Subject Matter expert
Economics and Geopolitics in Distribution: Mid-Year Update
Tuesday, July 28 , 9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT – 10:00 AM PDT / 1:00 PM EDT
The economic signals are mixed and the geopolitical risks are real. Here’s what distribution leaders need to know right now.
The economic and geopolitical environment affecting distribution has rarely been more consequential or more difficult to read. Tariffs, trade policy shifts, inflation dynamics, and global supply chain realignment are creating both pressure and opportunity for distributors and the decisions leaders make now will shape performance well into 2027.
In this Subject Matter Expert session, Alex Chausovsky, President of 3DM Consulting, will deliver a mid-year update on the economic and geopolitical forces hitting distribution hardest. Drawing on current data and market analysis, he will walk through what the indicators are signaling, where the risks are concentrated, and how distribution leaders can position their businesses to navigate what comes next.
Key Takeaways
- Where the U.S. economy stands at mid-year and what the data suggests about the second half of 2026
- How tariffs and trade policy are reshaping sourcing, pricing, and competitive dynamics in distribution
- Which geopolitical developments deserve the most attention from distribution executives right now
- How leading distributors are adjusting their planning and investment strategies in response to uncertainty
- What the economic outlook means for demand, pricing power, and margin management through year-end
What You’ll Learn
How to use economic intelligence to make better decisions about inventory, pricing, and growth
A clear-eyed read on macroeconomic conditions most relevant to wholesale distribution
How to interpret current trade and tariff developments in terms of practical business impact
What scenario planning looks like for distributors operating in a volatile environment
Speaker
Alex Chausovsky
President, 3DM Consulting
Speaker
Alex Chausovsky
President, 3DM Consulting
Alex Chausovsky is the President of 3DM Consulting. He is a highly experienced market researcher and analyst with more than two decades of expertise across subjects including economics, manufacturing, automation, advanced technology trends, and business cycle analysis. He has consulted and advised companies throughout the US and Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Alex has delivered over a thousand presentations, webinars, and workshops to small businesses, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies across a spectrum of industries, and is the go-to source of industry data and insights for business owners and leaders. Alex’s analysis has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on the BBC, and on NPR, and he is a Top Voice on LinkedIn.
Host
Ian Heller
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Distribution Strategy Group
Ian Heller joined Grainger as a part-time truck unloader in college and left fifteen years later as the VP Marketing. Since then, he’s held senior executive positions at four other publicly-held firms, consulted with dozens of distributors, and continues to write and speak extensively on how AI, strategy, channel evolution, and other major trends affect the industry. Ian holds a B.A. in History from Roosevelt University and an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.