Confronting Fear and Danger, Sharp Difference Maker Chris Johnson Scales Journey to Better Self

Whenever Chris Johnson came to a fork in the road during his life, he tended to take the path littered with land mines—and it’s more literal than one might think. It’s as if confronting his greatest fears and weaknesses was a welcome challenge to be eagerly anticipated rather
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Growth-Minded GoodSuite Acquires Strata IT as it Continues Down Expansion Path

Dan Strull has growth on his mind, and the CEO of GoodSuite sees managed IT as a prime gateway. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Southern California dealer’s latest acquisition will help facilitate that plan. Woodland Hills-based GoodSuite, a premier provider of
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DEADLINE DAY: Still Time to Enter 2022 Elite Dealers Submission Form

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days left to submit your application to be considered a 2022 Elite Dealer. Sorry, running out of analogies here, and the reference is a little obscure for those of us too young to remember soap operas. But you get the idea. Yes, Sept.
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Industry Mourns the Passing of U.S. Business Systems Top Executive Michael Kidd

Michael D. Kidd, 63, the president and CEO of U.S. Business Systems in Elkhart, Indiana, passed away July 5 due to complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, according to longtime friend and fellow company executive Ron Hulet
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Project Coordination, Scope of Work are Vital Contract Considerations

It took two months, but your rep was able to hammer out a three-year deal with a much sought-after local school district. It’s late June, and this pact really punctuates what you feel will be a successful summer heading into the final quarter of the calendar year. Now’s not the
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Winning the Day and the Contract: How Dealers Gain an Edge

In any scenario where a prospect is seeking a package solution for its needs, the ability to prevail over would-be suitors is somewhat contingent upon the prospect’s business motives. More specifically, is this client seeking the lowest-cost provider, or does it value a
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Technology, Product Management Resonate with Epson Difference Maker Carrie Fox

Regardless of what you may have learned in elementary school, the shortest distance between two points is rarely a straight line, especially when point A is a college student and point B is a rewarding career. Case in point is Carrie Fox, the director for scanners, consumables
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M&A Roundup: DEX Imaging Makes Noise with Meritech Deal; Fisher’s and ConnectWise Acquire

The summer of 2022 may be on its last leg, but the merger and acquisition landscape continues to sizzle with a trio of announcements to greet September. On the dealer side, DEX Imaging was at it again, reeling in Cleveland-based Meritech, a $32 million performer. Fisher’s
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WestFax Announces Landmark Integration with PaperCut

Software integrations can often be game-changers when forging a partnership with a well-known and ubiquitous player. In the case of WestFax and its secure cloud fax solution, the ability to integrate with PaperCut MF—one of the leading print management platforms on t
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Applied Innovation Difference Maker Casey Lowery Carries the Chemistry Torch

To know Applied Innovation (née Applied Imaging) is to understand the impact that Applied Chemistry has on every aspect of the company’s operation, both internally and customer- or partner-facing. The core values of the company illustrate and differentiate the dealer’s value
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Industry Sales Guru Art Post Adds Insights to the Craft of Deal Building

This is an introduction for a man who doesn’t need one, but it’s certainly merited. Arthur (Art) Post has been in the office technology industry seemingly as long as the space has existed. Road warriors who frequent trade shows as well as manufacturer and association events are
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Hot in Atlanta: Ownership Quartet Positions EDGE Business Systems for Greatness

EDGE Business Systems was seemingly doomed from the beginning. After all, the metro Atlanta dealership is orchestrated by four type-A salespeople—Josh Salkin, Rick Duerr, Cha Holmes and Rich Simons—with no entrepreneurial leanings or previous experience in running a business.
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New Faces, Changing Places: Maintaining Relationships Vital to Scoring Large Contracts

With an event as significant as the pandemic, which brought fundamental changes to the way business is conducted, comes a set of challenges—some readily apparent, others taking form and identity with the passage of time. The latter count is as frustrating as it is interesting:
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Contractual Success: Dealers Map Out Path to Securing Major Accounts

Takedowns. Wins. Slaying the dragon. Nothing is quite so pleasing as capturing the business of a major client, with bonus points for wresting the account from a formidable competitor. In fact, the sales rep may add a little gusto to the bell ringing if the incumbent vendor was a
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Adjusting on the Fly: Dealers Share How They’ve Adapted to Current Hiring Climate

When the conversation turns to employment, the bottom line remains as frustratingly consistent as the supply chain situation…which is to say, the news remains the same. But given the shifting tides of the economy and rising inflation, it will be interesting to see the impact on
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