Get an insider’s look at how private equity (PE) firms evaluate distribution companies, from people and processes to market opportunities. John Schweig, Chairman of the Board at BlackHawk Industrial and Operating Partner at private equity firm Snow Phipps, joined us for a recent Wholesale Change episode.
Industry Analysis
Will Amazon Survive the Wrath of Khan?
Amazon critic Lina Khan, who has upended antitrust thinking, is the new FTC Chair.
The Most Common Mistake Leaders Make in a New Job
The paradox of leaders in new roles is that the lessons they learned in their last jobs are often irrelevant in their new jobs – but they apply them anyway.
How Lawson Products Grew Its Enterprise Value by 10x: A Differentiation Case Study for Distributors
Mike DeCata, CEO and president of Lawson Products, loves the way distribution touches all of our lives, and it shows. His impressive career spans from leadership at Grainger, United Rentals, and Chef’s Warehouse to growing the share price of MRO distributor Lawson Products by 1,000% since taking his position there in 2012.
Distribution, Disrupted: How Associations Can Lead During Uncertain Times
In the wake of COVID-19, there has been plenty of speculation about the role of distribution associations and how they must adapt to disruption, rapid digitization and the evolution of marketplaces, all of which were accelerated by the pandemic.
Why B2B Marketplaces Are Booming Today
Despite early failure rates, B2B marketplaces mounted a major comeback and are rapidly outgrowing company-specific websites in many industries.
3 Distribution Maxims That Are Wrong
Measuring profitability by enterprise gross margin is a sledgehammer approach to a problem requiring nuance and precision.
How IMARK Group Is Helping Distributors Compete Amid Disruption
Co-ops and marketing groups like IMARK Group play a big role in helping independent distributors compete in today’s fast-changing market.
Office Depot Hires Former Amazon Business GM – and That’s Just the Start
In a series of moves, including bringing on the executive who launched Amazon Business, ODP is joining the marketplace war. With a flurry of aggressive, recent actions, ODP (the newly named parent company of Office Depot) seems intent on building a rival marketplace to Amazon Business. On Feb. 16, the company announced it had hired…
If Marketplaces are a Must, Should You Build Your Own?
Independent alternatives to third-party marketplaces like Amazon are emerging, and some distributors have found success selling through them. This has many wondering if they should build their own marketplaces.