent pool and spa distributors in North America. Jason and Ed discuss changes to the industry (hint: the faces are getting younger); and promoting value at both ends of the supply chain.

"There's a variety of components that add value to the distribution chain." Ed works every component, twice. First, from his post as president of both PCS, Inc., the family business he married into over thirty years ago. Second, on behalf of WINDO Group, Inc, the Wholesale Independent National Distributors Organization of which he is also president. Each position benefits significantly from his master's degree in finance - an ace in the hole where bankers are concerned.

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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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Ed Flemmons on LinkedIn.

***

Ultimately, Ed says real satisfaction comes from fostering relationships, whether with contractor clients, manufacturers, or group members. "I'm generally concerned about our group members, and I think that shows to them too. It's something that I just take personally because I feel like I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure everybody's successful and make sure the group's successful."

Family businesses like PCS often stand (or fall) on the relationships forged between generations. With his brother-in-law's recent retirement, Ed found himself a new partner: his nephew. "I had to back off and do some real soul searching because anytime I'm in a partnership, I want somebody that is the polar opposite of myself."

The "opposites" idea didn't go precisely according to Ed's plan, however. "It's difficult when you...we didn't get to choose each other; we were family first and business partner second." The pair have since settled into their complimentary C-suite roles, underscoring Ed's commitment to strengthening relationships across the board.

"I've always been about time management and efficiencies and finding ways to do the right thing quickly. ~Greg

"In your career, there's 5% of your time in service to your industry. Period. End of the story. And people need to hear that. ~Mike

How do two affable guys with several successful businesses between them find time to record three podcasts a week and run a leading trade organization?

For Michael Colligan and Greg Ehrich, the duo behind Get A Grip On Lighting podcast, their secret sauce is a commitment to serving the lighting industry. It's been a while since I appeared as guest number one on their show; now, Mike and Greg are here to return the favor, shedding light on how they keep these interconnected parts running smoothly.

"I have a couple of different angles. I love distribution, I love contracting, and all these things dovetail together," says Mike of the businesses he runs when not behind the mic - although he's often managing business even while recording. The show he created and that he and Greg now co-host, is the official podcast of The National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD). It's a great fit, not least because Mike and Greg embody what it means to innovate in all areas.

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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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Michael Colligan on LinkedIn.

Connect with Greg Ehrich on LinkedIn.

***

Through their individual companies, each had championed advanced lighting technologies like CFL and LED, getting on board when cool lighting was just getting hot, paving the way for their collectively bright future endeavors. "It's kind of like your card in the door everywhere because everybody needs lighting," Greg says.

Even during the pandemic, the pair continue to innovate. Connection is key for both men. Separately, each is driven to find the best fit for their customers and the planet. Together, Mike and Greg have committed to giving back to an industry that has provided an abundance of opportunity to forge relationships.

Podcasting and live streaming trade show events (remember those?) are two of their activities. The other is participation in the industry's trade organization. Participation is probably too soft a word for what Mike and Greg do. Rather than stopping at board participation, they signed on to oversee the organization's interests and advance its standing. And they created an entire management company to tackle the job.

"We wanted to bring it to the next level," Greg says, and they've done just that, with enhanced education options and a fresh appeal to the next generation of industry leaders.

With all they've accomplished to date, it's hard to believe that Mike and Greg have the same twenty-four hours in a day as the rest of us. It's not magic; it's time-management.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Distribution Talk e17 - Commodity vs Consultation w/ Brenda Puckett

Get A Grip On Lighting e1 - w/ Jason Bader

Get A Grip On Lighting e45 - Women In Lighting w/ Brenda Puckett

Get A Grip On Lighting e132 - Disrupt Or Die w/ Brenda Pucket

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL COLLIGAN & GREG EHRICH:

Atlas Lighting

Premier Lighting

Get A Grip Studios

Podcasts

Get A Grip On Lighting

NAILD

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

"Clients are looking for meaningful information from their customers about what they expect and what they perceive and what's going on in the world." ~Martha Brooke

Martha Brooke is back with more sage advice for survey-wary CEOs. A lot has changed in the world since I last chatted with the founder of Interaction Metrics way back in 2019.

This time, she's sharing valuable insights around pandemic-era company reviews and translating data into actionable improvements.

"[COVID19 is] just such a sea-change that will affect us forevermore. Some things, we're not going back to and, so, this is just a great time to find out: how do we set new strategies that continue to raise the bar on sales and on employee performance?"

While some businesses are suffering through pandemic fatigue, Martha and her team are busy compiling data-driven answers for companies willing to ask the correct questions. She, like her clients, is after evidence; details not spilt over cordial lunches (remember those?) or friendly customer service calls. No one's going to provide the intel your business needs to thrive in today's climate over lunch, no matter how honest the conversation.

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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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Martha Brooke on LinkedIn.

***

Candor comes from open-ended inquiries and double-blind collection instead; well crafted, expertly analyzed information, organized by an unbiased third party.

"One of the reasons to work with a customer experience research company like mine is, we don't give a damn," says Martha. "We're just there to report the evidence."

Too often, owners shy away from the kind of evidence Martha uncovers. They fear answers that require complicated solutions. Sure, customers do come back with pie-in-the-sky requests ("create an app!" "open a branch closer to me!"). More often, Martha says the feedback leads to small tweaks companies can undertake in hours, not months.

Additionally, she points out that customers will only continue wanting more from you, a byproduct of the information-rich times in which we live. Best to implement low-hanging changes and get ahead of the curve while planning for those long-term improvements.

Owners looking at this year's bottom line for excuses to delay customer intelligence-gathering might want to rethink that game plan. Martha suggests repurposing survey information to extend the cost benefits. The data, she says, has myriad uses: on marketing collateral, your website, and social media channels.

"Not all data is worth gathering but... surveys are not expensive." And the investment can establish essential baselines for post-COVID strategies.

Listen in to Martha's first appearance on Distribution Talk here.

Get Interaction Metric's Five Standards For Excellent Customer Listening here.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Peter Drucker

Five Standards for Excellent Customer Listening

CONNECT WITH MARTHA BROOKE:

Interaction Metrics

[email protected]

LinkedIn

"I think it's just an apt message for this time, to share with our team, with each other that, hey, we're counting on you to just continue to grow." ~Mason Greene

Few industries have weathered more storms during the pandemic than foodservice. From restaurants to suppliers, the pressure on this vibrant vertical to provide will not ease any time soon. Jason chats with Mason Greene, third-generation president of Hotel & Restaurant Supply, about how he's fostering responsibility and encouraging innovation amidst challenges.

"When I stop and think about it...it's a great opportunity in the space we have," says Mason about distribution in general and the foodservice vertical specifically.

***

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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Mason Greene.

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

***

Throughout the conversation, Mason routinely circles back to the relational aspect, how much the business has given him and how much he enjoys paying that forward.

In addition to overseeing a multi-showroom company known for quality service in sales, warehousing, and design-build, Mason currently serves as chairman of FEDA. He credits the industry organization afforded him space to gather intel and make long-lasting connections.

"It's definitely a phenomenal experience and I'm thankful to be able to serve in that way and grow in that way."

He's incredibly proud of FEDA's young leaders program, with its mission to develop talent and engage the next wave of professionals. Creating an environment in which young talent feels welcome is a win-win for the future of distribution. That said, attracting accomplished recruits requires commitment from leadership.

Mason points out that generations often maligned as "job-hoppers" are merely looking for environments that value their tech-forward approach. "A young person can really come in and make an impact, you know when they bring in those skills and ideas."

Mason recently tapped new tech to streamline protocols from the office to the showroom, but he's quick to point out that the systems upgrade was more than just a software improvement.

"[It's] an investment in our people." Providing first-rate tools signaled to Mason's team that they can continue to count on his support of their long-range goals, even now. That's created a ripple effect.

"I hear our customers saying we're counting on you," Mason says. Vendors, too. He's doing everything he can to strengthen relationships all along the chain and ensure mutual success as everyone in the industry rides out the storm together.

"Wherever you're coming into a new place, look for opportunities to get curious, to ask questions, to be a learner - maybe even before you're a contributor." ~Katie Munro Powell

Curiosity is the catalyst for Katie Powell. As president of Munro Companies, Inc. in Grand Junction, CO, she approaches leadership with an inquisitive attitude. Jason and Katie discuss the finer points of running both a distribution and a manufacturing division; as well her commitment to service, whether she's in the C-suite or leading the Girl Scout troop.

"The more time that I spent with the team, and the more time that I understood the value that a business like ours brings to our community and our customers and our employees, I got hooked on wanting to make the business better." Katie's appreciation for the company her father and grandfather started in 1965 comes with a caveat: she didn't get hooked immediately.

Instead, she struck out to find success on her terms, away from Grand Junction. Twenty years later, her marketing career at a crossroad, Katie dialed up her dad to offer her services - if he'd have her. Or, she'd chart a new course elsewhere. "He was silent," she laughs. "I want to say it was [for] two traffic lights." Not only was he thrilled to have her but, from day one on the job, he introduced his daughter as the future head of Munro.

***

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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Katie Munro Powell on LinkedIn.

***

His faith in Katie paid off. Her career achievements outside the company, coupled with her willingness to onboard so thoroughly upon her return to the family fold, has propelled Munro into the 21st century. She set ambitious goals, prompting employees to challenge their limiting beliefs and punch above their weight. Then she identified the key differentiators of each business and honed in on the needs of their distinct customers.

Although the divisions complement each other, as separate entities, they offer Katie a unique perspective. "When I have my distributor hat on, it helps me to talk to my manufacturing partners in a different way because I also understand what they're after."

Double the business, double the challenges. As the market shifts away from natural gas and coal production, Munro's distribution side has had to reevaluate. Still, Katie's not about to abandon the rewards of leading with a learner's mind. "Wherever you're coming into a new place, look for opportunities to get curious."

"I learned early on just being nice and kind to the customer can go a long way." ~Dale Hahs

Dale Hahs has initiated dozens of innovations throughout his career at AIS Industrial & Construction Supply in Denver - from system upgrades to expanded product lines.

And while technology has allowed him to implement cool features such as 360º virtual warehouse views, Dale attributes his company's success to strong customer relationships and peer networks. Jason chats with Dale about responding to the marketplace during COVID-19 and collaborating with Affiliated Distributors.

"It's nice because we are so diverse and we sell into so many different marketplaces that when one thing is down, we can look at other avenues where we can sell that same product to a different vertical."

That's the case with AIS' foray into eBay, a marketplace that has served the company well, especially during the pandemic. With eBay, AIS has found a way to move closeout items, overstock, and niche products. The endeavor allows AIS to gather instant feedback which doesn't happen on their general eComm site.

That line of communication sits well with Dale, who believes that customer kindness promotes customer loyalty. To that end, when his customers began clamoring for hard hats, gloves, and vests AIS responded quickly, adding safety supplies to their extensive inventory of industrial and construction goods. "It's probably the fastest-growing category of anything that we sell."

***

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.

http://www.distributionteam.com

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

Connect with Jason Bader on LinkedIn.

Connect with Dale Hahs on LinkedIn.

***

Pivoting to new product lines or managing sales expectations are daunting tasks even without a pandemic adding pressure to every decision. In times like these, Dale's grateful for the camaraderie and peer knowledge he's benefited from as a member of Affiliated Distributors. He credits the network for creating an arena where peers can support and challenge each other, where they can innovate and educate together.

Dale urges others to get off the sidelines to reap maximum rewards of membership in groups like AD. "The best way that I learned was being able to be part of the executive committee," Dale says of his stint as chairman of the network.

These days, Dale's excited to watch his son work his way through the ranks at AIS. Eventually, he says, things will open up enough for father and son to attend AD events, reestablishing in real life those peer relationships that make a career in distribution so rewarding.