"Distribution has a PR problem." Fans of Distribution Talk will recognize that quote as one of Jason Bader's favorite industry laments. It's more than a pithy soundbite, however. The phrase is shorthand for the talent acquisition and development issues facing most small-to-mid-sized wholesale distributors.

One answer? A tiered progression plan.

On this rare solo episode, Jason discusses strategies for attracting next-generation new hires and offers tips on creating a tiered progression plan that will energize your entire staff.

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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.

Do you know which activity is sabotaging your company's potential? All of them. Busywork across every department––from order processing to inventory management––is a real drag on employee morale, customer relationships, and the bottom line. Conventional software won't save you, but AI could.

In this episode of Distribution Talk, Jason chats with Michael Delgado, founder of Canals AI, about bringing the power of AI to small and medium-sized wholesale distributors. They also discuss the investigative process that led to Canals AI's distributions-focused design, use cases, and the one significant difference between your current software package and artificial intelligence.

CONNECT WITH JASON

LinkedIn

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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.

Leave it to Dirk Beveridge, keynote speaker, best-selling author, executive film producer, and founder of UnleashWD, to reference ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, comparative mythology expert Joseph Campbell, and Tatooine farmboy Luke Skywalker in the same conversation. When you're in the company of this self-professed advocate of distribution and champion of positive leadership, all of the philosophical and cultural references make perfect sense.

Jason caught up with Dirk to discuss his latest endeavor, Force For Good, a live virtual event created to empower every individual in distribution today, whether they work on the warehouse floor, in the customer service center, or up in the C-suite.

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LinkedIn

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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: Profit2, helping distributors charge the right price.

Successful change management is about knowing your audience and anticipating what they can accept and when. Whether you run a family-run distribution company or a member-owned cooperative in the professional turf, ornamental and specialty landscape vertical, that formula remains the same.

Jeff Braun, CEO of Primera Co-Op, thoroughly understands the critical moves his organization must take to excel. More importantly, he knows when to ease up before rolling out his plans. Jason chats with Jeff about his transition from major manufacturer to co-op, the pleasures and perils of taking on a new vertical, and the art of slowing down to accelerate innovation.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

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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.

Can EOS® transform your company? Yes, and Charlton Keultjes not only has the case studies to prove it, but he also has the training to help you easily integrate the Entrepreneurial Operating System. Charlton is a professional EOS implementer with over a decade of experience coaching owners and leadership teams.

Jason invites Charlton to share his experiences using EOS at his former privately-held company. The pair also explore how this proven business operating system helps entrepreneurial organizations clarify, simplify, and achieve their vision.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

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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.

Senior members of the C-suite take note: distribution's next-gen leaders are out there. You must know where to find them and how to support their growth. Seth Gordon, CEO of Glacier Supply Group, didn't grow up in the HVAC distribution business. Still, he recognized an opportunity to innovate within the industry and work with a tangible product.

Jason chats with Seth about his journey from finance to duct fittings, the importance of connecting with mentors, and the Glacier team's wildly successful implementation of EOS, the Entrepreneurs Operating System.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

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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.

If you're in distribution, you probably belong to an association, one that's focused on advancing the concerns of your specific vertical. Chances are also good that you have no idea who manages the day-to-day activities of that organization or that it offers excellent career opportunities for young professionals.

Kevin Gammonley has been getting those messages out for 30+ years as a senior director at Smithbucklin. Jason caught up with Kevin to get a behind-the-scenes tour of association management basics and learn why it's an excellent career choice for innovative young professionals.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

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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.

Movies portray embezzlement as a big-money, high-flying romp. Fact is decidedly different than fiction––and surprisingly common!

Jason dives into the realities of pink-collar crime with Kelly Paxton, a workplace dishonesty expert, fraud educator, and host of the Fraudish podcast. The pair offer case studies (including Jason's personal experience) that expose the motives behind the misconduct, company culture's role in fostering opportunities for theft, and how small withdrawals add up to big financial headaches. Kelly also provides straightforward steps to keep your company safe from embezzlement schemes.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

Embezzlement: How To Detect And Investigate Pink Collar Crime

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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.

Guitze Messina is a man of many qualities. As the eminently personable executive director of HARDI LATAM, Guitze has transformed what was once HARDI Mexico into a powerhouse organization representing heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration distributors across nine Latin American countries and counting. Not one to hoard his success, Guitze recently published Moneycall, his savvy, entertaining guide to attracting more recurring sales with less prospecting.

Jason welcomes Guitze back to discuss the benefits of a proactive selling strategy, the science, and software behind distribution's next evolution, and why he opted to format his book as a fable.

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LinkedIn

Moneycall

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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, integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.

If data is the new gold (as touted on TV), distributors would be wise to entrust their assets to someone well-versed in the malleable but often dense nature of distribution-centric information.

Vinny Maurici, vice president of data engineering at Object Edge, is that person. Jason chats with Vinny about his early days in distribution, the importance of attaching C-suite buy-in to revolutionary initiatives, and the alchemy behind turning raw data into profitable long-term objectives.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

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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: Profit2, helping distributors charge the right price.