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How to Identify and Keep the Right People in Distribution

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How to Identify and Keep the Right People in Distribution Read Time: 7 minutes By Frank Hurtte Deep Dive on People – The Right Kind of People In Part One of this series, we explored why people remain the most valuable asset in distribution. Now we turn our attention to identifying, developing, and retaining the right people—those who elevate your organization rather than quietly drain it. Distribution has always been a people‑driven business. Technology has improved, automation has expanded, and digital tools have become standard, but none of these replace the impact of a capable, motivated employee. The right people accelerate growth. The wrong people slow it down. And in today’s competitive labor market, the cost of getting this wrong is higher than ever. Let’s take a deeper look at what “the right people” actually means for distributors. The Right People Bring More Than Skills Skills matter, but they’re not the whole picture. The right people combine technical ability with curios...
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Do People Still Make or Break Your Distribution Business?

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Do People Still Make or Break Your Distribution Business? Read Time 7 mins By Frank Hurtte Let's talk about people. Why? Because without people, distributors aren’t distributors. They’re empty buildings with aging inventory systems, a few forklifts, and a collection of office chairs that have seen better days. When I talk with individuals looking to acquire distribution businesses, private equity, industry veterans, or even outsiders, the conversation always circles back to three things: profitability, customer relationships, and the stability of the team. Remove the last two, and the valuation drops to nearly nothing. In truth, without people, you don’t have customer relationships at all. That’s why talking about people isn’t just important; it’s essential. Distribution has always been a people‑intensive business model. Yes, we have warehouses, inventory, credit departments, ERP systems, and fleets of vehicles. But people are the engine. For every dollar of gross margin generated...
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The Women Who Move Us Forward

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The Women Who Move Us Forward By Jenny Shannon In the early days of the electrical industry, a woman’s job was to answer the phone and get coffee. Even in the late 1990s, only a small percentage of women held leadership roles. That’s why the NAED Women in Industry Forum matters so much. Women now hold positions at every level of the channel and are gaining momentum as leaders. They’re taking charge, being recognized, and inspiring women and men alike. Desiree Grace is one of those women who is deeply respected by her cohorts. But as a woman who works alongside her, I have the honor of being her biggest fan. Desiree leads with knowledge, poise, and confidence. She is a force that is also approachable. She is a mentor who continues to learn and absorb new ideas. When someone like that is highlighted in a national setting, it sends a message with a reach beyond the event: Women are more powerful when joining forces and supporting each other! Electrical Trends captured the energy of the...
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Selling With Heart: The Things You Can't Teach

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Selling With Heart: The Things You Can't Teach     ⏱️ 4 min read By Jenny (May) Shannon My dad, a lifelong salesman, passed away 5 years ago today. The timing always feels off, with the anniversary landing just after Father’s Day. But grief doesn’t have a calendar. Fortunately, this isn’t about grief. Frank likes to say no one is born a natural salesperson. And he’s right, for the most part. Most sales skills must be taught. But my dad was the exception that proves the rule. My dad was a lot of things: a salesman, a community builder, a man of faith, a guy who could make friends in the grocery store line, and someone who believed a bowl of ice cream could fix almost anything. He lived big, right up to the day he took his last ride on his Goldwing and finished his final scoop of chocolate. He sold for IFP long before CRM systems, smartphones, or even the idea of work-life balance. He carried a StarTac until we practically pried it out of his hands. He never met a stranger...
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Who Wants to Be Just A Number?

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Who Wants to Be Just a Number? A Distributor Channel Marketing Moment   ⏱️ 4 min read By Desiree Grace Nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to be treated like just a number. Not in life, and certainly not in B2B. People want to be treated like people. If you want to win the sales and marketing race, you must understand and invest in personalization. Real personalization. The kind powered by AI and enhanced by humans. Think AI + Humans So what is personalization? It’s customized communication that recognizes role, company, priorities, and buying stage. The design engineer searching for the right sensor for a new garage door opener cares about safety, response time, and what happens during a power outage.  The datacenter enterprise customer racing to activate a greenfield site cares about delivery and quality. The defense contractor? Delivery and quality come first, always. B2B personalization is the best practice of tailoring communication, content, and sales interactions to the s...
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Merger or Messy Marriage?

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Merger or Messy Marriage? ⏱️ 4  min read By Desiree Grace We all know this scenario. You’ve done your due diligence. The financials check out. The employee agreements and golden parachutes are tolerable. You have complementary skill sets, and each of you brings new customers to the party. It seemed like a match made in heaven. Then, after the paperwork was signed, money exchanged, and announcements made, you realized, with a jolt, that there was far more work ahead than anyone expected.  You also had a few surprises along the way. It’s not exactly buyer’s remorse, but… Integration has its challenges. When companies buy another company, or even merge, the real work begins after the hullabaloo dies down. Much like marriage, the real relationship starts after the honeymoon. The sad truth is that studies consistently prove most acquisitions fail to achieve their expected value. Rarely is it because the “legal beagles” missed something in due diligence. Most times, it is because e...
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AI for Production Planning, or “You can call me Al.”

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AI for Production Planning, or “You can call me Al.”   ⏱️ 6–7 min read By Desiree Grace I need new friends. I need more friends. My production team is too busy to lift their heads from their desks. When they do look up, their eyes are beady little slits from staring at spreadsheets for hours on end. And, well, they are grumpy. Same goes for my other group of friends, the purchasing team. They have ripped out their hair over delivery delays, and their cortisol levels are through the roof. None of them are any fun these days. Nobody wants to party. They need a new friend. I’m going to introduce them to Artificial Intelligence, nicknamed Al. Al could be a great addition to your next dinner party, especially if you want to feed a crowd. Hear me out. When you plan a dinner party, you need to have enough food and supplies. You do not want to run out of napkins or beer. Right? Not very different from production planning, really, so let’s start there. Because dinner parties are easy for Al...
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