Darn Good Distributors

Forward Studios

Darn Good Distributors is the podcast for B2B eCommerce professionals who are tired of fluff and ready for the real stuff. Hosted by Kyler Nixon, each episode features conversations with boots-on-the-ground leaders—from CEOs and marketers to operators and digital pioneers—who are redefining what success looks like in B2B distribution. You’ll hear practical strategies, hard-earned lessons, and honest takes on what’s working right now. Whether you’re scaling your company, rethinking digital, or just trying to stay sharp in a rapidly evolving space, this is your home for insights that actually matter.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    What Are You the Best in the World At? (with Shane Hollenbaugh from ARCH Cutting Tools) | Ep. 36

    When a company grows by acquisition, the obvious risk is fragmentation. Fifteen cutting tool plants, each built by an entrepreneur who spent decades doing things their own way, don't automatically speak the same language. The challenge isn't the products. It's getting every part of the business to pull toward the same outcome. ㅤ That's the problem Kyler Nixon and Shane Hollenbaugh dig into on this episode. Shane joined ARCH Cutting Tools in October 2025 as Chief Revenue Officer, five months in when this was recorded, and has already added eight new sales reps, established weekly plant-to-salesforce alignment calls, and built a system around one repeating question: what are you the best in the world at? ㅤ The conversation covers how Shane is deploying a salesforce across 15 manufacturing facilities, how platform-based load leveling cut carbide lead times to two to three weeks against an industry average of ten to twelve, and what actually separates a sales hire that wins from one that doesn't. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Shane Hollenbaugh is the Chief Revenue Officer at ARCH Cutting Tools, a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-speed steel, tungsten carbide, PCD, and CBN cutting tools with 15 manufacturing facilities across the eastern United States. Shane brings nearly 30 years in the cutting tool industry, including 14 years at MAPAL and 11 years at YG-1 as Executive Director of Sales before taking on the CRO role at ARCH in October 2025. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover How ARCH's acquisition model created a multi-plant alignment challenge and what Shane built in his first five months to address itThe "best in the world at" framework: why "we're good at everything" is a non-answer, and how pushing business unit managers to name one specialty changes how a salesforce gets deployedPlatform-based load leveling across ANCA, Walter, and Rollomatic grinding plants and how that gets carbide lead times to two to three weeks when the rest of the industry runs ten to twelveThe one interview question Shane asks every sales candidate, and what their body language tells him before they even finish answeringWhy a candidate who asks about after-hours time during an interview is already raising a red flag, and what questions signal someone who actually wants to learnThe two rules Shane's first mentor drilled into him thirty years ago, including why being good at golf is grounds for termination ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned ARCH Cutting Tools - ARCH's website, products, and rep locatorShane Hollenbaugh on LinkedIn - Kyler specifically calls out Shane's LinkedIn presence as worth following

    34 min

  2. 5 MAY

    Why 10,000 Products Doesn't Mean You Start with Products (with Amanda Clark from Barron Equipment) | Ep. 35

    Most distributors know they need better SEO. Very few have actually built a process around it. This episode goes deep on what it really takes: the wrong moves that cost money, the weighted analysis that told one distributor where to start, and why knowing your products is a prerequisite for any of it to work. ㅤ Kyler Nixon sits down with Amanda Clark of Barron Equipment Company to trace her journey from copying manufacturer content onto a new website to growing organic traffic by nearly 3,000% in seven years. They cover the weighted analysis framework Barron uses to prioritize which products to optimize first, how to build internal buy-in for SEO investment before the data exists, and why the relationship with your manufacturer vendors is a direct competitive advantage. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Amanda Clark is Marketing Manager at Barron Equipment Company, a material handling distributor headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, founded in 1979. Barron serves Iowa and parts of Illinois and Nebraska, supplying everything from casters and dock equipment to industrial overhead doors. Amanda has been with Barron since 2018, driving the company's SEO, e-commerce, and content strategy. She holds a degree from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover Why copying manufacturer product descriptions onto your website is a duplicate content risk, and what to do insteadThe weighted analysis Barron built to decide which of their thousands of products to optimize first, factoring in margin, sales cycle, and keyword opportunityHow optimizing the industrial doors category page took Barron from one contact form per week to 12 per dayWhy category and collection pages are lower lift and higher return than individual product pages for SEOHow Amanda built internal buy-in for SEO investment before she had hard data to back it upThe vendor relationship strategy Barron uses to stay ahead on new products, co-op funding, and content differentiationWhy product H1 naming matters, and how to use Semrush and Keywords Everywhere to find the name your customers actually searchWhy web personas drive better content structure, from spec tables for engineers to different image types for safety managersWhy SEO principles carry directly into AEO, GEO, and LLM-driven search ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned Barron Equipment CompanySemrushKeywords EverywhereScreaming FrogAhrefsWooCommerce

    46 min

  3. 28 APR

    The Loyalty Program That's Been Running for 11 Years, And Nobody's Copying It (with Nick Haertel from SupplyHouse.com) | Ep. 34

    Most B2B distributors hear "loyalty program" and think DTC. SupplyHouse.com built one anyway — and it's been running for over a decade. Kyler Nixon sits down with Nick Haertel, Director of Growth Marketing at SupplyHouse.com, to break down the TradeMaster Program: what it is, who it's for, and how it powers retention across every owned channel the company has. ㅤ The conversation covers TradeMaster's core benefits — free shipping, free returns, SKU-level discounts, and a dedicated customer service line — and then goes deep on the multi-channel strategy SupplyHouse runs to keep TradeMasters active: email, SMS, direct mail, surprise-and-delight gifting, and a brand-new inside sales team. The big idea: when a customer gets 10x as many touchpoints as they'd get from a competitor, there's really no contest for who wins the repeat order. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Nick Haertel is Director of Growth Marketing at SupplyHouse.com, a pure-play e-commerce distributor of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical supplies serving over 7 million customers across the U.S. Before joining SupplyHouse, Nick spent several years at Uline as Director of Digital Marketing — one of the most sophisticated catalog and direct mail operations in the country. He holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover What the TradeMaster Program actually is — and why it's built for trades pros, not typical B2B buyersHow SupplyHouse uses first-party loyalty data to show TradeMaster-specific pricing in Google Ads — and why paying to retain existing customers is a calculated call, not a mistakeThe two-track email strategy: a longer welcome journey for new members who haven't purchased yet, and a faster re-engagement sequence for customers showing drop-off behaviorWhy SupplyHouse measures TradeMaster success as a rolling one-year unique buyer file — not just opens or clicksHow Nick thinks about SMS in B2B: start with transactional texts, let customers opt into what they want, and accept that the timing and cadence rules from email don't applyThe direct mail playbook: predicting lifetime value from a customer's first order (SKU type, order size, cross-category behavior) to decide who gets a TradeMaster invitation pieceWhy SupplyHouse launched both a dedicated loyalty team and an inside sales team in the same year — and why those two functions are designed to work togetherKyler's synthesis of the full strategy: retention is about touchpoints, and distributors sitting on large house files are already holding the advantage ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned SupplyHouse.com TradeMaster ProgramDarn Good Distributors Episode 11 - Kristen Dean, Universal Companies (SMS in B2B — referenced in conversation)

    29 min

  4. 21 APR

    Do What You Say You're Gonna Do (with Jeff Buster from Buster's Industrial Supply) | Ep. 33

    Most sales playbooks tell you to follow the script, hit the cadence, and move to the next number. Jeff Buster did it that way for a while, too - until he stopped, started just being himself, and became one of the top sales reps in the nation at one of the world's largest industrial MRO companies. ㅤ Kyler Nixon sits down with Jeff Buster, Owner and President of Buster's Industrial Supply in Fort Worth, Texas, to talk about what it actually takes to build relationships that last 20 years. Jeff walked away from a corporate career, started his own company in 2015, and has been taking market share in the DFW industrial market ever since - without a big ad budget or a national account team. ㅤ The conversation covers the founding moment Jeff describes as getting fed up making the right call for a customer and getting reprimanded for it, why VMI now makes up 70-80% of Buster's revenue, and how Jeff approaches direct sourcing and building a proprietary product line on top of a distribution business. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Jeff Buster is the Owner and President of Buster's Industrial Supply, a Fort Worth-based MRO distributor he founded in 2015 after nearly two decades in industrial sales. Buster's serves fleet, automotive, construction, manufacturing, and government customers across the DFW area, offering 50,000+ line items, VMI programs, custom product development, and a proprietary branded product line. The company was voted "Best of Industrial Equipment Suppliers" Fort Worth 2024. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover Why Jeff ditched the corporate sales script - and how going off-book turned him into a national top repThe moment he told his employer to get bent and launched Buster's Industrial Supply the same dayHow showing up to a customer who said "we can't buy from you" ten times eventually turned into running their entire department with several thousand SKUsWhy VMI accounts for 70-80% of Buster's business and why that model still wins against national competitorsThe stair-step approach to deciding whether to one-off a product, stock it for one customer with a purchasing agreement, or bring it into the full lineupQuarterly warehouse turns as the core inventory health metric - and why that discipline protects profitabilityGoing direct to overseas factories for sourcing, preferring DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) to sidestep customs complexity, and why product knowledge is the real barrierThe Buster's Industrial private label product line - including a reverse-engineered non-acid concrete dissolver built to solve a real customer problem ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned Buster's Industrial SupplyJeff Buster on LinkedInKyler Nixon on LinkedIn

    29 min

  5. 14 APR

    Small Company, Big Technology: How To Out-Service The Giants (with Lynn Martin from Pineapple Hospitality) | Ep. 32

    How do you stand out as a small distributor in a category dominated by massive conglomerates with sales teams bigger than your entire company? For Pineapple Hospitality, the answer isn't revolutionary: it's doing the fundamentals really well. ㅤ Host Kyler Nixon sits down with Lynn Martin to talk about how her team has carved out a real position in the guest room amenities space by serving independent, boutique, and luxury properties that the big distributors can't (or won't) serve well. Lynn shares why they walked away from chasing big chain contracts, how relationships with manufacturers send referrals their way, why they skipped Google Ads, and what's behind their move from Magento to Shopify. ㅤ It's a candid look at how a small team with big technology can out-service bigger competitors on the fundamentals. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Lynn Martin is the owner and CEO of Pineapple Hospitality, a Fenton, Missouri, distributor of luxury guest-room amenities, dispensing systems, and other lodging supplies, founded in 2005. Lynn joined the company nearly 10 years ago, and her background spans finance, accounting, and systems work at startups across roughly 10 different industries. She's known for getting her hands dirty on ERP, shipping, and e-commerce integrations herself. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover Why Pineapple intentionally avoids big branded chain accounts and the "red tape" that comes with themThe line on their website ("odds are, if you're here, you're looking for a change") and where it came fromHow they serve everything from a one-room vacation rental to a 1,000-room resort waterpark, with an average customer around 100 roomsWhy manufacturers send them referrals and how the reciprocal relationship works when a deal is too big to route through themHow being the SEO "go-to" for specific retail brands in hospitality drives inbound leads, and why Google Ads didn't pay offThe move from Magento to Shopify, the agency relationship, and why Lynn insists on handling three-fourths of the integration work herselfHow their ERP, website, and shipping systems are integrated so orders flow from click to tracking email in minutesWhy doing the fundamentals extremely well is the real way to stand out in a crowded space ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned Pineapple HospitalityMagento (current e-commerce platform)Shopify (platform they're migrating to)

    28 min

  6. 6 APR

    Burning The HR Playbook To Build A Better B2B Team (with Brian Shoberg from Zirc Dental Products) | Ep. 31

    Hiring marketing talent in the unsexy world of B2B manufacturing and distribution is notoriously difficult. How do you find people who actually care about selling industrial or dental products? Kyler Nixon sits down with Brian Shoberg to challenge everything you know about recruiting and onboarding. Brian argues that the traditional HR playbook belongs in the trash. Instead of looking for perfect resumes, he searches for raw passion and adaptability. Brian shares his unconventional interview questions and explains why clear expectations in the first 90 days are critical for new hires. The conversation also covers how a strong brand story can change not just your external marketing, but your internal company culture. Guest BioBrian Shoberg is the Director of Marketing at Zirc Dental Products, a family-run medical device manufacturer known for its Color Method system. Before entering the dental manufacturing sector, Brian built a strong foundation in storytelling and media production. He specializes in clarifying brand positioning and unifying cross-functional teams. His core philosophy is that clarity drives performance. At Zirc, Brian led a massive digital transformation and corporate rebranding to modernize the buying experience without alienating crucial B2B distributors. What We CoverWhy the traditional HR interview playbook needs to be thrown out and set on fire.How to interview for passion and why it matters more than experience in B2B marketing.The unexpected elephant question Brian uses to test a candidate's adaptability.Why paying above market value sets a standard of excellence for your team.The 90-day onboarding strategy: picking 10 specific things for a new hire to focus on.How implementing the StoryBrand framework changed Zirc Dental Products from the inside out.Why a strong brand story gives employees a reason to be proud of their daily work. Resources MentionedBook: No Rules Rules by Reed HastingsBook: Building a StoryBrand by Donald MillerCompany Website: Zirc Dental ProductsGuest LinkedIn: Brian Shoberg

    30 min

  7. 31 MAR

    Bringing A Retail Pace To The B2B Space (with Andy Hall from US Foods) | Ep. 30

    What happens when you bring a fast-paced retail playbook into a legacy B2B distribution environment? Kyler Nixon sits down with Andy Hall to find out. ㅤ After spending 12 years building digital experiences at The Home Depot, Andy took his philosophy to US Foods. His core rule is simple: stay close to the cash register and the customer. But how does that actually look when you are selling to thousands of independent restaurants and hospitality managers? ㅤ Kyler and Andy examine the reality of treating B2B e-commerce like a true software product. They discuss the difference between physical category management and digital merchandising, how to run agile sprints in distribution, and why a B2B buyer never checks their consumer habits at the door. If you want to know how a multi-billion-dollar giant rolls out artificial intelligence to enrich catalogs and predict out-of-stock events, this conversation has the answers. ㅤ Guest Bio Andy Hall is the Director of Digital Product & Strategy at US Foods, a leading American foodservice distributor generating over $28 billion in annual revenue. Before stepping into the food distribution sector, Andy spent over a decade driving multichannel e-commerce and online merchandising at The Home Depot. ㅤ Today, his focus is firmly on bringing a retail pace to the B2B space. He builds frictionless user experiences and scales customer-centric digital products by blending heavy data analysis with direct field feedback. ㅤ What We Cover Why distributors must separate software product management from physical inventory management.The exact method Andy uses to stay close to the customer through a salesperson in the Champions Group.How US Foods uses agile sprints to test, iterate, and roll out digital features without the fear of failing.Practical ways to use artificial intelligence for catalog data enrichment and supply chain predictability.Why cross-functional change management relies heavily on giving your team a slice of the pie to own.The reason B2B digital merchandising requires specs like nutrition and box weight to satisfy chefs.How hyper-personalization ensures digital features actually serve local, geographic-specific customer needs. ㅤ Resources Mentioned US FoodsThe Home DepotMicrosoft Copilot

    27 min

  8. 24 MAR

    Why We Traded Traditional Ads For Streaming Networks (with Jasmine Widmer from Industrial Supply) | Ep. 29

    Marketing in the distribution world often feels like a constant battle for budget, attention, and sales team buy-in. How do you bridge the gap between building brand awareness and hitting targeted revenue goals? Kyler Nixon sits down with Jasmine Widmer to explore how a century-old business stays culturally modern while serving the heavy industries of the Intermountain West. ㅤ They discuss the realities of running a marketing department as a one-person team. Jasmine explains why securing the ground-level trust of the sales team is the absolute foundation of a working marketing strategy. She reveals a highly effective media play: trading traditional TV commercials for hybrid audio-and-video streaming campaigns on platforms like Spotify. ㅤ The conversation also highlights how B2B companies build dedicated customer e-commerce portals to simplify the buying process. If you want to learn how to stretch co-op funds with major suppliers while keeping your brand highly relevant, this conversation delivers exactly that. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Jasmine Widmer is the Marketing Manager at Industrial Supply Company. She has spent the last eight years climbing the ranks within the Intermountain West's largest privately owned MROP distributor. ㅤ Jasmine specializes in modernizing industrial marketing through digital campaigns and tightening the crucial relationship between sales and marketing teams. She holds an MBA from Western Governors University and is a strong advocate for advancing women in the heavy industry and wholesale distribution sectors. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover How Jasmine built mutual respect and open communication between her marketing department and the boots on the ground sales team.The surprising reach and targeting power of audio and visual streaming ads on platforms like Spotify and iHeartRadio.Strategies for pooling co-op marketing budgets with major suppliers like 3M Company, DeWalt, and Milwaukee.Why custom e-commerce catalogs and dedicated customer portals are massive revenue drivers that relieve pressure from sales reps.How Industrial Supply Company uses tool allowances to bring direct value to large customer accounts.Preparing for a 110-year company anniversary while navigating massive local infrastructure projects and the upcoming Salt Lake City Olympics. ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned Jasmine Widmer on LinkedInIndustrial Supply Company WebsiteAffiliated DistributorsSpotify and iHeartRadio3M Company, DeWalt, and Milwaukee

    25 min
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About

Darn Good Distributors is the podcast for B2B eCommerce professionals who are tired of fluff and ready for the real stuff. Hosted by Kyler Nixon, each episode features conversations with boots-on-the-ground leaders—from CEOs and marketers to operators and digital pioneers—who are redefining what success looks like in B2B distribution. You’ll hear practical strategies, hard-earned lessons, and honest takes on what’s working right now. Whether you’re scaling your company, rethinking digital, or just trying to stay sharp in a rapidly evolving space, this is your home for insights that actually matter.

Information

  • Creator
    Forward Studios
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Forward Studios
  • Show Website
    Darn Good Distributors
  • Provider

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