Kevin Returns From NAW, And Boy Does He Have A Lot To Say

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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