Tune in to hear details on Ford Pro services, including a fleet management program, software tracking solutions, repair services, purchasing, and more.
Independent Thinking Podcast
252. How Sherwood’s Encore Effortless Mattress Delivers Exclusive Innovation and Fills a Key Product Gap
Jeff Rose, VP of Furniture, Bedding & Outdoor for Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) sits down with Tim Riezinger of Sherwood to share the backstory of Effortless and how this under $1,000 non-branded mattress was designed to be a champion for Members needing a product to fill that void.
251: How Podium and OneShop Are Transforming Retail: AI, Automation & Growth Tools for NMG Members
Sr. Marketing Manager for Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG), Lauren Hylarides, sat down with Melisa Monroe of Podium to talk about how Podium products solve retailers major pain points, including time, staffing, marketing, and lead generation.
250: King Koil’s Christina Espinoza with NMG’s Jeff Rose
NMG’s Jeff Rose sits down with Christina Espinoza to learn more about the King Koil’s latest products and innovations — including the Intimate Collection and much anticipated Smart Life program.
249: A Farewell from Longtime Podcast Host Rob Stott
Longtime host of the Independent Thinking Podcast, Rob Stott, shares a farewell message to listeners, with news about the future of the podcast.
248: Paying a Visit to DMI and Their Massive New Warehouse
DMI Appliance Group Executive Director & CEO Alan Joskowicz invited us into their Hamilton Township, New Jersey, headquarters and brand new 800,000-square-foot warehouse for a tour and chat about business. We look into the path that DMI has been on, what trends the organization is tracking, and how members of both NMG and DMI can benefit from the groups’ partnership.
247: Synchrony Sets the Stage for What Retailers Should Expect, and How to Succeed, in 2025
Before we get too deep into the calendar year, we wanted to take some time to sit down with Synchrony Financial to help set the stage for 2025. Dave Marsh, general manager for the brand, dives into some of the more important economic indicators as well as the programs and services retailers should tap into to be successful in the new year.
246: A Year-End Economic Recap, a Brief Look Ahead, and Deep Dive Into Waterfall Programs with Wells Fargo
With the end of the year fast approaching, we take a moment – with the help of Wells Fargo’s Steve Jermier – to look back at how the retail industry (and economy) ultimately performed in 2024, and look ahead to next year. Steve also gives an overview on the resources available to set retailers up for success in the new year, including waterfall programs.
245: Experience Running Retail and as a Vendor Partner Makes Adam Fain’s New Role at NMG the Perfect Fit
It can be difficult to truly understand what it means to run an independent retail business unless you’ve actually been in the trenches and done the dirty work. Same could be said about working on the manufacturing side of the business, if we’re being fair. Adam Fain, who recently joined the NMG field team, has experience on both sides of the business and brings that unique perspective to the group and our members.
244: EDSTV Opens Their Doors and Sheds Light on an Evolving Business
To remain in business for nearly 40 years in the electronics and custom integration space, a business needs – and its people – need to understand what it means to evolve and adapt. That’s exactly what Jim Fossile, owner of EDSTV in the suburbs of Philadelphia, has done in a variety of ways.
243: Julie Burns Gives a Luxury Appliance Update and Talks About Monogram’s Creative Partnerships
A lot has transpired since Julie Burns, Executive Director of Monogram, was last on the podcast over three years ago! We dive into the current (and future) state of the luxury appliance market and look at some of the truly creative and innovative partnerships Monogram has launched over the past year.
242: Bringing Cybersecurity Awareness Beyond a Single Month with NMG’s VP of Technology Bryan Aller
Cybersecurity is a topic that’s incredibly worthy of discussion no matter what month the calendar says it is, and that’s exactly why we sat down with NMG’s VP of IT & Technology Bryan Aller outside of October to talk about it.
241: NMG’s Frank Sandtner Shares the Latest Updates on ENERGY STAR and the Inflation Reduction Act
It was a busy third quarter for the Business & Financial Services team, especially around the ENERGY STAR initiative and keeping members up to date on the Inflation Reduction Act.
240: How Broil King Keeps the Outdoor Conversation Going Year-Round
From infusing their product with innovative technology to supplying retailers with an impactful story tell tell year round, Broil King is helping keep the conversation going around outdoor cooking and entertainment.
239: TCL Dives Into Impacts of AI and Screen Sizes on the TV Market
Bruce Walker, product evangelist at TCL, shares his perspective on the biggest trends and technologies impacting the TV market today.
238: How to Bring Health & Wellness Into Your Retail Mix with Therabody
A new vendor partner for Nationwide Marketing Group, Therabody made their PrimeTime debut at the August 2024 show in Las Vegas. While there, we sat down with Darryl Cole, SVP of North American Retail for the brand, to dive into how appliance, furniture, bedding and consumer electronics retailers can work Therabody’s health and wellness messaging into their strategy.
237: Launched Out of Necessity, DispatchTrack is Helping Dealers Navigate Last-Mile Challenges
What started as a group of retailers coming together to build a tool that could address some of their own delivery and installation challenges has grown into a major partner for the retail and service community in the form of DispatchTrack. We sat down with Co-founder Bob Bauer to talk about the growth of the service, how retailers can leverage their technology and more.
236: Reconnecting with No Child Hungry at PrimeTime
The team from No Child Hungry returned to the PrimeTime show floor in August. While there, we took the opportunity to sit down with Senior Vice President Mike Whitaker to get the latest on the meal packing initiative, other programs NCH has launched and the impact that giveback efforts can have on the businesses that participate.
235: Tereaux Elevates the Allure of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining
Though making their PrimeTime debut this past August, Tereaux presented itself as a veteran in the space with a luxurious lineup and plan to help dealers tackle the booming outdoor entertainment category.
234: Amid a Star-Studded PrimeTime, Legacy Classic | Modern Shares Several Updates
Tahira Dock Johnson, director of sales operations for Legacy Classic | Modern, joins us to talk about what’s new and exciting for their brand, how they’re helping drive traffic to independent dealers’ stores and more.