In the Mind of a Distributor
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.
Episodes
8 episodes
Scaling an inside sales team from 0 to 90 reps | Ali Hasham
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 organiza...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 8
•
22:25
Creating a winning growth culture | Gary Corless
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 t...
•
Episode 7
•
32:32
Merchandising massive product catalogs | Brian Walker
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 end...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
21:41
Navigating private equity partnerships | Larry Stoddard
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 a...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 5
•
34:07
Building a value‑added services strategy that works | Matt Cohen
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 wha...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 4
•
23:49
Building a growth engine through M&A | Jeff McLendon
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 ho...
•
Episode 3
•
29:29
Selling to enterprise customers | Joyce Lansdale
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, ...
•
Episode 2
•
33:31
Building a billion dollar distribution business | Chuck Cohen
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 ...
•
Episode 1
•
28:50