Across the Yard Podcast

Supply-Build Canada

Podcast by Supply-Build Canada

  1. 5d ago

    How AI Is Rewiring Retail Loyalty: Across the Yard with Chris Parsons S04EP24

    Every marketer is being told to "use AI," but few are talking about what it's doing to how customers discover and stay loyal to brands. In this episode, Liz sits down with Chris Parsons, author of Retail Rewired and a 25-year retail marketing veteran with leadership experience at Walmart, dwag.com, and Home Hardware, to discuss AI, AEO, and how businesses can win in this fast-changing environment. In this episode, you'll learn: - What Chris calls the "AI Moment of Discovery" and why it's changing how customers find brands they'd never have considered before. - How AI-driven search is quietly disrupting traditional loyalty and points programs. - How to write content that gets picked up by AI agents, not just customers. - Why hyperlocal marketing beats national campaigns, and what retailers get wrong about matching content to a community's life stage. - The real difference between an AI prompt and an AI agent, explained through a simple driving analogy. - Why staff experience, not flyers or branding, is what actually builds customer loyalty. If you care about e-commerce, AI in marketing, customer loyalty, and what it really takes to build a retail brand people trust, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Chris Parsons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisaparsons/ Retail Rewired: https://retailrewired.ca/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by DeckRite Canada Sundecks – a smarter product for your yard. Learn more at https://deckritecanada.com/ Learn more at hilinetreated.com Also brought to you by Falcon Equipment – Ready when you are. Visit www.falconequip.com or contact your nearest branch today.

    How AI Is Rewiring Retail Loyalty: Across the Yard with Chris Parsons S04EP24

  2. Jul 16

    The Hidden Science Inside Every Building's Walls: Across the Yard with Johns Manville S04EP23

    There's a whole system of layers hiding inside every wall, roof, and foundation that most people don't know about. In this episode, Liz sits down with a panel from Johns Manville: Dwight Stone, Building Enclosure Consultant; Jesus Perez Orozco, Specifier Services Representative; and JR Babineau, Sr. Research Manager of Building Sciences in Corporate R&D. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why building envelope design has grown more complex (and what that means for builders and architects). - How infrared imaging and air barrier testing reveal whether a building was put together the way it was designed. - What Canada’s tiered energy code system means for the path to net zero construction. - How modern construction methods like panelization and offsite fabrication are reshaping (not replacing) the materials used inside the wall. - Why there is a growing conversation around passive survivability and resilience (hint: extreme weather). If you care about building science, energy code compliance, construction innovation, and what it really takes to build a durable, efficient building, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Johns Manville: https://www.jm.com/ Dwight Stone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-stone-mba-cdt-3bb6b070/ Jesus Perez Orozco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesus-perez-orozco-75046713b JR Babineau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbabineau Johns Manville (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/johns-manville Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com Also brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.com

    The Hidden Science Inside Every Building's Walls: Across the Yard with Johns Manville S04EP23

  3. Jul 3

    Can AI Save the Forest? Across the Yard w/ Dan White & Haleigh Callison S04EP22

    Dan White, CEO and co-founder of Gentian, and Haleigh Callison, founder and CEO of Takoda Consulting and team lead for Cedar Sales at Western Forest Products, join Across the Yard to explore how satellite imagery and AI are changing the way we understand and manage forests. From identifying tree species at scale to detecting pest infestations before they spread, this conversation is a crash course in where forestry data is headed and why it matters. In this episode, you'll learn how species-level data can support forestry decision-making, why hyperspectral imagery could help detect pest infestations like mountain pine beetle earlier than ever before, and how satellite and AI-driven tools are starting to complement (not replace) established methods like LiDAR. Dan and Haleigh also dig into how this kind of data can support wildfire risk mapping, help Indigenous communities protect culturally and medicinally important trees, and inform emerging biodiversity policy like the UK's biodiversity net gain model. Along the way, they tackle common misconceptions about the forestry industry and make the case for why sustainability isn't just good ecology: it's good economics. If you care about forestry innovation, biodiversity data, Indigenous partnership in resource management, and where AI can genuinely move an industry forward, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Dan White: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/daniel-white-environment Gentian: https://gentian.io/ Haleigh Callison: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/haleighcallison Takoda Consulting: https://takodaconsulting.com/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com This episode of Across the Yard is also brought to you by HELI Canada – Giving Canadian Business a Lift. Discover dependable material handling solutions at heliforklift.ca.

    Can AI Save the Forest? Across the Yard w/ Dan White & Haleigh Callison S04EP22

  4. Jun 26

    Why Oprah's "Customer Service Superstar" Says Stop Overdelivering w/ Marc Gordon

    What if the secret to customer loyalty isn't going above and beyond, but simply doing exactly what you said you would? We sit down with Marc Gordon, an internationally recognized customer experience expert dubbed "Canada's customer service superstar" by the Oprah Winfrey Network, to break down what drives customer behaviour and why so much conventional wisdom on the subject is wrong. In this episode, you'll learn the real difference between customer care, customer support, and customer service (and why most people use these terms incorrectly), why "underpromise and overdeliver" can quietly backfire on your business, and how independent retailers can compete with big box stores without competing on price. You'll also hear why frontline staff like warehouse and back-of-store workers can make or break the entire customer experience, and how technology should (and shouldn't) be used to keep the human element in the equation. If you care about customer loyalty, staff culture, competing with big box retailers, and building trust with your customers, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Marc Gordon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcgordondotca/ Website: https://marcgordon.ca/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Falcon Equipment – Ready when you are. Visit www.falconequip.com or contact your nearest branch today. This episode is also brought to you by DeckRite Canada Sundecks – a smarter product for your yard. Learn more at deckritecanada.com

    Why Oprah's "Customer Service Superstar" Says Stop Overdelivering w/ Marc Gordon

  5. Jun 19

    Building the Next Generation: Across the Yard with CAREERS Alberta S04EP20

    Alberta has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the country, yet many building supply businesses are struggling to find their next generation of talent. In this episode, we sit down with Stefan Rutkowski, President & CEO of CAREERS: The Next Generation, and Claudio Quinteros, Regional Manager, to explore how paid, school-supported internships are bridging that gap. In this episode, they discuss: • CAREERS does and how it connects high school youth to industry-based work experience • Why so many students don't know what career paths exist beyond university, and how parents and teachers shape (and sometimes limit) those choices • How CAREERS builds a youth talent pipeline for employers • The real success stories from inside the building supply industry • Practical realities of bringing on an intern: what funding is available, how Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) coverage works • The most common mistakes employers make (hint: treating an intern like a first-year employee). If you care about workforce development, youth recruitment, succession planning, and building a stronger talent pipeline for the building supply industry, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ CAREERS: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/ Stefan Rutkowski: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-rutkowski/ Claudio Quinteros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudio-quinteros-20544a54/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.com Also brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com

    Building the Next Generation: Across the Yard with CAREERS Alberta S04EP20

  6. Jun 12

    When Innovation Meets Reality: Across the Yard with Quik-Therm Insulation S04EP19

    Building something new sounds exciting until the market shifts, regulations change, the plan stops working, and you have to start again. This one gets into what it actually takes to build a Canadian manufacturing business and keep it standing when everything around you changes. Jesse Watson and Ryan Cullen join Liz Kovach to share the story behind Quik-Therm's evolution, from identifying a gap in the market to navigating code changes, rethinking products, and continuously adapting to create solutions that worked for both performance and practicality. In this episode, they discuss: • How Quik-Therm started and the original idea that launched the business • The challenges of building and scaling a manufacturing company in Canada • What happened when changing building codes forced them to rethink their entire product strategy • Why innovation alone isn't enough, and how adoption became one of their biggest hurdles • The role building science, education, and industry relationships played in growth • Why working on the business is just as important as working in it And a lot more! From product pivots and market uncertainty to building a culture that embraces change, if you're building, leading, or figuring it out as you go, there's something in this one for you. Let's get into it. Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Jesse Watson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-x-watson-rsw-c-e-t-4273b267 Ryan Cullen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-cullen-4a516292/ Quik-Therm Insulation: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quik-therm-insulation-solutions/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HELI Canada – Giving Canadian Business a Lift. Discover dependable material handling solutions at heliforklift.ca. Also brought to you by Regal Ideas. Inspiring homeowners, one deck at a time!

    When Innovation Meets Reality: Across the Yard with Quik-Therm Insulation S04EP19

  7. May 29

    The Electric Shift in Forklifts: Across the Yard with Shaun Casement, Heli Canada S04EP18

    Every equipment decision your operation makes carries real cost. The shift to electric forklifts is one of the biggest ones you'll face, and making it without the right information can set you back. This episode gives you the full picture. Shaun Casement, Director of Business Development at HELI Canada, joins Liz to break down: - What the switch from propane to electric actually costs - Why lithium batteries are becoming the industry standard - The mistakes most businesses make when transitioning their fleet - How electric equipment is improving efficiency and cutting maintenance costs - Why operator training matters more than the technology itself - Where automation and autonomous forklifts are taking the industry next Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in transportation and material handling, Shaun doesn't sugarcoat it - he tells it straight. If you manage warehouse operations, oversee a fleet, or want to stay ahead of where material handling is heading, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Shaun Casement: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-casement-133b28378/ Heli Canada: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heli-canada/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com This episode is also brought to you by Falcon Equipment – Ready when you are. Visit www.falconequip.com or contact your nearest branch today.

    The Electric Shift in Forklifts: Across the Yard with Shaun Casement, Heli Canada S04EP18

  8. May 8

    Risk, Resilience, and Retail Leadership: Across the Yard with Navjot Singh, Leader Hardware S04EP17

    Nav Singh left city life behind to buy and rebuild a struggling hardware store in Leader, Saskatchewan. This episode is about resilience, risk-taking, and what it really means to build both a business and a community from the ground up. In this episode, Nav sits down with Liz to share his journey from immigrating to Canada at 18, to working construction jobs across Western Canada before stepping into entrepreneurship. He opens up about the setbacks, financial uncertainty, and steep learning curve of running a small-town hardware store where the owner wears every hat, from cashier and delivery driver to estimator and bookkeeper. The conversation also explores the realities of rural retail, the importance of supporting local communities, mentorship, succession planning, and why small businesses remain the backbone of towns across Canada. If you care about entrepreneurship, leadership, community building, small business growth, and taking risks before you feel fully ready, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Leader Hardware & Building Centre: https://www.facebook.com/leaderhardwareACE/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by DeckRite Canada Sundecks – a smarter product for your yard. Learn more at deckritecanada.com This episode is also brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.com

    Risk, Resilience, and Retail Leadership: Across the Yard with Navjot Singh, Leader Hardware S04EP17
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About

Podcast by Supply-Build Canada

Information

  • Creator
    Supply-Build Canada
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Across the Yard Podcast