Darn Good Distributors

Forward Studios
  • 5.0 (3)
  • BUSINESS

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. 2D AGO

    Phone Systems, Replatforming, and Aerospace Certification (with Mark Knight) | Ep. 12

    A 40th year in distribution brings perspective on culture, leadership, and growth. Kyler Nixon sits with Mark Knight, CEO at Fibre Glast, to talk management style, respect, and giving credit where credit is due. Mark shares early lessons like “sometimes you just need to show people who’s boss,” and why he chose assertive, direct, and supportive leadership instead. He explains servant leadership and the step beyond it he calls servantcy, where leaders and teams serve each other. The conversation moves into day one at Fibre Glast in 2021, building core values with integrity and respect as must haves, and investing in people resources. Tactically, the team prioritized phone systems, CRM, and a risk-mitigating web replatform without breaking what customers love. Growth remains balanced, profitable, and sustainable, with high barriers to entry and a differentiated value proposition, including AS 91 20 B aerospace certification driven by customer feedback. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioMark Knight is the CEO at Fibre Glast. His 40th year in distribution includes roles across industrial management, operations, and supply chain, growing into marketing and general management. He has led in large publicly traded industrial businesses and small privately held organizations. Mark stepped into Fibre Glast in 2021, created a set of core values with integrity and respect as must haves, and emphasizes servant leadership, conservancy, and building a healthy, supportive culture. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverManagement style and culture shifts from the eighties to todayServant leadership and the team-first idea Mark calls conservancyHiring and leading for passion in B2B distributionThe pride moment when families recognize where you workDay one at Fibre Glast in 2021 and creating core values with team ownershipPrioritizing phone systems, CRM, and people resourcesReplatforming to mitigate risk without breaking SEO juice or customer experienceBalanced, profitable, sustainable growth with high barriers to entry and aerospace certification ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedFibre Glast website: https://www.fibreglast.comEOS and the L 10 meetingPPGAS 91 20 B aerospace certification

    26 min

  2. NOV 4

    SMS That B2B Buyers Actually Want, 75X ROI included (with Kristin Dean) | Ep 11

    SMS marketing shows up where busy professionals live, on their phones. In this conversation, Kyler Nixon sits down with Kristin Dean to unpack why hairstylists, massage therapists, and spa pros engage in the middle of the day, how product-focused texts beat education in SMS, and why webinars still win. Kristin shares the starting point, taking top-performing short emails and turning them into concise texts, then testing send times, segmentation by profession, treatments, and a simple benchmark approach to attribution. She details the move from SMS Bump to Klaviyo, low-cost tests, and a 75X ROI that ended internal pushback fast. The discussion expands to education as a funnel, cross-functional content with licensed staff, and company-wide momentum for brand building at a family-owned business. Listeners will hear practical send cadences, how engagement changed over time, and why knowing the customer shapes every message. ㅤ 👤 Guest Bio Kristin Dean is Revenue Director at Universal Companies. Kristin has led email and SMS programs, uses AI daily for copy and analysis, and partners with licensed staff across product development, sales, and the call center to create blogs and webinars. Her team tested SMS with product-focused messages, refined send times, and reported a 75X ROI. Kristin is focused on education as a funnel, cross-functional collaboration, and brand building for a family-owned company. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover Why a B2B audience still acts like consumers, and how that unlocked SMS testingTurning top-performing, shorter emails into texts, then expanding into new arrivals roundups, discounts, and webinar signupsSegmentation by profession and treatment types, mirroring email while adjusting for SMS engagementSend time insights, evenings for email, and the middle of the day for SMS between appointmentsMeasuring ROI with low-cost sends, simple benchmarks, and realistic attribution expectationsPlatform shift from SMS Bump shutting down to Klaviyo to tie channels togetherSend cadence changes, weekly to every other week, as engagement settlesEducation as a funnel, webinars that get quick daytime signups, and company-wide support for brand building ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioned KlaviyoSMS Bump

    24 min

  3. OCT 28

    Be Natural, Genuine, and Authentic with Your Customers (with Andrew Haring) | Ep. 10

    Branding can carry a mythical connotation, but the real signal shows up in how you communicate when the waters get murky. In this conversation, Kyler Nixon sits down with Andrew Haring to contrast blanket price increases with a customer-first stance that says we are here to serve our customers and we are in your corner. Andrew unpacks proactive pricing announcements, why trust and service trump price points, and how being natural, genuine, and authentic builds a single version of yourself that customers recognize. The discussion moves from personal brand to channels and tactics, including robust social, a strong email calendar, consistent point of purchase, printed catalogs, and create once and distribute everywhere. Andrew details segmentation by product brand categories and buying behavior, the role of quarterly specials and product launches, and a simple playbook focused on shortening lead times, regional support, and technical service that makes marketing easy to promote. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioAndrew Haring is a Friend of the Glass Industry and CMO at FHC. He has 20 years in the glass, construction, and architectural industries with an emphasis on marketing, education, sales, and advocacy. He served as Vice President of Business Development at the National Glass Association and previously as Vice President of Marketing at C.R. Laurence. Recognitions include Glazier Nation’s Advocate of the Year and a USGlass Magazine Most Influential People mention. He is a calculated noisemaker who likes glass and values brand equity. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverHandling tariffs with proactive communication, mitigation, and a customer-first pricing announcementTrust and service outweigh price points, with actions that back partnership and supportAuthenticity over polish: fewer versions of yourself, what you see is what you getChannels that work in a squirrely industry: robust social, strong email calendar, point of purchase, printed catalogs, trade publicationsCreate once and distribute everywhere with automation and programmatic advertisingEmail as both relationship and transaction: quarterly specials, product launches, staying top of mind for project-driven purchasesSegmentation by product brand categories and buying behavior across commercial and residential profiles and company sizesA simple playbook for growth: shorten lead times, add locations for regional support, invest in technical service, and make adoption easier ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedKyler Nixon on LinkedInAndrew Haring on LinkedInFHC — Frameless Hardware Company

    26 min

  4. OCT 21

    Big eCom Overhaul and Brand Cohesion (with Jeremy Ott) | Ep. 9

    A big e-comm overhaul with brick and mortar, e-commerce, sales reps, and education moving together. Kyler Nixon sits down with Jeremy Ott to unpack a massive ecommerce overhaul. The conversation walks through a six to eight month RFP process, executive buy-in from a forward-thinking CEO, and the push for more core out of the box functionality, personalization, and newer technologies. Jeremy shares regrets around more beta testing, internal testing, customer facing webinars, and customer advisory boards. He explains how data and being more analytical driven met real feedback on features like requisition lists, brands pages, and a personalized my top products view. The team reworked a brand statement, rebuilt customer personas across product lines, and aimed for an omnichannel experience that feels cohesive in store, email, social, and the website. Education, sales rep specific emails, and training videos help customers learn and buy. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioJeremy Ott is Director of eCommerce and Digital Marketing at Reinders Inc. Reinders is one of the Midwest’s largest full service distributors to the commercial green industry, a one stop source from growing grass to watering it, from mowing it to keeping it looking great. The team offers quality products and solutions with staff that includes degreed specialists in Turf, Plant Pathology, Soils, and Aquatics. Learn more at reinders.com. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverA big web overhaul that went live in September of 2023 after a two year migration and an ERP to the cloudRe-platforming from a homegrown solution to Rock Commerce, then to Adobe Commerce with open APIs and less customizationA three to five month RFP build, six to eight month vendor selection, demos, and signing with Adobe in October of 2021Executive buy-in with leadership focused on customer experience, performance, speed, and integration with the ERPWhat Jeremy would do differently: more beta testing, internal testing, focus groups, user groups, and customer facing webinarsData driven decisions vs real customer insights on requisition lists, brands pages, and a personalized my top products viewReevaluating the UI UX across desktop and mobile using heat mapping and video recordings to find frustration and drop off pointsA refreshed brand statement and rebuilt customer personas across product lines to drive a cohesive omnichannel experienceEducational emails, sales rep specific emails, and in-house training videos on equipment like fairway mowers and sprayers ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedAdobe CommerceRock CommerceAmericanEagle.comGoogle Analytics

    27 min

  5. OCT 14

    “Customers Are Buying Trust” (with Nic Breedlove) | Ep. 8

    “Customers are buying trust.” That line stopped the conversation and set the tone for a candid look at long sales cycles, culture, and product bets. Host Kyler Nixon sits down with Nic Breedlove to unpack a model that blends distributor and manufacturer, serves about 350 distributors, and manages operations in Indianapolis, Savannah, and Houston. The buying journey is often 90 days or more, and a custom order can take six months from order to revenue. Nic shares why passion and knowledge build credibility, why one-time buyers must be educated quickly, and how a seven-year nurture still converted. He opens up about a painful chapter of betrayal, the absence of checks and balances, and rebuilding with direct expectations, behavioral analysis, and daily core values in huddles and quarterlies. The conversation closes with new product development, a quick ship line that now represents about half of revenue, a new inspections app for owners and operators, and a three-year planning horizon tied to a big, hairy goal to reduce avoidable injuries on playgrounds. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioNic Breedlove is the founder and CEO of NVB Playgrounds. His team operates as a manufacturer and a distributor, supplying about 350 distributors across the United States and serving government and business buyers. NVB runs operations in Indianapolis, Savannah, and Houston. Nic is active on LinkedIn, leads a design and new product development team, and focuses on quick ship structures, software for inspections, and daily core values that guide performance and growth. ㅤ 📌 What We Cover“Customers are buying trust,” and how passion and knowledge show up in posts, safety, layout, and communityA blended model, manufacturer and distributor, supplying about 350 distributors with operations in Indianapolis, Savannah, and HoustonSales cycles that average 90 days, custom timelines that push orders to six months from order to revenue, and cash flow strainOne-time buyers on boards and school teams, why education must be quick, specific, and directedA seven-year sales story from catalog request to close, and the power of staying in touch with the same salespersonTrust inside the team, hiring fast in the past, direct feedback, behavioral analysis, and quarterly reviewsThe betrayal chapter, shell companies, missing checks and balances, silos, and rebuilding morale after terminationsCore values in daily huddles and quarterlies, shout-outs, and scoring performance on growth mindsetQuick ship as a distribution backbone, inventory across three locations, guarantees to distributors, and about 50 percent of revenueNew product development on structures, reviewing thousands of orders, color schemes, components, and using tools like ChatGPT and ClaudeA new app for owners and operators, inspections and digitalized services, and a launch at the National Park and Rec show in OrlandoThree-year planning, not ten, Cameron Harold’s perspective, and a big hairy goal to reduce avoidable playground injuries in North America ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedPlaygroundEquipment.comChatGPTClaudeHubSpot trainingCOO Alliance podcast with Cameron HaroldNational Park and Rec show in Orlando

    26 min

  6. OCT 7

    Account-Based Podcasting, Clarity over Ambiguity, and Building a Deep Bench (with James Gilman) | Ep. 7

    Launching a business focused podcast under a distribution brand can open doors and still fall short of the sale. Host Kyler Nixon sits down with James Gilman, president of Perimeter Office Products and host of “Pushing the Envelope,” to talk about starting in January 2024, recording forty plus episodes, and choosing to pause when it did not drive what he thought it would. James shares why the show was an inexpensive way to brand the company, connect with the ideal client, and open doors for the sales team. He breaks down live show vs prerecord, the push for consistency, the couple grand a month reality, and why building a deep bench matters. The conversation shifts to people, core values, and clarity, with contests, town halls, and every person having a number. It is a look at attention, screens, and the need to communicate the why while you kill ambiguity and keep growing. ㅤ Check out Pushing the Envelope, hosted by James Gilman. Sponsored by Perimeter Office Products, the show highlights Atlanta’s business landscape through candid conversations with entrepreneurs, leaders, and industry experts. Each episode uncovers stories of growth, challenge, and innovation, offering a fresh perspective on what drives business forward in Georgia’s dynamic market. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioJames Gilman is the president of Perimeter Office Products and host of “Pushing the Envelope.” His background is in sales, with fifteen years of one-on-one conversations and meeting twenty new businesses every single week. He moved into the president role in 2022 and describes himself as a visionary who needs implementers and integrators. “Pushing the Envelope” carries a double entendre from the office supply industry and reflects his focus on moving the needle, trying new things, and celebrating wins and challenges. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverWhy a company sponsored podcast can brand the business, connect with the ideal client, and open doors for the sales teamThe realization that sales did not just start coming in and why the show paused to focus on people, team, and processesLive show vs prerecord, blocking a morning to record three or four episodes, and why consistency is the number one thingThe real cost and time tradeoffs, dialing back time, and spending a couple grand a month with outside helpAccount-based podcasting to celebrate decision makers, learn the landscape, and build relationships without a hard pitchUsing a podcast to speak into the team, talk about culture, and let employees hear interactions on a public forumCore values that people can name, contests that nominate peers, quarterly town halls, and awarding people publiclyFighting ambiguity with clarity, start-stop-keep feedback, communicating the why, and giving every person a numberScaling Up vs EOS, cash focus, collections, and growing without outgrowing cashAttention and screens, going where the eyeballs are, and adjusting how you communicate ㅤ 🔗 Resources Mentioneda href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylernixon/" rel="noopener...

    27 min

  7. SEP 30

    Core Values, Direct Conversations, and a Platoon Mindset (with Eric Reffett) | Ep. 6

    Welcome to Darn Good Distributors with Kyler Nixon. Today’s conversation with Eric Reffett centers on a 360 view of the organization, moving from a finance path to president, and building a team that is direct, respectful, and aligned. Eric explains starting in a space between a startup and an established company, doing invoice entry and reconciling accounts, then letting new people come in and own them. He shares how attribution, analytics, and pipeline make growth decisions simple, why an organic LinkedIn presence matters, and how core values shape a platoon mindset with open conversations. The team is launching a new website to give big buyers a B2C experience with pay terms, credit approvals, tax exemption, and self-serve customization. With a new investor, a move to 150,000 square feet, and a new operating system, the sky is the limit. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioEric Reffett is president at ePackageSupply. His background runs through finance and operations with early mentorship at Berry Global. He joined the company five years ago, grew from a space between a startup and an established company, and recently stepped into the president role. Eric is focused on connecting operations, sales, and B2B processes while keeping a 360 view of the business. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverUsing finance as an opportunity to get into all aspects of the businessDoing everything from invoice entry to reconciling accounts, then letting new people own themBreaking away from native finance tasks to connect operations, sales, and B2B processesPushing the growth lever with data, attribution, analytics, and pipelineBuilding a visible team with an organic LinkedIn presence and strong core valuesA founder’s Marine Corps ethos, direct conversations, and a platoon approachTreating B2C and B2B customers the same with a seamless online and personal experienceA new website for big orders, pay terms, credit approvals, tax exemption, and self-serve customizationAdding an investor, moving to 150,000 square feet, and launching a new operating systemBundling in-house design as part of the offer, growing with customers, and the role of AI ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedDarn Good Distributors by Forward StudiosKyler NixonEric ReffettePackageSupply

    26 min

  8. SEP 23

    Rebuilding a Distributor Website from the Ground Up (with Faith Tank) | Ep. 5

    When distributors talk about a website overhaul, it usually stops at dreaming. For Kyler Nixon and his guest Faith Tank, the story is different. Faith, Director of Marketing and Events at Zip’s AW Direct, shares how her team transitioned from a brochure-style site into a fully integrated e-commerce platform. ㅤ From the challenges of merging brands and sub-brands, to navigating a multi-year replatforming process, to mapping journeys for both mom-and-pop towing operations and global corporations, this episode is packed with lessons. Faith also opens up about restructuring a 30-person marketing team, aligning product management with marketing, and rolling out HubSpot to unify sales, service, and marketing. The conversation highlights both the complexity and opportunity of building an online presence that scales across diverse customer groups while staying true to brand identity. ㅤ 👤 Guest BioFaith Tank is Director of Marketing and Events at Zip’s AW Direct. She oversees a team of 30 marketers, product managers, creatives, and strategists. Faith has led the company through a major website overhaul, integrated multiple sub-brands, and driven initiatives around SEO, e-commerce, and HubSpot adoption. ㅤ 📌 What We CoverHow Zip’s AW Direct evolved from a truck-focused brochure site to a full e-commerce platformThe multi-year process of replatforming, redesigning, and launching a new websiteManaging messaging complexities across six sub-brands under one umbrellaServing both local mom-and-pop shops and the largest towing companies in the worldShifting from marketing-led direct sales to a hybrid sales-and-marketing approachRestructuring a 30-person marketing team into brand-aligned pods that operate like an in-house agencyWhy product management now lives under marketing — and the SEO benefits of that decisionLessons from an eight-month HubSpot rollout across sales, service, marketing, and operationsUpcoming initiatives including taxonomy restructuring, shop-by-brand improvements, and mobile-first conversion ㅤ 🔗 Resources MentionedZip’s AW DirectFaith Tank on LinkedInKyler Nixon on LinkedIn

    30 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

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
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Forward Studios
  • Show Website
    Darn Good Distributors