Blog

The post Supply Solutions Distributor Leader Meredith Reuben Show 046 was first published on mitchellchadrow.com
0:00you’re listening to the listen up show
0:01dart of entrepreneur podcast I’m
0:03Mitchell Chad row your host today on
0:05show zero four six we interview Meredith
0:09Rubin what will we focus on today well
0:12we’re going to talk to Meredith of DEP
0:14her entrepreneurial experiences and her
0:16life lessons as a woman business owner
0:18in an industry traditionally dominated
0:20by men she will serve our audience well
0:23so let’s listen to her advice the
0:26resources that she provides to us and
0:28the wisdom that shall provide we sign up
0:39to my email list for the latest special
0:42offers exclusive for our listen up show
0:45startup entrepreneur podcast audience at
0:48Mitchell Chad Road comm slash sign up I
0:52have been providing business advice
0:53resources in hell to entrepreneurs for
0:56over 20 years and I’m looking forward to
0:58helping all of you sign up for my email
1:00list again at Mitchell Chad Road comm
1:03slash sign up I will provide you with
1:06full transcript for each interview my II
1:09bought 30 tools to start up the startup
1:11checklist and many other education and
1:14training materials all back at Mitchell
1:17Chad Road comm slash sign up now enjoy
1:21the show
1:22Meredith is the CEO of EBP supply a
1:26third generation family business in a
1:29tough industry for anyone you probably
1:31remember Nancy May on our show 0 for 4
1:34Nancy actually recommended that we
1:36interview Meredith Nancy tells us that
1:39Meredith is not only talented she’s
1:41thoughtful she’s engaging and has been
1:43successfully leading her firm for a very
1:46long time Meredith is a leader that many
1:49of the men and women in the region look
1:51up to and respect Meredith Rubin was a
1:54lawyer in her late 20s that career to
1:58lead the family business back then
2:00EB P Supply Solutions was known as
2:02Eastern badge and paper so why walk away
2:05from a career in law some would ask well
2:08first with
2:09ask her about the business so how you
2:11doing today Meredith wonderful thanks
2:13for that very nice introduction
2:14I’m honored oh this is great you know
2:16I’m so excited when I when I read about
2:19you and your background I was so excited
2:21because like Nancy Mae had I knew that
2:25the audience was really in for a real
2:27treat
2:27can you tell us a little bit about EVP
2:30Supply Solutions and what the company
2:32actually does or we’re a wholesale
2:34distributor of janitorial supplies and
2:37solutions and services and we are a
2:40regional distributor and we span from
2:43New England through the mid-atlantic how
2:45have you been able to take EVP supply
2:47from just a local distributor ship
2:50servicing a small area in Connecticut to
2:52actually a regional Supply Solutions
2:55enterprise well I think you know there’s
2:57several factors in our success and I’ve
2:59been thinking about it over the years
3:00and I think the biggest lever was my
3:03parents philosophy of hiring the best
3:06people that they could afford in the
3:08organization ticularly in management and
3:11delegating authority to them and really
3:13bringing in new expertise whenever they
3:16could and I think that’s allowed us to
3:18grow and to you know embrace new ideas
3:21over the years and you know I really
3:24think having acquired several businesses
3:27over the years some entrepreneurs try to
3:30keep the decision-making and you know
3:33most of the revenue in their in their
3:35pockets that would be but I think you’re
3:37lying on other people is really been a
3:39key to our success but what would you
3:41say is the number one day that
3:43contributes most to your success today
3:45well I think you know it’s such a fast
3:47moving environment and being flexible
3:50and open to ideas and also you know I
3:53thought about the history of our company
3:55and really it seems like every three or
3:58four years we’ve almost have to reinvent
4:00ourselves and redefine ourselves more
4:02recently we’ve said to ourselves we
4:05can’t only be a supplier of goods we
4:08have to provide services we have to
4:10shift into really being a supplier of
4:13services in one way defining for our
4:16customers what collection they should
4:18have so being a consultant and also just
4:20looking at the
4:21ray of what we do and adding services
4:24wherever we can so we can be more
4:26meaningful to our customers our mantra
4:29is expert thinking top brand service and
4:32services so we’re really trying to
4:34redefine our direction now and you know
4:37our start was as a food service company
4:40and well into our history we decided to
4:44add to that offering and go into more
4:46the janitorial supplies and that’s
4:48really been a you know we were able say
4:51in the 70s and the 80s to expand to be
4:54so much more meaningful to our customers
4:56so over the years we’ve really had to
4:57look at what we’re doing and to be and
5:00to redefine you know our mission so to
5:02speak our startup round for all your
5:04hosting needs head on over to Mitchell
5:07Chad Road comm slash hosting Mitchell
5:10Chad Road comm flash hosting for all
5:13your web hosting need who do you use to
5:15host this website so you know we our
5:20audience comprises of obviously not only
5:22startups and business owners but people
5:25who are professionals in their career
5:27who are looking to obviously start
5:28something up on the side so given all of
5:31your your experiences from decade after
5:34decade and given the fact that you’ve
5:36really had to be nimble and continue to
5:38to sort of pivot and change over these
5:40these last several decades what would
5:43you suggest to to them in terms of the
5:47mindset of an entrepreneur well I think
5:52someone once said to me that I have to
5:55spend more time thinking and less time
5:57doing and I think for entrepreneurs you
6:01know we all want to be action-oriented
6:02and you know dueduedue but I think being
6:07very thoughtful about what is your
6:10differentiation and having a strategic
6:14plan even you could be the smallest of
6:17business people but really having a
6:20focused plan on what you want to do and
6:23what you don’t want to do and where you
6:25want to expend your resources and what
6:27you don’t want to expend your resources
6:29on and be disciplined about that I think
6:32is a very very keen
6:34to the success of every business no
6:37matter what size that you are thinking
6:41about who is your true customer and what
6:43is the unique value that you’re going to
6:45bring to that customer and again being
6:47very disciplined about what you’re going
6:49to do and what you’re not going to do I
6:51think is very very important to the
6:53success of any business you know it’s
6:56very wise and I hope a lot of people in
6:58the audience really listen up to that
7:00advice because it’s very very true in
7:04whatever industry or whatever product or
7:06solution that the audience also wants to
7:09sort of bring to market you know I was
7:12very interested in reading that you’re
7:14the third generation for this business
7:16and I read some information about your
7:20dad who was the second generation and of
7:22course your dad was was jello bomb and
7:25he was actually very worried about
7:26business succession for the future of
7:29the business so he was sure to speak
7:31with you about this issue can you talk
7:34to us about what he actually taught you
7:37about business succession planning and
7:39how you actually apply it to your own
7:42family in this may be new 4th generation
7:45down the road well I think I want to
7:48give credence and kudos to my mother as
7:51well because she became president after
7:53my dad passed away and you know my
7:58father had a relatively small business
8:03when I came into it a very good business
8:05but he was always a forward thinker so
8:09it was not only on a personal level in
8:12term he had to he had three beautiful
8:14daughters he included in there that’s
8:18why you can know you can you composed a
8:21little bit you know you’re you’re
8:22entitled to sort of say you know these
8:24were these are some of my
8:25accomplishments and so you know he was
8:29very concerned about what’s the next who
8:32was going to take over the business and
8:34was thinking about that but he was also
8:37concerned about the market in general
8:39and could an independent succeed and
8:43that was in the late 60s early 70s
8:47and that the factor of being an
8:51independent even then concerned him and
8:55caused him to be one of the founders of
8:59network distribution which is a group of
9:05distributors global globally that buy
9:09together and sell together
9:11and we’re able to not violate the
9:15antitrust laws but by collectively
9:19establishing a price for a customer and
9:22you know selling through network
9:25distribution contract with global as
9:30well as national customers of you know
9:33as customers and also to leverage our
9:36collective buying power so that has
9:38enabled EVP over the years to compete
9:42with national and global distribution
9:45companies that are wholly owned and I
9:49think that if Network had not been
9:51formed and my father had not been the
9:53first president and had not been so
9:55fundamental and concerned about this
9:57that probably you know in turn bag or
10:01EBP would not be surviving today you
10:05know and he did done a personal level
10:06talked with my sisters and I one of my
10:09stitches as an architect and the other
10:11one you know was a newspaper executive
10:16and now a another executive but that was
10:19you know concerning to him and I just
10:23had a love for the business and although
10:25I love the law you know as he continued
10:28to think about it that caused me to want
10:31to join the company you mentioned the
10:33network and today all of the young
10:35entrepreneurs that are starting
10:37businesses are told that sales is
10:39extremely vital and it is it’s extremely
10:41important so in listening to the story
10:45of how your dad actually created the
10:47network and maybe talking to us a little
10:50bit more about how he was able to sort
10:53of build up that Network and how you
10:54then were able to then take it to the
10:56next level to sort of continue to bring
10:59additional
11:00new channel into a company I think it
11:02would be instructive to the people
11:04listening in terms of some of the things
11:06that they must do in their own
11:07businesses to sort of generate those
11:09sales and those creative relationships
11:12that are important sure I want to say
11:14that he was amongst a group of New
11:16England distributors that were the
11:18founders of network he was one of
11:20several he was the first president and
11:23devoted a lot of his energy to network
11:26and actually I did see it as the future
11:28you know a very important part of our
11:31future and devoted many years working on
11:34committees and was actually chair of the
11:35board for a couple of years encourage
11:39all my executives to participate in
11:42network initiatives so we’re still very
11:46much involved in network and I think for
11:51entrepreneurs looking at alliances
11:54looking at ways to learn you know we had
12:00our former president taught me to really
12:04open my mind and sometimes someone who
12:07you would view as I want to say your
12:10enemy but someone who you know you would
12:13view skeptically you need to open your
12:15mind and say how can you work with them
12:18how can they help you it’s a very
12:21connected world and you have to have an
12:23open mind as to how you can work through
12:26or with people that may be unlikely
12:29partners to you but that can get you to
12:32where you need to go in the market I
12:35know that’s criminal I know that sounds
12:36general but it’s it’s sort of an adage
12:38that I learned from Jim Sugarman who was
12:41our president and then later our one of
12:44our chair I think that’s very wise
12:45because not a lot of people we think to
12:48look at somebody who might be like you
12:51said viewed upon as maybe either being
12:53different from them or maybe like you
12:56put it there their enemy but yeah
12:58there’s where opportunities may lie and
13:00with it’s an interesting mind ship I
13:03wasn’t going to let this interview go
13:04without of course mentioning your mom
13:06Louise as the neck resident for the
13:08company and that
13:09kind of takes me into my next question
13:11and that is shortly after you had
13:12started the company dad had passed away
13:14four years later and if you could tell
13:17us what you were personally going
13:19through at that point facing the big
13:21decision as to you know what to do next
13:24and I know you know Mom took over the
13:26company but I think people would really
13:28like to hear that story because it was
13:31one of not only persevering and maybe a
13:34little bit of struggle at the time maybe
13:35that’s how you’ve been able to get to
13:37where you are today sure yeah no I’m
13:39glad that you remind me that I said that
13:40because she was faced with her death and
13:43actually you know had a protracted
13:46illness and she was very wise in that
13:49and kind because I had worked in the
13:52business by that time for seven years
13:54and she gave me the choice to inherit
13:59the company with from debt you know to
14:02pay off the IRS or to inherit the
14:07company sharing with my sister’s and
14:10other liquid assets and I think that’s
14:13important because you know I think my
14:18sisters are very you know smart people
14:21but I think that many family members are
14:24faced with non-participants and that you
14:29know I took some risks and I bought some
14:31companies and you know it can lead to a
14:35lot of family strife you know when you
14:39have silent partners and I chose to
14:42inherit the company with some debt at
14:44the time which I’ve paid off but I you
14:49know really have maintained a wonderful
14:52wonderful relationship with my sisters
14:53who I love so much and they’ve sustained
14:57me you know through the years because my
14:59mom died when I was 40 and my dad died
15:01when I was 32 so yeah you know we don’t
15:05my sisters and my husband are really you
15:07know such so important to me so it was
15:10important on a business the business way
15:12and it was important on a relationship
15:14way that you know I was able to you know
15:19separate business and family interesting
15:21I read your
15:22back in 1979 it was that your dad
15:26actually began talking to you about you
15:29becoming successor to the future of the
15:31business and even back then you also had
15:33mentioned Jim Sugarman who’s been with
15:35the company and became president terms
15:37of getting involved on the team in an
15:40industry that probably doubted that
15:42women could actually succeed in
15:45leadership and so maybe talk to us about
15:47some of the other struggles I mean it
15:49was hard enough of course when your dad
15:51had passed away and then mom took over
15:53and she had passed away but talk to us a
15:56little bit about those other struggles
15:58because now you’re taking over the reins
16:00and yet it’s still being doubtful
16:02whether or not you could be a leader in
16:04this company oh absolutely
16:06it was really an anomaly in 1979 for in
16:10our industry for a father to pass along
16:12the business to their daughter or their
16:15wife and my mother was a very smart
16:18woman very brilliant and a very wise
16:22woman and a funny story a delegate of
16:26business men my father was very popular
16:28in the industry asked to see my mother
16:31and we went to the ELCA
16:33to a eating club in Bridgeport which by
16:36the way did not allow women in the main
16:38dining room Wow only in the side very
16:42airless room
16:43and what about your was what your was
16:46then I was brought it was 1983 and oh my
16:49gosh and so we got special dispensation
16:52to dine in the main dining room they
16:55said to my mother that you know Eastern
16:57bag was my father’s main asset and that
17:00I had a different personality than my
17:03father because I’m kind of bookish and
17:05they really doubted that this was going
17:08to apply and that they were there to you
17:11know advise my mother and I was sitting
17:13right there that she should sell the
17:17business and my mother you know as I
17:19said was from Boston very much of a lady
17:21and she thanked them for making the trip
17:24from far and wide because they did come
17:26from you know all over the United States
17:28and she thanked them and she said you
17:31know my Maris and I are committed to
17:33carrying on the company and well you
17:35know I appreciate your interest
17:36and your love for Jerry but this is what
17:38I didn’t that was just one of many
17:41challenges that we that was one but you
17:43know do they that there are times and
17:45you know there there are people today
17:47that young women that may dispute this
17:49but there were times when customers did
17:52not want to deal with a woman later or
17:55even say a vendor or even like a service
17:59a bank not my car neg they’re great but
18:02there were certain bankers and I always
18:05kind of had the philosophy my father
18:07used to say tunnel vision you know
18:09understand what your goal is and
18:11understand what is the best way to get
18:13to that goal and you know if someone
18:17would rather deal with Jim Sugarman and
18:19he’s more efficacious to speak in the
18:21meeting and get what’s gotten to be done
18:23than all right let them have look you
18:25know you know that’s the way to get to
18:27your goal so I I tried to sort of be
18:30very focused on the goal and you know
18:34not take things that much to heart in
18:37terms of you know what I found out there
18:39and there weren’t that many
18:41circumstances of quote discrimination
18:44but you know there were some times when
18:46people just didn’t want to deal with you
18:50know a lady leader and I had to get to
18:53the goalposts
18:53the best way that I could and so that
18:56was one of the ways that you were
18:57creatively able to sort of rise above if
19:01you will that type of discrimination but
19:03I had also read that you had made some I
19:07guess acquisitions which kind of helped
19:09put any issues to rest in in terms of
19:12those rumors to actually strengthen the
19:14position and that’s how you were then
19:16able to start to begin to service the
19:19entire state of Connecticut and so
19:21through the network through sort of
19:23making these acquisitions what else have
19:25you been able to do over these decades
19:26to basically continue to leverage off of
19:29what dad and mom and first generation
19:32kind of set forth to kind of continue to
19:35to make sure that you’re continually
19:37reinventing yourselves and growing sure
19:40I want to go back to you know our
19:42acquisitions you know there were rumor
19:45you know as I was having children and
19:47that we were going to sell the company
19:49and so my mother and I decided that we
19:52would we wanted to expand and we wanted
19:54to show the industry that we were in
19:56business to do business so we did choir
19:58a business in Hartford Connecticut and
20:00that enabled us to be more of a
20:02Connecticut company and then after my
20:04mother died just after I had given birth
20:07to my third child some of our customers
20:10there were there were rumors that I had
20:11three kids and you know all this and
20:14also our customers were wanting us to be
20:16more of a New England company so Jim
20:18Sugarman and I decided to buy Salem
20:22paper up in Massachusetts some of the
20:24rumors you know Spurs me on shall we say
20:28I love my customers so that that
20:30impacted you know what we continue to
20:32talk about the various challenges that
20:34you’re faced with it’s just a matter of
20:36how you were able to sort of overcome
20:38that and then not only that but then
20:40continue to abandoned leverage so not
20:42only from the network and then make the
20:44acquisition and sort of be able to then
20:46service the entire state of Connecticut
20:48but how are you able to then dörtos
20:51continue to build on the successes of
20:53your dad and your mom and sort of take
20:55it to the next level and continue to be
20:57nimble and breathe that yourself I think
20:59a really good example for so I want to
21:01give kudos to to Jim Sugarman to our –
21:04you know the leadership that we had in
21:06the company they were always bringing
21:08new ideas and you know I couldn’t have
21:11ever run the company without having a
21:13very very strong executive team or CFO
21:15you know is second to none you know I
21:17can go through our whole ranks so we
21:19really have our current president Eric
21:23Peabody you know came from a much larger
21:25company and I do want to mention we have
21:29a fourth generation my son Andrew Rubin
21:31has our VP of Marketing who brings so
21:34much innovation to the company how is it
21:36made it really comes full circle because
21:38one of the questions I did have in terms
21:40of succession planning for this next
21:42generation and before I got into that
21:44basically going to say that another
21:46challenge is balancing it all and
21:48obviously in the beginning when you took
21:49over the company growing a business grow
21:52we a family is obviously very
21:53challenging and be able to balance those
21:55types of demands not only from a
21:57business perspective but you’re raising
21:59at that point young kids still building
22:01a household talk to us a little bit
22:02about that because I know that there’s a
22:04lot of people out there right now who
22:06we’re struggling with that and then it
22:08comes full circle because here he is now
22:10the fourth generation working in the
22:12business yes well I can say that as to
22:15the balancing I have a wonderful husband
22:18no he has a wonderful career in his own
22:20right he’s a managing partner of a law
22:22firm but he always supported me and you
22:25know this was a great partner and in
22:27supporting me in all things that I
22:29wanted to do and it’s about building the
22:31team that you have at home if you can
22:33afford it it’s about really thinking
22:35about what your priorities are you know
22:37yes there was a lot of tension between
22:39you know I should I be at home should I
22:42be at work or no it’s not easy but I
22:44think that you know every year I would
22:47really sit down and say you know of
22:50course my priorities are my children my
22:52family you know my husband my business
22:55but really thinking about the year and
22:57and once you crystallize what you want
23:01to what’s coming ahead of you and how
23:04you want to prioritize that and what you
23:06have to delegate and creating kind of a
23:09team at home and a team that were really
23:12being clear about what your priorities
23:14are it makes it easier but I can say
23:16there were moment you know where I felt
23:18guilt you know I know tried to balance
23:21it all I always wanted to drive my kids
23:23to school and I always wanted to be home
23:25for dinner and you know in the ten years
23:27that my kids were growing up I wanted to
23:30be home at night to do their homework I
23:32had a wonderful nanny for about 19 years
23:35that was really you know someone who
23:38supported me in every way as well as a
23:41wonderful husband so not everyone can
23:42have a nanny but there are about
23:45building the best support team you can
23:47around you and don’t be afraid to
23:49delegate the you know the stuff that’s
23:51not important and that’s why we talk
23:52about resources so if resources could be
23:55people could be that the people that you
23:57surround yourself with like having like
23:59you say the port of spout or in your
24:01case and then it’s being created
24:03and making sure to do that it sounds
24:05like you were able to do both which i
24:07think is really an inspiration to many
24:09thank you yeah and you know we talked a
24:11little bit about innovation and I think
24:14it’s very important for people to
24:16develop a strategic plan to really spend
24:20a lot of time thinking about your
24:22customer and how you’re going to be
24:25differentiate yourself to your customer
24:27who really is your customer and how are
24:30you going to add unique value to that
24:32customer and developing some very
24:34specific initiatives and then you know
24:37meeting quarterly which is what we do to
24:39go over are we doing everything that we
24:42said you know when we developed our 2017
24:46action step and then refreshing that
24:49plan and you know very very deeply every
24:52three years to make sure that you’re on
24:55the right path and do you have to
24:57reinvent yourself again you know or come
24:59up with something that’s really going to
25:01be responsive to a very changing
25:03environment take the audience in a
25:05little bit because people are more
25:07curious about this because as they’re
25:09starting to think about their own
25:11startup as their are doing to think
25:13about how they’re taking their own
25:14business to the next level it’s helpful
25:17for them to hear about the way in which
25:19your company itself is put together so
25:22let’s dive a little bit deeper tell tell
25:24people for example how many locations
25:27you’re in types of clients and the
25:29number of customers take us a little bit
25:31more in depth in terms of the actual
25:33company itself sure we have three
25:35locations about 160,000 square feet each
25:39one near Boston one near New Haven
25:42Connecticut and one in Cranberry New
25:44Jersey and from there and we have a
25:46cross dock in upstate New York
25:48so we service New England and the
25:51mid-atlantic are in use customers are we
25:54have a VP of healthcare where we service
25:57acute care and long-term care hospitals
25:59and nursing homes and then we have a
26:01redistribution business a VP of
26:03redistribution sales we serve as other
26:06distributors and then in each one of our
26:08locations are three locations we have a
26:11VP of Sales where we serve as customers
26:13that are institutions or
26:15fairly large food service establishments
26:18like caterers or processors or you know
26:21multi-unit foodservice this is a
26:24regional company this is a large company
26:26the audience some idea in terms of the
26:29numbers in terms of how many employees
26:31you actually have and generally speaking
26:34the the number of clients or the
26:36customers just to kind of give them you
26:38know an idea and I appreciate the fact
26:40that it’s a private company but you know
26:41whatever you’re comfortable and talking
26:43about just so that people can sort of
26:45wrap their minds around just how modest
26:47you’re being well we have 300 employees
26:49and you know we have around 3,000
26:52customers any one facility for example
26:54we ship about 25,000 cases on the night
26:58and hopefully receive 22,000 cases in
27:01the morning but doctor so you know we’re
27:04shipping thousands of cases out of eat
27:06for example out of Milford will ship
27:0814,000 15,000 cases a night so it
27:11complicated we embarked on a program one
27:14of our VPS
27:15our VP of Operations came from a very
27:19large food service company a while back
27:21and he brought to us the whole
27:23discipline of Six Sigma lean and we
27:26embarked on an initiative of a
27:28commitment to excellence in which we
27:30wanted to achieve the perfect order so
27:33we you know develop 10 parameters you
27:36know 100% fulfillment of clean cases
27:39on-time delivery etc etc and we came up
27:42with a world-class goal is 85% of your
27:45orders go out absolutely perfect based
27:47on the 10 parameters and we achieved
27:49that about four or five years ago we’re
27:51on it you know most nights 85 percent of
27:55our cases go out perfectly now that
27:57doesn’t mean you know our order fill is
27:58around ninety eight point eight percent
28:01today so it doesn’t mean that we have an
28:0385 percent order fill it means that we
28:05have all these parameters and that we
28:07send out these perfect orders we also
28:09have a process where every month we go
28:12over actually every error made in the
28:15company whether it be pricing whether it
28:17be picking you know we have about 40
28:21operational errors and we group them
28:24into departments under you know managers
28:27and we actually me
28:29top down and go over trending and we
28:31have gold Sigma’s goals where we you
28:34know if we’re below that certain signal
28:36gold and we dive a little deeper and
28:38look at you know is it an individual
28:40process and we you know we’ll reengineer
28:42a process in order to get to our goal
28:44though we’re constantly seeking
28:46operational excellence and this was
28:48brought to us by someone who you know
28:51one of our leaders who worked at a very
28:53large outside company that brought to us
28:55this sort of improvement that’s great in
28:57terms of Quality Assurance there’s a lot
28:59of people in various different
29:00industries out there listening who have
29:03different types of products and
29:04solutions who are also looking for
29:06different resources in terms of how to
29:09improve upon not only their customer
29:11service on the front end but on the back
29:12end in terms of the quality assurance so
29:14I think all those things are critical
29:16making sure that customers are serviced
29:19properly throughout the entire life
29:20cycle of the product or solution
29:22sometimes you have to really be creative
29:25to get resources to help you improve
29:28your company and when we embarked on the
29:31Six Sigma lean project it was really as
29:34we looked around the state there were
29:35very few resources for people to come
29:38and help train our people to be green
29:40belts black belts because was mostly
29:42available in manufacturing and really
29:46not in services so we went to Central
29:50Connecticut State College where they had
29:53kind of a state but an alliance with the
29:56state of Connecticut to help businesses
29:57improve and we actually asked them to
30:00innovate for services it was Central
30:03Connecticut State College you know
30:05associated with UConn and they had a
30:09sort of a an alliance with another group
30:12to bring Six Sigma lean quality to
30:15manufacturing and we asked this entity
30:18to innovate and to develop a program for
30:21services so I guess the point of it is
30:24if you want to do something you kind of
30:27have to dig some time to bring that to
30:31your industry or your niche and help you
30:34know other consultants or resources to
30:37be creative and bring that knowledge to
30:39your company and I just wanted to add
30:41that who are
30:41that’s terrific does the shownotes are
30:43actually going to be back at Mitchel
30:44chadroy calm slash shows euro for 6 so
30:48I’m actually going to have a link to
30:49everything that we’ve discussed today in
30:52the show as well as the college in terms
30:55of Six Sigma and so that people in the
30:58audience could actually look into that
31:00as well so I think that that really
31:01super hot distribution is a very low
31:04margin business not like manufacturers
31:06you know there’s not a lot of room for
31:08error
31:09you really have to eliminate error from
31:11your process otherwise you know whether
31:14it be repricing redelivery delivering a
31:17partial order it’s you’re a regional
31:20distributor and competing for national
31:22accounts or even very large regional
31:25account
31:25you really have to bite for every dollar
31:27and every penny where do you take the
31:29company from here in terms of next step
31:32next things that you’re looking to do
31:33and maybe some food for thought for
31:35others out in the audience in terms of
31:38how to maybe even take their startups
31:39that have been in existence for several
31:41years to the next level well I mean
31:43there’s a lot of consolidation happening
31:46in our industry and your we are looking
31:48at acquisitions but again we want to be
31:50very focused on growing according to our
31:53strategic plan about what kind of
31:55industry what kind of product lines
31:56where geographically we want to grow you
31:59know acquiring other distributors that
32:01are in line with our strategic plan is
32:03number one but also investing more in
32:07services and more in you know for
32:10example we sell floor machines and we
32:13sell preventative maintenance service
32:15and repair service so that’s just one
32:17service that we’re looking at there to
32:20is what other solutions or services are
32:22you looking to either a add or B grow
32:25percentage-wise in your overall mix of
32:27products and solutions sure we are well
32:29let me just go back to the machines
32:31we’re looking to look at different
32:33leasing capabilities on struck that it
32:35makes it easier for people to wire the
32:38machines or you know acquire the
32:40machines and other products in the same
32:42bundle so we’re looking at different
32:43safe financial constructs to help our
32:46customers we’re looking to expand our
32:48wear wash and laundry services which is
32:50chemical dispensing you know machines
32:52and chemicals in laundry and
32:55we’re washing laundry so you know
32:56anything that is where we’re adding
32:58value and we’re providing intimate
33:02service to our customers and helping
33:04them have a clean you know environment
33:07is one area that we’re looking at very
33:09very closely our Fast Pitch Mitchell
33:11Chad Road comm slash books for books
33:15audiobooks guests recommendations and
33:18the books that I read to start off each
33:21day sponsors are fast pitch my book club
33:24recommendations I get Mitchell Chad Road
33:27comm slash books to see more of my
33:30recommendations and recommendations of
33:32our guests just go to Mitchell Chad Road
33:34comm slash books it’s your number one
33:37resource for book reviews and
33:39recommendations can you tell us book
33:41whether it be in business or family or
33:43life that has really meant a lot to you
33:45that you can recommend to the audience
33:47yes Jim Collins book I think is good –
33:49great good – great is a great book
33:52connected is a wonderful book that I
33:54read tell you what I’m going to look it
33:55up afterwards I’ll definitely link to
33:57that as far as productivity goes whether
33:59it be a Productivity app or some type of
34:01a resource that you use in your own life
34:04to sort of help you can you can you
34:06recommend something to the audience as
34:08far as a mantra or a quote or something
34:11to sort of live by a say a little say
34:14can you tell us something focal vision
34:17was something that my father used to say
34:19that I live by there’s nothing better
34:21than a little saying from what your dad
34:24would say to you I mean my Nana used to
34:26have all kinds of little save and
34:28there’s not a day that doesn’t go by
34:29that I don’t think of a VP but I guess
34:32because I’m on a podcast I carry well
34:34you know it’s you know it’s that way
34:36with everything I mean you’re standing
34:38in front of a group of 500 people and
34:41you know you’re you’re quick on your
34:43feet I mean you remember those good old
34:44days being in the courtroom right you
34:46know where the judge asks is something
34:48and you know you’re like oh why didn’t I
34:50see that when I was in court right yes
34:53but we always remember we you always
34:55hear that voice of whether it be gerald
34:58saying that in the back of your mind or
35:00my nanny saying something to me in the
35:02back of my mind and so sometimes though
35:05I’ll pay this one poem that I that’s
35:07exchanged me and it sits on my desk is
35:09the poem if if you can keep your head
35:12when all about you are blaming our that
35:16by Rudyard Kipling because it really you
35:19know talks about being calm and knowing
35:24yourself and being confident and being
35:27able to you know speak to people at all
35:32levels on in an open-hearted way so I
35:35keep that poem on my desk no that’s
35:38great that’s terrific and that’s really
35:40what these questions are all about
35:42because people remember that when you’re
35:44looking for that extra boost sometimes
35:47people like to sort of go back to that
35:49our wrap-up round Mitchel Chad Rowe calm
35:52/ photos for all your graphic design
35:57needs in this wrap-up round we like to
36:00ask our guests remain takeaways that
36:03they’d like to leave the audience with
36:05so if you could do that I think that
36:07would be very helpful if I look back on
36:09my career that perseverance and courage
36:13are probably key to be an entrepreneur
36:17and how about three cuz you already gave
36:20us – I think empathy is the third ah ah
36:25very good I like it well no empathy in
36:30particular in these day and age because
36:32you know you can learn from everybody
36:36and you can understand from everybody
36:39and you really have to keep an open and
36:41learning mind to be successful in
36:43today’s world and you know how’s
36:45everybody going to stay in contact with
36:47you well they can email me or I’m on
36:50LinkedIn and my eater is M Reuben re u b
36:54en @ e BP supply.com and i want to have
36:59the ability to send you this book that
37:01I’m trying to remember by the way I read
37:03two or three books a week literally on
37:05the very big reader so I’m really mad
37:07well well you know we give you a mercy
37:10because all the all the books that our
37:12guests recommend and that I recommend
37:15and always be found back at Mitchell
37:17chadroy dot-com / books wonderful in
37:20window I just I can see it and I just
37:22can’t remember that’s why I was a little
37:24stumped I’m going to include well you
37:26know I’ll tell you what you’re going to
37:27send it to me afterwards and I was
37:29absolutely included in the in the note
37:31and certainly a link to it as well
37:32because that’s those are awesome
37:34resources as well if there’s there
37:37anything in closing that you forgot to
37:39mention you can mention it now well I
37:42guess I learned a lot by being on boards
37:46and by you know I think giving back into
37:51your community is a wonderful way for
37:53you to see how bigger companies operate
37:56how they think and that has been very
37:58instrumental you know in my development
38:01is being on various boards and learning
38:04from you know how do people think about
38:06problems and how do they solve problems
38:09and it’ll bring it brought a lot of good
38:12processes and and thinking into my
38:15company so I encourage everyone to give
38:18to their community as well well I’ll
38:20tell you what Meredith I am so thrilled
38:23that Nancy may suggested that I reach
38:26out to you to do the interview because I
38:30have thoroughly enjoyed it and I know
38:32that our audience is going to get a
38:33tremendous amount of wisdom out of it so
38:36I want to thank you very much for all of
38:39your leadership and everything that you
38:41do to inspire not only everyone and
38:44women in particular and want to thank
38:46you for that very much please keep in
38:48contact and let us know how your
38:50continue to grow and thrive and I’d be
38:53curious to find out how how your son is
38:55doing in the business as well and that
38:57fourth generation is very exciting
38:59hopefully we you’re from you real soon
39:02thank you so much you take care now
39:03bye-bye in closing let me have for my
39:07listeners help first please subscribe to
39:09my email list at Mitchell Chad Road comm
39:11slash sign up you will get all the full
39:14interview transcripts my ebook 30 tools
39:17to start up where I talk about these
39:18free resources in show 0:06 you’ll get
39:22the startup checklist education and
39:24training materials and other resources
39:26just by signing up at Mitch
39:28chadroy calm slash sign up
39:31[Music]
39:39[Music]
39:43bakit mitchell chadroy common slash
39:46signup help me boost the rankings of the
39:48listen up shell this startup
39:49entrepreneur podcast by providing a
39:52well-written review in itunes mitchell
39:55chadroy comm slash itunes it helps other
39:58people find the show if you actually
40:00need instructions on how to do this you
40:02can find that back at Mitchell chadroy
40:04calm slash sign up thank you so much for
40:07subscribing to my email list and
40:09providing a written review on iTunes
40:11until next time

The post Supply Solutions Distributor Leader Meredith Reuben Show 046 was republished on startupssmarter.com