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22 Aug 23

Updated: 28 Aug 23

Office360 chief's
OP market insights

Leading US dealer opens
up on strong sales growth

Yesterday, we interviewed Steve Nahmias, ceo of Indianapolis based Office360, one of the leading independent business supply resellers in the US Midwest region. We discussed market trends, the future of  independent OP dealers, bigboxes, Amazon, wholesalers and the remarkablr progress and plans for his family owned business. Updated

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16 Aug 23

Updated: 28 Aug 23

WBMason's Master
Chief: Leo Meehan 

'One Source Biz Supplies'
personalized svc success

Next year Leo Meehan, ceo of WBMason, reaches his 50th year at the US mega-business supplies reseller. Starting as a rep with <$1m sales the dealer has grown meteorically to $1.6Bn! We sat down with Leo, following WB's successful Vendor Day, for the first time since Covid, to discuss its remarkable progress and strategic growth plans. Complete

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23 May 23

Updated: 23 May 23

Listen to Learn.

Do it! Measure it!

Armstrong's 'Perspective':
What motivates success?

Ex-Spicers legendary chief Bill Armstrong has published his autobiography entitled 'A Life in Perspective', a deep dive, bare bones expose of his 34yrs career with former #1 European OP wholesaler. I've known Bill as colleague and friend for 50yrs, so his book was a fascinating, nostalgic insight to what motivates real long term success. We met last week to review...

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18 May 23

Updated: 18 May 23

United unplugged
from OP tradition

Smart svcs provider's one
source biz supply success

There are now less than 50 progressive, productivity service providers in the US/UK business supplies market. That's a huge crash from the 30k traditional, transactional OP dealer community in 1990. We have profiled the best practice successes of WBMason, Innovative, Warehouse Direct, Commercial, Penketh and Bates. Now we update the progress and plans of UK's United Managed Services with ceo Darren Lloyd...

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27 Feb 23

Updated: 7 Mar 23

Office Mkt Legends
reunited in renewal

MegaIndy leaders:Bigeard,
Meehan+Sargent BOS mtg

It's 10yrs since the top OP mega-independent dealer champs Lyreco's Eric Bigeard and WBMason's Leo Meehan met with Staples CEO Ron Sargent in Boston. We reflected on past glories, Covid, digital transformation and looked forward to a 'hybrid office productivity' future..Updated 

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12 Feb 23

Updated: 12 Feb 23

The Pich perfect
legend lives on!

Office Productivity champ
recalls his 80s innovations
still 'state of the art' today

It's 10yrs since we met 80's office productivity champion Bill Pichler (on left w Howard Brown), who built the most admired OP dealer on the planet in the 'Golden OP' era. The beautiful modern Eastman 400sq.ft facility in LA was the centre of innovation in design, hospitality & systems. We recalled the great times with the legend last Monday. Updated

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3 Feb 23

Updated: 3 Feb 23

SCJ: Doing the
right thing 'cleanly'

Environmental champion
speaks plastic pollution

SC Johnson, the family owned $12Bn cleaning brands giant, has a long history of responsibility on environment and health effects of the chemicals in products. "We’ve often made changes in product formulation before regulations required, even if it hurt sales". CEO Fisk Johnson explains history and progress...

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17 Dec 22

Updated: 21 Dec 22

Aramsco conceded
in acq rollup race?

Has Hot hygiene M&A mkt
left #4 consolidator adrift?

Cleaning & restoration supplier Aramsco, owned by PE firm Odyssey Investment Partners, has made 7 acquisitions over the past 2yrs, but none since May'22. What's happening? Has it been intimidated by the relentless rollups of fellow VC's & FEMSA's Envoy? We discuss progress with ceo Rich Salerno.

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17 Dec 22

Updated: 21 Dec 22

United unplugs
from OP tradition

Smart svcs provider's one
source biz supply success

There are now less than 50 progressive, productivity service providers in the US/UK business supplies market. That's a huge crash from the 30k traditional, transactional OP dealer community in 1990. We have profiled the best practice successes of WBMason, Innovative, WHouse Direct & Commercial. Now we discuss the progress and plans of UK's United Business Services with ceo Darren Lloyd... 

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11 Dec 22

Updated: 11 Dec 22

Starbucks' Schultz
to unseat unions?

Like AMZN, ensure 'ethos'
exercised by local leaders 

"Why is Howard Schultz taking unions so personally? His opposition clashes with his image of Starbucks as a model employer" reports NYTimes' Noam Scheiber and Julie Creswell. This echoes Amazon leaders' attitude who similarly eschew a 'them & us' environment and want direct comms between leaders & associates.