No one teaches you how to run a distribution business. There’s no playbook for navigating shifting markets, growing sales, or making the right bets on technology. The best distributors figure it out by talking to the right people and learning from experience.
That’s what In the Mind of a Distributor is all about. Each month, Benj Cohen—founder of Proton, the CRM built for distributors—sits down with industry leaders, from owners to operators to sales pros, to break down what’s working, what’s not, and where the industry is headed.
If all goes well, listeners will leave each episode a little sharper, a little more informed, and a step ahead of the competition.
No one teaches you how to run a distribution business. There’s no playbook for navigating shifting markets, growing sales, or making the right bets on technology. The best distributors figure it out by talking to the right people and learning from experience.
That’s what In the Mind of a Distributor is all about. Each month, Benj Cohen—founder of Proton, the CRM built for distributors—sits down with industry leaders, from owners to operators to sales pros, to break down what’s working, what’s not, and where the industry is headed.
If all goes well, listeners will leave each episode a little sharper, a little more informed, and a step ahead of the competition.
In this episode, Benj talks with Paul Kennedy, CEO of DSG, about cracking the code on multi-vertical distribution. Paul reveals how DSG profitably serves towns of 10,000 people by selling electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and waterworks all under one roof—a model that lets them win in markets where focused competitors simply can't make the math work.
He breaks down the strategy behind spreading costs across verticals, then dives into the real operational challenges: structuring sales teams for focus without sacrificing breadth, leveraging back-of-house efficiency that most distributors overlook, and deciding when to go local versus regional with your resources.
Paul also tackles the digital side: why contractors care more about knowing what's in stock than finding the lowest price, how e-commerce fits into a broader digital ecosystem, and the one thing that makes or breaks technology adoption (hint: it's not the technology itself).
In this episode, Benj talks with Ali Hasham, CEO and Founder of Revenue Optics, about what it takes to build high-performing inside sales teams in distribution. With nearly 25 years in the industry, Ali shares how he built inside sales organizations from scratch three separate times, scaling teams from a single person to as many as 90 reps.
Ali breaks down the playbook he's refined across electrical, automotive, and industrial distribution: from identifying the right talent and proving the model's value, to navigating the tricky handoffs between inside and outside sales teams. The conversation also explores how AI is transforming inside sales and why distributors who aren't leveraging these tools are "donating EBITDA to competitors."
Whether you're building a new inside sales team or looking to improve an existing one, Ali shares helpful tips for making a profitable inside sales engine that captures the revenue hiding in plain sight.
In this episode of In the Mind of a Distributor, Benj sits down with Gary Corless, former CEO of PSS World Medical (now McKesson Medical-Surgical), to unpack how the company scaled from a $15M startup pulling orders in shopping carts to a $2B industry leader.
The key to that growth was a rich company-wide culture where everyone (not just sales) owned the number.
Gary walks through how PSS built a true growth culture that aligned teams from the warehouse to the C-suite, turning everyday roles into expansion engines. He also breaks down:
This conversation is packed with practical insights for distribution leaders looking to scale sustainably. If you’re trying to reignite growth, build real accountability, or figure out what’s getting in your team’s way — this episode is for you.
In this episode, Benj sits down with Brian Walker, Chief Product Officer at Grainger, to unpack how one of the largest distributors in the world approaches merchandising at scale.
With over 2 million SKUs in their core business and an endless assortment model through Zoro, Grainger’s merchandising strategy is anything but simple. Brian explains how they decide which products to carry, how they use customer context to guide those decisions, and what it takes to make the right products easy to find— both for customers and for sales reps. They also talk through the role of brand and how Grainger uses AI to stay ahead.
If you’re thinking about how to sharpen your merchandising strategy, make your product catalog easier to navigate, or turn product data into a real competitive advantage, this episode is for you.
In this episode, Benj talks with Larry Stoddard, a distribution industry veteran who's led companies through massive growth phases at Ferguson, Bradco, and RelaDyne.
Larry pulls back the curtain on what private equity partnerships actually look like in distribution: from why PE firms are drawn to distributors, to the real operational challenges of integrating multiple company cultures.
He also debunks the biggest myth about private equity (spoiler: they don't come in swinging axes), explains the "house flipper" mentality that drives PE strategy, and shares how a compressed 5-year timeline creates both breakthrough moments and sleepless nights.
Whether you're a family business considering your exit options or an executive navigating PE ownership, Larry offers some important truths about what really happens when financial partners get involved.
In this episode, Benj talks with Matt Cohen, President of Replenex, about joining his family business and leading a shift towards a model built around offerings that truly matter to customers and the business. In the first half, Matt shares what it took to align the team around value-added services.
The second half gets tactical, covering:
Matt also shares the highest-leverage (and most expensive) service Replenex provides — and why it pays off.
Whether you’re rethinking your value-added offerings or looking for ways to turn them into a stronger growth driver, Matt offers a clear, practical playbook.
In this episode, Benj talks with Jeff McLendon, CEO and President of Specialty Building Products, about how he scaled the company from $500 million to $4 billion by pairing intentional acquisitions with disciplined organic growth. He unpacks how the two strategies fuel each other and why the operations and people side of acquisitions are just as critical as the financials.
Sharing several examples, Jeff breaks down what makes a good acquisition — not just on paper, but in practice. He shares his advice for evaluating potential targets and tips for where to find the best deals.
The conversation also dives into the technical and operational side of acquisitions, including the best practices SBP uses to ensure smooth integrations—and how they’ve become an acquirer of choice in the market.
Whether you’re already pursuing M&A or just thinking about how to grow faster and smarter, Jeff offers a clear, candid playbook.
In this episode, Joyce Lansdale—Vallen's VP of Enterprise Business Development and Chairman of the Industrial Supply Association Board—shares her deep insights on selling to enterprise customers.
With over 30 years in distribution, she explains exactly what these big clients are looking for, which internal and customer teams have to collaborate in order to have a successful partnership, and the impressive logistics behind delivering unpredictable spot buys (like sourcing a firetruck).
From dissecting total cost of ownership to outlining the traits of a standout enterprise salesperson, this conversation is a masterclass in navigating the enterprise sales cycle whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting out.
In this episode, Benj talks with Chuck Cohen, Managing Director of Benco Dental, about what it really takes to build and sustain a growing distribution business over the long haul.
Chuck shares the story of growing Benco from $85 million to over $1 billion in revenue. Along the way, he reflects on the decisions that made that growth possible: from how the company thinks about long-term investments, to evolving the company’s sales structure and embracing new technology and service offerings.
The conversation also dives into how the role of distributors is shifting, and what it means to keep adapting while staying focused on what customers truly need.