Industry Rock Stars: ENX Magazine Introduces 2025 Difference Makers

In what has become an annual harbinger of spring, ENX Magazine is announcing its latest class of Difference Makers. Each year, we turn to our readers to furnish the shining examples of individuals who, as the name suggests, make a difference in the daily machinations of their
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The Transaction Machine: M&A Heavy Hitters Share 24-Month Plans

After a couple years of heavy merger and acquisition traffic coming out of the pandemic, the volume of deals curtailed slightly in 2023 and 2024, by our estimates. It’s easy to say that pent-up demand from the 2020 debacle opened the door to a spike in activity. Still, 20
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Hot Takes: Tariffs, Part Two of Short- and Long-Term Views

If the last few weeks—and indeed, since the beginning of President Trump’s second administration—has shown us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. When it comes to tariffs, the only certainty now is that those levied against Chinese imports remain in place. A 90-day pause is
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How About Them BTAs: Football Legend Emmitt Smith on Tap for National

With the Business Technology Association (BTA) streamlining its slate of member events down to two per year, Adam Gregory knew it was important for the 2025 National Conference—slated for June 17-19 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico—to offer a high-impact keynote speaker. Gregory,
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Contested Deals and M&A Considerations Beyond the Highest Offer

For the dealer executive looking to place his/her business baby with the right buyer, there are ample options to select from. There are the high-roller, PE-backed companies (DEX Imaging, Flex Technology Group, UBEO Business Services) seeking to annex $10 million to $20 million
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Hot Takes: With (Eventual) Arrival of Tariffs, How Will Industry Be Impacted?

As anticipated, President Trump’s tariffs have arrived (sort of), creating volatility on Wall Street and Main Street. Across the nation, 401Ks took a massive hit (160 million people are invested in the market, per Time) while the Trump Administration maintained that the tariff
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More Than a Gut Reaction: Experienced M&A Veterans Share Due Diligence Red Flags

In the world of psychology, there’s a phenomenon called “first-instinct fallacy” that maintains we tend to trust our initial gut reaction to something, even when we shouldn’t. So maybe while that impulse reaction to, say, an investment opportunity may be helpful in saving us from
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Modernized Konica Minolta Dealer Program Aimed at Net-New Growth

Sam Errigo has heard the criticism regarding the high cost involved in obtaining net-new business, but the president and CEO of Konica Minolta Business Solutions knows it’s the price to be paid for entering a competitive market to gain more market share. And meaningful
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Building Your Culture? Dealers Offer Sources that May Help

We’re sending our March State of the Industry report on corporate culture into overtime. Or April, whichever you prefer. This magazine was “raised” not to waste any information dealers may find valuable. This final look at corporate culture offers sources for developing and
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Distribution Management Founder Tom Fleming Passes; Remembered for Integrity and Compassion

Tom Fleming, a former typewriter salesman in St. Louis who went on to launch Distribution Management—an industry-leading national distribution and fulfillment organization with six locations—passed away March 29 at his home. The company founder and chairman, Mr. Fleming opened
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Three Trips in Seven Weeks: TSA and the Thrill of Drug-Sniffing Dogs

It’s been a whirlwind start to 2025, with a trio of events on my docket—Executive Connection Summit, Sharp Road Show and Xerox Global Partner Summit—spanning a seven-week period from late January to mid-March. We all have our share of airport horror stories, most of them centered
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Charting the Torpedoes that Sink M&A While Imagining the Perfect Deal

Few things in this industry stir the imagination as much as a major acquisition. Last December, we witnessed a pair of jaw-dropping deals on both the dealer and manufacturer fronts. Donnellon McCarthy Enterprises virtually doubled in size with its acquisition of Ohio Business
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Cost-Savings Only Scratches the Surface of Quick Quality Cabinets’ Value Proposition

Matias Aramburu is looking to save his dealer clients and their end-users a good deal of money by offering them copier and printer stands from Quick Quality Cabinets (QQC). But don’t get him wrong—the 30% savings when compared to OEM alternatives is a compelling reason to opt for
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The Power of AI Drives Success For Advanced Business Equipment

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay in the estimation of Kevin Jackson. And that’s just fine with the president and CEO of Advanced Business Equipment (ABE) of Asheville, North Carolina. In a year that proved to be the most taxing in the company’s 44-year history, AI
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Modern M&A: The Critical Variables Driving Today’s Acquisition Strategies

What’s the motivation to be an active player among dealers seeking to grow through mergers and acquisitions (M&A)? Let’s kick around some of the more obvious reasons: Is it the desire to scale to a certain revenue or profit level? Is it a quest to expand the geographic
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