Distribution Talk Jason Bader, Distribution Team

“I like to say that I was able to put the dot on the “I” of HARDI, which is international,” laughs Guitze Messina. 
When HARDI, the premiere HVACR distribution association in North America, decided to expand its membership into Mexico, they tasked Guitze with the job. Jason chats with the dynamic executive director of HARDI Mexico about surpassing the organization’s boldest growth projections and fostering greater support for the two-step distribution model across Central America, South America, and Europe.
In Guitze’s five years at the helm, the organization has made tremendous headway within the Mexican market (signing on 70 members) and prompting interest from other Latin American countries.
Guitze’s commitment to the Mexican HVACR industry is evident in how he speaks of its future. “Besides being successful, we also want to pass on a legacy. We want the Mexican market to change.” But why stop there? Guitze and HARDI are poised to realize ambitious goals, bringing the tenets of networking, education, and business development to HVACR distributors worldwide.
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Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Profit2, helping distributors charge the right price.
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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.

Privately held distributors often stifle growth by confining information to the C-suite. John Cain, president of Wiseway Supply, a plumbing and electrical supplier based out of the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky area, is passionate about sharing intelligence with folks inside his organization and out. Jason chats with John about transparency as a precursor to innovation, the value of external perspectives, and punching above the company’s weight class. 
John can thank his outside experience for Wiseway’s success. After college, he opted for a stint with Proctor & Gamble rather than a job in the family biz. That opportunity informed his willingness to consider perspectives beyond Wiseway’s walls. For example, while the company is proud of its track record for promoting from within, outside hires are essential. Their DNA sparks creativity that ignites the entire organization. 
Everyone within Wiseway contributes to the game plan; nothing is hidden. John: “[Branch managers] get the whole P and L. They see everything from top to bottom instead of the blind being asked to blindly lead the company.”
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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.   
This episode was edited & mixed by
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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. 
 
https://www.distributionteam.com
Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.
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For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com

When was the last time curiosity got the better of you on a business trip? In this rare solo episode, Jason explores roads less traveled. Literally. The world has reopened. Airports are busier than ever. Calling on clients is what business travel is all about, but is there room in your schedule for unexpected experiences? 
It doesn’t take much (if any) planning to get off the beaten path for a few hours, as Jason discovered on a recent trip to Salt Lake City. When a wonky gap in the schedule left him with some time to kill, he had two choices: head to his hotel room or let a Google Map suggestion lead him in a completely serendipitous direction.
The following day, when Jason mentioned the excursion to his client, she shared with him a website (and podcast) that lists many such hidden gems: Atlas Obscura. For those unfamiliar with Atlas Obscura, think of it as a virtual concierge with suggestions for weird and wonderful experiences worldwide. 
There’s probably a business metaphor connected to Jason’s pedal-to-the-metal experience out on the Flats. Instead, he’s content to keep the lesson literal for now. “You know, this little Google Map suggestion totally opened my eyes, and it reminded me that there are some really cool things in the world.” 
Make time for wonder on your next business trip.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Atlas Obscura
Bonneville Salt Flats
Bonneville Speedway
The Palmer House
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Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Connected Peers, connecting key employees in distribution's leading organizations.
For full show notes and services visit: http://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.

The last few years have tested even the strongest links in our supply chains. Increasingly, master wholesalers have stepped in to reinforce weakened networks, acting as inventory buffers and partners in category optimization. Larry Davis, CEO and founder of AgoNow LLC, chats with Jason about his role as an industrial master wholesaler and channel solutions provider. 
Master distribution was born out of market inefficiencies, giving distributors access to extensive inventories without needing to meet the high minimums set by many brands and manufacturers. Master distributors take on the risks associated with those transactions, so distributors are free to order only what they need.
 “This market is in the middle of a major shift that's going to change the face of it dramatically, and it's going to require all of us to pivot multiple times,” says Larry, adding that gone are the days of if you have it in stock, customers will come calling. He cites Amazon as an example of a highly efficient ecosystem that should act as a wake-up call. 
Master wholesalers like AgoNow are driving innovation, shortening lead times, managing multiple manufacturer relationships, and advising distributors with market knowledge so they can adapt more quickly to customer trends.
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Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: HMI Performance Incentives, providing innovative, data-driven B2B incentive solutions.
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For full show notes and services visit: http://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. 

Government contracts aren’t for the faint of heart. Rick Lamb, marketing manager with Frank’s Supply in Albuquerque, NM, understands the arduous truth of that statement better than most. Jason chats with Rick about the complexities inherent to General Services Administration (GSA) certification and why it might make sense for other suppliers to jump through those hoops.
When Frank’s found itself in a position to bid for its first government contract in 1996 for Los Alamos National Lab, Rick found himself in the thick of it. “We had never even attempted something like that,” he says, but two Frank’s employees who knew just enough about GSAs to convince the company to put together a bid. 
Nine months later, Frank’s phone rang. “It was Christmas Eve, 1996. We get a call from the head of purchasing at Los Alamos, and they go, ‘Be ready to start the contract April 1st.’” Frank’s first scramble was on. 
While the bid timeline has shortened somewhat since the mid-90s, other aspects, like authentication and security clearance, have grown increasingly rigorous. Vendors must detail every level of the contract’s implementation, from the level of support to chain of responsibility to security clearances and  quality assurance programs,
But is the GSA route profitable? 
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Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.
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For full show notes and services visit: http://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. 

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 their motivations for and the rewards of trade organization participation.
Anyone involved in a family business knows that it's often a thin line between circus and success. One of the factors keeping the C-suite from devolving into a three-ring spectacle is an owner or leader who surrounds themselves with folks who can augment the skills or talents that they lack. Once the people are in place, a critical next step is for the owner or leader to yield control. 
When Jordan purchased the company in 2008, he began thinking about how to fill company roles vacated by retirement with his own team of next-generation leaders. First, he turned to folks outside his industry who might help Acme expand. Then he promoted star talent from within. Now Jordan’s broadening his industry’s appeal beyond its typically male-dominated workforce, fostering an environment where women and the LGBTQIA+ community feel welcomed. While the continued evolution of Acme’s culture is vital to him personally, he says what matters most is that these shifts result from his employees' influence.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE DT100: Celebrating 100 Episodes! Legacy and Leadership with Dick and Jordan Bader of Acme Construction Supply
DT096: Amplifying Company Culture to Attract and Retain Top Talent with Bill Condron, The Granite Group
Young Presidents’ Organization
STAFDA
Evergreen Marketing Group
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Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Moblico, helping businesses do more business on mobile devices.
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For full show notes and services visit: http://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.