VXP

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Tapped In Podcast Sales and Strategy for beer distributors

Tapped In – the podcast for Beverage Distributors that want to empower their sales team to drive business results

Hosted by Bud Dunn and Mike Hall of VXP

Tapped In Podcast is the ultimate resource on topics of interest to Sales Teams in the beverage distribution industry

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Episodes

This Monaco move wasn’t random. Molson Coors needed a real position in RTDs, and the pressure to get in the game is only getting bigger. For distributors, the bigger lesson is simple: hot categories move fast, and if you’re not protected, you can lose the brand. Full episode out now. #RTD #BeerBusiness #Shorts @TappedInBeveragePodcast
Molson Coors Had to Make This Move #beersales
When money gets tighter, people start looking for value. That’s where beer still has a real edge. Some of the best beer in the world is still affordable, and that matters more than people think. Full episode of Tapped In Sales out now. #BeerBusiness #BeerDistributors #Shorts
Beer Is Still a Cheap Luxury #beersales
Molson Coors made its first real swing into RTDs with Monaco, and we get into what that means for the category, the distributor, and the bigger land grab happening in beyond beer right now. We also talk through why Carbliss may have been the harder brand to buy, what valuation really looks like in a hot category, and why optionality still matters if you’re a distributor sitting on multiple horses. From there, we shift into the bigger picture: oil, freight, inflation, recession chatter, and what that could mean heading into summer. Ross breaks down the economic side, George talks about the industry mindset, and I make the case that beer still has a lot going for it if things get tighter because it remains one of the best value luxuries out there. Bottom line: there are still tailwinds in this business, but there are some real headwinds forming too. What we hit in this episode: 🥫 Molson Coors buys Monaco 🍹 Why RTDs are still in land-grab mode ⛽ Recession rumblings and rising fuel costs 📈 What March sales are telling us 🍺 Why beer still has value if wallets tighten ☀️ How distributors should think heading into summer Listen, learn, and enjoy what you do. If you’re in beer distribution and trying to make sense of the RTD race, economic pressure, and summer selling season all at once, this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 02:17 Industry Predictions and Market Trends 04:37 Acquisitions in the Beverage Industry 07:30 The Impact of RTDs on Market Dynamics 10:26 Sales Trends and Market Insights 13:47 Economic Factors Affecting the Beverage Industry 18:03 Impact of Rising Fuel Prices on Supply Chains 20:49 Economic Indicators and Recession Concerns 24:15 Beer Purchases Index: A Leading Indicator 27:06 Industry Resilience and Adaptation 33:31 Consumer Behavior and Value Perception =============== YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TappedInBeveragePodcast Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1AuQiKjRrHy0JmwwvTAzAJ?si=7189540cc7e344c9 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/26-how-to-make-your-pfp-a-guaranteed-monthly-bonus/id1744836870?i=1000673130206 =============== Connect with Us: Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest episodes, industry news, and insights from the beer distribution world. About Tapped In Sales: Tapped In Sales is a podcast dedicated to beer distributors and beverage industry professionals who are looking to elevate their sales strategies and drive profitability. Hosted by industry experts Bud Dunn and Mike Hall, we dive deep into real-world stories, actionable insights, and the latest trends to help sales teams and managers unlock their full potential. Each episode blends data, strategy, and motivation, making complex topics easy to understand and implement. This podcast is powered by VXP Tech – the leading Sales Strategy Management system designed for beer distributors. VXP simplifies the complexities of goal setting, variable compensation, and sales team performance, helping you master your market and grow profits, case by case. Stay tuned for expert advice, fresh perspectives, and tools to sharpen your sales approach! If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!
RTD Land Grab, Recession Rumblings & the Summer Season
One of the fastest ways to lose a sales team is to give them goals they do not believe in. In this clip from Tapped In Sales Episode 102: The Making of Data Mike, Mike explains how they built a better goal-setting process by talking to other distributors, using selling day adjustment, and making targets more credible. Because if reps think the numbers are made up, engagement is dead. Simple idea. Big lesson. 🎧 Listen to the full episode of Tapped In Sales. 📺YouTube: https://youtu.be/F57fVNejltk @TappedInBeveragePodcast #shorts #salesleadership #goalsetting #beerindustry
Why Sales Reps Stop Believing in Goals #beersales
Everybody loves the success story. Not everybody talks about the first day that punches you in the mouth. In this clip from Tapped In Sales Episode 102: The Making of Data Mike, Mike tells the story of his first morning in the warehouse and the not-so-warm welcome he got from a driver named JD. Funny now. Not so funny then. A great glimpse into warehouse culture, early career grit, and how a lot of people really get started in this business. 🎧 Listen to the full episode of Tapped In Sales. 📺YouTube: https://youtu.be/F57fVNejltk @TappedInBeveragePodcast #shorts #warehouse #leadership #beerindustry
Mike’s First Day in the Warehouse Was Brutal #beersales
What happens when a leader asks someone to put real skin in the game? In this clip from Tapped In Sales Episode 102: The Making of Data Mike, Bud talks with Mike about the moment they took part of his salary and moved it into VXP performance-based pay. It was uncomfortable. It was controversial. And it changed the way Mike thought about incentives. This is a real conversation about leadership, trust, compensation, and why buy-in matters. 🎧 Listen to the full episode of Tapped In Sales. 📺YouTube: https://youtu.be/F57fVNejltk @TappedInBeveragePodcast #shorts #sales #leadership #beerindustry
I Cut His Salary and Put It at Risk #beersales
In this episode of Tapped In Sales, we hit pause on the usual industry talk and kick off something a little different: the Origin Series. First up is Data Mike. Before he was helping distributors make sense of goals, data, incentives, and execution, Mike was a young guy driving past the Budweiser building thinking, “I want to work there.” What followed was a winding path through warehouse nights, forklift duty, truck loading, operations management, sales leadership, analytics, and eventually a key role helping shape how VXP works with distributors today. Bud, Ross, and Mike unpack the full story — from the early days at Atlas, to learning the business from the ground up, to the role changes, hard-earned lessons, and big career moments that helped make Mike who he is. This episode is part beer business history, part career journey, and part behind-the-scenes look at one of the voices you hear on the show every week. In this episode, we get into: 🍺 How Mike accidentally found his way into the beer business 🛒 Starting out merchandising competitor brands before landing at Atlas 🌙 Life on the warehouse night shift and learning the business from the ground up 📈 Becoming Operations Manager at just 21 years old 🤝 What Mike learned managing warehouse and driver teams in a union environment 📦 How forecasting, routing, inventory, and special events expanded his role 🚚 The shift from operations into sales and sales execution 📊 Why Mike became obsessed with data, reporting, and performance tracking 🚀 How Atlas launched VXP and why Mike became such a key part of making it work 🎯 The evolution of goal-setting, team lead pay, and sales accountability 🔄 What happened when Atlas sold — and how Mike ultimately landed at VXP full time 🧠 Why Mike still loves learning from distributors all over the country At its core, this episode is about growth, adaptability, and what happens when somebody keeps saying yes to the next challenge. If you’ve ever wondered where Data Mike came from, this is the episode. 🎧 Listen, learn, and enjoy what you do. Also… share it with a friend if you love it. Chapters 00:00 The Origin Series: Mike's Background 02:04 Early Career Aspirations and Entry into the Beer Industry 04:49 Progression in the Warehouse: From Loader to Manager 08:00 Navigating Management Challenges and Union Dynamics 10:57 Special Events and Market Engagement 13:58 The Vegas Story: Lessons from Early Career 23:13 Reflections on Growth and Future Directions 23:47 From Operations to Sales: A Journey of Change 31:52 Embracing Technology: The Data-Driven Shift 36:38 The Evolution of Compensation: Adapting to New Structures 45:00 Navigating Change: The Transition to Kellogg's 51:07 Returning to Roots: The Call Back to VXP =============== YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TappedInBeveragePodcast Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1AuQiKjRrHy0JmwwvTAzAJ?si=7189540cc7e344c9 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/26-how-to-make-your-pfp-a-guaranteed-monthly-bonus/id1744836870?i=1000673130206 =============== Connect with Us: Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest episodes, industry news, and insights from the beer distribution world. About Tapped In Sales: Tapped In Sales is a podcast dedicated to beer distributors and beverage industry professionals who are looking to elevate their sales strategies and drive profitability. Hosted by industry experts Bud Dunn and Mike Hall, we dive deep into real-world stories, actionable insights, and the latest trends to help sales teams and managers unlock their full potential. Each episode blends data, strategy, and motivation, making complex topics easy to understand and implement. This podcast is powered by VXP Tech – the leading Sales Strategy Management system designed for beer distributors. VXP simplifies the complexities of goal setting, variable compensation, and sales team performance, helping you master your market and grow profits, case by case. Stay tuned for expert advice, fresh perspectives, and tools to sharpen your sales approach! If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend!
The Making of Data Mike
Not all growth is good growth. In this clip from Tapped In Sales Podcast Episode 101: The Great Beer Reshuffle, Bud Dunn and Mike Hall talk about one of the biggest traps beer distributors can fall into: chasing volume without paying close enough attention to GP per CE and overall profitability. A brand can be growing fast, but if the economics are weaker, you can wind up working harder just to spin in place. This is a real-world strategy conversation for beer distributors trying to balance momentum, margin, and long-term business performance. Watch the full episode here: 📺 https://youtu.be/8kERBC84UWY 🎧 Listen, learn, and enjoy what you do. Also…share with a friend if you love it! @TappedInBeveragePodcast #BeerDistributor #Profitability #SalesStrategy #BeerIndustry #TappedInSales
The Trap: Growing Beer Volume Without Growing Profit #beersales
This is not just another deal story. In this clip from Tapped In Sales Podcast Episode 101: The Great Beer Reshuffle, Bud Dunn breaks down the latest on Reyes Beverage Group’s expanding acquisition of RNDC markets and why this move matters for the future of beverage alcohol distribution. With 11 markets and roughly $6 billion in revenue involved, this is a major signal about consolidation, scale, and the changing power map in the middle tier. Watch the full episode here: 📺 https://youtu.be/8kERBC84UWY 🎧 Listen, learn, and enjoy what you do. Also…share with a friend if you love it! @TappedInBeveragePodcast #RNDC #ReyesBeverageGroup #BeerIndustry #Distribution #TappedInSales
Reyes’ RNDC Deal Is a Massive Distribution Power Shift #beersales
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