J. Gardner Group, LLC

Suppliers often spend incredible energy searching for the "holy grail" with big customers. ✕ 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: It's rare for big companies to agree to high volume commitments because they like flexibility. A buyer will make this commitment only in rare cases where the supplier has an indisputable advantage in bargaining power or is selling "unobtanium." They simply can't in most circumstances for a ton of reasons. ✕ 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀: These are the "holy grail" for a reason. Big companies prefer short, flexible agreements from which they can exit. Even if you land one, it may be packed with loopholes or lack support from the top, putting you at risk. ✕ 𝗨𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Big companies prefer working with large vendors to dodge cash flow issues and keep commitments off their books. The only way to secure upfront cash is the need to access a rare commodity or a hard-to-find solution. Does that mean you have no power? Absolutely not. Smaller, more nimble companies have unique strengths. Play to your strengths and avoid spending energy chasing the holy grail. Need help? Contact us. #smallcompanies #tradeoff #negotitation

Are you —whether intentionally or not— over-relying on the influencing techniques below? - Pressure: You use demands, threats, and micromanaging to influence people to carry out requests. - Legitimizing: You seek to establish the legitimacy of a request by using your authority or company tradition. - Coalition: You use the endorsement of other people to influence your team to do what you want. - Exchange: You make the team do things in exchange for a special favor or benefit. If you do, listen up. As leaders, we shape the culture and performance of our teams. Only leading with intention and integrity can empower your team to achieve great results, free from tension and distrust. 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: ↓ ✓ Inspiration: Create proposals that inspire enthusiasm or increase confidence by appealing to your team's values, ideals, and aspirations. ✓ Personal appeal: Appeal to their feelings of loyalty and friendship to influence them to do something extra as a favor. ✓ Ingratiation: Take measures to put the team in high spirits before making a request. ✓ Consultation: Seek the team's participation in planning and execution and sometimes modify the proposals to factor in their concerns and suggestions. ✓ Rational persuasion: Use logical arguments and facts to persuade the team that the proposal is worth their time. Remember, our team reflects the impact of our influence. Choose it wisely. #leadership #influence

🎙 Excited to share my recent conversation with Scott Ingram on sales  leadership, procurement strategies, and mastering the RFP process. 🚀  We discussed how sales teams can achieve better outcomes by fostering  collaboration, building strategic relationships, and leveraging internal  competition to shift bargaining power.  🎧 Take a listen and share your thoughts—what strategies have worked for  you in sales or procurement? Link below: https://lnkd.in/dCCUb2DX  #SalesLeadership #ProcurementStrategies #RFPProcess #SalesExcellence  #Collaboration #Leadership #BusinessSuccess #BetterTogether  #InnovationInSale

My resume of experience when I joined Dell for my first real job: → Warehouse stocker, $4/hr → Pool supply salesman, $500/month Let me tell you, with experience in jobs as small as those, nothing could prepare me for navigating a corporate giant like Dell. The bureaucracy, the politics, the endless meetings—it was overwhelming. I made plenty of mistakes along the way but eventually learned some valuable lessons on how to navigate these big environments (the hard way). Amy Vetter, MBA, CPA, CITP, CGMA, CSP, RYT and I unpacked those lessons on the 'Breaking Beliefs' podcast. If you want to hear more about it, here’s the link: https://loom.ly/HcyYoY4 #corporatework #workingincorporate

Trevor Lee asked me what the right balance is between in-person and virtual meetings. My answer? Virtual meetings are great but use the 'eye-phone' as much as you can. My reason is simple: You can't replicate the energy you feel when you're in the same room and the subtle cues you pick up from body language through a screen. Yes, COVID changed the game and made us get comfortable with virtual selling. However, I encourage buyers and sellers to prioritize in-person meetings whenever possible, especially when it comes to building relationships with key decision-makers. Use video calls strategically to keep things moving, but I make sure to get face-to-face with my clients regularly. Let me know your thoughts. How often do you meet clients in person? #virtualselling #salespitches #negotiations

The right partnerships and support are critical to boost your business growth. Stacy Egan, director of supply chain at MOD Pizza, shares how pivotal JGG was in accelerating their results as they were on the cusp of explosive growth. How did we do this? ⬇️ ✓ Strategic expertise at the right time: Companies leverage our supply chain expertise to streamline operations and maximize revenue. ✓ Training and execution: We collaborated with stakeholders to find solutions and set them up for future success. Our team also supported implementation from start to finish. ✓ Tailored for your growth stage: We understand that small/mid-sized companies have unique needs, so our team excels at delivering results while working with your developing infrastructure. *** Is your company looking to scale faster through supply chain optimization strategies? Let's chat! #supplychainmanagement #businessgrowth #caseStudy

Four years ago, I went from leading 100+ person teams at Fortune 500 enterprises to being a #startup entrepreneur working with mid-sized companies. It's like moving from tennis to badminton; you apply the same skills but in a more compact field of play. The challenge was figuring out how to break down the PhD-level knowledge into actionable impact for a company that lacked the resources for higher-grade features. Essentially, I had to prioritize the right activities without sacrificing quality. Since then, I’ve created lite versions of heavyweight tools that accommodate less established clients. For example, we developed an efficient "value chain analysis lite" that delivers tangible savings without the 10,000-row spreadsheet. Learn to focus on what matters to achieve more exponential results. *** Start 2024 on a strong note by sending me a DM for more information on how @J Gardner Group can uncover cost savings in your value chain. #entrepreneurship #supplychain #business

Supply problems can impact your #business in multiple ways: → #Safety incidents → Ethical violations → Unavailability of materials All these issues create serious headaches that: → Threaten your revenue → Throw your organization into chaos → Jeopardize your reputation It can be incredibly difficult to repair these issues once they have occurred. This is why de-risking supply chains is a major point of emphasis at J. Gardner Group. Smart buyers know that a well-structured supply chain with built-in risk mitigation is the best way to avoid brand and operational risks. If you’re unsure how to evaluate your value chain properly for potential risks, find external help. The right vetting process will keep deliveries on time and you out of the fray. #supplychain

Great wisdom here! Enjoy!