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Independent Thinking Podcast

205: Powerhouse Alliance Talks Tech Trends and More

205: Powerhouse Alliance Talks Tech Trends and More

Powerhouse Alliance Executive Director Dennis Holzer dives into the world of distributor buying groups with us and talks about the trends in product and purchasing that they see on the distributor side of the business.

204: Rent One CEO Shares Success Story, Highlights Importance of People

204: Rent One CEO Shares Success Story, Highlights Importance of People

Larry Carrico was presented with a unique opportunity early in his career to take over a rent-to-own business deep in the south. From that one location, he’s been able to grow Rent One into a massively successful multi-state, 100-store operation.

203: On the Evolution of Legends Home and Launch of Good Vibes Sleep

203: On the Evolution of Legends Home and Launch of Good Vibes Sleep

Legends Home has been hard at work over the past few years evolving as a company, expanding into new categories and providing independent retailers new and streamlined ways of doing business.

202: JennAir Discusses SlimTech and the Impact It Could Have on Refrigeration

202: JennAir Discusses SlimTech and the Impact It Could Have on Refrigeration

Announced late last year, SlimTech looks to be one of the biggest innovations in the refrigeration category in nearly half a century. Why? And how? We sat down with Mario Gonzalez, senior manager of product marketing for the JennAir brand, to dive deep into the new technology and all the impacts it could have on this space.

201: ANDMORE CEO Talks Las Vegas Market, Furniture Trends and More

201: ANDMORE CEO Talks Las Vegas Market, Furniture Trends and More

Bob Maricich, Chairman and CEO of ANDMORE – the brand behind the Las Vegas, High Point and Atlanta furniture market events – graciously stopped by the Nationwide Marketing Group showroom during Las Vegas Furniture Market.

200: PayPal Brings Us Up to Speed on the New Ways to Purchase Product

200: PayPal Brings Us Up to Speed on the New Ways to Purchase Product

PayPal sheds some light on the many ways in which customers prefer to spend their money at retail – none of which involve cash or checks.

199: What’s Behind the Big Boom in Lighting?

199: What’s Behind the Big Boom in Lighting?

To get a grasp on why lighting has experienced such a surge in popularity in the custom integration industry, we chat with Jennifer Kirkpatrick, director of sales for American Lighting.

197: An Economic Update, and Tips to Leverage Business & Financial Services in Your Retail Operation

197: An Economic Update, and Tips to Leverage Business & Financial Services in Your Retail Operation

In the face of economic uncertainty (and the typical weight of an election year cycle), independent retailers have a number of different levers they can pull to not only protect their business, but ensure that they realize meaningful success this year.

196: Independent Retailers Remained Resilient in ’23, So What’s In Store for ’24?

196: Independent Retailers Remained Resilient in ’23, So What’s In Store for ’24?

To kick off a new year of the Independent Thinking Podcast, we check in with NMG’s EVP of Membership Patrick Maloney who has his finger on the pulse of this channel. After a brief recap of the roller coaster that was 2023, we look ahead to the areas of opportunity for independent retailers in 2024.

195: What Is a Strong Brand, and What Does It Take To Build One?

195: What Is a Strong Brand, and What Does It Take To Build One?

Your brand is everything. It’s what you stand for. It’s what your customers see when they engage with you. It’s the image that comes to mind when others think about you. But what does it take to build a brand – and a strong one at that? We sat down with Rob White, VP of Brand and Strategy for NMG, to dive into that and a whole lot more.

194: NMG and NASEO Work Together to Tackle the Inflation Reduction Act

194: NMG and NASEO Work Together to Tackle the Inflation Reduction Act

To learn more about how NMG is working with the National Association of State Energy Officials, we sat down with David Terry, President of NASEO. We get into the work the organization does on behalf of its members, how the Inflation Reduction Act has impacted their day to day, and more.

193: Spicher’s Shows Security Can Deliver as a Differentiator

193: Spicher’s Shows Security Can Deliver as a Differentiator

Around in the Hagerstown, Maryland area since the mid-1950s, Spicher’s Appliances took a unique step and expanded into the security category in 2010. Over the past decade plus, Spicher’s has seen that business flourish and prove to be a real differentiator in their market.

192: CEDIA Takes a Hands-On Approach to Training for Custom Integrators

192: CEDIA Takes a Hands-On Approach to Training for Custom Integrators

Jon Rehwaldt, Director of Curriculum for CEDIA, is only a few months into his new role at the custom integration trade association, but he’s already seeing the impact of their in-person hands-on training courses.

191: Latest Updates on the Rebate Program in the Inflation Reduction Act

191: Latest Updates on the Rebate Program in the Inflation Reduction Act

Work is still being done to prepare for the energy efficient appliance rebate program that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Frank Sandtner provides some updates and details what progress has been made to date.

190: DeWaard & Bode Continues Evolving to Best Serve Its Customers

190: DeWaard & Bode Continues Evolving to Best Serve Its Customers

From moving out of the tire business in its early years to finding ways to create deeper bonds within its local community today, DeWaard & Bode has always placed an emphasis on evolving as a business in order to properly serve its customers needs.

189: Mattress Land Leans on AI to Innovate the Bed Buying Experience

189: Mattress Land Leans on AI to Innovate the Bed Buying Experience

Ryan Spradling, president, and John Scott, VP of Sales, for Mattress Land dive into the ways they are working to elevate the bed buying experience at their stores. At the center of it all is a unique, proprietary AI-powered tech they use called Bed Fit.

188: So, What Do Rep Firms Actually Do?

188: So, What Do Rep Firms Actually Do?

To dive into the world of rep firms (and to clear up many of the misconceptions that exist) we turned to Joaquin Rivera, a custom integration industry veteran and co-founder of By Design Vision & Sound Marketing.

187: Hamai Appliance Shows Unwavering Commitment to Their Community in the Aftermath of Maui Wildfires

187: Hamai Appliance Shows Unwavering Commitment to Their Community in the Aftermath of Maui Wildfires

Hamai Appliance has been a staple in Kahului, Hawaii on the island of Maui for over 50 years. Needless to say, they’ve built a reputation as a community-first kind of business. And, as Bryant Hamai, president of Hamai Appliance, shares, never has that commitment to their community been more apparent than during the recent wildfires that left many of their friends and family displaced and facing unprecedented times. Hamai shares an awe-inspiring story of how a locally-owned business with such strong ties to the community can make a major difference in the lives of those they’ve promised to serve.

186: The Growing Revenue Opportunity in Connected Services for Independent Retailers

186: The Growing Revenue Opportunity in Connected Services for Independent Retailers

Nationwide Marketing Group’ connected services programs include revenue generators and major money savors for both retailers and their customers – from internet and wireless service to cybersecurity training and more. We sat down with Eric Sindelar, director of connected services, to learn more about how he’s working with retailers to help them make (and save) more money.