S12E1: Debriefing Our Ferguson & Watsco Case Studies
The MDM Podcast
Our MDM Case Study series rolled out finished reports on Ferguson and Watsco down the stretch of 2024, with plenty more to come in 2025. Here, the author of those case studies, John Gunderson, joins to debrief on his key takeaways from researching those two companies and a preview of his next deep dive on MSC Industrial Supply.
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S11E11: How Distribution Solutions Group Arrived, and Where it's Going
The MDM Podcast
With the dust settled on the merger of Lawson Products, TestEquity and GexPro Services to form Distribution Solutions Group, it's time for a then-and-now investigation. LKCM Headwater Investment's Brad Wallace — a DSG board member who helped spearhead that transaction — joins to discuss the rationale behind the company's creation, what's ahead for DSG and why distribution is so attractive for PE investment.
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S11E10: A Career Retrospective with Mike DeCata
The MDM Podcast
As one of the most recognizable figures in industrial distribution, Mike DeCata joins to reflect on his career in the channel, of which the first 18 years were spent at General Electric and the last 10 at Lawson Products. We cover what he misses about day-to-day CEO life (and what he doesn't); the biggest changes in the industry in his tenure; what he's most proud of; and what he's keeping an eye on today.
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S11E9: Unraveling the Port Standoff
The MDM Podcast
Port operators and the union representing U.S. East and Gulf Coast dockworkers reached a tentative labor deal, but the underlying issues remain. Here, the MDM Editors and NAW's CEO share their perspectives and how distributors are navigating the situation.
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S11E8: Unpacking SHIFT 2024
The MDM Podcast
With our marquee thought leadership event fresh in mind, MDM Editors Mike Hockett and Vesna Brajkovic debrief the messages, themes and anecdotes from the event that stood out to them and take a look forward to SHIFT 2025 next May.
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S11E7: Wesco Case Study Debrief
The MDM Podcast
During July, MDM published a three-part article series that profiled electrical distributor Wesco and its transformative strength. That series culminated with a more robust case study report that is now in the MDM Store. Here, the author of that series and case study, John Gunderson, joins to discuss key takeaways from his research into Wesco and what stood out to him.
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S11E6: How One Distributor Leverages Sales Rep Freedom
The MDM Podcast
1st Ayd Corp. continues to see success with its field-based sales model that centers on providing its staff with the tools and entrepreneurial freedom to pursue the earnings potential they desire. We chat with company President Tommy Schreiner on what that looks like for the 50-year-old, family-owned MRO and JanSan distributor, and what it takes for reps to thrive in that environment.
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S11E05: What's on the Safety Product Horizon?
The MDM Podcast
Safety equipment is an evolving product category that touches every distribution vertical. ISEA CEO Cam Mackey joins the MDM Podcast to take us through the safety standards and regulations that will inform future product demand.
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S11E4: Everything to Know about SHIFT 2024
The MDM Podcast
You've seen our promotions for it, but here, MDM Editors Mike Hockett and Vesna Brajkovic break down the extensive value that this year's SHIFT conference provides; recap their biggest takeaways from the 2023 version; highlight our 2024 agenda items; and discuss why you should be there.
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S11E3: The Keys to Wesco's Digital Initiatives
The MDM Podcast
Wesco's "all things digital" leader Akash Khurana joins us to discuss what digital transformation has meant for the electrical distributor, which ramped up its initiatives on that front upon its 2020 landmark acquisition of Anixter. He also sheds light on Wesco's AI use and other recent investments.
info_outlineMany distributors have spent the past several years re-structuring, re-sizing and re-tooling their sales teams.
Here, Dorn Group's James Dorn and John Gunderson discuss how to optimize these refreshed sales teams and align them in a single direction toward high-level revenue performance.