Brent Grover is an enthusiastic and fast-paced speaker with a light touch. As an experienced business school educator, he knows how to present complex ideas in a compelling way. Brent's speaking style is both straightforward and informal. He uses graphics to set the tone and to illustrate concepts.
Brent makes a powerful connection with executive-level audiences, as he owned and ran a high-profit large distribution business for over 20 years. Brent adds his background as a CPA and consultant at a national firm. Distribution executives know Brent through his two acclaimed recent NAW/DREF books and many magazine articles and speaking appearances.
Topics
The Sacred Cows of Distribution™
Audience: Distributor executives and mid-level management; Suppliers
Message: Ten 'sacred' beliefs held by many distributors must be confronted and overcome if the management expects the company to become a top-quartile performer. Examples of the sacred cows are: not having an outside board; failing to do proper strategic planning; overlooking small acquisitions as a way to jumpstart growth and not taking advantage of customer profitability analysis.
Deliverables: The audience follows a workbook (handout) and does simple exercises to demonstrate how the sacred cows affect their profits. The presentation is a call to action and it provides enough basics for to get started working "on" the business rather than "in" it.
Length: 90 to 120 minutes
'From Generation to Generation': Ownership Succession and Management Continuity for Family-Owned Distribution Business™
Audience: Owner-managers of distribution and supplier businesses.
Message: Owners-managers who expect their business to continue to prosper even after their own "business lifetime" need to become Level Five leaders. Their focus must be on their successor, and the succession of ownership and continuity of management.
Deliverables: The presentation is conducted in the manner of a 'board meeting' in which the owner-manager is held accountable for preparing for the very long-term future of the business. Topics include the creation of a "real" outside board; choosing a successor; retaining and compensating talented non-family executives; planning an exit strategy; what buyers look for when acquired a family-managed business and creating 'curb appeal'.
Length: 90 to 120 minutes
An audio sample of this presentation is available online.
The Acquisitive Distributor: Acquisitions as a Growth Strategy for Distributors
Audience: Distributor executives
Message: Acquisitions are a critical growth strategy for middle-market distributors.
Based on Brent's top-selling NAW/DREF book published in 2005.
Deliverables: The four-step distributor acquisition process explained in four
steps (strategy, negotiation, due diligence and integration). Case studies
of what works and what doesn't work. Data from NAW study of hundreds of companies.
Length: 60 to 120 minutes
An audio sample of this presentation is available online.
Improving profitability through a World Class Workforce
Audience: Senior Managers
Message: People are the most important asset for a distributor. The cost of turnover can be stifling. How do you attract and retain the best people?
Deliverables: This presentation focuses on best practices to attract and retain the best people in the market. We'll look at recruiting strategies, behavioral interviewing, on-boarding your new hires, and retention programs.
Length: 60 to 90 minutes
Harassment Training
Audience: Managers and Supervisors
Message: This presentation focuses on how to provide a harassment free work environment. This program provides a wealth of practical information for managers and supervisors to take back to their departments. It will raise awareness regarding harassment and explain the do's and don'ts of creating a respectful workplace for everyone.
Deliverables: This presentation will look at three common patterns of inappropriate behavior, how to handle a complaint, setting the right example, and the importance of zero tolerance.
Length: 90 minutes
Examples of Some Recent Presentations
The Sacred Cows of Distribution - Pacific-Western Distributors Association (annual convention)
The Acquisitive Distributor - Modern Distribution Management (phone conference)
From Generation to Generation - Modern Distribution Management (phone conference)
