Explore every episode of the podcast Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution Podcast
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
What Tariff Inflation Means for Wholesale Distribution
19 Oct 2026
01:14:46
Tariffs, fuel costs, AI infrastructure, data centers, and supply chain pressure are creating a complicated planning environment for wholesale distributors and manufacturers. Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down what the latest economic signals, technology shifts, M&A risks, and AI policy debates could mean for the distribution channel.
On Today's Episode:
Wholesale distributors and manufacturers are trying to make decisions in a market where the signals do not always line up. Tariffs may be adding pressure to consumer prices. AI infrastructure is helping drive trade, data center demand, and hyperscaler spending. Fuel costs, weather events, geopolitical disruption, and money supply are all adding complexity to the inflation picture.
In Episode 208 of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton discuss a New York Fed study on tariff-related inflation and why the findings may not translate cleanly into the B2B distribution world. They also look at AI-related trade growth, data center demand, OpenAI and Anthropic’s impact on hyperscalers, the risk of slowing infrastructure projects, and whether the economy is more fragile than it appears.
The conversation also covers how AI can help distributors reduce fuel costs, why geo-planning matters for sales teams, and how distributor-to-distributor marketplaces could help smaller and mid-sized companies trade excess inventory or improve buying power. Kevin and Tom also explore M&A activity, customer concentration risk, supplier concentration risk, private equity, and why valuation depends on more than top-line revenue.
The episode closes with a deeper look at AI policy, federal regulation, external model audits, open-source AI, state-by-state compliance risk, Anthropic, OpenAI, and why distributors using AI tools need practical governance instead of more disconnected technology silos.
What You’ll Learn:
Why tariff-driven inflation may affect consumer goods and B2B distribution differently
How AI infrastructure, data centers, hyperscalers, and GPUs are shaping trade and demand
Why fuel costs, weather, geopolitics, and supply chain pressure still matter for business planning
How AI routing, geo-planning, and sales tools can improve distributor productivity
Why customer concentration and supplier concentration can affect M&A valuation
How AI regulation, model audits, and open-source competition could affect distributors
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – The road to Episode 300 and the opening discussion 04:30 – Around the Horn’s focus on distribution, manufacturing, AI, supply chain, and M&A 08:30 – Meridian 360, enterprise growth platforms, and the risk of disconnected AI tools 13:30 – Tariffs, inflation, and the New York Fed study 25:00 – Why tariff data may not fully capture B2B distribution realities 34:00 – AI infrastructure, data centers, trade forecasts, and hyperscaler risk 43:00 – The K-shaped economy, fuel prices, and consumer pressure 53:30 – AI tools for routing, sales planning, and fuel cost reduction 1:00:00 – Distributor marketplaces, excess inventory, and buying group strategy 1:09:00 – M&A, customer concentration, supplier risk, and valuation 1:18:00 – AI policy, external audits, open-source models, and regulation 1:25:35 – Closing thoughts
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
Meridian 360: LeadSmart Technologies’ enterprise growth platform for wholesale distributors and manufacturers.
Enterprise Growth Platform: A connected system that brings ERP, CRM, marketing automation, quoting, e-commerce, data warehouse, and other business data into one place.
Blind Spot Survey: A LeadSmart tool designed to help distributors assess where disconnected data may be limiting visibility into customers, teams, and growth opportunities.
Geo Planner: A sales planning tool within LeadSmart’s Sales Compass solution that helps reps see customers, leads, and priorities on a map.
Sales Compass: LeadSmart’s sales enablement solution within the Meridian 360 family of products.
Distributor-to-Distributor Marketplace: A marketplace model that can help distributors trade excess inventory, improve buying power, and support one another through shared access.
Customer Concentration Risk: The risk created when too much revenue depends on one customer or a small group of customers.
Supplier Concentration Risk: The risk created when too much revenue depends on one supplier or product category.
AI Model Audit: A proposed governance mechanism in which large AI models are externally reviewed for safety, security, and risk.
Closing Insight:
The distributors best positioned for the next stage of growth will not rely on disconnected systems, one-off AI tools, or lagging reports. They will connect their data, understand where risk is hiding, and use technology to turn market complexity into clearer decisions.
Leave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.
Tariffs, fuel costs, AI infrastructure, data centers, and supply chain pressure are creating a complicated planning environment for wholesale distributors and manufacturers. Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down what the latest economic signals, technology shifts, M&A risks, and AI policy debates could mean for the distribution channel.
On This Episode:
Wholesale distributors and manufacturers are trying to make decisions in a market where the signals do not always line up. Tariffs may be adding pressure to consumer prices. AI infrastructure is helping drive trade, data center demand, and hyperscaler spending. Fuel costs, weather events, geopolitical disruption, and money supply are all adding complexity to the inflation picture.
In Episode 207 of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton discuss a New York Fed study on tariff-related inflation and why the findings may not translate cleanly into the B2B distribution world. They also look at AI-related trade growth, data center demand, OpenAI and Anthropic’s impact on hyperscalers, the risk of slowing infrastructure projects, and whether the economy is more fragile than it appears.
The conversation also covers how AI can help distributors reduce fuel costs, why geo-planning matters for sales teams, and how distributor-to-distributor marketplaces could help smaller and mid-sized companies trade excess inventory or improve buying power. Kevin and Tom also explore M&A activity, customer concentration risk, supplier concentration risk, private equity, and why valuation depends on more than top-line revenue.
The episode closes with a deeper look at AI policy, federal regulation, external model audits, open-source AI, state-by-state compliance risk, Anthropic, OpenAI, and why distributors using AI tools need practical governance instead of more disconnected technology silos.
What You’ll Learn:
Why tariff-driven inflation may affect consumer goods and B2B distribution differently
How AI infrastructure, data centers, hyperscalers, and GPUs are shaping trade and demand
Why fuel costs, weather, geopolitics, and supply chain pressure still matter for business planning
How AI routing, geo-planning, and sales tools can improve distributor productivity
Why customer concentration and supplier concentration can affect M&A valuation
How AI regulation, model audits, and open-source competition could affect distributors
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – The road to Episode 300 and the opening discussion 04:30 – Around the Horn’s focus on distribution, manufacturing, AI, supply chain, and M&A 08:30 – Meridian 360, enterprise growth platforms, and the risk of disconnected AI tools 13:30 – Tariffs, inflation, and the New York Fed study 25:00 – Why tariff data may not fully capture B2B distribution realities 34:00 – AI infrastructure, data centers, trade forecasts, and hyperscaler risk 43:00 – The K-shaped economy, fuel prices, and consumer pressure 53:30 – AI tools for routing, sales planning, and fuel cost reduction 1:00:00 – Distributor marketplaces, excess inventory, and buying group strategy 1:09:00 – M&A, customer concentration, supplier risk, and valuation 1:18:00 – AI policy, external audits, open-source models, and regulation 1:25:35 – Closing thoughts
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
Meridian 360: LeadSmart Technologies’ enterprise growth platform for wholesale distributors and manufacturers.
Enterprise Growth Platform: A connected system that brings ERP, CRM, marketing automation, quoting, e-commerce, data warehouse, and other business data into one place.
Blind Spot Survey: A LeadSmart tool designed to help distributors assess where disconnected data may be limiting visibility into customers, teams, and growth opportunities.
Geo Planner: A sales planning tool within LeadSmart’s Sales Compass solution that helps reps see customers, leads, and priorities on a map.
Sales Compass: LeadSmart’s sales enablement solution within the Meridian 360 family of products.
Distributor-to-Distributor Marketplace: A marketplace model that can help distributors trade excess inventory, improve buying power, and support one another through shared access.
Customer Concentration Risk: The risk created when too much revenue depends on one customer or a small group of customers.
Supplier Concentration Risk: The risk created when too much revenue depends on one supplier or product category.
AI Model Audit: A proposed governance mechanism in which large AI models are externally reviewed for safety, security, and risk.
Closing Insight
The distributors best positioned for the next stage of growth will not rely on disconnected systems, one-off AI tools, or lagging reports. They will connect their data, understand where risk is hiding, and use technology to turn market complexity into clearer decisions.
Leave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.
Why Distributors Need More Than CRM to Grow, with David Gordon
02 Oct 2026
01:28:40
Quick Summary
Wholesale distributors are trying to plan through inflation, tariff uncertainty, data center demand, M&A pressure, and rapid technology change. Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are joined by David Gordon of Channel Marketing Group to unpack what these shifts mean for growth, profitability, sales management, and long-term strategy.
On This Episode:
Wholesale distribution and manufacturing leaders are facing a crowded decision environment. Inflation is still being shaped by tariffs, fuel costs, labor, and other input pressures. Data centers are creating major opportunities across electrical distribution, construction, low-voltage, and MRO markets. Private equity, ESOPs, succession planning, and technology investment are changing how owners think about the future of their companies.
In Episode 206 of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton welcome David Gordon, president of Channel Marketing Group, for a wide-ranging discussion on the economy, industrial supply, electrical distribution, HVAC, lighting, tariffs, AI infrastructure, M&A, and sales technology.
The conversation covers why David would hold interest rates steady, why businesses need stability before making major decisions, how data centers are affecting the channel, and why tariff refunds may not flow cleanly back to distributors or customers. The group also discusses the Industrial Distribution Big 50, private equity activity, ESOP planning, exit strategy, succession, profitability strategy, and the importance of using technology intentionally.
The episode closes with a deeper look at LeadSmart Technologies’ Meridian 360 enterprise growth platform and why distributors need more than traditional CRM. Kevin, Tom, and David discuss how connected data across ERP, marketing, e-commerce, quoting, sales enablement, and CRM can help distributors identify white space, improve sales coaching, uncover hidden revenue, and turn business noise into actionable signals.
Why tariffs, fuel, labor, and other cost inputs make inflation harder to manage
How data centers are creating construction, electrical, low-voltage, and MRO opportunities
Why tariff refunds may not translate into visible price reductions across the channel
How ESOPs, private equity, succession, and exit planning affect distributor strategy
Why enterprise growth platforms help distributors move beyond traditional CRM
Episode Highlights
00:00 – El Niño, construction demand, and the opening discussion 05:30 – David Gordon introduces Channel Marketing Group 12:30 – Jobs, inflation, fuel costs, and the Fed’s next move 23:00 – Why businesses need stability to make decisions 33:00 – Data centers, data factories, and electrical distribution demand 43:00 – China tariffs, trade negotiations, and the long game 55:00 – Tariff refunds, manufacturers, distributors, and pricing reality 1:03:00 – Industrial Distribution Big 50, PE activity, and technology investment 1:09:30 – ESOPs, succession, exit strategy, and family-owned distributors 1:18:00 – Meridian 360, sales enablement, CRM, and connected customer journeys 1:26:00 – Robotics, AI vendor vetting, newsletter updates, and closing
About Our Guest:
David Gordon is president of Channel Marketing Group, which consults with manufacturers, distributors, reps, and technology companies in electrical, HVAC, industrial supply, and lighting. He also publishes Electrical Trends, Industrial Supply Trends, HVACR Trends, and US Lighting Trends.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
Meridian 360: LeadSmart Technologies’ enterprise growth platform for wholesale distributors and manufacturers.
Enterprise Growth Platform: A connected system designed to help distributors eliminate blind spots, understand customers and teams, and accelerate growth.
Sales Compass: LeadSmart’s sales enablement engine within Meridian 360.
Smart CRM: LeadSmart’s CRM solution designed for distributors and manufacturers.
White Space Analysis: A growth method for identifying untapped customer, product, or category opportunities.
Hidden Revenue Detection: A way to uncover revenue opportunities that may be buried in disconnected data or underused systems.
ESOP: An employee stock ownership plan that can support ownership transition, succession, and employee participation when planned strategically.
Data Factory: A way to think about data centers as operational environments with ongoing replacement, maintenance, and
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AI Fears, Fed Rate Rises, and Distribution's Next Growth Platform
18 Sep 2026
01:23:26
Wholesale distributors and manufacturers are facing a complicated mix of rate pressure, tariff tension, AI noise, and technology decisions. Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down what matters, what's overhyped, and why connected business data may become one of the clearest paths to growth.
Wholesale distribution leaders are trying to plan in an economy where the signals aren't simple. Interest rates are rising, the 10-year Treasury is shaping market expectations, fuel prices remain a pressure point, U.S.-Canada tariff tension continues, and AI headlines are getting louder and scarier.
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton discuss the Fed’s latest rate increase, what the 10-year Treasury may indicate for planning, and why inflation, consumer spending, import prices, and fuel costs remain difficult to interpret. They also look at Canada’s tariff conflict with the U.S., the possibility of closer Canada-EU alignment, and why reshoring is becoming a larger manufacturing conversation.
The second half of the episode focuses on AI risk, regulation, Anthropic, OpenAI, open-source models, and the business incentives behind some of the latest AI safety warnings. Kevin and Tom also discuss why distributors may be tired of scattered AI point solutions and why enterprise growth platforms, CRM-ERP integration, connected data, hidden revenue detection, white space analysis, and customer intelligence may be more useful than chasing every new tool.
What You’ll Learn
Why the 10-year Treasury may influence distribution planning more than the Fed funds rate
How rate increases, inflation, fuel costs, and retail spending create mixed signals for business leaders
Why U.S.-Canada tariff tension matters for manufacturers and distributors
How AI risk warnings connect to regulation, open-source models, and public-market incentives
Why connected data and enterprise growth platforms may be more valuable than isolated AI tools
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Kevin and Tom open Episode 205 and discuss the show’s growing international reach 06:30 – LeadSmart previews a major product launch and the move beyond traditional CRM 12:00 – The Fed rate increase, the 10-year Treasury, and why the tail may be wagging the dog 29:30 – Import prices, retail sales, and consumer behavior in a high-rate environment 39:30 – Canada, tariffs, the EU, and the pressure on North American trade relationships 51:30 – Reshoring, manufacturing strategy, and Northern Tool’s insourcing move 55:00 – AI safety warnings, Anthropic, OpenAI, and the incentives behind the headlines 1:10:30 – AI point-solution fatigue and the need for connected systems of record 1:18:00 – Office Depot, EB Horsman, LeadSmart launch updates, and closing thoughts
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
Enterprise Growth Platform: A broader technology platform designed to help distributors connect data, understand customers and teams, identify risk, and uncover growth opportunities.
CRM-ERP Integration: The connection of customer-facing activity with financial and operational data to create a more complete view of the business.
White Space Analysis: A way to identify untapped customer, product, or revenue opportunities.
Hidden Revenue Detection: The process of finding growth opportunities that may be buried in disconnected systems or underused data.
AI Model Routing: The emerging idea of directing different AI requests to different models based on cost, complexity, and performance.
Closing Insight:
The biggest technology advantage for distributors may not come from chasing every new AI tool. It may come from connecting the right data, asking better questions, and building a platform that helps people make better decisions faster.
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AI Spend, Tariff Tensions, and the Data Center Economy
12 Sep 2026
01:29:45
Whwere were you on September 11th?
Tom’s was in New York near the World Trade Center that morning. 25 years later, it's sill burned in his memory...and it provides a fitting tribute to open this episode.
From there, we turn to the latest news affecting wholesale distribution, manufacturing, independent sales agents, and the global supply chain.
We look at interest rate pressure, the Fed’s likely next move, inflation, fuel costs, hiring data, and why today’s economic signals continue to send mixed messages. We also look at Canadian tariff retaliation, Costco’s tariff refund lawsuit, Williams-Sonoma’s approach to sharing tariff-related benefits, and the broader challenge of fairness when tariff costs and refunds move through the supply chain.
The episode also covers port and freight conditions, the continuing impact of global shipping disruptions, data center construction, AI infrastructure, and the economic opportunities and pushback surrounding new data center development.
In the AI and technology section, we dig into AI spending, token-based pricing, consumption models, and why many distributors and manufacturers are still trying to understand how to budget for AI. They also discuss the Salesforce and Anthropic partnership, the growing importance of systems of record, and why connected data across ERP, CRM, marketing automation, e-commerce, and other business systems may become one of the biggest advantages for distributors.
The episode closes with a shoutout to DCKAP and the quality of its podcast and industry conversations.
Timestamps/Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction
03:30 — What Around The Horn Covers Each Week
06:45 — LeadSmart Technologies and Enterprise Growth Platforms
11:30 — Remembering September 11th
20:00 — Tom’s Firsthand 9/11 Story
31:00 — How People Came Together After 9/11
38:00 — Interest Rates, Inflation, and Fed Pressure
47:00 — Tariff Tensions Between the U.S. and Canada
55:30 — Costco, Williams-Sonoma, and Tariff Refunds
1:02:30 — Port Activity, Freight Markets, and Supply Chain Risk
1:08:30 — Data Centers, AI Infrastructure, and Energy Demand
1:14:30 — AI Spend, Token Pricing, and Budget Risk
1:20:00 — Salesforce, Anthropic, and Systems of Record
1:23:00 — DCKAP Podcast Shoutout and Closing Thoughts
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Is AI about to create real turmoil for distributors, or are we still too early to know what comes next?
28 Aug 2026
01:29:15
After celebrating 200 episodes, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are back for Episode 203 of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, looking at the latest news affecting manufacturers, wholesale distributors, independent sales agents, and the global supply chain.
This week, Kevin and Tom reflect on the 200th episode celebration, the growth of the podcast, and what may be coming next for Around the Horn, including more interview-style episodes and expanded industry coverage.
From there, they dig into the economy, including the latest Fed signals from Jackson Hole, interest rate expectations, inflation pressure, consumer spending, and why the tools available to the Fed may not be enough to solve today’s price challenges.
The conversation also covers new Iran sanctions, pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, Canadian tariffs, the impact of Canada’s role in U.S. energy, aluminum, lumber, and electricity imports, and the growing concern around Panama Canal delays and potential El Niño-related supply chain disruption.
Kevin and Tom then turn to AI and technology, including Bill Gates’ warning about AI-driven upheaval, the real impact of AI on jobs, why historical comparisons to the internet and personal computers may still matter, and how distributors and manufacturers can use AI to elevate people, improve decision-making, and unlock more value from existing systems of record.
The episode also includes updates on APR Supply’s acquisition of Mutual Wholesalers, the continuing evolution of LeadSmart’s enterprise growth platform, physical AI, humanoid robots, sales and marketing visibility, and what distributors should be watching as we move toward our next 100 episodes.
What You’ll Learn
Why the Fed may still be leaning toward a rate increase
How inflation, fuel prices, and consumer spending are affecting business planning
Why Canada tariffs could have a major impact on U.S. manufacturing and distribution
How Panama Canal delays and El Niño could create new supply chain pressure
Why AI disruption may be real, but not as simple as job loss
How distributors can use connected data, AI, and automation to elevate their teams
Why physical AI and humanoid robots matter for the future of operations
Topics Covered
Federal Reserve policy and interest rates
Inflation and consumer spending
Iran sanctions and the Strait of Hormuz
Canada tariffs and North American trade
Panama Canal delays
Super El Niño supply chain risk
AI upheaval and job displacement
CRM, ERP, and enterprise growth platforms
Physical AI and humanoid robots
Wholesale distribution technology
APR Supply and Mutual Wholesalers
Timestamps/Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction and Dolly Parton Tribute
04:30 — Reflecting on the 200th Episode Celebration
10:15 — What Comes Next for Around The Horn
15:30 — Housekeeping, Newsletter, and LeadSmart Technologies
22:00 — Fed Signals from Jackson Hole
29:15 — Interest Rates, Inflation, and Market Expectations
38:00 — Core Prices, B2B Need, and Economic Uncertainty
44:30 — Iran Sanctions and Strait of Hormuz Risk
52:00 — Canada Tariffs and North American Trade Pressure
59:30 — Panama Canal Delays and Supply Chain Costs
1:05:00 — Super El Niño and Port Disruption Risk
1:11:00 — APR Supply Acquisition and Industry Updates
1:14:30 — Bill Gates, AI Turmoil, and Job Disruption
1:20:00 — AI, Systems of Record, and Enterprise Growth Platforms
1:24:00 — End of Episode
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Our All-Star Panel of Experts Discuss The Past, Present & Future of Wholesale Distribution
21 Aug 2026
01:21:32
What does the future of wholesale distribution look like as AI, supply chain volatility, consolidation, and human-centered leadership all accelerate at once?
For the 200th episode celebration of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton bring together a special panel of industry leaders to look at where distribution has been, where it is now, and what may be coming next.
This milestone conversation features Alex Chasovsky of 3DM Consulting, Dan Schubert of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, Steve Levy of Infor, Mike Marks of Indian River Consulting Group, and Dirk Beveridge of the Fully Alive Movement (FAM).
Together, they discuss the state of the economy, margin pressure, supply chain resilience, tariff uncertainty, AI adoption, data silos, distribution consolidation, robotics, and the role of people in the next era of the industry.
The conversation also looks ahead to what wholesale distribution may look like by Episode 300, including how distributors can use technology, data, and human judgment to become more profitable, more resilient, and more valuable to their customers.
Thank you to everyone who has listened, commented, shared, subscribed, and supported Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution through the first 200 episodes.
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What Is The "Silver Tsunami" and What Does It Mean For Wholesale Distribution?
14 Aug 2026
01:30:48
I'm not getting older...you're getting older. And everything is just fine. Right?
In this episode of Around The Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton look ahead to the upcoming 200th episode celebration while unpacking another week of news affecting manufacturers, wholesale distributors, independent sales agents, and the global supply chain.
Kevin and Tom begin by previewing the special 200th episode celebration, which will bring together a strong group of industry voices, including Mike Marks, Dirk Beveridge, Dan Schubert, Alex Chissofsky, and Steve Levy. They also reflect on the continued growth of the show, the expanding audience across podcast platforms, YouTube, LinkedIn, and the newsletter, and the importance of creating a weekly resource for the distribution and manufacturing community.
The conversation then turns to the economy, including July consumer price data, producer price trends, inflation, interest rates, bond markets, mortgage rates, and the possibility of future rate cuts. Kevin and Tom discuss why the market may be stabilizing in some areas, while still facing uncertainty from energy prices, geopolitical pressure, and election-year dynamics.
From there, they dive into supply chain and tariff issues, including the latest developments around tariff refunds, Section 301 tariffs, legal disputes, customer transparency, and the ongoing impact tariffs are having on distributors, manufacturers, contractors, and customer relationships. They also discuss the importance of balanced trade, the likely durability of the current tariff structure, and where tariff policy may stand a year from now.
The episode also covers major distribution trends, including the economic impact of the HVACR distribution market, the KPIs that matter most for mid-market distributors, and the continued consolidation of independent distributors through acquisitions such as SRS Distribution’s expansion into HVAC. Kevin and Tom discuss why consolidation may continue, but also why new independent distributors are likely to emerge from the talent and culture gaps created by large acquisitions.
In the AI segment, Kevin and Tom explore the growing tension between AI hype and AI reality. They discuss concerns around failed implementations, immature products, unclear ROI, rising AI costs, governance mistakes, and the importance of choosing the right technology partner rather than simply chasing the newest tool. They also look at broader public skepticism around generative AI and the need to balance real risks with the meaningful productivity gains AI is already creating inside businesses.
Finally, the episode touches on the human side of business, including the loss of institutional knowledge, the “silver tsunami,” knowledge transfer, leadership, busyness, and the importance of creating meaning beyond constant motion.
As always, Kevin and Tom connect the headlines back to the practical realities of wholesale distribution and manufacturing, helping leaders understand what these trends mean for their customers, teams, technology decisions, and growth strategies.
Timestamps and Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction and Episode 202 Setup
03:30 — Previewing the 200th Episode Celebration
08:15 — The Growth of Around The Horn
13:45 — What Around The Horn Covers Each Week
16:30 — LeadSmart Technologies and the Enterprise Growth Platform
20:15 — Inflation, Consumer Prices, and Interest Rate Expectations
27:30 — Bond Markets, Mortgage Rates, and Housing Pressure
34:00 — Election-Year Market Uncertainty
39:15 — Tariff Refunds and the $100 Billion Question
47:00 — Customer Transparency Around Tariffs
52:30 — Section 301 Tariffs and the Future of Trade Policy
59:00 — HVACR Distribution’s Economic Impact
1:04:30 — KPIs That Matter for Mid-Market Distributors
1:12:15 — Process Improvement Through Software Implementation
1:17:00 — SRS, HVAC Acquisitions, and Distribution Consolidation
1:22:15 — AI Hype, AI Reality, and Technology Partner Risk
1:28:00 — Public Skepticism Around Generative AI
1:32:45 — AI Costs, Token Usage, and Budget Overruns
1:38:15 — The Human Side: Knowledge Transfer and the Silver Tsunami
1:42:00 — Busyness, Leadership, and Meaningful Work
1:47:30 — Closing Thoughts and 200th Celebration Reminder
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The AI-Native Distributor: Agentic Buying, Smart CRM and the Future of Growth
31 Jul 2026
01:23:56
How can wholesale distributors plan for growth when interest rates, tariffs, global conflict, artificial intelligence, and changing buyer behavior are all moving at once?
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton examine the economic and technology forces shaping manufacturing and wholesale distribution. They discuss Federal Reserve policy, consumer confidence, Section 301 tariffs, supply chain visibility, AI-native business models, agentic purchasing, and the growing role of robotics in industrial operations.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the Federal Reserve has limited options for responding to inflation caused by geopolitical price shocks
How Section 301 tariffs could affect inventory planning, margins, sourcing, and supply chain strategy
What new industry survey data reveals about distributor confidence, demand recovery, tariffs, and technology adoption
How businesses can move from basic AI assistance toward an AI-native operating model
Why agentic AI could reshape how contractors and other B2B customers research products, request quotes, and place orders
How humanoid and purpose-built robots may change industrial labor, workplace safety, and the protective equipment market
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Looking at the upcoming 200th episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution
13:40 – Why the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady and why some policymakers still favor an increase
29:15 – What declining consumer confidence could mean for spending, employment, and distributor demand
38:40 – How Section 301 tariffs are changing inventory valuation and supply chain planning
47:25 – Why global shipping chokepoints are creating new risks for oil, freight, and product availability
54:20 – What electrical distributors say about demand recovery, tariffs, margins, AI, and data center growth
1:03:30 – The stages of AI maturity and what it means to build an AI-native enterprise
1:12:10 – How agentic AI could transform the traditional wholesale distribution buying process
1:20:35 – Humanoid robots, purpose-built machines, and the future of industrial safety
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned
LeadSmart Meridian 360 enterprise growth platform
Smart CRM and CRM-ERP integration
LeadSmart Revenue Expander
Hidden revenue detection and trapped-potential analysis
AI maturity stages, from AI-assisted to AI-native
Agentic AI purchasing and automated ordering
Inventory visibility and supply chain analytics
Human-centered sales automation
Section 301 tariff analysis
Closing Insight:
The companies that succeed through the next phase of wholesale distribution will understand more than what is happening inside their ERP. They will connect customer, sales, marketing, e-commerce, inventory, and operational data so their teams can make faster and better decisions.
Subscribe to Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution for weekly insights into the economy, technology, supply chains, manufacturing, and distribution growth. Visit AroundTheHornPod.com to explore previous episodes and sign up for the newsletter. To learn how LeadSmart Technologies helps distributors connect their data and uncover hidden revenue opportunities, visit LeadSmartTech.com.
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Data Centers Everywhere, Section 301 Tariffs, and Amazon Business Crushing It: What A Time To Be Alive!
24 Jul 2026
01:25:43
What happens when tariffs, global shipping disruptions, AI infrastructure demands, and changing buyer behavior all hit wholesale distribution at the same time?
On this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton examine the economic, technological, and supply chain forces shaping manufacturers and wholesale distribution teams. They discuss inflation and interest rates, the transition to Section 301 tariffs, growing risks across major shipping routes, Amazon Business’s expanding influence, the copper shortage behind AI data center growth, and why companies need a more disciplined approach to AI investment.
What You’ll Learn
How Section 301 tariffs could create greater planning certainty for distributors, even as import costs remain elevated
Why disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Panama Canal could create a global supply chain “perfect storm”
How distributors can compete with Amazon Business by solving complex problems and embedding themselves in customer operations
Why AI efficiency may increase total energy and computing demand instead of reducing it
How revenue leaders in distribution can evaluate AI tools based on measurable business outcomes instead of promises
Why employees who guide, challenge, and pressure-test AI produce stronger work than those who simply delegate tasks
Episode Highlights
04:20 – How LeadSmart uses connected ERP and CRM data to uncover hidden revenue opportunities
13:45 – What the Federal Reserve’s inflation language could mean for interest rates and business planning
23:10 – Why Section 301 tariffs may be more legally durable than previous tariff policies
34:05 – The global supply chain risks developing around the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Panama Canal
43:20 – How Amazon Business reached $60 billion in merchandise volume and what distributors should do next
59:40 – Copper shortages, data center construction, and the infrastructure required to support AI growth
1:10:05 – Why workers who actively direct AI agents outperform people who accept the first answer
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned
Meridian 360 Hub
LeadSmart’s connected data hub brings information from across the business into one environment, giving leaders greater visibility into customers, teams, sales activity, and growth opportunities.
GeniusFeed AI and Revenue Expander
These tools analyze business data to identify white space, wallet-share opportunities, customer risk, and hidden revenue. The discussion also explores how this type of predictive sales analytics could support M&A due diligence and business valuation.
Make Complexity Your Strategy
Distributors can protect their customer relationships by focusing on services that are difficult for large online marketplaces to replicate. These may include product customization, technical support, equipment commissioning, kitting, cutting, and on-site problem solving.
Embed Into Customer Operations
Vendor-managed inventory, on-site personnel, tool cribs, vending systems, and job-site inventory programs make the distributor a direct part of the customer’s workflow.
Jevons Paradox
As technology becomes more efficient and less expensive, demand often grows faster than the efficiency gains. The hosts apply this idea to AI computing, data centers, energy consumption, and future infrastructure requirements.
Outcome-Based AI Adoption
Before investing in AI or sales technology, businesses should define specific outcomes they expect to achieve. Those outcomes should guide implementation, client success meetings, performance measurement, and technology budgeting.
Closing Insight:
AI, tariffs, e-commerce, infrastructure shortages, and supply chain disruption are creating a more complicated operating environment for wholesale distribution. The companies that succeed will be the ones that improve visibility, strengthen customer relationships, and connect technology investments to measurable growth.
Subscribe to Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution for weekly analysis of the news and trends affecting manufacturers, independent sales agents, distributors, and the global wholesale supply chain.
To receive the weekly newsletter, visit AroundTheHornPod.com.
To learn how LeadSmart Technologies helps distributors connect sales, CRM, ERP, marketing, quoting, and customer intelligence data, visit LeadSmartTech.com.
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What happens when wholesale distributors realize “CRM” is no longer the real conversation, growth, data, AI, and sales enablement are?
In Episode 198 of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the shift they saw firsthand at the Affiliated Distributors Functional Success Summit: distributors are moving beyond traditional CRM adoption questions and toward connected data systems, AI-enabled sales strategy, and future-proofing distribution. The episode connects macroeconomic uncertainty, supply chain risk, AI governance, human judgment, and enterprise growth strategy to the real decisions facing wholesale distribution teams today.
What You’ll Learn:
Why distributors are moving past traditional CRM conversations and focusing instead on how to help sales teams create more value, become more consultative, and grow revenue
How CRM-ERP integration, data warehouses, e-commerce platforms, marketing automation, and disconnected point solutions can limit customer visibility unless they are unified into a true enterprise growth platform
Why inflation measurement, interest rate uncertainty, and prediction markets matter to revenue leaders in distribution making investment and growth decisions
How Strait of Hormuz disruption, Suez Canal risk, oil volatility, plastics, fertilizers, helium, and global logistics instability can ripple through manufacturing and wholesale distribution
Why AI still needs human judgment, oversight, and strategy, and why many companies miss expected ROI when they assume full automation instead of building a realistic digital transformation plan
Episode Highlights:
01:16 – Lessons from the Affiliated Distributors Functional Success Summit and why sales enablement is replacing traditional CRM talk
03:55 – Why disconnected data across ERP, marketing automation, e-commerce, and point software creates risk for distributors
06:37 – Episode 198 begins: how Around the Horn connects the economy, supply chain, M&A, sales, marketing, AI, and robotics to wholesale distribution
08:30 – LeadSmart’s Meridian 360 Enterprise Growth Platform and the move from Smart CRM to broader business growth engines
12:32 – Inflation cooling, gas prices, and why energy volatility still affects distributors, manufacturers, fertilizers, heavy minerals, and supply chains
15:23 – Kevin Warsh, Fed measurement reviews, CPI, PPI, the 2% inflation target, and the need for more real-time data
20:25 – Prediction markets, PolyMarket, Kalshi, and whether betting markets can offer useful economic signals
27:17 – Strait of Hormuz risk, Iran, shipping disruption, oil exposure, the Suez Canal, Houthi rebels, and what it means for global supply chains
43:02 – AI watchdogs, model testing, DeepMind, Fable, Mythos, and the role of government QA for high-powered AI systems
48:38 – Human judgment in the age of AI, digital twins, job displacement fears, and why AI ROI depends on data readiness and realistic automation expectations
56:00 – APR Supply’s sales tool adoption gains and how better sales technology can support outside sales revenue growth
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
LeadSmart Technologies
Meridian 360 Enterprise Growth Platform
Sales Compass
Smart CRM
Sales Co-Pilot
AI Co-Pilot for Sales
CRM-ERP Integration
CRM Data Enrichment with AI
Hidden Revenue Detection
Sales Automation Without Losing the Human Touch
Future-Proofing Distribution
Hybrid Selling Models
Consultative Commerce
Data warehouses and data lakes
Marketing automation
E-commerce data integration
ERP data unification
AI-enabled business intelligence
Prediction markets
PolyMarket
Kalshi
CPI and PPI measurement reviews
AI model QA and AI watchdog concepts
Human judgment in AI strategy
APR Supply sales tool adoption
Master of Distribution Management program
Closing Insight:
The episode’s central message is clear: the future of distribution is not about buying more disconnected technology. It is about connecting data, people, process, and AI into a strategy that helps teams sell smarter, serve customers better, and make better decisions under uncertainty.
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Jason Hein on Hybrid Selling, AI-Powered Customer Intelligence, and B2B E-Commerce
10 Jul 2026
01:32:08
What does the next era of B2B e-commerce look like when buyers, bots, AI agents, and self-service expectations all collide?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton welcome Jason Hein, Vice President of Academy at the B2B E-Commerce Association, for a sharp conversation on digital buying behavior, AI-powered customer intelligence, hybrid selling models, CRM-ERP integration, and the future of consultative commerce. This episode explores why e-commerce is no longer just a transaction portal, it is part of a broader digital customer experience that helps distributors build trust, support complex sales, and future-proof distribution.
What You’ll Learn:
Why B2B e-commerce should be viewed as a digital customer experience, not just a website with a checkout button
How younger buyers research, compare, and validate distributors before ever talking to sales
Why complex products still need consultative selling—and how digital tools can support that buyer journey
How AI agents, bots, and non-human traffic are changing how customers may interact with distributor websites
Why CRM-ERP integration, product content quality, and AI-powered customer intelligence are essential for revenue leaders in distribution
How distributors can use hybrid selling models to combine self-service, sales expertise, and human-centric sales automation
Episode Highlights:
06:01 – Jason Hein explains the mission of the B2B E-Commerce Association and why education matters in digital transformation
11:59 – The Fed, inflation targets, and why economic uncertainty still affects distributors and manufacturers
31:50 – AD’s Supply Force acquisition and what buying group consolidation means for independent distributors
44:08 – AI job displacement, software engineering, and why leverage may matter more than replacement
1:00:21 – Bots, AI agents, and the “dead internet” problem for B2B e-commerce
1:04:23 – Complex vs. commodity products: why self-service does not eliminate consultative sales
1:09:49 – How trust, product content, and McMaster-Carr’s digital experience shape buyer loyalty
1:15:23 – Why e-commerce alone does not drive demand generation—but a strong digital experience can
Jason Hein is Vice President of Academy at the B2B E-Commerce Association, where he helps manufacturers, distributors, agencies, and technology providers understand how to build better digital experiences. With nearly 30 years in B2B, Jason has worked across manufacturing, distribution, consulting, software, and e-commerce strategy.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
B2B E-Commerce Association Academy
Digital customer experience strategy
Hybrid selling models
Consultative commerce
Omnichannel customer experience
Product content quality and product data standards
AI agents and agentic buying behavior
CRM-ERP integration
CRM data enrichment with AI
Smart CRM strategy
Sales Co-Pilot and AI Co-Pilot for Sales
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™
LeadSmart Enterprise Growth Platform
Hidden revenue detection
Sales automation without losing the human touch
Future-proofing distribution
Digital readiness for succession
Customer knowledge institutionalization
Closing Insight:
E-commerce in wholesale distribution is not just about letting customers place orders online. It is about creating a digital experience that helps buyers research, trust, validate, reorder, and engage with your team more effectively.
As Jason explains, younger buyers may prefer self-service, but that does not mean they reject expertise. The winning distributors will combine strong product content, connected data systems, CRM-ERP integration, and human-guided consultative commerce to meet buyers wherever they are in the journey.
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Tariff Refunds, Core Inflation & Data Centers: The New Pressures Reshaping Distribution
26 Jun 2026
01:29:31
What happens when inflation pressure, tariff uncertainty, supply chain disruption, and AI platform strategy all hit wholesale distribution at the same time?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the forces shaping distributors and manufacturers right now, from core inflation and the Strait of Hormuz to tariff refunds, B2B customer experience, data center demand, and AI adoption. This episode gives revenue leaders in distribution a practical lens on how to manage volatility, avoid disconnected technology silos, and build a smarter path toward CRM-ERP integration, customer intelligence, and future-proofing distribution.
What You’ll Learn:
Why core inflation, oil prices, and energy volatility continue to affect freight, plastics, fertilizer, and downstream manufacturing costs
How tariff refunds, FedEx reimbursements, Section 301 tariffs, and trade negotiations could impact importers, distributors, contractors, and end customers
Why supply chain uncertainty remains elevated—and why distributors need better inventory visibility tools, demand planning, and collaborative forecasting
How the B2B buying experience is becoming more like B2C, especially for contractors and professional buyers using Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon Business, and traditional distributors
Why AI adoption in wholesale distribution needs to move beyond point solutions and toward connected data systems, Smart CRM, AI-powered customer intelligence, and true platform strategy
Episode Highlights:
03:20 – LeadSmart’s Enterprise Growth Platform and why connected data matters for distributors
04:40 – Core inflation, energy prices, and the delayed cost impact across freight, plastics, and manufacturing
15:10 – Strait of Hormuz volatility and why open shipping lanes do not always mean stable supply chains
20:10 – FedEx tariff refunds, customer reimbursement complexity, and why downstream recovery is difficult
31:50 – Supply chain uncertainty, port volatility, and whether distributors are better prepared than they were during COVID
46:40 – The blurring line between B2B and B2C customer experience in wholesale distribution
58:40 – Data centers, AI infrastructure, and why distributors in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, industrial, and construction markets should pay attention
1:12:40 – AI adoption, order processing automation, platform strategy, and the risk of creating new data silos
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
LeadSmart Technologies
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™
Enterprise Growth Platform
Data360 Hub
Smart CRM
Sales Co-Pilot
AI Co-Pilot for Sales
CRM-ERP Integration
CRM Data Enrichment with AI
Hidden Revenue Detection
Sales Automation Without Losing the Human Touch
Consultative Commerce
Hybrid Selling Models
Inventory Visibility Tools
Collaborative Planning & Forecasting
Future-Proofing Distribution
B2B Customer Experience Strategy
AI Platform Strategy
Data Center Infrastructure
CORE: CapEx Optimization Reliability and Execution by Lone Star Electric Supply
Closing Insight:
The biggest technology risk for distributors is not simply falling behind on AI—it is adopting disconnected tools that recreate the same data silos they were meant to solve.
For wholesale distributors and manufacturers, the next stage of growth will depend on connected systems, CRM-ERP integration, customer intelligence, supply chain visibility, and AI tools that solve real business problems. Subscribe to Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution for weekly conversations on the economy, supply chain, technology, and the future of distribution.
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Will Quinn on Modern Warehouse Management, AI Adoption, and Supply Chain Visibility
19 Jun 2026
01:22:58
What Happens When AI, Supply Chains, and Economic Uncertainty Collide in Wholesale Distribution?
As interest rates remain under scrutiny, supply chains face new disruptions, and artificial intelligence continues to reshape business operations, wholesale distribution leaders are being forced to make smarter decisions with less room for error.
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton welcome Will Quinn, warehouse leadership expert, supply chain educator, and author of Modern Warehouse Management: Steel-Toed Leadership That Drives Performance. Together, they explore the current economic landscape, tariff uncertainty, warehouse strategy, AI adoption in distribution, and the growing importance of supply chain visibility in an increasingly complex global market.
What You'll Learn:
Why the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate decision has major implications for manufacturers, distributors, and supply chain planning
How tariffs, import uncertainty, and global trade disruptions are influencing inventory strategies and purchasing behavior
What warehouse leaders can learn from military logistics, operational discipline, and real-world distribution management
Why AI-enabled supply chain management is becoming one of the fastest-growing skill sets in distribution
How organizations can improve inventory visibility, forecasting, and operational decision making without chasing every new technology trend
Why successful AI adoption starts with solving business problems first rather than purchasing shiny new tools
How CRM-ERP integration, unified data systems, and intelligent business platforms support long-term growth and resilience
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Welcome to Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution and introduction to warehouse leadership expert Will Quinn
07:10 – The Federal Reserve holds rates steady: what distributors and manufacturers should watch next
15:45 – Retail spending, inflation pressures, and what economic signals mean for wholesale distribution teams
22:30 – Tariff refunds, import activity, and why companies are accelerating inventory purchases
31:50 – Why supply chain resilience remains one of the most important business capabilities in modern distribution
38:40 – Lessons from Modern Warehouse Management and the role of steel-toed leadership in warehouse performance
48:15 – AI in supply chain operations: where organizations are seeing real value today
58:20 – Why AI-skilled supply chain professionals are becoming one of the most in-demand roles in distribution
1:06:40 – Understanding AI models, governance, security, and vendor due diligence
1:17:30 – Practical guidance for distribution leaders building an AI strategy that actually delivers results
Meet the Guest:
Will Quinn is a supply chain executive, warehouse leadership expert, educator, and author of Modern Warehouse Management: Steel-Toed Leadership That Drives Performance. With decades of experience across leading distribution organizations, Will specializes in warehouse operations, supply chain strategy, workforce development, and operational excellence.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
Modern Warehouse Management Framework
Steel-Toed Leadership
Supply Chain Visibility Strategies
Inventory Visibility Tools
Collaborative Planning & Forecasting (CPFR)
AI-Powered Supply Chain Analytics
CRM-ERP Integration
Smart CRM Strategy
Enterprise Growth Platform
Digital Readiness for Succession
Future-Proofing Distribution
AI Governance and Vendor Due Diligence
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
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How "Profitless Prosperity" and Tarrif Refunds Will Affect B2B Marketing Strategy with Taylor St. Germain
05 Jun 2026
01:22:35
Is the U.S. economy heading toward stability, or just navigating a new kind of volatility?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are joined by Taylor St. Germain, Senior Economist at ITR Economics, to unpack the forces reshaping wholesale distribution and manufacturing. From interest rate uncertainty and tariff refund chaos to AI adoption gaps and “profitless prosperity,” this conversation connects macroeconomic signals directly to distributor margin strategy, capital investment decisions, and long-term growth planning.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the current economy feels like a “tale of two economies”, and how income distribution impacts demand across B2B markets
What the Federal Reserve is really watching (core inflation vs. trimmed mean metrics) and how rate decisions could affect CapEx, M&A, and working capital
How tariff policy, Section 301 and 232 rulings, and refund uncertainty are influencing distributor pricing strategy and customer relationships
What “profitless prosperity” means for 2026 and 2027, and how to protect margins during growth at a higher cost
Why most AI initiatives in wholesale distribution are still efficiency plays—and what separates hype from scalable, repeatable AI-driven business processes
Episode Highlights:
03:30 – Inside ITR Economics: forecasting accuracy, leading indicators, and preparing for downturns
11:45 – May jobs report surprises: what strong hiring means for inflation and rate decisions
14:20 – Interest rate outlook: hold, cut, or increase—and why energy prices complicate the Fed’s move
30:18 – Tariff escalation, Section 301 and 232 policies, and the ripple effect across distributors
41:03 – Tariff refunds: unintended consequences for margins, pricing transparency, and customer trust
58:26 – AI adoption in wholesale distribution: efficiency gains vs. true strategic transformation
1:16:35 – “Growth at a higher cost”: how to navigate labor inflation, electricity costs, reshoring, and fiscal pressure
Meet the Guest:
Taylor St. Germain is a Senior Economist and Business Consultant at ITR Economics. He delivers economic keynotes nationwide and helps manufacturers and distributors identify leading indicators, forecast demand, and prepare for economic cycles with a 94.7% forecasting accuracy standard.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
ITR Economics leading indicator forecasting models
Weekly GDP tracking vs. lagging government metrics
Trimmed mean inflation vs. core CPI
Enterprise Growth Platform by LeadSmart Technologies
AI-driven margin protection and data unification strategies
Closing Insight:
“We are very optimistic about growth, but it’s growth at a higher cost.”
The second half of the decade presents opportunities for wholesale distributors and manufacturers, but only for those who actively manage labor inflation, tariff exposure, electricity costs, and AI investment discipline. Growth is not the question. Margin strategy is.
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Inflation Metrics, Tariff Refunds, and AI Pricing Models with Guest Mark Gilham of Enable
29 May 2026
01:29:46
Is wholesale distribution entering its most disruptive era yet?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown, Tom Burton, and Mark Gilham of Enable unpack the forces reshaping the B2B supply chain: inflation measurement debates, Federal Reserve strategy, tariff refund accounting risks, buying group consolidation, maritime trade choke points, and the growing influence of AI on distributor–manufacturer relationships. This episode explores how data-driven decision making is shifting the industry from relationship-based instinct to AI-powered commercial intelligence, and what that means for distributors, manufacturers, CFOs, and industry leaders.
What You’ll Learn:
The difference between core inflation vs trimmed average inflation, and why the metric matters for CFO planning, pricing strategy, and capital investment decisions
How a more flexible Federal Reserve approach impacts interest rate modeling, debt refinancing, and working capital strategy in wholesale distribution
Why tariff refunds create accounting, tax, and downstream pricing pressure, and how distributors and manufacturers should prepare
The real impact of global maritime choke points like the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Panama Canal, and South China Sea on supply chain resilience
Why buying groups like Evergreen are consolidating, and how rebate economics drive churn and competitive pressure
How AI could disrupt traditional distributor–manufacturer relationships by prioritizing margin analytics, pricing optimization, and product substitution models over loyalty
Episode Highlights:
03:22 – Mark Gilham explains how Enable connects manufacturers and distributors through rebate and pricing intelligence
11:45 – Core inflation vs trimmed average inflation: what’s the difference and why does it matter for distributors?
24:41 – A Greenspan-style Fed strategy: how rate uncertainty changes business forecasting
42:30 – Tariff refund accounting risks and downstream pricing pressure across the supply chain
57:45 – The six global maritime choke points and why “just-in-time” models increase fragility
1:00:41 – Why Evergreen shut down and what buying group consolidation means for distributors
1:14:42 – Manufacturers’ growing concern: will AI override decades of channel relationships?
1:23:48 – “It all depends on the brief the AI has.” How AI configuration shapes profitability and channel outcomes
Meet the Guest:
Mark Gilham is a former distributor CFO and now a leader at Enable, a pricing and rebate management platform focused on helping manufacturers and distributors trade more intelligently in the B2B ecosystem. His expertise bridges finance, pricing strategy, rebate optimization, and AI-driven commercial execution.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
Enable Rebate Management and Pricing Intelligence
LeadSmart Enterprise Growth Platform
Revenue Expander white space analytics
Prediction market data modeling for interest rate forecasting
AI-driven commercial optimization and margin normalization models
Closing Insight:
“Future decisions are not going to be made based on a relationship. They’re going to be made based on what the AI model tells the distributor.”
As wholesale distribution evolves, the competitive edge will belong to organizations that combine trusted relationships with structured data, commercial intelligence, and AI-ready infrastructure.
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How Global Conflict Is Rewriting Inventory Strategy For Distributors
22 May 2026
01:28:46
A lot of business leaders talk about “uncertainty,” but on today's episode, we talk about exactly where it comes from and how it hits your P&L.
We start with real-world takeaways from the recent convention in Nashville and conversations with distribution technology leaders, then connect the Middle East conflict to the Strait of Hormuz and other global supply chain choke points that quietly control fuel prices, freight capacity, and commodity availability. When that lane tightens, distributors feel it everywhere: inbound costs, delivery expense, lead times, and customer patience.
From there, we bring it back to the shop floor reality. Global growth forecasts are getting cut, manufacturing activity is shifting, and we’re watching an “inventory whip” as companies move away from "just in time" to "just in case."
Other topics discussed this week:
• Infor’s user event and executive conversations on platforms, data, and AI • Global growth concerns and the inventory whip from just in time to just in case • EU tariff deal implications, predictability, and questions on how tariffs get executed • HVAC price-fixing lawsuit as a warning signal for market data sharing and pricing models • M&A surge in distribution and the belief that scale helps weather volatility • AI executive order delays, state-by-state regulation risk, and why that becomes a mess for multi-state operators • Platform-first AI strategy, extensibility, and avoiding fragmented tools and fragmented data • Robotics moving from novelty to real productivity and what it could mean in warehouses • Grainger’s e-commerce performance, private label leverage, and what it signals for B2B competition • Customer service as a loyalty driver, plus the current reality of bots that frustrate already-frustrated customers
Subscribe, share the episode with a teammate, and leave a review so more wholesale distribution and manufacturing leaders can find the conversation.
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What is "The Dark Funnel" and How Does It Affect Economic Volatility in Wholesale?
15 May 2026
01:31:26
What happens when interest rates stay elevated, global shipping lanes tighten, and AI hype collides with operational reality in wholesale distribution?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, we break down the macroeconomic forces, supply chain risks, and AI driven transformation trends reshaping the distributor business model. From Federal Reserve policy and tariff pressure to agentic AI, CRM intelligence, and the B2B dark funnel, this episode gives distribution executives a practical framework for protecting margin, accelerating enterprise growth, and building competitive advantage in a volatile market.
What You’ll Learn:
How Federal Reserve rate decisions influence capital investment, inventory strategy, and M&A activity in wholesale distribution
Why oil price volatility, freight rates, and global shipping disruptions directly impact gross margin architecture
The real economic impact of tariffs across importers, distributors, and end customers
What agentic AI can and cannot realistically automate in distribution operations today
How the “dark funnel” is transforming B2B sales strategy, CRM integration, and digital customer acquisition
Episode Highlights:
00:04 – Why macroeconomic volatility is no longer a background issue for distributors
08:32 – How elevated interest rates reshape capital allocation and warehouse expansion decisions
26:18 – The hidden operational complexity of tariffs and refund systems
38:52 – Amazon’s evolving global logistics model and its impact on traditional distribution
51:10 – The truth about agentic AI, compute costs, and autonomous workflow risks
01:03:27 – Understanding the B2B dark funnel and AI enabled CRM intelligence
01:14:44 – What distribution leaders should prioritize right now for durable enterprise growth
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
Enterprise Growth Platform strategy for wholesale distribution
AI enabled CRM and ERP integration
Agentic AI governance and workflow oversight
Token economics and AI compute cost modeling
Dark Funnel revenue strategy for B2B customer acquisition
Supply chain risk mitigation planning
Closing Insight:
Wholesale distribution is no longer insulated from global economics or digital disruption. Leaders who combine disciplined capital allocation, intelligent AI augmentation, and data driven revenue strategy will outperform in uncertain markets.
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Amazon’s China Pipeline, Tariff Fallout, and Autonomous AI in Distribution
01 May 2026
01:31:29
Is the wholesale distribution industry heading toward another economic reset, or a new era of AI-powered growth?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, geopolitical volatility in the Strait of Hormuz, tariff refund uncertainty, Amazon’s China-to-U.S. logistics expansion, and the rising cost of AI compute. This episode explores how macroeconomics, supply chain disruption, autonomous AI agents, and B2B buying behavior are reshaping manufacturers, distributors, and the global wholesale supply chain.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the Federal Reserve’s split vote signals potential instability for capital investment and expansion planning
How oil volatility and Panama Canal congestion impact freight costs, inventory carrying costs, and distributor margins
What Amazon’s new Shenzhen-to-U.S. warehouse pipeline means for private label brands, importers, and traditional intermediaries
The real barrier to autonomous AI agents in wholesale distribution: compute costs, governance, and infrastructure readiness
Why the “dark funnel” is accelerating, and how B2B buyers are researching before ever calling your sales team
Episode Highlights:
03:05 – The stock market’s momentum vs. economic uncertainty: what it means for distributors
10:44 – The Fed holds rates with four dissents, political independence or internal division?
26:55 – War Powers Act, Iran, and oil volatility: why fuel prices matter to wholesale margins
31:52 – Tariffs explained: who actually pays and why refunds won’t be evenly distributed
46:20 – Amazon’s China-to-U.S. logistics expansion and what it signals for supply chain disintermediation
54:30 – AI compute costs, token consumption, and why fully autonomous agents aren’t practical—yet
1:20:21 – The dark funnel in B2B buying: why customers are researching without your sales team
“An autonomous agent running your entire business is probably not as soon as we would like.”
Wholesale distribution is not facing a single disruption, it’s navigating economic volatility, supply chain risk, AI acceleration, and changing buyer behavior simultaneously.
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AI Enablement vs. AI Hype: A Practical AI Framework for B2B Growth
24 Apr 2026
01:16:51
Is AI actually transforming wholesale distribution, or are we just managing our businesses with better dashboards?
In Episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the real story behind AI enablement, tariff refund chaos, Iran and oil market volatility, Amazon Business strategy, Fed rate policy, industrial M&A, and robotics. This episode connects geopolitics, supply chain economics, B2B eCommerce, and AI adoption into one clear message: technology must enable growth, not just manage operations.
What You’ll Learn:
Why most B2B leaders are not AI ready, and why the issue is structural, not technical
How to use the Discover, Alert, Guide, Automate framework to enable sales and operations teams
What tariff refunds mean for distributors, manufacturers, and downstream customers
Why Amazon Business may be a strategic opportunity, not just channel conflict
How Iran, oil markets, and interest rate policy directly impact wholesale distribution margins
Why industrial branch traffic is improving despite low consumer sentiment
Episode Highlights:
03:15 – Why AI is not the strategy, enablement is
09:24 – How unified data across ERP, CRM, and eCommerce uncovers hidden growth
17:23 – Iran, oil prices, and why the Strait of Hormuz matters to distributors
30:49 – Kevin Warsh, rate cuts, and AI productivity gains
35:33 – Tariff refund portal launches, what it means for supply chains
45:06 – Industrial branch traffic improves, what that signals for demand
56:23 – Why 86 percent of B2B leaders are not AI ready
01:07:55 – Tesla Optimus and the future of robotics in manufacturing
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
Discover, Alert, Guide, Automate enablement model
AI powered CRM and unified data platforms
Amazon Business B2B marketplace analytics
Tariff refund portal process
Enterprise growth platform strategy
Industrial M&A consolidation trends
Closing Insight:
The future of wholesale distribution will not be decided by who adopts AI first, but by who uses technology to enable smarter decisions, faster execution, and clearer visibility across the customer journey.
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Are Tariffs Here To Stay? And What Does That Mean To Supply Chain Strategy? With Guest Alex Chauvsosky
17 Apr 2026
01:19:00
What happens to wholesale distribution when geopolitics, tariffs, inflation, and AI all collide at once?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton sit down with Alex Chausovsky, Founder of 3DM Consulting, to unpack how Middle East conflict, energy volatility, tariff policy, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the economic landscape for distributors and manufacturers. This episode explores what business leaders must understand about diesel pricing, supply chain risk, margin compression, labor shortages, and AI augmentation in order to protect profitability and make smarter, data driven decisions in a volatile global environment.
What You’ll Learn:
Why producer price index trends and diesel costs matter more to distributors than headline oil prices
How Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs are structurally changing U.S. trade policy
What tariff refund timelines realistically look like and why downstream distributors may never see relief
How to protect margins by analyzing profitability at the product line, customer, and regional level
What labor shortages and immigration policy mean for future workforce dynamics
Episode Highlights:
03:12 – What “Data Driven Decision Making” really means for wholesale distributors 14:45 – Why oil price headlines don’t tell the full logistics story 21:57 – The hidden diesel risk facing owner operator trucking capacity 27:26 – Why tariffs are not going away, regardless of administration 32:48 – The truth about tariff refunds and who actually qualifies 51:49 – Margin protection strategies during inflationary pressure 57:45 – Will AI eliminate jobs or increase productivity? 1:13:17 – Why universal basic income debates miss the human purpose of work
Meet the Guest:
Alex Chausovsky is the Founder of 3DM Consulting, specializing in economic forecasting, geopolitical analysis, and strategic advisory for small and mid sized businesses. He delivers 75 to 100 keynotes annually and helps organizations translate global disruption into actionable business strategy.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
3DM Consulting: Data Driven Decision Making framework
Section 232 tariffs: Product category based trade enforcement
Section 301 tariffs: Country specific anti dumping tariffs
White space analysis for margin expansion
AI augmentation strategy for productivity growth
Geopolitical scenario planning for supply chain resilience
Closing Insight:
“In business, you are not here to grow revenue. You are here to grow profit.”
In a world defined by geopolitical volatility, tariff uncertainty, energy disruption, and AI acceleration, wholesale distribution leaders must focus on margin discipline, operational intelligence, and strategic agility.
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Fuel inflation, MRO Cost Pressure & the Future of Whole Distribution With Steve Levy
10 Apr 2026
01:37:35
What happens to wholesale distribution when geopolitical tension, tariff policy, fuel inflation, and artificial intelligence collide at the same time?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton sit down with Steve Levy, VP of Enterprise Architecture at Infor, to unpack how macroeconomic volatility, global supply chain risk, AI governance, and enterprise platform strategy are reshaping the future of distribution. If you lead a distribution or manufacturing business and are wondering how to navigate tariffs, inflation, inventory exposure, and AI adoption responsibly, this conversation connects the dots.
What You’ll Learn
How geopolitical instability and energy market volatility directly impact diesel pricing, freight costs, and MRO margins
Whether borrowing against expected tariff refunds is strategic capital leverage, or hidden risk
How acquisitive distributors may find opportunity during economic uncertainty
The difference between “running on AWS” and having real enterprise architecture and AI governance
How AI augmentation, not workforce replacement, could enable distributors to scale revenue without proportional headcount growth
Episode Highlights:
03:18 – Why the Strait of Hormuz matters more to distributors than daily pump prices
11:42 – Fuel inflation, MRO cost pressure, and the inventory overbuying risk
19:55 – Tariff refunds as financial instruments: Should companies borrow against future policy decisions?
31:07 – Economic uncertainty and succession planning: Why volatility may accelerate acquisitions
44:28 – AI governance vs. AI experimentation: What enterprise leaders must get right
58:16 – Automation in credit, cash application, and operational workflows
01:12:09 – Are leaders becoming too reliant on AI? The critical thinking question
01:26:40 – Multi-model AI validation and the future of enterprise decision-making
Meet the Guest:
Steve Levy is Vice President of Enterprise Architecture at Infor. He works at the intersection of cloud infrastructure, platform extensibility, AI governance, and enterprise system design, helping large distribution and manufacturing organizations modernize responsibly while managing risk.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
Enterprise Architecture Strategy for Distribution
AI Governance Councils and Multi-Model Validation
Cloud Platform Extensibility within Infor ecosystems
AI Augmentation vs. Workforce Replacement Framework
Capital Allocation Strategy During Tariff Volatility
Closing Insight:
“Volatility creates pressure, but it also creates opportunity for the prepared.”
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Redefining Price Optimization and Inventory Management, with Nelson Valderrama of Intuilize
27 Mar 2026
01:34:30
Is volatility the new normal for wholesale distribution and manufacturing?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are joined by Nelson Valderrama, founder of Intuilize, to break down inflation uncertainty, supply chain disruption, AI adoption strategy, and a major HVAC acquisition that could reshape the industry. This conversation explores how distributors and manufacturers can protect margin, manage working capital, and lean into organic growth during economic volatility and accelerating digital transformation.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the gap between 2.7% and 4.2% inflation forecasts matters for distributor budgeting
How pricing discipline and inventory optimization protect gross margin
What SRS Distribution’s acquisition of Mingledorff’s signals for HVAC consolidation
Why AI ROI confusion is slowing enterprise adoption
How Jeff Bezos’ $100B manufacturing strategy could reshape supply chains
What labor compression and immigration shifts mean for workforce planning
Episode Highlights:
03:15 – The Fed vs OECD inflation forecast clash and what it means for pricing strategy
12:40 – Budgeting for 2027 in an environment of economic volatility
26:10 – “Volatility is our new reality” and what leaders must control
33:20 – SRS acquires Mingledorff’s: Is Home Depot operating like private equity?
51:30 – Jeff Bezos’ AI manufacturing fund and vertical integration strategy
01:17:00 – The risk of fragmented AI regulation across states
01:30:30 – Labor shortages, immigration slowdown, and operational impact
Meet the Guest:
Nelson Valderrama is the founder of Intuilize, a profit improvement platform focused on pricing optimization and inventory management for wholesale distributors. With 30 years in distribution and private equity experience, Nelson helps distributors unlock margin expansion, improve working capital performance, and build data-driven decision frameworks.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategic Themes Mentioned:
Pricing discipline as a competitive advantage
Working capital optimization
Inventory right-sizing strategies
Organic growth versus leveraged expansion
AI implementation guardrails and ROI alignment
Vertical integration and purchasing power leverage
Data-driven supply chain forecasting
Closing Insight:
The distributors and manufacturers who thrive in this environment will not be the ones who predict perfectly.
They will be the ones who execute with discipline, control what they can control, and adapt faster than competitors.
Volatility is here. The question is whether you are positioned to capitalize on it.
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Inflation vs. Cost Pressure: What Distributors Must Know About Oil, AI, and Section 301 Tariffs
20 Mar 2026
01:28:28
What happens when rising oil prices, Section 301 tariff investigations, AI adoption gaps, cybersecurity risks, and Amazon’s one-hour delivery model collide?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the macroeconomic signals, AI governance shifts, supply chain volatility, and B2B e-commerce disruption reshaping wholesale distribution and manufacturing. From Federal Reserve policy and inflation dynamics to agentic commerce and sales enablement, this episode connects global headlines to real operational decisions leaders must make now.
What You’ll Learn:
Margin pressure from fuel and logistics volatility
Tariff uncertainty affecting sourcing and pricing strategies
AI adoption challenges across executive and operational levels
Cybersecurity exposure in increasingly digital supply chains
Amazon-driven shifts in fulfillment expectations
Sales teams struggling to hit quota despite better tools
Episode Highlights:
03:12 – The Fed holds rates steady: inflation vs. rising cost pressures
09:45 – Oil futures, fuel pricing, and how global conflict impacts freight margins
16:30 – What happens if $189 billion in tariff refunds hits the economy
25:50 – Section 301 tariffs explained and what they mean for manufacturers
43:10 – AI productivity gains vs. employee mistrust and adoption friction
48:20 – The rise of “work slop” and why lazy prompting hurts business results
54:40 – National AI policy framework and the risks of state-by-state regulation
01:10:05 – Amazon’s one-hour delivery push and the consumerization of B2B
01:18:30 – Why 84% of salespeople missed quota and what real sales enablement requires
Tools, Frameworks, and Concepts Mentioned:
Section 301 Trade Act Investigations
Federal Reserve policy and PCE inflation metrics
Agentic commerce and AI agents in B2B buying
Enterprise Growth Platform model (LeadSmart Technologies)
“There’s a difference between true inflation and increased costs, and there’s a difference between adopting AI and actually enabling your people to use it well.”
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Iran War, $100 Oil, and Supply Chain Disruption: Welcome to Another Friday
13 Mar 2026
01:20:58
Is wholesale distribution prepared for $100 oil, stalled interest rate cuts, and the accelerating AI race between the U.S. and China?
In Episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the economic signals shaping manufacturers and distributors right now, from inflation data and Fed policy uncertainty to tariff refund chaos and AI governance risks.
What You’ll Learn:
Why Fed rate cut expectations are fading, and what that means for warehouse expansion, capital investment, and wholesale growth strategy
How $100 oil affects freight costs, supply chain pricing, and distributor margin pressure
The hidden operational risks in tariff refund processing and what $166 billion in potential repayments could mean for importers
What “AI memory poisoning” is, and how poor governance could expose ERP, CRM, and customer data systems
Why the AI race between the U.S. and China has direct implications for manufacturing competitiveness and workforce transformation
How voice AI and AI agents may reshape sales enablement, outbound prospecting, and real-time coaching in distribution
Episode Highlights:
03:16 – Why inflation data may be too “lagging” for modern monetary policy decisions
12:24 – The real downstream impact of $100 oil on logistics, freight, and wholesale pricing
21:43 – Are we using the wrong economic metrics to guide Fed interest rate policy?
34:40 – The looming tariff refund bottleneck and the operational burden on Customs
44:02 – China’s nationwide AI push and what it means for global manufacturing
52:02 – AI memory poisoning explained: how hidden prompts can bias your AI tools
01:03:20 – Why governance and access controls are critical when connecting AI to ERP and CRM systems
01:10:49 – Voice AI in sales: hype, opportunity, and the reality for relationship-driven distributors
Tools, Frameworks, and Systems Mentioned:
Lead Smart Technologies – Channel Cloud (AI-powered enterprise growth platform for wholesale distribution and manufacturing)
AI-powered CRM and sales enablement systems
OAuth authentication risks in AI integrations
Voice AI agents for outbound prospecting and demo automation
Real-time intelligence and prescriptive guidance for distributors
Closing Insight:
“It’s not AI replacing people. It’s people using AI who will replace those who don’t.”
Wholesale distribution is entering a new operating era, where balanced trade policy, energy volatility, AI governance, and data-driven sales execution all intersect. Leaders who combine real-time intelligence with disciplined strategy will outperform those relying on outdated signals.
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Tariffs, AI, and Margin Erosion: What Wholesale Distributors Must Do Now
06 Mar 2026
01:31:25
What happens when tariffs collide with AI, oil volatility, margin erosion, and agentic commerce, all in the same week?
In Episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the accelerating news cycle impacting manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and the global supply chain. From the latest job report and Federal Reserve signals to tariff refund chaos, AI-driven margin strategy, and the Amazon vs. Walmart agentic commerce divide, this episode delivers practical insight for distribution leaders navigating economic uncertainty.
If you are asking, “How should distributors respond to tariffs, AI disruption, and margin pressure right now?” This conversation is your roadmap.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the latest U.S. jobs report may not reflect real-time economic reality — and how distributors should interpret lagging indicators like CPI, PPI, and unemployment data
How tariff refund litigation could create a $40+ billion Wall Street trading frenzy — and why downstream distributors face complex reconciliation challenges
The real drivers of margin erosion in wholesale distribution, including internal discounting and product mix blind spots
How AI-powered discovery systems (like the DAGA framework: Discover, Alert, Guide, Automate) can unlock 40–50% revenue growth from existing account
Episode Highlights:
03:15 – Why the news cycle now shifts between Thursday night and Friday morning
12:09 – February jobs report: 92,000 jobs lost and what that signals for the Fed
22:40 – Oil volatility, the Strait of Hormuz, and supply chain risk exposure
29:43 – Tariff increases to 15% and the Supreme Court refund implications
40:18 – Wall Street’s move to buy tariff refund claims at a discount
59:14 – Margin erosion in distribution and the three silent profit killers
1:06:00 – The DAGA framework: Discover, Alert, Guide, Automate
1:13:46 – Amazon vs. Walmart: Competing models for agentic commerce
1:22:33 – “Your data is worthless until you give it purpose”
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategic Concepts Mentioned:
DAGA Framework – Discover, Alert, Guide, Automate
AI-driven white space analysis
Margin mix optimization
Agentic commerce models
Predictive sales intelligence and guided selling
AI-enabled demand forecasting
Data clarity vs. data overload
Key Themes for Distribution Leaders:
Tariffs are not just policy, they are operational complexity
Margin compression is often self-inflicted through unmanaged discounting
AI should enhance sales teams, not replace them
Data without context is decoration
Closing Insight:
“AI is not about replacing people. It’s about making good people better.”
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Nick Pericle on Trade Policy, Robotics, AI Strategy, and Everything Wholesale Distributors Need To Know
27 Feb 2026
01:26:29
What happens when Supreme Court tariff rulings collide with AI governance, agentic commerce, and the future of wholesale distribution?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown, Tom Burton, and Nick Pericle unpack the legal shockwaves from the IEEPA tariff decision, the 150 day Section 122 pivot, and what it really means for distributors, manufacturers, and B2B buyers.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the Supreme Court’s IEEPA tariff ruling does not mean tariffs are over and how Section 122 changes the timeline
Who ultimately pays tariffs in a B2B supply chain and why potential refunds could create massive downstream complexity
What AI governance actually means for wholesale distributors beyond just “using Copilot”
How agentic AI and autonomous commerce could reshape B2B eCommerce expectations
Why API first architecture, data integration, and disciplined procurement are now competitive advantages
How to drive organic growth through white space analysis, cross sell strategy, and AI powered revenue expansion
Episode Highlights:
03:45 – Supreme Court rules against IEEPA tariffs and what Section 122 means for distributors
12:20 – If tariffs are refunded, who actually gets the money in a multi layer supply chain?
24:10 – AI governance versus cybersecurity: what distributors are missing
36:55 – Agentic AI in action: autonomous purchasing and the future of B2B commerce
49:30 – Why ERP is not the single source of truth anymore
58:40 – Organic growth, white space strategy, and becoming a “Moneyball distributor”
01:08:15 – Robotics, humanoid automation, and the warehouse of 2030
01:18:50 – Long term economic outlook: deficit reduction versus stimulus
Meet the Guest:
Nick Pericle is Founder of Tenexity, where he helps wholesale distributors build AI governance frameworks, digital transformation strategy, and execution roadmaps. He works closely with distribution leaders navigating AI adoption, technology procurement, and long term competitive positioning.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
AI Governance Frameworks for distribution organizations
Agentic AI tools such as Perplexity Comet, OpenAI Atlas, and Claude browser agents
API first integration strategy across ERP, CRM, WMS, and eCommerce platforms
Revenue Expander and white space analysis for organic growth
Moneyball distribution strategy using predictive analytics
Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and IEEPA tariff authority
Closing Insight:
Tariffs may dominate the headlines, but the deeper story is discipline. Discipline in technology procurement. Discipline in AI governance. Discipline in organic growth. And discipline in building systems that integrate data instead of fragmenting it.
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Supreme Court Strikes Down Tariffs: What It Means for Wholesale Distribution
20 Feb 2026
01:21:12
What happens when the Supreme Court strikes down the legal foundation behind sweeping U.S. tariffs?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the 6–3 SCOTUS ruling overturning tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and what it means for distributors, manufacturers, contractors, and the global supply chain.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the Supreme Court ruled that tariffs under IEEPA exceeded presidential authority, and what that signals about executive vs. congressional power
Whether tariff refunds are likely, and why the “food fight” over who gets repaid could last years
How Section 122 (temporary tariffs), Section 232 (national security), and Section 301 (unfair trade) may reshape the next phase of U.S. trade policy
What the ruling means for existing trade agreements with Japan, Taiwan, China, and other partners
How wholesale distributors should think about tariff surcharges, price increases, and downstream customer expectations
Episode Highlights:
03:18 – Breaking news: The Supreme Court strikes down tariffs under IEEP
08:42 – Presidential authority vs. congressional taxing power: Why this ruling matters beyond tariff
15:57 – The refund question: Who actually paid the tariffs, and who gets the money back
28:11 – Distributor dilemma: What happens if tariff costs were already passed through the channel
39:36 – NAW’s response and the call for swift tariff refund
47:20 – Section 122 explained: Can the administration impose 10–15% temporary tariffs immediately
58:04 – Trade deals in play: Will Japan, Taiwan, or others renegotiate
01:10:15 – Are tariffs a strategic tool, or an economic drag?
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act)
Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (temporary tariff authority)
Section 232 (national security tariffs)
Section 301 (unfair trade practices)
NAW (National Association of Wholesalers and Distributors) policy response
Tariff surcharge line-item strategies in distribution pricing
Closing Insight:
“Has it been an effective stick? Yes. But is it good for the economy right now? That’s where the debate begins.”
For wholesale distributors operating on thin margins, this ruling isn’t just political, it’s operational. From pricing strategy to vendor negotiations to long-term sourcing decisions, the implications ripple through every layer of the B2B supply chain.
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AI, Data Lakes, and Distribution Consolidation: The New Distribution Industry Signals
13 Feb 2026
01:35:01
What happens if tariffs reshape the U.S. deficit, AI runs procurement, and humanoid robots stock your warehouse, all at the same time?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the Supreme Court tariff ruling uncertainty, rising GDP versus “vibecession” sentiment, AI-driven commerce protocols, Amazon’s data marketplace strategy, robotics in warehouse operations, and the accelerating consolidation in building materials distribution.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the Supreme Court’s pending tariff decision could reshape trade policy, inflation, and the federal deficit
What “vibecession” means — and why consumer sentiment doesn’t match GDP growth
How Amazon’s AI content marketplace and Universal Commerce Protocol could redefine B2B eCommerce
Why structured data architecture matters more than “just building a data lake”
How robotics, shelf-scanning AI, and humanoid automation will transform warehouse operations
What QXO’s $2.25B Kodiak acquisition signals about consolidation in building materials distribution
Episode Highlights:
03:40 – Tariff revenue surges 300% and the Supreme Court uncertainty
12:15 – Inflation data, CPI trends, and the economic impact of tariff refunds
21:30 – Consumer sentiment vs. GDP growth: understanding the “vibecession”
33:45 – Amazon’s AI content marketplace and the future of proprietary data monetization
45:10 – Universal Commerce Protocol and AI agents completing complex B2B orders
58:20 – Data lakes vs. data readiness: why structure, governance, and context matter
01:07:35 – Robotics in wholesale distribution: shelf-scanning AI and warehouse gamification
01:18:50 – QXO acquires Kodiak Building Partners: what consolidation means for distributors
01:28:15 – Leadership insights: communication phrases that strengthen teams
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
Unified data platforms for wholesale distribution
Smart CRM and aggregated ERP integration
AI-driven commerce and machine-readable product data
Data lakes vs. structured data architecture
Warehouse gamification performance dashboards
AI shelf-scanning robotics
Universal Commerce Protocol for agentic B2B transactions
Closing Insight:
“The longer uncertainty lingers, the more strategic clarity matters.”
Tariffs, AI, robotics, consolidation, none of it is slowing down. The distributors and manufacturers who win in this environment will not be the ones waiting for perfect conditions. They’ll be the ones building structured data foundations, modernizing commerce workflows, and preparing for AI-native operations today.
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Mike Hockett on Executive Decision-Making in an Uncertain Supply Chain.
06 Feb 2026
01:35:22
What happens when intuition, AI, tariffs, and leadership collide in wholesale distribution?
In this episode of Around the Horn Podcast, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are joined by Mike Hockett of Modern Distribution Management to unpack the biggest forces shaping distribution leaders right now, from trade policy and infrastructure risk to AI governance and executive decision-making under uncertainty.
What You’ll Learn:
Why intuition still matters in executive decision-making, even in a data-driven world
How tariffs are changing distributor behavior, pricing strategy, and inventory planning
The hidden risks of AI agents, vibe coding, and unsecured automation inside the enterprise
What NAW leaders are really discussing behind closed doors about the future of wholesale distribution
How top distributors are redefining productivity, focus, and profitable growth
Episode Highlights:
05:12 – Why the NAW Executive Summit is different from every other industry event
14:40 – “Listen to the whispers”: using intuition when data breaks down
26:18 – Leadership lessons from crisis decision-making and 9/11
38:55 – Tariffs, front-loaded demand, and the reality distributors are planning for
52:30 – AI agents, data leakage, and why governance matters more than speed
01:08:10 – The real ROI of AI in wholesale distribution, not the hype
01:22:45 – Productivity, focus, and why most leaders only execute half their priorities
Meet the Guest:
Mike Hockett is Executive Editor at Modern Distribution Management (MDM) and part of the National Association of Wholesalers. He brings a deep perspective on distributor economics, leadership trends, AI adoption, and the structural forces reshaping the wholesale distribution industry.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
Executive intuition frameworks for decision-making in uncertainty
AI governance and agent-based system risk management
Tariff response strategies in wholesale distribution
Productivity alignment models for leadership teams
Data-driven prioritization and alerting systems in enterprise platforms
Closing Insight:
“In a world of volatility, the winners aren’t waiting for certainty—they’re building systems that adapt.”
If you’re a distributor, manufacturer, or industry leader navigating AI, tariffs, and transformation, this episode will help you think more clearly about what actually matters next.
Connect with Mike Hockett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hockett-mdm/
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Kevin Returns From NAW, And Boy Does He Have A Lot To Say
30 Jan 2026
01:26:47
What happens when wholesale distribution collides with tariffs, AI acceleration, and rising customer expectations?
In this episode of Around The Horn Podcast, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the most important forces shaping wholesale distribution today, from policy shifts and economic signals to e-commerce, automation, and leadership in an AI driven world.
This conversation goes beyond headlines to explore what these changes really mean for distributors, manufacturers, and channel leaders who are navigating uncertainty while trying to build resilient, future ready organizations.
What You’ll Learn:
Why tariffs are no longer a temporary disruption and how distributors are adjusting pricing, sourcing, and inventory strategies
How AI is reshaping marketing, sales, and customer service and where most companies are still getting it wrong
What the rise of B2B e commerce and next day delivery expectations means for margins, operations, and customer experience
Why “higher value work” is becoming a core job requirement and not just a leadership slogan
How automation, robotics, and reshoring are influencing long term workforce and supply chain decisions
Episode Highlights:
04:10 – Key takeaways from the NAW Executive Summit and why executive intuition still matters
11:45 – Tariffs, trade policy, and why most distributors now assume they are here to stay
22:30 – Interest rates, economic signals, and what the Fed’s direction means for wholesale demand
34:05 – How tariffs are quietly reshaping pricing behavior and product selection across distribution
45:40 – The Amazon effect, next day delivery expectations, and whether instant gratification is sustainable
58:20 – AI in marketing and sales and why more tools do not always equal more productivity
01:08:55 – Higher value work, skill development, and what AI first thinking really looks like in distribution
01:20:10 – Leadership, teams, and what high performance organizations can learn from endurance racing
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
AI first workflows in sales, marketing, and customer service
Higher value work and skill developer mindset
Agent assisted commerce and automation in B2B buying
Robotics and reshoring as responses to labor and cost pressure
Customer intelligence platforms and integrated CRM strategy
Closing Insight:
The future of wholesale distribution is not about reacting faster. It is about thinking differently. Leaders who combine industry expertise with AI capability and disciplined execution will be the ones who create durable advantage in a volatile market.
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Trapped Margin, Trade Policy, and the Future of B2B Buying
23 Jan 2026
01:04:35
What happens when economic uncertainty, tariffs, AI agents, and cybersecurity risks collide inside wholesale distribution?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the signals beneath the noise and explain what manufacturers and distributors should actually be paying attention to right now.
From inflation ambiguity and tariff authority to AI-driven buying behavior and hidden margin opportunities, this conversation connects macroeconomic shifts to real operational decisions that impact growth, security, and profitability across the wholesale supply chain.
What You’ll Learn:
Why economic uncertainty, not inflation alone, is the dominant concern for executives heading into 2026
How tariffs, executive authority, and Supreme Court timing could reshape trade policy without dramatic disruption
Where “trapped potential” hides inside distributor margin, pricing discipline, and product mix
Why AI agents are changing how B2B buyers research, evaluate, and eventually purchase
How cybersecurity threats now target supply chain ecosystems, not just individual companies
Episode Highlights:
03:10 – Why economic uncertainty matters more than headline inflation numbers
09:25 – Manufacturing signals, demand hesitation, and planning in the “gray zone” economy
16:40 – Tariffs, executive authority, and why the Supreme Court is likely to rule narrowly
26:05 – How distributors can uncover “trapped potential” through margin and pricing discipline
36:30 – AI-generated content vs real value creation in B2B marketing
46:15 – Agentic AI and how machine-to-machine buying is changing sales discovery
56:40 – Cybersecurity risk across distributors, vendors, and shared digital ecosystems
Tools, Frameworks, and Concepts Mentioned
AI-enabled Customer Intelligence and Smart CRM platforms
Agentic AI and multi-agent workflows
Trapped potential and organic revenue growth
Pricing discipline and margin visibility
SOC 2 compliance and supply chain cybersecurity
ERP, CRM, and data silo integration
Closing Insight:
Economic cycles come and go, but clarity comes from understanding where risk, margin, and opportunity actually live inside your business. The distributors who win next will not wait for certainty, they’ll build systems that adapt faster than change itself.
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How AI, Tariffs, and Leadership Are Reshaping Wholesale Distribution
17 Jan 2026
01:31:35
What happens when artificial intelligence stops being an experiment and starts reshaping leadership, sales, marketing, and the global economy in real time?
In this episode of Around the Horn Podcast, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack how AI, tariffs, interest rates, and workforce disruption are colliding across wholesale distribution and manufacturing.
From executive decision making and anti fragile leadership to marketing for AI driven buyers and the rise of humanoid robotics, this conversation connects the dots between strategy, technology, and what distributors must do next to stay competitive.
What You’ll Learn:
Why artificial intelligence is shifting from pilot projects to a core executive strategy in wholesale distribution
How anti fragile leadership differs from resilience and why it matters in volatile economic cycles
What “marketing to machines” means as AI replaces traditional search and attribution models
How tariffs, interest rates, and global trade dynamics are influencing distributor growth strategies
Why humanoid robotics and physical AI may disrupt warehouse and entry level roles faster than expected
Episode Highlights:
04:52 – Why AI must move from IT experiments to executive level strategy
14:08 – Anti fragile leadership versus resilience in volatile markets
25:41 – Tariffs, trade policy, and what distributors often misunderstand about global economics
38:19 – What “marketing to machines” means as AI replaces traditional buyer research
51:06 – Amazon’s physical retail expansion and signals for B2B distribution
1:03:22 – When account managers create friction instead of customer value
1:18:40 – How humanoid robotics and physical AI could reshape warehouses and labor
Meet the Hosts:
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are lifelong friends and industry veterans who analyze the forces shaping wholesale distribution and manufacturing each week. As leaders at LeadSmart Technologies, they bring real world operator insight into AI, customer intelligence, sales strategy, and digital transformation.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
AI orchestration and agentic systems
Anti fragile leadership mindset
Human centered culture as a competitive moat
Marketing to machines and algorithm driven discovery
Revenue Expander and white space identification in sales
Physical AI and humanoid robotics in distribution operations
Closing Insight:
“The companies that win won’t just adapt to disruption. They’ll use it to grow stronger.”
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The 2026 Wholesale Distribution Roundtable: Six Experts on What Happened & What's Next
10 Jan 2026
01:42:35
What happens when some of the most influential thinkers in wholesale distribution get into one room and debate the future of the industry, the rise of AI, human centered leadership, and the coming wave of agentic systems?
In this powerful year end roundtable, the Around The Horn panel returns for its third annual state of the industry conversation, featuring Mike Marks, Ian Heller, Dirk Beveridge, Paul Kennedy, Tom Burton, and Kevin Brown.
What You Will Learn:
Why AI is moving from experimentation to strategy and what this means for distributors in 2026
How human centered leadership and people centric cultures are becoming competitive advantages
Why the distributor divide is widening and how early adopters are achieving measurable gains
How agentic systems, digital orchestration, and physical AI will reshape operations
Leadership insights on trust, empowerment, anti fragility, and preparing teams for the next decade
Episode Highlights:
03:14 The panel opens year three of the annual roundtable and explains why 2025 was a turning point
17:22 Mike Marks breaks down what he is seeing in AI orchestration and contractor tech adoption
31:40 Ian Heller explains why proximity and fulfillment speed are becoming competitive battlegrounds
46:55 Dirk Beveridge challenges the industry to move from resilience to true anti fragility
58:14 Paul Kennedy shares how ESOP leadership shapes digital adoption and trust
01:12:09 The group debates agentic AI, workforce displacement, and the future of work
01:33:42 Final predictions for 2026 and what will separate the distributors who thrive from those who drift
Meet the Guests:
Mike Marks Founding Partner at Indian River Consulting Group and one of the most respected strategists in modern distribution.
Ian Heller Co Founder of Distribution Strategy Group, leading thinker on AI, data, and competitive disruption in the industry.
Dirk Beveridge Founder of the Fully Alive Movement, champion of people centered leadership and the human side of distribution.
Paul Kennedy President and CEO of DSG, ESOP leader, and current chair of the National Association of Electrical Distributors.
Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:
AI Orchestration Models
Agentic AI Systems
Customer Intelligence Platforms
Order Automation
Anti Fragility Leadership Framework
Digital Centers of Excellence
ESOP Driven Workforce Models
Closing Insight:
“Thriving companies are built by thriving individuals. Not the other way around.”
This roundtable makes one message clear: AI may accelerate performance, but people will determine the future. How leaders shape culture, trust, empower teams, and integrate technology will define the next decade in distribution.
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The Great Inventory Slowdown: What Distributors Must Do Next
19 Dec 2025
01:24:24
What happens when economic volatility, tariff pressure, AI disruption, and shifting distributor behavior all collide in the same quarter?
In this episode, Kevin and Tom unpack a whirlwind week inside wholesale distribution, revealing how new data, emerging AI workflows, and tariff rulings are reshaping strategy across the channel.
Listeners gain a front-row view into the real conversations shaping 2025: revenue headwinds, inventory tightening, economic softening, distributor risk posture, and how AI agents are redefining customer-facing operations.
What You’ll Learn:
Why distributors are tightening inventory positions heading into 2025, and what “flat inventories” actually signal about downstream demand.
How upcoming tariff rulings and active lawsuits (like Costco’s) may reshape pricing models, contract structures, and channel profitability.
Why AI agents from Amazon, Salesforce, and emerging tools will transform inside sales, service platforms, counter operations, and multi-branch workflows.
How economic signals, PCE, sentiment scores, personal spending, and Fed pacing, will shape capital planning into mid-2025.
The competitive gap forming between distributors who unify data vs. those still operating silo-based systems.
Episode Highlights:
03:11 – Why this past holiday week felt like a 3-week sprint for operators and sales teams 10:44 – Breaking down the PCE report, sentiment data, and the Fed’s rate-cut trajectory 18:26 – Are mortgage rates returning to the “fours”? A practical take on borrowing costs 27:15 – Mohamed El-Erian’s latest economic lens and why 2 percent inflation may be the wrong benchmark 40:02 – Flat U.S. inventory levels and what that means for 2025 distributor demand 53:19 – Costco’s bold lawsuit over tariffs, and whether refunds to consumers are even logistically possible 01:05:12 – Why Amazon’s new AI agents increase competitive pressure on distributors 01:17:50 – The rise of blueprint-driven AI takeoff tools (Home Depot, Lowe’s, and the coming B2B wave)
Tools, Frameworks & Strategies Mentioned:
AI Agents for Distribution Ops (Amazon Connect, Salesforce Agentforce)
Data Unification for AI Readiness (LeadSmart Platform + Data Cloud methodology)
Synthetic Data for forecasting and demand simulation
B2B Digital Takeoff Systems used by contractors and enterprise distributors
Tariff Litigation Modeling driven by channel economics
Closing Insight:
“AI isn’t replacing distributors, AI is replacing the distributors who refuse to modernize.” This episode makes one message clear: the teams who unify their data, modernize their workflows, and embrace AI-assisted operations will define the next decade of competitive advantage.
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Mike Hockett on Planning Through Uncertainty and Forecasting The Future of Distribution
14 Dec 2025
01:36:28
What happens to wholesale distribution when tariffs rise, interest rates stay high, and customers expect more with less friction?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution from LeadSmart Channel Cloud, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton sit down with Modern Distribution Management editor and market analyst Mike Hockett to unpack the data behind the headlines and what it means for revenue leaders in distribution.
You will hear a practical, numbers-driven outlook for 2025 that connects GDP forecasts, Fed policy, and tariff risk with real impacts on margins, inventory, and channel relationships. The conversation stays grounded in what wholesalers, manufacturers, and reps can control, and how to use planning, consultative commerce, and better pipeline visibility to future-proof distribution businesses through uncertainty.
What You Will Learn:
Why November’s softer numbers do not necessarily signal a collapse, and how MDM thinks about “soft landing” versus “stall.”
How tariffs, elections, and Fed policy are likely to affect pricing power, imports, and inventory strategy for wholesale distribution teams.
Where distributors are still leaving money on the table because of weak forecasting, poor CRM adoption, and limited collaboration with suppliers and reps.
How to connect market forecasts to practical decisions about hiring, territory coverage, and hybrid selling models.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Why this conversation matters now 08:15 – Inside MDM’s latest distribution data 18:40 – Are we heading toward a soft landing or a stall? 30:10 – Tariffs, trade policy, and pricing pressure 42:35 – Forecasting failures inside distribution organizations 55:20 – Hybrid selling and channel conflict 1:07:45 – Technology, CRM adoption, and operational readiness 1:21:30 – M&A, succession planning, and consolidation signals 1:33:10 – Practical priorities for the next 12 months
Meet the Guest:
Mike Hockett is an editor and market analyst with Modern Distribution Management (MDM) and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors. He spends his time inside the data and conversations that shape the future of wholesale distribution, from sector forecasts and benchmarking to technology, talent, and channel strategy.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
MDM’s annual distribution forecast and benchmark reporting.
Practical approaches to collaborative planning and forecasting between manufacturers, reps, and distributors.
CRM and pipeline practices that give revenue leaders in distribution a clearer “ground truth” for planning.
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The Future of Industrial Leadership in an AI Economy
05 Dec 2025
01:24:42
Can AI, robotics, and self‑driving technology change the distribution landscape faster than the economy can adapt?
In this episode, hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton explore the intersection of economic volatility, AI innovation, and leadership adaptation. From robots vs. self‑driving cars to tariff strategy and monetary policy, they unpack the signals distributors should watch and the human‑centric mindset required to thrive amid transformation.
What You’ll Learn:
The race between humanoid robots and self‑driving cars, and what it reveals about AI adoption timelines.
Why the Fed’s two‑percent inflation target may be outdated in a world of live data and instant analytics.
How prediction markets like Polymarket are redefining economic forecasting.
The impact of tariffs, trade policy, and rate cuts on wholesale pricing and investment.
Why AI literacy, leadership calibration, and contextual intelligence are the new core skills for distribution executives.
Episode Highlights:
03:05 – Robots or self-driving cars first? Why Kevin now believes humanoid robots may reach mainstream use sooner than autonomous vehicles
17:28 – From flying cars to manual transmissions: How consumers balance nostalgia with rapid AI-enabled innovation
29:52 – Is the Fed working with outdated economic models? How real-time AI data could reshape monetary policy
44:40 – Government shutdown predictions: How Polymarket’s 27% odds reveal deeper insights about economic sentiment
57:55 – Tariff strategy clarified: Why “refund rumors” are misleading and why methodology matters more than politics
01:10:08 – Leadership evolution: AI fluency, contextual intelligence, and functional empathy as core executive skills for 2026
01:19:30 – Closing take: Why leaders who integrate AI intentionally, rather than reactively—will define the next decade of distribution
Tools & Frameworks Mentioned:
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ — AI‑enabled CRM and Customer Intelligence platform for manufacturers and distributors.
Polymarket — decentralized prediction market for real‑time economic signals.
Context Engineering & Agentic AI Workflows — aligning AI systems with business intent and human oversight.
Functional Empathy Model — bridging automation and human judgment in leadership development.
Closing Insight:
“AI doesn’t replace relationships, it reinforces them by removing friction.” — Kevin Brown
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Agentic Commerce and Contextual Intelligence for Wholesale Distributors & Manufacturers
21 Nov 2025
01:33:56
What does it take to navigate tariffs, rate cuts, and AI disruption all at once?
Hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the week’s headlines that matter most to manufacturers and distributors, from the U.S. government shutdown and Fed policy to the emerging reality of AI‑driven decision‑making and agentic commerce. Discover why contextual intelligence is now a core leadership skill and how data strategy can turn economic uncertainty into competitive advantage.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the shutdown’s “fix” is really a delay until January 31, and how prediction markets like Polymarket quantify that risk
The truth about tariffs and refund rumors, and why smart pricing beats policy guesswork
What the Fed’s next decision means for capital, lending, and distribution growth plans
How AI‑enabled CRM and customer intelligence platforms deliver clarity from chaos
Why leaders who blend economic awareness + data fluency will own the next decade of wholesale innovation
Episode Highlights:
03 : 12 – The shutdown “ends”… or does it? Budget reset and political realities behind the deal
16 : 40 – Prediction markets vs. traditional polls: how Polymarket nailed its forecast
31 : 25 – Rate‑cut drama: inside the Fed meeting math and the Burton Market prediction
48 : 07 – Tariff talk decoded, methodology matters more than headlines
01 : 03 : 14 – Refunds or fantasy? Legal complexity of tariff paybacks explained
01 : 14 : 58 – AI and contextual intelligence: from theory to tool sets inside LeadSmart Channel Cloud™
01 : 28 : 47 – Final takeaways, leadership, data literacy, and the new rules of economic resilience
Meet the Hosts:
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are co‑founders of LeadSmart Technologies, creators of LeadSmart Channel Cloud™, an AI‑enabled Customer Intelligence and Smart CRM platform purpose‑built for manufacturers and distributors. They bring decades of experience in distribution operations, software engineering, and data strategy to help leaders turn siloed information into growth insight.
Tools & Frameworks Mentioned:
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ — Unified AI CRM for distributors & manufacturers
Context Engineering — Aligning AI systems with business intent
Agentic Commerce — Autonomous AI workflows for B2B transactions
Prediction Markets (Polymarket) — Crowdsourced economic signal analysis
Customer Intelligence Framework — Transforming ERP and CRM data into actionable insight
Closing Insight:
“AI doesn’t replace relationships, it reinforces them by removing friction.” — Kevin Brown
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How Distributors Stay Profitable in An Era of Uncertain Tariffs
14 Nov 2025
01:22:45
What happens when tariffs, rate cuts, and AI forecasting collide in the world of wholesale distribution?
In this episode, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the latest economic, technological, and policy shifts affecting distributors and manufacturers.
From the longest U.S. government shutdown in history to the Supreme Court’s pending tariff ruling, they unpack what these changes mean for margins, pricing, and the role of AI-driven customer intelligence in building resilient distribution networks.
What You’ll Learn:
How government shutdowns and rate changes create ripple effects across distribution
The true meaning of a 17.9% average tariff rate, and why not everyone feels it equally
Why tariff refunds could take years (or never happen at all)
How AI-enabled CRM and contextual intelligence are helping distributors gain visibility into customers and pricing gaps
What smart distributors are doing to balance efficiency, inventory, and profitability heading into 2026
Episode Highlights:
03:10 – The U.S. government shutdown “ends”… or just gets delayed until January 31
15:25 – How prediction markets like Polymarket are shaping economic forecasting
27:40 – The Fed’s next move: dissenters, inflation targets, and “The Burton Market”
43:05 – Tariff talk: why the Supreme Court ruling isn’t really about tariffs
55:18 – Mark Brohan’s article on the 17.9% effective tariff rate and what it means for distributors
01:07:34 – Why smaller distributors dependent on wholesalers face steeper challenges
01:16:55 – Final thoughts: AI, efficiency, and the future of pricing power
Meet the Hosts:
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are co-founders of LeadSmart Technologies, creators of LeadSmart Channel Cloud™, the industry’s first AI-enabled Customer Intelligence and Smart CRM platform built exclusively for manufacturers and distributors.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – Unified customer intelligence platform for distributors and manufacturers
Polymarket – Decentralized prediction market for economic forecasting
Yale Budget Lab Study – Analysis of U.S. tariff rates and macroeconomic effects
Context Engineering – Aligning AI systems with business intent
Customer Intelligence Framework – Turning siloed ERP, CRM, and eCommerce data into actionable insights
Closing Insight:
“AI doesn’t replace relationships, it reinforces them by removing friction.” — Kevin Brown
From tariff volatility to AI-driven opportunity, this episode explores how distributors can navigate uncertainty with smarter strategy, deeper data, and stronger customer connections.
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More Rate Cuts, More Robots, More AI: What Distributors Need To Know
07 Nov 2025
01:30:03
What do rate cuts, tariffs, and the rise of agentic AI mean for the future of wholesale distribution?
In this episode, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton dissect the week’s biggest economic shifts, from the Federal Reserve’s policy moves to AI’s rapid integration across manufacturing, logistics, and B2B commerce. Learn how forward-thinking distributors are preparing for 2026, where automation meets leadership and contextual intelligence defines competitive advantage.
What You’ll Learn:
Why AI literacy and contextual intelligence are essential leadership skills in 2025
How tariffs, prediction markets, and Fed rate cuts are shaping industrial investment
The emerging impact of agentic commerce on B2B buying behavior
The business risks of ungoverned generative AI in enterprise settings
How distributors can balance data automation with human trust in decision-making
Episode Highlights:
04:18 – How the U.S. government shutdown is influencing the Fed’s economic playbook
18:32 – What the latest rate cuts reveal about manufacturing, inflation, and capital investment
33:27 – Tariffs, Supreme Court delays, and the uncertain trade horizon for distributors
51:08 – The “AI slop” problem: when generative tools create risk instead of efficiency
01:04:22 – Amazon and PayPal move toward agentic commerce, what B2B can learn
01:14:10 – The rise of humanoid robotics and physical AI in supply chain operations
01:26:55 – Why courage and clarity will define the next generation of distribution leaders
Meet the Hosts:
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are the co-founders of LeadSmart Technologies, creators of LeadSmart Channel Cloud™, an AI-enabled CRM and customer intelligence platform for distributors and manufacturers. With decades of combined experience in digital transformation, leadership strategy, and industrial data systems, they help B2B leaders thrive in the age of AI-driven distribution.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-powered CRM + Customer Intelligence for distribution
Agentic Commerce – The next evolution of AI-driven transactional systems
Context Engineering – Framework for aligning AI with business intent
Industrial Supply Association (ISA) – Leadership development and AI fluency initiatives
Section 232 & 301 Tariff Mechanisms – Understanding how U.S. trade rules impact sourcing
Closing Insight or CTA:
“AI doesn’t replace relationships, it reinforces them by removing friction.” — Kevin Brown
As AI redefines how businesses operate, leadership must evolve alongside it.
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The Leadership Edge: How Agentic Commerce Will Shape The Future of Wholesale Distribution Growth
31 Oct 2025
01:28:53
What happens when two industry veterans break down the biggest stories shaping wholesale distribution, AI adoption, and the global economy, live and unfiltered?
In this episode, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton analyze everything from Fed rate cuts and tariffs to the rise of AI-driven commerce and the evolving role of leadership in an age of automation. Through their signature mix of insight and humor, they explore how distributors can stay resilient, data-smart, and human-centered amid rapid technological and economic change.
What You’ll Learn:
Why AI-driven transformation is redefining productivity and workforce trust
How agentic commerce and AI-powered purchasing are disrupting e-commerce models
The real-world effects of rate cuts, tariffs, and government shutdowns on the wholesale channel
Why contextual intelligence and digital ecosystems are the new growth drivers
How leaders can leverage AI and emotional intelligence to future-proof their organizations
Episode Highlights:
04:08 – A look at market sentiment in wholesale distribution heading into 2025
16:42 – What the Fed’s latest rate cut means for lending, mortgages, and growth capital
31:55 – The ripple effects of the ongoing government shutdown on supply chains
46:30 – Trump’s proposed tariff reset and its implications for import-dependent industries
59:18 – How AI adoption is reshaping manufacturing and reducing burnout in operations
01:10:05 – Agentic commerce and how PayPal is leading the charge in AI-driven transactions
01:20:44 – Why distributors must rethink e-commerce or risk losing 25% of their market share
Meet the Hosts:
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are the co-founders of LeadSmart Technologies, creators of LeadSmart Channel Cloud™, an AI-powered CRM and customer intelligence platform built for distributors and manufacturers. Together, they bring over 40 years of experience in digital transformation, AI strategy, and industrial growth, translating complex trends into actionable insights for industry leaders.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM and Customer Intelligence platform
Agentic Commerce – AI-driven transactional automation and conversational e-commerce
Context Engineering – Framework for aligning AI and workflow intent
Human + Machine Collaboration Model – Integrating empathy and analytics for smarter teams
ISA Leadership Academy – Developing adaptive, future-ready leaders across the supply chain
Closing Insight:
“AI isn’t going to take your job; it’s someone using AI that will.” — Kevin Brown
From economic volatility to AI-enabled innovation, this episode challenges distribution leaders to rethink strategy, leverage intelligence, and lead through disruption.
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Brendan Breen of The ISA on AI, Adaptability, & The Future of Industrial Leadership
24 Oct 2025
01:38:24
What does the future of leadership look like in the distribution industry?
In this special episode, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton sit down with Brendan Breen, President of the Industrial Supply Association (ISA), to explore how leadership transformation, AI adoption, and workforce evolution are redefining what it means to run a modern distribution business. From data-driven decision-making to generational shifts in workplace expectations, this episode unpacks the trends shaping the next decade of industrial growth.
What You’ll Learn:
How AI-driven transformation is changing the leadership playbook for distributors and manufacturers
Why emotional intelligence and adaptability are now core leadership competencies
How ISA is building a bridge between legacy leaders and next-gen talent
The role of digital ecosystems in shaping connected supply chains and value-based selling
What human-first leadership means in the era of automation and analytics
Episode Highlights:
04:35 – Brendan Breen on redefining leadership for a digital-first industrial economy
16:20 – AI and workforce transformation: adapting without alienating talent
29:02 – ISA’s evolving mission: from association to innovation accelerator
43:18 – How next-gen leaders are reshaping the future of manufacturing and distribution
57:40 – Data transparency, ethics, and the rise of context-aware leadership
01:10:26 – Building scalable ecosystems that merge AI and human expertise
01:23:12 – How to lead with empathy and foresight in the age of automation
01:33:58 – Closing reflections: why the future belongs to adaptive leaders
Meet the Guest:
Brendan Breen is the President of the Industrial Supply Association (ISA), where he leads initiatives to modernize the industrial supply channel through education, digital transformation, and community collaboration. His work helps bridge the gap between experienced leaders and emerging talent in distribution and manufacturing.
ISA Leadership Academy – Building resilient, future-ready leadership teams
Context Engineering – Framework for aligning AI systems with business intent
Human + Machine Collaboration Model – A people-centered approach to automation
Closing Insight:
“AI won’t replace leaders, but it will expose the ones who refuse to adapt.” — Brendan Breen
From digital transformation to leadership evolution, this episode is a must-listen for distribution executives, manufacturers, and future leaders navigating the intersection of technology, talent, and transformation.
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What Is AEO And Why Is It Redefining B2B Marketing?
17 Oct 2025
01:26:56
Here’s (more than) a hint: it’s AI Engine Optimization. And right now, it could be even more important than SEO for B2B visibility.
In this episode, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the latest economic shifts, from the government shutdown’s ripple effects to the rise of AI-driven commerce, and how they’re transforming manufacturing, logistics, and customer engagement. Learn why context engineering and AI-enabled CRM platforms are redefining the way distributors compete and connect in 2025.
What You’ll Learn:
Why tariffs and supply chain realignments are now “business as usual” for U.S. distributors
How prediction markets like Polymarket are outperforming traditional economic forecasts
What the Fed’s next moves could mean for interest rates, hiring, and inflation
Why AI Engine Optimization (AEO) is replacing traditional SEO for B2B visibility
How LeadSmart’s AI-enabled Channel Cloud™ is transforming CRM into Customer Intelligence
Episode Highlights:
04:10 – The government shutdown and why markets barely reacted
13:45 – Fed predictions, Polymarket insights, and crowd-sourced forecasting
25:30 – Inflation, unemployment, and the rise of AI’s role in economic stability
36:48 – Tariffs, China trade tensions, and supply chain recalibration
49:05 – Fastenal’s organic growth strategy and the power of data-driven wallet share
59:58 – Schneider Electric + NVIDIA: powering AI data centers of the future
01:10:22 – From SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): preparing content for AI search
01:22:45 – Why AI isn’t replacing people, but empowering those who know how to use it
AI Engine Optimization (AEO) / Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – frameworks for AI discoverability
Context Engineering – Gartner’s model for contextual AI and workflow design
Agentic Workflows – AI-driven automation aligned with distributor processes
Closing Insight:
“AI won’t take your job. But someone using AI better than you will.” — Tom Burton
From government shutdowns to AI search adoption, this episode dives into the forces transforming distribution. Subscribe to Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution for weekly conversations on digital transformation, leadership, and customer intelligence in manufacturing and B2B commerce.
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How Does the Government Shutdown Affect the Q4 Playbook for Distributor Growth?
03 Oct 2025
01:21:16
What happens when a government shutdown, interest rate cuts, and AI-driven commerce collide with the future of wholesale distribution?
In this week’s Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the headlines that matter: the Fed’s next move, tariff resilience, and how AI-enabled platforms like LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ are reframing CRM as a growth engine. You’ll also hear why AI Engine Optimization (AEO) is quickly replacing SEO, and what it means for distributors competing in an Amazon + OpenAI marketplace.
What You’ll Learn:
Why CRM adoption fails, and how LeadSmart’s smart CRM reframes it as customer enablement
How prediction markets like Polymarket may forecast economic shifts more accurately than government data
Why tariffs, lithium mining, and government-backed investments signal long-term supply chain realignment
How AI search and embedded transactions could challenge Amazon’s dominance
Why AI ethics and workforce augmentation matter more than “replacement” narratives
Episode Highlights:
03:05 – Government shutdown politics and the missing jobs report
Economic Signals for Distributors: GDP, Fed Cuts, and Tariffs
26 Sep 2025
01:24:07
What do tariffs, Fed rate cuts, and AI-driven search mean for the future of wholesale distribution?
In this milestone episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the latest updates on GDP growth, jobless claims, and U.S.–China tariffs, while exploring how AI Engine Optimization (AEO), digital payments, and LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ are rewriting the rules for distributors and manufacturers.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the latest GDP and job data signal surprising economic resilience despite tariff pressures
How LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ is reinventing CRM as an AI-enabled customer intelligence platform for distributors
Why AI-powered search and AEO are replacing traditional SEO as the new driver of high-quality leads
How digital currencies, stablecoins, and real-time payments will transform B2B transactions by 2026
The hidden strategies manufacturers use to absorb tariffs and stabilize pricing in volatile global markets
Episode Highlights:
02:35 – Milestone reflections: 160 episodes and a growing global audience
10:22 – GDP third-round update: AI hardware and business equipment drive unexpected growth
23:18 – Jobless claims dip to a two-month low as the Fed debates further rate cuts
38:41 – Tariff probes into robotics, PPE, and industrial machinery—and why manufacturers may be absorbing costs
54:07 – AI vs. Google: ChatGPT captures 85% of AI-generated leads
So The Fed Cut Rates. Will That Help The Supply Chain Slowdown?
19 Sep 2025
01:20:59
Is the Fed too late to cut rates—and what does it mean for distributors?
In this episode of Around The Horn in Wholesale Distribution, hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the week’s economic headlines and explore how interest rate cuts, tariffs, and global supply chain volatility are reshaping the manufacturing and wholesale distribution landscape. From AI-driven sales playbooks to the hidden risks in employment data, Kevin and Tom reveal the trends that matter most for distributors, manufacturers, and independent sales agencies navigating digital transformation.
What You’ll Learn:
Economic Risk Signals – Why the Fed’s quarter-point rate cut may not be enough to counter labor market headwinds or supply chain slowdowns.
AI Adoption in Distribution – How smart CRM platforms and industry-specific AI agents are transforming sales enablement and customer intelligence.
Tariff Strategy & USMCA – How Canada and Mexico are positioning ahead of 2025 trade renegotiations and what that means for North American distributors.
Future of B2B Buying – Why millennial buyers are shifting to app-based e-commerce and conversational AI instead of traditional catalogs.
Sales Playbooks that Work – How AI-powered, buyer-centric playbooks outperform static sales scripts in today’s digitally mature market.
Episode Highlights:
03:22 – Fed rate cuts and why lagging indicators may lead to late action
11:48 – Labor market trends and the rise of “bandwagon layoffs”
21:35 – Tariff uncertainty and how distributors are rewriting supplier contracts
34:57 – Global Supply Chain Volatility Index: what a negative reading signals for Q4
48:29 – How Reddit, Wikipedia, and Amazon shape AI model training data
58:12 – AI-driven e-commerce: the shift from website traffic to mobile buying apps
01:09:46 – Building dynamic, AI-powered sales playbooks that meet the modern buyer
01:21:30 – Why top talent quits when career growth stalls—and how leaders can respond
Meet the Hosts:
Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are lifelong friends, seasoned entrepreneurs, and co-founders of LeadSmart Technologies, the AI-enabled CRM and customer intelligence platform built exclusively for wholesale distribution and manufacturing.
Tools, Frameworks & Strategies Mentioned:
LeadSmart AI-Enabled Customer Intelligence Platform – A smart CRM built for distributors and manufacturers.
Global Supply Chain Volatility Index (GEP/S&P) – A new indicator tracking global supply chain stress.
AI Sales Playbook Model – Dynamic, signal-based playbooks for B2B sales teams.
Closing Insight:
“Today’s layoffs aren’t always about a weak economy—they’re about the opportunity for efficiency. Distributors that leverage AI to drive that efficiency will thrive, even in uncertain markets.”
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Jobs Reports, Tariff Rulings, and the Future of Wholesale Distribution Growth
05 Sep 2025
01:32:00
What happens when AI adoption, tariffs, and interest rate cuts collide with the future of wholesale distribution?
In this lively episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton tackle the jobs report, the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling, and why AI regulation needs a federal playbook, not 50 state ones. You’ll learn how LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ is cracking the code on CRM adoption, why decentralized data may surface economic truth faster than the Fed, and what ethical AI frameworks mean for hiring and sales.
What You’ll Learn:
Why CRM adoption fails, and how LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ is reframing it as a Customer Enablement Tool
How decentralized markets like Polymarket highlight flaws in outdated economic data models
Why the Supreme Court tariff decision could trigger refunds, reboot negotiations, or reinforce continuity
How state-by-state AI laws risk creating chaos, and why federal AI policy is the only scalable solution
Why businesses need AI ethics and HR policies before innovation turns into liability
Episode Highlights:
04:05 – Moonwalking office chairs, beach fog, and 157 weeks of distribution insights
12:20 – Why CRM adoption stalls, and how to build a system for willing adoption
23:42 – Jobs report shock: only 22,000 new jobs and what it signals for the Fed
35:18 – Polymarket vs. the Fed: can decentralized prediction markets beat outdated models?
47:02 – Tariff ruling chaos: Emergency Powers Act, refunds, and six statutory alternatives
59:15 – Why state-level AI laws could stifle innovation and confuse distributors
01:12:40 – AI in hiring: keyword-stuffed resumes, ethics policies, and the new HR reality
Why Over 90% of AI Pilots Fail, and What Wholesale Distribution Can Learn From It
29 Aug 2025
01:29:12
What do college football, tariffs, and AI pilots gone wrong have in common?
In this week’s Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton connect cultural trends, economic contradictions, and digital transformation in wholesale distribution. From the E³ Model (Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness) to LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and the failure rate of corporate AI pilots, this episode explores why distributors must move from siloed data to customer intelligence platforms that drive real growth.
What You’ll Learn
Why redefining CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool changes adoption and ROI
How tariff extensions and Liberation Day shifts affect supply chain planning
Why most AI pilot projects fail, and how to avoid repeating their mistakes
How the hidden buyer phenomenon is reshaping B2B purchasing decisions
Why customer experience investment will be the biggest trend in 2026
Episode Highlights:
03:55 – College football, NIL money, and how it parallels short-term vs. long-term strategy in distribution
12:40 – LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and why CRM reimagined means measurable outcomes
22:05 – Breaking down GDP growth: why a 3.3% headline hides real 1.6% growth
31:48 – Tariffs beyond China: Liberation Day shocks for Southeast Asia supply chains
42:15 – The E³ Model: Experience, Efficiency, and Effectiveness as the new playbook
53:02 – Why 95% of AI pilots fail and how to set success criteria
01:04:18 – Invisible influencers: the hidden buyers shaping B2B decisions
01:19:50 – Customer experience as the driver—not the byproduct—of transactions
How To Future-Proof Wholesale Distribution: Fed Policy, Tariffs, and AI Transformation
22 Aug 2025
01:32:59
What happens when AI-driven workflows, tariff pressures, and shifting B2B buyer expectations collide?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton explore the trends redefining distribution: from AI co-pilots for sales and customer intelligence platforms to Fed rate cuts, tariff extensions, and the rise of Millennial and Gen Z buyers. You’ll learn why reframing CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool is critical, and how distributors can prepare for agentic AI, semantic clarity in marketing, and seismic shifts in buying behavior .
What You’ll Learn:
Why LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ represents the next evolution of CRM for distributors
How to prepare for agentic AI workflows by aligning data and processes
The economic outlook from Jackson Hole: what interest rate cuts could mean for growth
Why tariff extensions create a window to future-proof supply chains
The new rules of B2B buying, 8.2 stakeholders, rep-free preferences, and the dominance of social proof
Episode Highlights:
04:10 – How LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ reframes CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool 13:45 – Breaking down Powell’s Jackson Hole speech and the debate over a 3% inflation target 24:05 – Tariffs hit the highest level since 1934—and what it means for supply chain resilience 33:28 – Why B2B lags behind B2C in adopting agentic AI workflows 44:12 – Build vs. buy: navigating low-code tools versus industry-specific platforms 55:40 – AI in the workplace: why 40% of employees admit to using banned tools 01:04:55 – How Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping B2B buying groups 01:20:25 – Closing reflections on resilience, innovation, and AI policy in distribution
"How Can My Wholesale Distribution Strategy Keep Up With Tariff Changes?"
15 Aug 2025
01:29:29
Is your CRM really driving revenue growth, or just storing notes no one reads?
In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton pull back the curtain on how AI-enabled customer intelligence platforms like LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ are transforming sales enablement, workflow automation, and decision-making in distribution.
You’ll hear fresh economic insights, a candid look at tariff strategy, and why agentic AI workflows could be the future of competitive advantage in B2B.
What You’ll Learn:
Why redefining “CRM” as a Customer Enablement Tool changes adoption rates and sales results
How to prepare your organization for agentic AI workflows by codifying your processes
The economic signals driving the Fed’s next move and what that means for distributors
How tariff extensions create hidden opportunities for future-proofing distribution supply chains
Why AI policies are as important as HR policies in protecting your business
Episode Highlights:
04:15 – Why Kevin thinks it’s time to rebrand CRM for the modern salesforce
13:35 – Breaking down the PPI spike and its tariff-driven impact on inflation
22:48 – The overlooked advantage of the U.S.–China tariff extension for supply chain planning
33:12 – Agentic AI workflows: what they are and how B2B can catch up to B2C
44:50 – Build vs. buy: deciding between low-code prototypes and industry-specific platforms
55:19 – The silent AI adoption wave—why 40% of employees use banned tools at work
01:04:38 – Balancing innovation with risk in AI implementation
01:21:05 – Closing reflections and calls-to-action for distributors