WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:01.740 --> 00:00:04.540 A key component of the modern world economy, the chemical 00:00:04.540 --> 00:00:07.990 industry delivers products and innovations to enhance everyday life. 00:00:08.605 --> 00:00:12.594 It is also an industry in transformation where chemical executives and 00:00:12.594 --> 00:00:16.215 workers are delivering growth and industry changing advancements while 00:00:16.215 --> 00:00:19.974 responding to pressures from investors, regulators, and public opinion. 00:00:20.515 --> 00:00:23.445 Discover how leading companies are approaching these challenges 00:00:23.455 --> 00:00:25.064 here on the chemical show. 00:00:25.524 --> 00:00:28.875 Join Victoria Meyer, president of Progressio Global and 00:00:28.885 --> 00:00:30.305 host of the chemical show. 00:00:30.575 --> 00:00:34.775 As she speaks with executives across the industry and learns how they are leading 00:00:34.775 --> 00:00:40.374 their companies to grow, transform, and push industry boundaries on all frontiers. 00:00:40.695 --> 00:00:42.944 Here's your host, Victoria Meyer. 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:47.000 Victoria: Hi, this is Victoria Meyer. 00:00:47.100 --> 00:00:51.040 Welcome back to The Chemical Show where chemicals means business. 00:00:51.470 --> 00:00:58.399 Today, I am speaking with Austin Nichols, who is the CEO of ChemPoint, a chemical 00:00:58.400 --> 00:01:02.950 distribution company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Univar Solutions. 00:01:03.895 --> 00:01:07.205 Austin has a wide variety of leadership experience, both in 00:01:07.405 --> 00:01:09.205 and out of the chemical industry. 00:01:09.535 --> 00:01:14.195 And we're going to be talking about that digitization distribution and more. 00:01:14.895 --> 00:01:16.585 Austin, welcome to The Chemical Show. 00:01:17.740 --> 00:01:19.050 Austin: Thank you so much for having me, Victoria. 00:01:19.554 --> 00:01:20.764 Victoria: I'm really glad to have you here. 00:01:21.054 --> 00:01:22.974 So let's start with your origin story. 00:01:23.514 --> 00:01:26.935 How did you get interested in chemicals and distribution? 00:01:28.240 --> 00:01:33.150 Austin: So when I graduated from college, I'm an engineer and I, Was pursuing 00:01:33.150 --> 00:01:34.510 this dream of trying to make the U. 00:01:34.510 --> 00:01:34.690 S. 00:01:34.720 --> 00:01:37.220 Olympic team for rowing, not a glamorous sport. 00:01:37.509 --> 00:01:38.490 And I never made it. 00:01:38.490 --> 00:01:40.060 So we'll just, we can cap that right there. 00:01:40.070 --> 00:01:41.920 It's like, you know, the dream was there. 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:42.780 It didn't happen. 00:01:42.960 --> 00:01:46.459 But while I was on that journey, I moved to Seattle. 00:01:46.919 --> 00:01:50.149 I ran out of money and recruiter contacted me and said, you're 00:01:50.149 --> 00:01:51.310 an engineer who can talk. 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:53.389 Have you ever thought about chemical sales? 00:01:54.179 --> 00:01:56.720 And my immediate reaction was no. 00:01:57.550 --> 00:02:02.399 I have not thought about chemical sales, uh, but tell me more. 00:02:02.670 --> 00:02:07.070 And so we had a conversation and it seemed to check a lot of boxes for where 00:02:07.070 --> 00:02:10.839 I was in my life and the experience that I had with organic chemistry, my 00:02:10.839 --> 00:02:15.709 backgrounds, biomedical engineering, one thing led to another, and I am an 00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:17.579 entry level sales rep at ChemPoint. 00:02:18.495 --> 00:02:18.964 Victoria: Wow. 00:02:19.015 --> 00:02:20.974 And you've stuck with it since then. 00:02:22.079 --> 00:02:22.450 Austin: Yeah. 00:02:22.450 --> 00:02:26.130 It was one of those things where I, I got into the industry. 00:02:26.190 --> 00:02:28.119 I saw the value of. 00:02:28.364 --> 00:02:31.604 What I brought to the table from an engineering perspective, and it gave 00:02:31.604 --> 00:02:36.084 me great flexibility early on as a fast paced, dynamic, young company, 00:02:36.474 --> 00:02:40.434 our average age at that time for employees was 26 years old, and I 00:02:40.434 --> 00:02:42.574 fit right in that that demographic. 00:02:43.214 --> 00:02:43.774 And. 00:02:44.100 --> 00:02:49.819 I was going to camps and working remotely at times, able to perform and succeed. 00:02:49.859 --> 00:02:55.459 And I, I really started to build a, a real love for the chemicals 00:02:55.469 --> 00:02:58.649 distribution world, which I don't know if anybody says until they're in it. 00:02:59.174 --> 00:02:59.454 Victoria: Right. 00:02:59.475 --> 00:02:59.504 Okay. 00:03:00.230 --> 00:03:03.729 Austin: and then opportunities just started to open for me from there. 00:03:03.729 --> 00:03:06.120 As I continued to grow within ChemPoint, 00:03:06.655 --> 00:03:07.305 Victoria: Very cool. 00:03:07.415 --> 00:03:11.435 So, so tell us a little bit about ChemPoint, um, just 00:03:11.755 --> 00:03:13.875 who and what the company is. 00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:17.794 Austin: I like to tell people that ChemPoint is one of the best. 00:03:18.305 --> 00:03:21.335 Biggest open secrets within Univar. 00:03:21.755 --> 00:03:23.445 , so we're a wholly owned subsidiary. 00:03:23.495 --> 00:03:24.905 We are 25 years old. 00:03:24.995 --> 00:03:27.585 A lot of people don't realize that we're a 25 year old company. 00:03:28.025 --> 00:03:30.035 Um, we, as. 00:03:30.565 --> 00:03:34.335 As a standalone chemical distributor within the North American distribution 00:03:34.335 --> 00:03:38.105 space, we're in the top 10 by sales for specialty distribution. 00:03:38.155 --> 00:03:40.755 So we're actually fairly significant. 00:03:41.645 --> 00:03:46.215 We have this reputation of being a univar solutions, digital business. 00:03:47.530 --> 00:03:52.140 But interestingly enough, we have our own supply chain, our own warehouse network. 00:03:52.170 --> 00:03:53.980 We have our own Salesforce. 00:03:54.310 --> 00:03:58.190 We have our own, uh, Hunter kind of technical sellers that are out 00:03:58.190 --> 00:04:00.130 there working with, with customers. 00:04:00.540 --> 00:04:03.550 So we really are a, a fully functional. 00:04:03.935 --> 00:04:09.095 Standalone distribution company within the broader Univar organization. 00:04:09.105 --> 00:04:10.305 It's actually quite fascinating. 00:04:10.305 --> 00:04:10.655 If you think 00:04:10.795 --> 00:04:11.835 Victoria: That is interesting. 00:04:12.155 --> 00:04:14.465 So that gives me several questions to talk about with you. 00:04:14.495 --> 00:04:19.965 So, 1st of all, you reference digital and that's where ChemPoint started, right? 00:04:19.974 --> 00:04:25.325 Didn't it start as a digital platform, um, for Univar? 00:04:26.005 --> 00:04:26.405 Austin: Yeah. 00:04:26.405 --> 00:04:32.324 So the original hypothesis was in 99 when we started was Amazon is taking off. 00:04:33.474 --> 00:04:34.675 These guys are hitting it. 00:04:34.684 --> 00:04:36.425 There has to be a play for chemicals here. 00:04:36.425 --> 00:04:40.245 So the hypothesis was, let's go let a couple of guys start this up as a startup. 00:04:40.395 --> 00:04:41.245 We'll incubate it. 00:04:41.345 --> 00:04:42.315 We'll go hands off. 00:04:42.895 --> 00:04:44.995 Univar went hands off for about 10 years. 00:04:45.395 --> 00:04:50.365 And we built a, yeah, and we built a pretty strong business that we thought 00:04:50.365 --> 00:04:52.155 would be e commerce in those days. 00:04:52.615 --> 00:04:56.415 And as everybody in the chemicals industry can relate, we're still not there. 00:04:56.965 --> 00:04:57.305 Right. 00:04:57.405 --> 00:05:03.265 And we, we made that bet 25 years ago and quickly pivoted into more 00:05:03.265 --> 00:05:08.205 of a digital marketing inside selling organization where we 00:05:08.205 --> 00:05:10.525 used the digitization of processes. 00:05:11.180 --> 00:05:16.370 To create a very efficient business and we hook ourselves to suppliers 00:05:16.370 --> 00:05:20.700 in the sense that we are suppliers entryway into a market very efficiently. 00:05:21.960 --> 00:05:22.450 Victoria: Yeah. 00:05:22.690 --> 00:05:23.650 That's really interesting. 00:05:23.660 --> 00:05:27.350 And I think your point about, you know, assuming that because digital 00:05:27.350 --> 00:05:32.190 was taking over the consumer world, there was a hypothesis that many 00:05:32.190 --> 00:05:34.880 companies had that digital made sense. 00:05:34.880 --> 00:05:39.050 And in chemicals, when I worked for Shell around the same time, I helped 00:05:39.050 --> 00:05:43.960 start up a couple of different e business platforms, uh, including the customer 00:05:43.960 --> 00:05:48.920 lounge, which still exists, Alamica, and, um, kind of the same hypothesis. 00:05:49.060 --> 00:05:53.440 And what was really interesting is what we found is that individuals that 00:05:53.440 --> 00:05:58.260 companies really did enjoy the digital aspect of it, the transparency, placing 00:05:58.260 --> 00:06:02.930 orders, seeing where their invoices are, et cetera, but still within the 00:06:02.930 --> 00:06:05.230 context of the broader relationship. 00:06:05.855 --> 00:06:12.865 Very few digital only customers, a lot of digital business with existing customers. 00:06:14.165 --> 00:06:15.585 Austin: Yeah, it's fascinating. 00:06:15.585 --> 00:06:19.605 You know, the thing that we saw in those early days that and we still 00:06:19.605 --> 00:06:23.695 see an element of it today is the value proposition around digital is 00:06:23.805 --> 00:06:25.945 how do you make a buyer or a research? 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:30.880 You know, an R and D chemist lives easier in their day to day action. 00:06:30.890 --> 00:06:35.920 Like we're, it's hard to say that buying online is going to replace an SAP, a 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:39.930 direct connection and SAP for procurement to a major multinational corporation. 00:06:39.970 --> 00:06:42.100 That's the longterm view. 00:06:43.285 --> 00:06:48.805 But if you have a customer who's buying 10 products and they need 10 conflict mineral 00:06:48.805 --> 00:06:52.245 statements and they can go to your website or a portal that you set up for them 00:06:52.525 --> 00:06:57.735 and get those in a way that it's easy, seamless, and takes burden off of them in 00:06:57.735 --> 00:07:02.005 their day to day, that's a real distinct value proposition for a distributor. 00:07:03.235 --> 00:07:03.715 Victoria: Makes sense. 00:07:03.975 --> 00:07:07.475 So how do you really fit within the broader Univar, right? 00:07:07.475 --> 00:07:11.565 You mentioned that, ChemPoint is 25 years in business as a wholly owned 00:07:11.565 --> 00:07:16.465 subsidiary of, I guess, Univar or a predecessor, was it Univar at its origin? 00:07:17.305 --> 00:07:17.775 Austin: Yes, 00:07:18.025 --> 00:07:18.215 Victoria: Yeah. 00:07:18.215 --> 00:07:18.925 It was still origin. 00:07:19.045 --> 00:07:19.505 Austin: been a part. 00:07:19.695 --> 00:07:20.075 Victoria: Got it. 00:07:20.495 --> 00:07:26.325 Um, so 25 years of the wholly owned subsidiary and yet also would be 00:07:26.325 --> 00:07:32.975 considered a top 10 distributor on a standalone basis, that kind 00:07:32.975 --> 00:07:36.965 of stuff doesn't normally work very well for most companies. 00:07:37.820 --> 00:07:38.060 Right. 00:07:38.080 --> 00:07:38.770 Let's be honest. 00:07:39.160 --> 00:07:41.160 So how, how does this work for you guys? 00:07:41.460 --> 00:07:42.610 What makes it work? 00:07:43.045 --> 00:07:44.355 Austin: No, that's a really great question. 00:07:44.765 --> 00:07:48.735 So I think one of the things that ends up happening is our customers 00:07:48.755 --> 00:07:50.105 in some cases end up different. 00:07:50.785 --> 00:07:53.325 Our value proposition to suppliers is different. 00:07:53.705 --> 00:07:55.045 So I'll give you a great example. 00:07:55.135 --> 00:07:59.835 Um, the Univar team, has exclusive relationships in a specialties business, 00:08:00.065 --> 00:08:03.125 where they'll partner with a supplier or they'll have suppliers where they 00:08:03.125 --> 00:08:06.555 have categories like, citric acid and solvents and all these other things. 00:08:07.635 --> 00:08:10.255 Our general philosophy is we're not a business that 00:08:10.265 --> 00:08:12.135 distributes on a category basis. 00:08:12.315 --> 00:08:14.915 We Only partner with suppliers. 00:08:15.405 --> 00:08:19.815 So if you look at our portfolio, sometimes in a market, it might look incomplete 00:08:20.295 --> 00:08:25.955 because our distribution products are only places where we have a strategic 00:08:25.955 --> 00:08:29.615 relationship where Univar your own. 00:08:29.635 --> 00:08:33.605 You want to own a customer and you want to echo a supplier sentiment for us. 00:08:33.685 --> 00:08:37.545 We want to supply a customer, but really echoing that supplier sentiment 00:08:37.565 --> 00:08:41.675 in a lot of ways, efficiently and more hard to reach places. 00:08:42.215 --> 00:08:45.565 , a great example is we generally don't do the bulk. 00:08:46.185 --> 00:08:48.275 Univar is great at bulk. 00:08:49.185 --> 00:08:52.645 Univar makes money on products that they buy well. 00:08:53.845 --> 00:08:57.595 Our products are typically ones where I don't have to go pit a supplier 00:08:57.605 --> 00:08:59.265 in a category against one another. 00:08:59.685 --> 00:09:03.625 Um, there's different ways to skin the cat in distribution, but our focus has 00:09:03.625 --> 00:09:07.805 always been, let's pick up a supplier product combination and go to market. 00:09:08.465 --> 00:09:12.565 And that allows us to concentrate on it to give that supplier data, rich 00:09:12.575 --> 00:09:18.135 feedback, and it allows us to really seamlessly market on their behalf. 00:09:18.515 --> 00:09:21.785 So if you go through our product listing, if you're Googling a 00:09:21.785 --> 00:09:24.994 product from one of our suppliers, we'll choose like a Dow Methasell. 00:09:25.575 --> 00:09:28.875 We are routinely in the one, two or three position in SEO. 00:09:29.175 --> 00:09:33.515 We optimize our business digitally so that we come up first in search or second 00:09:33.515 --> 00:09:35.385 in search right there with the supplier. 00:09:35.685 --> 00:09:38.895 We're the first in line for that contact from the chemist that 00:09:38.895 --> 00:09:40.505 purchaser is looking for the product. 00:09:41.235 --> 00:09:44.315 And then we have a two hour maximum follow up time when 00:09:44.315 --> 00:09:45.125 someone makes an inquiry. 00:09:45.830 --> 00:09:46.280 Victoria: Wow. 00:09:46.755 --> 00:09:49.055 Austin: So our parent company. 00:09:49.415 --> 00:09:51.935 Sister company, however you want to view it, that's just not their 00:09:51.935 --> 00:09:53.725 model and their model is great. 00:09:53.765 --> 00:09:54.355 I've been in it. 00:09:54.385 --> 00:09:55.575 It's fantastic. 00:09:55.575 --> 00:09:58.355 I loved working the Univar side of the house, but that's a 00:09:58.355 --> 00:10:00.015 different model than what we do. 00:10:01.830 --> 00:10:01.990 Victoria: Yeah. 00:10:01.990 --> 00:10:02.990 That's really interesting. 00:10:02.990 --> 00:10:04.540 I'm thinking about that aspect. 00:10:04.540 --> 00:10:07.460 And so in some ways I'd say it's, it sounds like you're a bit more 00:10:07.930 --> 00:10:13.280 supplier centric perhaps than a typical distribution being, or certainly 00:10:13.290 --> 00:10:18.590 Univar being, but also figuring out how to still harness that digital edge. 00:10:18.850 --> 00:10:21.870 Aspect to be customer responsive. 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:23.560 Yeah. 00:10:23.890 --> 00:10:24.290 Okay. 00:10:24.300 --> 00:10:24.970 So sidebar. 00:10:24.990 --> 00:10:28.140 Off the wall question, not on our, um, what I would typically ask. 00:10:28.150 --> 00:10:31.840 So when I think about this, 1 of the challenges that a lot 00:10:31.890 --> 00:10:34.990 of chemical companies have is. 00:10:35.985 --> 00:10:41.545 The commitment of resources to build an effective digital 00:10:41.545 --> 00:10:47.205 platform that allows customers to find them, find their products. 00:10:47.575 --> 00:10:51.015 You talk about being a SEO search engine optimized and stuff. 00:10:51.015 --> 00:10:52.335 That's, that's not. 00:10:52.655 --> 00:10:53.605 Easy to do. 00:10:53.925 --> 00:10:58.525 And so a lot of companies struggle with this idea of how much resource 00:10:58.565 --> 00:11:05.785 and effort do you give into digital when it's not necessarily, fully 00:11:05.845 --> 00:11:07.375 additive to the business, right? 00:11:07.375 --> 00:11:10.015 Cause you've already referenced that a big part of your business 00:11:10.015 --> 00:11:11.445 is just core distributions. 00:11:11.485 --> 00:11:13.995 You're not making money because you're a digital company. 00:11:14.285 --> 00:11:17.775 You're making money because you're a distributor and people would argue, 00:11:17.775 --> 00:11:19.935 well, why spend the money on that when. 00:11:20.325 --> 00:11:22.995 Customers are going to find us anyway, and it's all in the relationship. 00:11:23.625 --> 00:11:24.905 How do you guys think about that? 00:11:24.915 --> 00:11:29.135 How do you think about just managing the amount of resources you apply to 00:11:29.135 --> 00:11:31.255 your digital platform versus elsewhere? 00:11:31.965 --> 00:11:33.555 Austin: No, that is a great question. 00:11:33.565 --> 00:11:36.665 And it's one we get from suppliers whenever we talk about the strategy. 00:11:37.125 --> 00:11:41.460 So the way that we've And I can, I could tell you the exact number of 00:11:41.460 --> 00:11:47.710 sales dollars and customers that came in 2023 and this year, 2024 from 00:11:47.710 --> 00:11:51.230 our digital work, it's roughly four to 5 percent of our enterprise and 00:11:51.230 --> 00:11:53.950 new sales come from our digital work. 00:11:53.950 --> 00:11:57.450 And the way that we manage that and understand that's where those come 00:11:57.460 --> 00:12:03.410 from is we actually split our sales force into, for lack of a better, the 00:12:03.410 --> 00:12:04.910 simplest way is hunters and farmers. 00:12:04.920 --> 00:12:05.390 So we have. 00:12:05.895 --> 00:12:08.925 Sales reps and we have market developers and our market developers 00:12:09.175 --> 00:12:10.775 actually sit with our digital group. 00:12:11.615 --> 00:12:18.355 They own no accounts and all they do is campaign work around our SEO SCM and 00:12:18.355 --> 00:12:22.845 anytimes the product managers in our product group want to launch a campaign. 00:12:22.845 --> 00:12:25.925 Let's say we're doing sick nurse for Dow into personal care. 00:12:26.705 --> 00:12:29.095 So we've got a personal care market developers. 00:12:29.125 --> 00:12:32.035 Well, they can spin up opportunities and flip them over to them. 00:12:32.285 --> 00:12:33.285 They'll run those down. 00:12:33.575 --> 00:12:34.765 And see what makes sense. 00:12:35.125 --> 00:12:39.765 But while that's going on, our digital marketing manager is spinning up an 00:12:39.775 --> 00:12:48.025 SEO, optimized microsites or web pages for products were paying for SCM and 00:12:48.025 --> 00:12:51.145 when those people click on our website or click the links, you know, they get 00:12:51.145 --> 00:12:53.615 a cookie and all the digital stuff that happens in the background where we can 00:12:53.615 --> 00:12:59.635 track them automatically feeds into our CRM and that market developer gets a 00:12:59.645 --> 00:13:02.825 pop up that says, Hey, we had someone you got essentially they get put on a 00:13:02.825 --> 00:13:05.485 two hour timer to follow up with that, 00:13:05.980 --> 00:13:07.210 That lead gets spun up. 00:13:07.530 --> 00:13:08.890 They call them email them. 00:13:09.630 --> 00:13:10.960 And then we follow that through. 00:13:11.090 --> 00:13:13.490 So that thing where people talk about it, it's really hard to quantify. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:18.560 It is if you don't put in the effort and we're really strong 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:20.860 following it from being to come. 00:13:22.155 --> 00:13:24.635 Victoria: Which also tells me that your hiring profile is 00:13:24.645 --> 00:13:29.375 probably different than the typical chemical company and distributor. 00:13:29.385 --> 00:13:31.905 You referenced the fact that you got hired because you're 00:13:31.905 --> 00:13:33.295 an engineer who could speak. 00:13:34.935 --> 00:13:38.645 How does that play out when you think about who ChemPoint is hiring 00:13:38.645 --> 00:13:40.055 and bringing into the organization? 00:13:40.055 --> 00:13:43.535 Austin: So I think over time, what we have learned is that there's a lot 00:13:43.565 --> 00:13:46.709 of talent across the U S that, that. 00:13:47.030 --> 00:13:50.990 Is wanting to upgrade their skill set on the digital side. 00:13:50.990 --> 00:13:54.440 So if you look at our market developer workforce, they're scattered 00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:57.870 through the pretty much the regions of major chemical manufacturers. 00:13:58.160 --> 00:14:00.900 A lot of them are, you know, ex, Dow, ex, BSF. 00:14:00.920 --> 00:14:03.910 So we've got those types of people on our staff and we can 00:14:03.910 --> 00:14:05.260 train them up in this process. 00:14:05.830 --> 00:14:10.890 I won't say that we gamify the process of lead qualification through. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:14.800 We have very clear metrics and deliverables. 00:14:15.180 --> 00:14:17.190 We don't do commission with these guys, right? 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.320 It's it's, Hey, we've got these inquiries. 00:14:19.380 --> 00:14:21.930 We're trying to beat an effort energy target. 00:14:23.130 --> 00:14:24.450 Let's follow it through. 00:14:24.550 --> 00:14:29.650 And we manage these people, even if they're not, I like to say, if we hire 00:14:29.650 --> 00:14:32.800 someone who's a two finger typer, you know, there's a lot, there's a lot of 00:14:32.800 --> 00:14:33.950 us in the industry who are like that. 00:14:35.185 --> 00:14:37.545 Our system even works for those types of folks coming in. 00:14:38.505 --> 00:14:42.825 Our farmers, our farmer staff, they're mainly located in Bellevue, Washington, 00:14:42.825 --> 00:14:44.425 which is where our home base is. 00:14:44.845 --> 00:14:48.095 Typically a slightly younger demographic, more entry level sales force. 00:14:48.115 --> 00:14:52.415 And then we, they can graduate up into those roles with a lot of training, a lot 00:14:52.415 --> 00:14:56.495 of technical training with our suppliers and our internal engineering resources. 00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:58.210 Victoria: All right. 00:14:58.230 --> 00:14:58.740 That's cool. 00:14:58.920 --> 00:15:00.870 Cause yeah, I think the, um, often. 00:15:02.280 --> 00:15:07.450 As you say, the intersection of the 2, chemically, um, proficient 00:15:08.420 --> 00:15:13.260 and technically CRM and digitally proficient aren't necessarily the same. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.570 Although maybe as the demographic gets younger, it is, I know we, we talked 00:15:16.570 --> 00:15:20.710 early on about the, the podcast, but before we started recording, I'm often 00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:25.300 getting from the folks that are helping to publish the podcast and stuff. 00:15:25.310 --> 00:15:27.290 Like, I don't understand. 00:15:27.590 --> 00:15:29.140 Half of what you guys were talking about. 00:15:30.020 --> 00:15:31.470 Oh, okay. 00:15:31.490 --> 00:15:35.900 So, so work on the things that you can work on, which is the, sound quality 00:15:35.900 --> 00:15:37.350 and getting rid of the stupid stuff. 00:15:37.350 --> 00:15:39.560 And we'll, yeah, we'll figure out the rest of it. 00:15:39.570 --> 00:15:41.300 So anyway, interesting. 00:15:41.590 --> 00:15:46.730 So we, started talking a little bit about how you guys are using digitization. 00:15:46.750 --> 00:15:52.270 But, you know, when we think about distribution and digitization, where 00:15:52.270 --> 00:15:56.335 are You know, where are we currently and where do you see us going or 00:15:56.405 --> 00:15:58.265 either ChemPoint or the industry? 00:15:59.525 --> 00:16:00.925 Austin: It is a great question. 00:16:00.925 --> 00:16:03.775 I was just at the ACC and there are. 00:16:04.635 --> 00:16:07.014 You're established chemical distributors, you know, Brantag, 00:16:07.015 --> 00:16:11.055 Univars, LSINCD, I'm there for ChemPoint. 00:16:11.325 --> 00:16:13.515 You've got, um, AgilisNode. 00:16:13.635 --> 00:16:20.245 So you've got this broad spectrum of participants in the space who bring 00:16:20.275 --> 00:16:22.735 a disparate value proposition, right? 00:16:23.345 --> 00:16:27.165 And What I think is we're still in that fragmentation mode where 00:16:27.555 --> 00:16:29.495 traditional distributions is growing. 00:16:29.495 --> 00:16:34.595 It's consolidating digitization is playing a key part in that you look at 00:16:34.985 --> 00:16:38.735 the Univar team and the Univar Solutions business and how they digitize their 00:16:38.735 --> 00:16:44.495 business in a way that's different than ours, but really strong class leading 00:16:44.495 --> 00:16:46.665 in that traditional distribution space. 00:16:48.285 --> 00:16:50.405 And then you look at where we are, where we're not quite that. 00:16:50.605 --> 00:16:53.875 But we're not quite where the guys who were just software as a service are, 00:16:54.895 --> 00:16:59.135 and I think that there's a hunger for somewhere, you know, a lot of people 00:16:59.135 --> 00:17:04.340 who meet us realize that we're in the middle of that space, like setting up 00:17:04.340 --> 00:17:09.450 a marketplace that managed all documents and just was providing leads to suppliers. 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:10.800 That's very doable. 00:17:10.930 --> 00:17:13.030 , we've explored this a number of times. 00:17:13.390 --> 00:17:15.040 Is it something we might do in the future? 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:15.760 Maybe. 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:18.660 But the revenue models are hard for a distributor or software 00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:21.150 as a service company to actually be profitable doing that. 00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:25.380 And we see that with the growing fragmentation and people coming 00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:27.080 up and people ducking out. 00:17:28.920 --> 00:17:33.700 We have an actual core distribution business, I think we're the best 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:38.410 position to say, what is the digitization path look like when 00:17:38.410 --> 00:17:42.800 you have a healthy distribution business behind that innovation? 00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:47.180 So as we spin up different initiatives with suppliers, like we have this 00:17:47.180 --> 00:17:50.880 whole marketing as a service function that we offer where, hey, you're 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.290 not ready to do distribution. 00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:55.880 With us or anybody too early in the life cycle product. 00:17:55.990 --> 00:17:57.130 You want market feedback. 00:17:57.250 --> 00:18:00.720 Okay Well, what we can do is we can build you a digital marketing plan get you a 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.500 micro site positioning on our website And then we'll apply some market development 00:18:04.510 --> 00:18:08.980 resources against that And we'll do this for a period of time for a fixed cost 00:18:09.210 --> 00:18:13.510 And if the product takes off great if it doesn't we can both exit gracefully and 00:18:13.510 --> 00:18:16.090 try to find another project So there is 00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:17.780 . A need in that direction 00:18:20.030 --> 00:18:24.720 I don't know that anyone has You Of all the names that are out there right 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:28.360 now in the major players, I don't know that we have that sorted out 00:18:28.360 --> 00:18:32.700 completely, which is why you're seeing some of our are not in kind competitors. 00:18:33.095 --> 00:18:33.435 Pivot. 00:18:35.125 --> 00:18:35.515 Victoria: Got it. 00:18:35.835 --> 00:18:36.545 It's complex. 00:18:36.545 --> 00:18:41.765 And as you point out, 25 years into the journey of digital in chemicals 00:18:41.805 --> 00:18:45.045 and it's still a journey, right? 00:18:45.045 --> 00:18:46.515 It's still a journey. 00:18:46.935 --> 00:18:49.845 Austin: I mean, I mean, I think back to it was before my time, but you think 00:18:49.845 --> 00:18:51.595 about like plastics additives dot com. 00:18:52.055 --> 00:18:54.515 Like everyone thought that was going to be the things for plastics. 00:18:54.675 --> 00:18:57.685 Well, I was in the plastics industry next year for about a year and a half. 00:18:57.935 --> 00:19:01.945 And I can tell you being in that industry, they'll be ready in another 00:19:01.945 --> 00:19:06.295 20 or 30 years based on they've got some, they're a little behind chemicals. 00:19:06.295 --> 00:19:07.235 It's very interesting. 00:19:07.345 --> 00:19:08.725 They are different than chemicals. 00:19:09.685 --> 00:19:10.055 Victoria: Yeah. 00:19:10.155 --> 00:19:10.805 I could see that. 00:19:10.985 --> 00:19:14.575 So how do you share technology and processes? 00:19:14.575 --> 00:19:17.185 And I think about, you know, it sounds like you guys have figured 00:19:17.185 --> 00:19:20.670 out a pretty sophisticated online marketing to CRM approach. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:24.540 Do you share this insight and information with Univar? 00:19:24.580 --> 00:19:26.880 Are you guys operating autonomously? 00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:31.420 Is there some behind the scenes alignment that takes place? 00:19:32.315 --> 00:19:33.805 Austin: That is a great question. 00:19:34.175 --> 00:19:36.515 We have relationships that are exclusive to each of us. 00:19:36.565 --> 00:19:37.875 So we do have to be sensitive. 00:19:37.875 --> 00:19:39.635 Like we do firewall our businesses. 00:19:40.155 --> 00:19:44.055 There are engagements with specific suppliers like Dow, where we share 00:19:44.055 --> 00:19:45.975 product lines into different segments. 00:19:46.525 --> 00:19:50.845 We have done marketing as a service for our Univar colleagues in the past. 00:19:51.555 --> 00:19:56.385 We use Univar warehouses as a 3PL, like an arm's length 3PL. 00:19:56.425 --> 00:19:58.815 Like we, they provide a service level. 00:19:58.815 --> 00:19:59.735 That's very good. 00:20:00.350 --> 00:20:01.220 Class leading. 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.770 And so we use them for, I think, 15 of our warehouses. 00:20:05.100 --> 00:20:06.280 But then we have another 15. 00:20:06.290 --> 00:20:08.880 They're like, you know, XPO, Kuna, Nagel, and others. 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:13.940 So I think, in the digital world, we are very separate where we have best 00:20:13.950 --> 00:20:19.480 practices and where we have suppliers that Have us authorized in similar tangential 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.830 spaces on similar tangential products. 00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:24.110 It all depends on the supplier. 00:20:25.630 --> 00:20:25.990 Victoria: Got it. 00:20:26.570 --> 00:20:26.860 Great. 00:20:27.300 --> 00:20:30.480 So let's talk about AI because everybody, I don't know if people want 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:35.820 to talk about AI anymore, but we're here, and it's not going anywhere. 00:20:35.820 --> 00:20:37.650 We're struggling to figure it out. 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:43.030 Um, how are you and ChemPoint thinking about AI in your business? 00:20:44.550 --> 00:20:46.220 Austin: It's really interesting. 00:20:46.280 --> 00:20:50.860 So in my role before this, my wife and I own a small business and 15 00:20:50.860 --> 00:20:54.430 people, um, you know, a good business. 00:20:55.390 --> 00:21:00.150 And I found great utility in AI because we were not staffed. 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:03.920 I mean, we're just a small business, so I could use it to write like HTML code 00:21:03.930 --> 00:21:06.790 for me or put a widget in HTML code. 00:21:06.790 --> 00:21:07.910 I can put it on our website. 00:21:07.910 --> 00:21:08.230 Right. 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:15.550 Uh, coming in back into Univar after that experience, AI is fascinating because 00:21:15.580 --> 00:21:19.460 the first thing about it , is are the AI platforms and the tools secure. 00:21:19.510 --> 00:21:24.730 There's still a lot of it security issues around AI as everyone's realizing. 00:21:24.810 --> 00:21:25.240 That is. 00:21:25.475 --> 00:21:28.395 You know, the number one concern for anybody in a big corporation. 00:21:29.345 --> 00:21:33.215 So would we do customer facing AI stuff, you know, like chat 00:21:33.215 --> 00:21:34.095 bots and things like that? 00:21:34.205 --> 00:21:35.045 I think that will come. 00:21:35.195 --> 00:21:36.965 I honestly believe it's going to come. 00:21:37.285 --> 00:21:41.935 I think the biggest value for AI right now in the distribution world 00:21:42.145 --> 00:21:45.735 is actually in some of the back office work, like receiving disparate types 00:21:45.735 --> 00:21:48.485 of POs and using machine learning AI. 00:21:48.780 --> 00:21:50.360 How do you use it for document management? 00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:54.790 Can you use machine learning to harvest data from data packs from 00:21:55.020 --> 00:21:56.520 suppliers or customers that they need? 00:21:56.770 --> 00:22:00.040 If a customer makes a request, can you automate the response using AI? 00:22:00.590 --> 00:22:05.080 I think in the short term, business efficiencies are there. 00:22:05.460 --> 00:22:10.490 I think interacting with AI will come in the not, I mean, it's going so fast 00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:15.739 that it's going to be here, don't quote me but I think, in 12 to 00:22:15.739 --> 00:22:18.739 24 months, someone's going to be in the space using a chat bot to help 00:22:18.739 --> 00:22:20.069 solve problems with R& D chemists. 00:22:20.139 --> 00:22:21.239 I think that's coming. 00:22:21.729 --> 00:22:24.929 Now will it be accurate if you've used it? 00:22:25.129 --> 00:22:29.029 Accuracy is until it gets more accurate, we got a long ways to go, 00:22:29.299 --> 00:22:29.529 Victoria: Yeah. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:32.589 I personally like asking questions about my own business 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:33.919 and seeing what it has to say. 00:22:36.729 --> 00:22:38.759 Austin: I'm sure the comparisons to like, yeah, not quite as many 00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:40.549 followers as Joe Rogan podcast. 00:22:40.719 --> 00:22:41.069 Victoria: Yeah. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.059 No doubt about that. 00:22:43.304 --> 00:22:47.784 Although I've listened to Joe Rogan, uh, only one episode. 00:22:47.784 --> 00:22:49.384 Cause by the way, it's like two hours. 00:22:49.384 --> 00:22:52.524 I think I listened to it on a road trip with my husband, fell asleep 00:22:52.534 --> 00:22:55.524 partway, woke up and I'm like, Oh my gosh, it's still going. 00:22:56.104 --> 00:22:58.094 And what are they talking about? 00:22:58.104 --> 00:23:02.394 It was like just some random randomness anyway. 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:04.849 Austin: That's too funny. 00:23:05.104 --> 00:23:05.454 Victoria: Yeah. 00:23:06.004 --> 00:23:09.024 So anyway, so you see it coming into the backend, but you recognize, 00:23:09.024 --> 00:23:12.884 obviously everybody's still trying to figure out the rules of engagement. 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:14.079 Austin: Yeah. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:17.479 And I think we're in our industry where we'll see it as on the manufacturing side. 00:23:17.509 --> 00:23:21.989 I mean, you look at what they can do from a synthesis modeling perspective 00:23:21.989 --> 00:23:26.749 now, especially in the biotech side, they can take years off the R&D pipeline. 00:23:26.789 --> 00:23:29.539 I mean, coming from biomed now I'm far enough away that I am 00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:32.329 not a biomedical engineer, but I have friends still in the field. 00:23:32.739 --> 00:23:35.399 And they're telling me about the things that they're doing and how they're 00:23:35.399 --> 00:23:40.519 harnessing AI to speed up research into COVID therapeutics and things like that. 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:43.439 And you're just like, wow, this makes a big difference, 00:23:43.469 --> 00:23:45.509 but it's not in my world yet. 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:49.729 I'm going to be the recipient of that speed in industry, but 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:51.769 distribution's not using it that way yet. 00:23:53.609 --> 00:23:54.139 Victoria: makes sense. 00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:56.509 So I think, yeah, stay tuned still to come. 00:23:56.879 --> 00:24:00.779 It's part of this, if it took us 25 years to get to this point, AI 00:24:00.789 --> 00:24:04.529 will speed it up, but maybe it's five to 10 before we see a big impact. 00:24:04.609 --> 00:24:04.989 Yeah. 00:24:05.569 --> 00:24:07.309 So let's talk about your employees. 00:24:07.349 --> 00:24:10.479 I mean, we talked a little bit about your supplier value proposition. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:13.189 We've talked a little bit about your customer value proposition, 00:24:13.189 --> 00:24:16.659 and let's just think about that employee value proposition. 00:24:16.709 --> 00:24:17.459 We're here. 00:24:18.404 --> 00:24:20.334 Did we count it four years post COVID? 00:24:20.334 --> 00:24:23.414 I'm not actually sure when we start that time clock. 00:24:23.764 --> 00:24:27.244 My perception has been that always been that distribution has been 00:24:27.244 --> 00:24:30.004 a little bit distributed from an employee perspective, right? 00:24:30.004 --> 00:24:31.274 People out in the field a lot. 00:24:31.314 --> 00:24:35.294 And then, you know, along came COVID, and this real shift to 00:24:35.294 --> 00:24:37.084 hybrid work and working at home. 00:24:38.014 --> 00:24:41.834 What does that look like today for you and for ChemPoint? 00:24:43.679 --> 00:24:48.279 Austin: So we actually cut across the grain historically, the opposite of what 00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:51.729 people would expect from distribution because we're predominantly inside sales. 00:24:52.239 --> 00:24:55.119 We officed everybody in our regions. 00:24:55.489 --> 00:24:59.509 So Bellevue was our north was our global headquarters, but we have an office 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.629 in the Netherlands and Maastricht. 00:25:00.969 --> 00:25:02.309 So we have a European, business. 00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:05.549 Um, and then we have an office also in a small office in Mexico. 00:25:05.939 --> 00:25:08.719 So pre COVID everyone's in the office five days a week. 00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:13.909 And it's interesting in my time being in distribution before going to Univar where 00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:16.579 Univar is a distributed workforce, right? 00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:17.379 All the sellers are in the 00:25:17.594 --> 00:25:17.934 Victoria: Right? 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:20.629 Austin: My experience was everybody in the same office. 00:25:21.789 --> 00:25:25.759 COVID happens, I come back to ChemPoint and I'll be here on a Monday and 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:26.759 there are five people in the office. 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:27.459 I'm like, what happened? 00:25:27.589 --> 00:25:30.509 You know, my first day back, I was like, there were six of us on my first day. 00:25:31.029 --> 00:25:36.694 Um, so for us, We went hybrid and it allowed us to 00:25:36.694 --> 00:25:38.514 change how we attract talent. 00:25:39.174 --> 00:25:41.174 So we're, we're in Bellevue, Washington. 00:25:41.394 --> 00:25:45.714 You can't see it, but I've got Amazon buildings all around me, Microsoft 00:25:45.734 --> 00:25:50.304 buildings, not exactly a hotbed of chemical engineers and chemists. 00:25:50.994 --> 00:25:51.424 Victoria: Yeah. 00:25:51.499 --> 00:25:56.499 Austin: are out here, no doubt, but what COVID allowed us to do was to attract 00:25:56.529 --> 00:26:02.509 talent in the areas that our suppliers are in, which has been a net add for us. 00:26:02.759 --> 00:26:08.879 I think it's a real, real coup that COVID happened and kind of pushed 00:26:08.939 --> 00:26:11.159 us to pivot in how we recruit. 00:26:11.949 --> 00:26:15.599 So we've got supply chain individuals, you know, All over the country. 00:26:15.629 --> 00:26:17.909 We've got finance individuals all over the country. 00:26:17.909 --> 00:26:22.629 We've got our customer services largely in the Northwest, but not in Bellevue proper. 00:26:22.979 --> 00:26:23.719 It's actually. 00:26:24.419 --> 00:26:28.869 Increased our employee retention and support functions, which as you know, 00:26:29.229 --> 00:26:32.989 as a business owner and someone who's participated in many businesses, customer 00:26:32.989 --> 00:26:35.739 facing attrition's hard on any business. 00:26:36.064 --> 00:26:36.604 Victoria: Yeah. 00:26:37.224 --> 00:26:40.754 Austin: And so reducing that has our NPS scores are where 00:26:40.754 --> 00:26:41.814 we want them to be, right? 00:26:41.844 --> 00:26:45.294 Like we've, we've actually got better NPS scores now than when we 00:26:45.294 --> 00:26:46.394 did when we were all in the office. 00:26:46.404 --> 00:26:48.414 So I think it's a good thing. 00:26:48.444 --> 00:26:52.544 Now, COVID was a bad thing, no doubt about it, but this outcome for us, 00:26:52.594 --> 00:26:55.864 I think it strongly shifted our base, tipped our iceberg, you know, 00:26:56.574 --> 00:26:57.764 and I think it's been good for us. 00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:03.289 Victoria: How do you build culture in an alignment in a workplace that's now 00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:06.839 highly distributed what it was before? 00:27:08.139 --> 00:27:09.659 Austin: That is a question. 00:27:09.659 --> 00:27:10.809 We just had a manager's training. 00:27:10.809 --> 00:27:15.369 We had 15 managers in, and we were talking about this as a group and I'm about 00:27:15.369 --> 00:27:16.889 three months back into the business. 00:27:17.564 --> 00:27:20.744 And when I was at Univar, you know, to build the culture, I was, I 00:27:20.744 --> 00:27:22.954 was running their food ingredients business for North America. 00:27:23.804 --> 00:27:26.514 I did a ride along with every sales rep at least once. 00:27:26.984 --> 00:27:30.834 And I went out with a, branch driver to learn about how, what it was like in 00:27:30.834 --> 00:27:32.974 the day to life of a driver delivering. 00:27:33.444 --> 00:27:36.554 As a leader, you have to spend time, but you have to figure out 00:27:36.554 --> 00:27:37.794 a way to bring people together. 00:27:37.804 --> 00:27:40.914 Now that usually means getting people together. 00:27:40.914 --> 00:27:43.429 And if they're fragmented, you have to, aggregate. 00:27:43.429 --> 00:27:48.269 So what we try to do, at least with our industry teams, um, we tend to aggregate 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:52.139 at the major trade events and we'll do a, we'll do a team event at the major 00:27:52.139 --> 00:27:55.139 trade events for our finance group. 00:27:55.169 --> 00:27:56.169 We'll bring them all in. 00:27:56.409 --> 00:27:59.719 Um, so we, we budget for these things to ensure that we can build 00:27:59.719 --> 00:28:01.489 that alignment, but it is hard. 00:28:01.829 --> 00:28:03.849 We don't take the approach and I apologize. 00:28:03.849 --> 00:28:05.069 I can't remember the CEO. 00:28:05.504 --> 00:28:06.044 It was Dell. 00:28:06.054 --> 00:28:09.804 I think it was Michael Dell said anyone who stays remote is no longer promotable, 00:28:10.784 --> 00:28:12.634 that is not the approach, right? 00:28:13.139 --> 00:28:13.849 Victoria: That's a hard one. 00:28:14.324 --> 00:28:15.274 Austin: That's a hard one. 00:28:15.574 --> 00:28:21.394 Um, but there is some element of, you know, um, Peter Huntsman said at the ACC 00:28:21.404 --> 00:28:23.294 deals are done in the hallway, right? 00:28:23.574 --> 00:28:25.224 You do need to see each other. 00:28:25.234 --> 00:28:27.864 I mean, teams meetings can be hard to build that rapport. 00:28:27.934 --> 00:28:30.044 You have to fight more for those interactions, I 00:28:30.044 --> 00:28:31.104 think, as a leadership team. 00:28:31.494 --> 00:28:34.974 And you have to try to create that inception that this needs to happen. 00:28:35.424 --> 00:28:37.624 So I think we're still figuring that piece out as a business, 00:28:38.244 --> 00:28:39.794 how to do it really well. 00:28:39.814 --> 00:28:46.064 But I'm genuinely impressed with our culture and how we're communicating. 00:28:46.064 --> 00:28:47.874 We've got some technology tools. 00:28:48.104 --> 00:28:51.744 I'm doing every two to three week blog posts and, you know, trying 00:28:51.744 --> 00:28:52.924 to connect with folks that way. 00:28:52.924 --> 00:28:54.294 And I think that stuff matters. 00:28:54.634 --> 00:28:54.964 Victoria: Yeah. 00:28:55.104 --> 00:28:59.354 Do you have Slack channels that are active or team channels that are active? 00:28:59.954 --> 00:29:00.554 Austin: Yeah, we do. 00:29:00.554 --> 00:29:01.884 We have team channels that are active. 00:29:01.894 --> 00:29:06.754 And then we use a, um, we use a software, it's confluence where people 00:29:06.754 --> 00:29:09.654 can post blog posts or, or chat lines. 00:29:09.654 --> 00:29:11.294 So they get company updates there. 00:29:11.524 --> 00:29:14.834 Um, but it's, it's a lot like slack with a couple of other things 00:29:14.834 --> 00:29:17.644 around, um, employee resources. 00:29:17.714 --> 00:29:19.144 Like, where do you go for this? 00:29:21.074 --> 00:29:21.374 Victoria: Nice. 00:29:21.744 --> 00:29:22.054 All right. 00:29:22.054 --> 00:29:23.554 So let's talk about leadership. 00:29:23.844 --> 00:29:28.564 Um, you have been in and out of Univar and ChemPoint, uh, you've formed your 00:29:28.564 --> 00:29:32.994 own businesses and led businesses, um, and have been in other companies. 00:29:34.074 --> 00:29:36.974 What do you see as being really key? 00:29:37.334 --> 00:29:43.494 To successful leadership in not maybe not just chemicals and distribution, 00:29:43.544 --> 00:29:46.754 but thinking about the, world that you're operating in today. 00:29:47.074 --> 00:29:49.414 What's critical to leadership. 00:29:50.874 --> 00:29:53.284 Austin: I think every leader, we all strive to figure this out. 00:29:53.354 --> 00:29:57.014 And, you know, I think one of the things for me that's been helpful 00:29:57.014 --> 00:29:58.894 is I grew up in a small business. 00:29:58.894 --> 00:30:01.484 My dad was an electrician and he made me customer facing it 00:30:01.484 --> 00:30:02.644 like eight years old, right? 00:30:02.644 --> 00:30:05.524 Like I was working with him at houses when people were there. 00:30:05.784 --> 00:30:06.014 Right. 00:30:06.014 --> 00:30:08.244 So you can't as an eight year old, you can't be complaining about 00:30:08.414 --> 00:30:09.944 crawling in a crawl space, right? 00:30:09.954 --> 00:30:12.774 It's like you go under there and you smile because you're there 00:30:12.774 --> 00:30:14.154 with the customers home, right? 00:30:14.534 --> 00:30:18.204 Um, so I think always having an eye for the customer is a big part of it. 00:30:18.494 --> 00:30:23.784 I find that I am almost direct to a fault, which is one of those things 00:30:23.784 --> 00:30:26.304 that I'm always working on to make sure that I'm, you know, in a moment of 00:30:26.304 --> 00:30:28.084 vulnerability with you in the audience. 00:30:28.384 --> 00:30:31.874 Um, I always have to check that because I'm highly competitive, 00:30:31.904 --> 00:30:33.854 you know, I pursued elite sports. 00:30:33.854 --> 00:30:40.054 I'm, I, I love winning, um, like most leaders do, um, but. 00:30:40.234 --> 00:30:44.354 You have to have that directness while also coming from a place of 00:30:45.124 --> 00:30:46.764 I can walk a mile in your shoes. 00:30:47.334 --> 00:30:51.434 I'm not afraid to sweep the floors, you know, in my wife's business. 00:30:51.564 --> 00:30:55.514 When our shop helper quit, I ran the Zamboni in the back under 00:30:55.514 --> 00:30:58.904 the, in the work area, you know, cleaning the grease off the floors. 00:30:58.914 --> 00:31:00.764 Like, and that was three years ago. 00:31:00.764 --> 00:31:01.774 It's not like I was 22. 00:31:02.184 --> 00:31:04.154 Like I'm very established in my career. 00:31:04.684 --> 00:31:08.234 I think there's an element of, show me, don't tell me Be willing to do 00:31:08.244 --> 00:31:14.814 the work and then Realistically, being able to create a culture where 00:31:14.814 --> 00:31:16.534 the accountability actually matters. 00:31:17.354 --> 00:31:21.784 I think one of the things that going back into small business from Univar, 00:31:21.854 --> 00:31:24.474 ChemPoint, Nexio, and then going into a small business that we own 00:31:25.994 --> 00:31:29.994 was when every dollar is your dollar, you think about things a little bit 00:31:29.994 --> 00:31:31.144 differently in how you spend it. 00:31:31.204 --> 00:31:35.014 Like when every When a half million dollars of inventory is a half million 00:31:35.014 --> 00:31:36.624 dollars, that's not in your bank account. 00:31:37.044 --> 00:31:42.604 It changes your perspective on how you coach and lead. 00:31:43.414 --> 00:31:45.744 Because you think you knew what that was like and but when you 00:31:45.754 --> 00:31:49.954 finally do it yourself, it's very different, very different. 00:31:50.064 --> 00:31:53.314 So it's, I'm always trying to connect people to that, like, hey, your 00:31:53.344 --> 00:31:54.854 decision impacts this this way. 00:31:54.854 --> 00:31:56.114 Let me tell you about my experience. 00:31:56.614 --> 00:32:00.144 I'm not saying the way you're doing it's wrong, but if you had to, if you 00:32:00.144 --> 00:32:03.594 were going to bet a paycheck, you're not actually having to bet a paycheck. 00:32:03.934 --> 00:32:05.314 But like, would you make this decision? 00:32:05.324 --> 00:32:08.084 And people take a step back like, I don't know how to make the decision this way. 00:32:08.084 --> 00:32:08.754 And here's why. 00:32:09.649 --> 00:32:13.389 Um, and so I think creating that accountability responsibility, 00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:17.759 is mission critical, especially at where I'm at, right? 00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:19.179 Because I can't do everything. 00:32:19.429 --> 00:32:20.909 There aren't enough hours in the day. 00:32:21.249 --> 00:32:23.909 And so that's the thing that I'm consistently trying to make sure 00:32:23.909 --> 00:32:27.429 that I'm prioritizing is all right, get functional leaders in place. 00:32:28.309 --> 00:32:31.689 Who will run through walls for me and that I would run through walls for them. 00:32:33.509 --> 00:32:35.099 So that's, that's kind of the way I approach 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:36.079 Victoria: That's a good challenge. 00:32:36.359 --> 00:32:36.599 It's a good 00:32:36.639 --> 00:32:37.139 Austin: it's working so 00:32:37.199 --> 00:32:38.439 Victoria: know, it's awesome. 00:32:38.439 --> 00:32:40.609 And so, you know, the other thing I was thinking about is we were, 00:32:40.629 --> 00:32:44.769 you were talking about this is, yeah, I have to find what, which. 00:32:45.044 --> 00:32:47.554 Part of game theory it is, but there's some game theory examples 00:32:47.874 --> 00:32:49.254 that maybe apply to this. 00:32:49.614 --> 00:32:52.834 So, your example around when it's, when it's your money and your 00:32:52.834 --> 00:32:55.264 business, you're, you're looking for where that half a million dollars 00:32:55.264 --> 00:32:57.404 is, or, you know, in my case. 00:32:58.654 --> 00:32:59.724 It's around parking. 00:32:59.944 --> 00:33:04.074 I personally, I hate to pay for parking. 00:33:04.184 --> 00:33:04.534 Hate it. 00:33:04.684 --> 00:33:05.934 Like, hate paying for 00:33:06.049 --> 00:33:06.529 Austin: I'm with you. 00:33:06.714 --> 00:33:11.424 Victoria: I, I'm a person that searches for the free parking spot or the meter. 00:33:11.424 --> 00:33:15.404 I'm plugging the money in the meter rather than paying 30 dollars into a parking lot. 00:33:15.714 --> 00:33:18.754 Um, and I go to a Houston chemical association. 00:33:18.754 --> 00:33:23.494 Great group of, uh, a great association here in Houston has monthly luncheons. 00:33:23.834 --> 00:33:27.184 Um, and it's at a, At a venue and there's usually valet parking 00:33:27.184 --> 00:33:28.494 and I'm like, I don't know. 00:33:28.504 --> 00:33:29.344 I parked on the street. 00:33:29.914 --> 00:33:30.814 What do you mean? 00:33:31.224 --> 00:33:34.154 Like, it's my business. 00:33:34.155 --> 00:33:37.934 If I'm paying 3 versus 30, I know it. 00:33:38.034 --> 00:33:42.374 Um, and, and, you know, and they're like, ah, I just never even thought about it. 00:33:42.594 --> 00:33:47.474 And so this whole aspect of, uh, within an organization, within a 00:33:47.474 --> 00:33:51.424 group, it's always better to be the defector, so to speak, right? 00:33:51.424 --> 00:33:55.954 Like if I'm the only one that pays, you know, that does valet parking, it's best 00:33:55.964 --> 00:34:01.904 for me now, but when everybody does valet parking, that 30 expense multiply it by 00:34:01.924 --> 00:34:06.254 3000 people or whatever is, you know, all of a sudden you're at a million dollars. 00:34:06.434 --> 00:34:10.679 So, uh, And you don't really think about it inside the big 00:34:10.689 --> 00:34:12.139 context of the organization. 00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:13.679 It's easy to lose sight. 00:34:13.859 --> 00:34:16.349 And to a certain degree, you say, is it material? 00:34:16.369 --> 00:34:17.489 No, it's not material. 00:34:17.809 --> 00:34:22.299 Um, but you make different decisions along the way, depending on how you 00:34:22.309 --> 00:34:28.649 view your place in the ecosystem and what your effect is on the ecosystem. 00:34:28.949 --> 00:34:33.019 When you're a small business owner, it's one to one, you know, exactly 00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:34.239 the effect that you're having. 00:34:35.059 --> 00:34:38.279 When you're inside the, a big corporation, it's harder to 00:34:38.289 --> 00:34:39.449 see how you move the needle. 00:34:39.469 --> 00:34:43.499 So finding ways to help people understand how they move the 00:34:43.499 --> 00:34:45.129 needle becomes really critical. 00:34:46.109 --> 00:34:46.129 Austin: Yeah. 00:34:46.489 --> 00:34:51.769 All of us in our roles and I'm sure you as well, we read business books and you ever 00:34:51.799 --> 00:34:56.239 a consistent theme and in the greatest leaders, you know, the, uh, you know, the 00:34:56.239 --> 00:35:02.149 Buffetts of the world is if as a leader, you're not thinking about the frugality. 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:07.299 Of how you run your business, the waste adds up, especially if your business 00:35:07.299 --> 00:35:11.159 scales, it's one of those things where you're like, Oh, you know, if, 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:15.309 to your point, if, if one person does valet every time they travel, but they 00:35:15.309 --> 00:35:18.149 travel once a month, once a month, or. 00:35:18.649 --> 00:35:20.279 Once a week, right? 00:35:20.279 --> 00:35:23.939 You're like, Oh, that, that adds up really quick in your T and E line. 00:35:25.089 --> 00:35:25.359 Victoria: Yeah. 00:35:25.789 --> 00:35:28.169 Especially when you multiply it by a hundred or a thousand or 00:35:28.169 --> 00:35:29.389 whatever your number is, right? 00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:31.409 It's, uh, it jumps fast. 00:35:31.409 --> 00:35:34.309 So anyway, it's interesting, but, but, you know, I think these are 00:35:34.309 --> 00:35:38.099 the challenges and opportunities we all have, um, in the industry. 00:35:38.269 --> 00:35:40.719 So what's next for you and for ChemPoint? 00:35:41.709 --> 00:35:42.999 What should we be looking for 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:45.679 Austin: So one of the things that I'm really working to do 00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:47.319 is, is evangelize the brand. 00:35:47.319 --> 00:35:53.009 So I think we are one of the, we're, uh, uh, I'm not a secret within Univar, 00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:55.079 but a lot, there are suppliers who still don't even know who we are. 00:35:55.559 --> 00:35:58.969 Um, so one of the things that I'm really working on, especially for our size, 00:35:59.289 --> 00:36:03.319 giving suppliers an eye into what this organization is, what the future 00:36:03.319 --> 00:36:05.999 of digital looks like, the things that we're doing and what's working, 00:36:06.419 --> 00:36:09.919 when you look at the scale of our business and, you know, we bring in 00:36:10.729 --> 00:36:17.299 20 to 30 million a year in digital sales, um, that's a real number. 00:36:17.369 --> 00:36:19.249 That's real sales and suppliers. 00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:22.949 It's material, and the suppliers that are part of us are benefiting from 00:36:22.949 --> 00:36:26.099 that, and we're hitting the goals for them, and there are suppliers that 00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:27.569 don't know that that's an option. 00:36:27.919 --> 00:36:31.919 I always, I joke around, um, for as big as BASF is, we have a very 00:36:31.919 --> 00:36:33.359 small relationship with BASF. 00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:35.459 We enjoy our relationship with BASF. 00:36:36.289 --> 00:36:39.269 They have a distribution partner who they're strategically 00:36:39.269 --> 00:36:40.539 aligned with in a lot of places. 00:36:40.919 --> 00:36:44.819 Um, but that's one where you would think, just because of our 00:36:44.819 --> 00:36:46.944 scale and size, That's on me. 00:36:46.944 --> 00:36:47.824 That's not on BSF. 00:36:48.134 --> 00:36:48.824 That's on ChemPoint. 00:36:48.864 --> 00:36:52.384 We need to do a better job evangelizing who we are to that organization. 00:36:52.824 --> 00:36:57.264 Um, and so over the next 12 months, well really the next three to six, 00:36:57.564 --> 00:37:01.984 you'll see a bit of an uptick in our activity, um, with me coming back into the 00:37:01.984 --> 00:37:07.014 business and working on some new digital solutions to bring to those suppliers. 00:37:07.034 --> 00:37:08.704 You'll start to see some things crop up. 00:37:08.714 --> 00:37:11.284 We'll start advertising a few things that we're working on, you 00:37:11.284 --> 00:37:13.574 know, in the vein of some of the digitization we've talked about. 00:37:13.574 --> 00:37:13.984 So we're really 00:37:14.084 --> 00:37:14.464 Victoria: Yeah. 00:37:15.014 --> 00:37:15.474 That's awesome. 00:37:15.484 --> 00:37:18.764 I think it's exciting and I'm, I'm looking forward to seeing where 00:37:18.764 --> 00:37:20.894 you guys head into the future. 00:37:21.674 --> 00:37:22.344 Austin: We appreciate it. 00:37:22.754 --> 00:37:23.024 Victoria: Yeah. 00:37:23.024 --> 00:37:25.104 Well, Austin, thank you so much for joining me today. 00:37:25.104 --> 00:37:28.594 I've really enjoyed speaking with you and learning more about you and ChemPoint. 00:37:29.289 --> 00:37:30.349 Austin: Oh, thank you for the time. 00:37:30.349 --> 00:37:32.519 And I look forward to continuing to watch your podcast. 00:37:32.549 --> 00:37:32.949 I love it. 00:37:32.954 --> 00:37:33.224 Victoria: Absolutely. 00:37:33.414 --> 00:37:33.784 Thank you. 00:37:33.784 --> 00:37:34.284 I appreciate that. 00:37:34.284 --> 00:37:35.834 And thanks everyone for joining us today. 00:37:35.834 --> 00:37:38.504 Keep listening, keep following, keep sharing, and we will 00:37:38.504 --> 00:37:39.984 talk with you again soon.