OPI TALK

Podcast: Beth Wright of Fellowes

The March 2023 issue of OPI magazine will feature the inaugural Influential Women in the Business Products World list.

To mark the occasion, the issue also includes a Big Interview with Beth Wright, Chief Commercial Officer at leading vendor, Fellowes Brands.

In this Big Interview ‘teaser’ podcast, OPI CEO Steve Hilleard talks to Beth about how she got started in the business supplies sector, her rise to her current role at Fellowes and why there are so few women in leadership roles in the industry.

Kim Leazer & Beth Freeman, FSI Office

OPI Talk speaks to mother and daughter duo Kim Leazer and Beth Freeman, part of the leadership team at family-owned US independent dealer FSI Office.

The two ladies represent the second and third generations at FSI, which was founded by Jimmy and Diane Godwin back in 1962. Among other things, they talk about generational change, renewing sales teams, women leaders in the business products industry, and the recent acquisition of wholesaler S.P. Richards.

 

Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk meets NAOPA 2022 winner Charlie Kennedy

In the final OPI Talk podcast of 2022, Andy Braithwaite catches up with Charlie Kennedy, winner of the Professional of the Year prize at the 2022 North American Office Products Awards.

Charlie discusses some of the opportunities in the US independent dealer channel, the priorities at his dealership, Kennedy Office, and his role as Chair of the Independent Office Products and Furniture Dealers Association.

 

Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

 

OPI’s 2022 round-up and 2023 predictions

OPI CEO Steve Hilleard and News Editor Andy Braithwaite take a look back at the main business products stories from 2022 and make some predictions on what to look out for in 2023.

 

Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

 

Langstane - still evolving after 75 years

Leading Scottish independent dealer Langstane has been celebrating its 75^th anniversary in 2022.

To mark that occasion, and to find out how Langstane has been dealing with recent market challenges, the guest on this episode of OPI Talk is the company’s Managing Director Colin Campbell.

Campbell talks about the Scottish business products market, how Langstane has diversified its product and service offering and customer base, current inflationary and macroeconomic pressures… and what he thinks of England’s chances at the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar!

 

Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

A look at the latest US school and office supplies trends with NPD

In this episode of OPI Talk, NPD’s Leen Nsouli discusses the back-to-school (BTS) season and year-to-date performance of the office supplies sector in the US.

Nsouli looks at some of the reasons for the challenging BTS sales picture during August, the continued share gains in the online channel and the potential for environmentally friendly products.

Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

 

The frictionless online customer experience

This week’s OPI Talk features Paddy Donnelly and Dave Bent, Group CEO and President North America respectively at ES Tech Group.

 

OPI’s Heike Dieckmann caught up with both for the Big Interview in the September issue of OPI. One of the many topics discussed was the vital importance of a great online customer experience. This then seamlessly led to the challenges so hotly debated particularly in the US business supplies space right now around technology and content. As this excerpt from the interview reveals, Donnelly and Bent feel very strongly about who should – and shouldn’t – be at the forefront of tech developments and why.

To read the full feature in the magazine, make sure you are subscribed to OPI.

Episode produced by Michelle Sturman
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Market share opportunities in Australia

The board of Australian dealer group Office Choice recently approved a new strategic plan. Therefore, it seemed like an opportune moment for a catch-up with the organisation’s CEO Brad O’Brien.

OPI’s Andy Braithwaite spoke to Brad about the plan, the independent dealer channel in Australia and Office Choice’s recent OPIX event, held in partnership with GNS Wholesale Stationers.

 

Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

 

Q2 catch-up with ACCO’s Boris Elisman

A closer look at ACCO Brands’ Q2 2022 performance with the company’s CEO Boris Elisman.

ACCO Brands reported its second quarter 2022 earnings on 9 August. Shortly after the manufacturer’s analyst conference call had ended, OPI’s Andy Braithwaite spoke with ACCO CEO Boris Elisman about the results and some of the main issues and trends in ACCO’s key markets.

 

Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

 

The breakroom goes high-tech

Vending firm Selecta now refers to itself as a ‘food tech company’ after repositioning itself in the workplace food and beverage space.

In this episode of OPI Talk, Toby Venus, Commercial Director at Selecta UK & Ireland, discusses some of the latest office breakroom trends, including the growing popularity – and sophistication – of micro markets.

Click here to read a recent opinion piece by Toby on the role of technology in creating better breakroom experiences.

 

Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite
Music by:
Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg