Distributors have been helping the US get through the pandemic from the beginning, whether that meant shipping personal protective equipment, building relationships to ensure COVID-19 vaccine distribution or donating to vaccination sites, says Eric Hoplin, president and CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors. Looking forward, NAW remains active in government affairs while helping member companies understand "how have things changed for distribution, and how can they succeed in this new environment?" Hoplin says.

Mayer Electric will sell to Rexel in a deal worth $456 million. Alabama-based Mayer has 68 locations in 12 states and reported $1.2 billion in revenue for the most recent 12 months through August.

The pandemic pushed enterprises away from traditional moat/castle security toward a zero-trust architecture, says Steve Turner, an analyst at Forrester. There are five steps to be taken "incrementally and non-destructively," says former Forrester analyst John Kindervag, including designing the network from the inside out.

Small businesses around the world were hit hard on Monday when Facebook crashed, causing business owners -- as well as financial and regulatory authorities -- to consider the need to diversify their business storefront and advertising to other platforms.

Business-to-business marketers can create digital influencers, either based on real people or not, to boost social and digital engagement, writes UneeQ CEO Danny Tomsett. Tomsett explains four key elements when designing digital influencers, including creating a positive personality who embodies your brand's values and ensuring it has a conversational, human voice.

Having cash on the balance sheet lets companies make acquisitions, pay down debt and adapt to changes in the market. Here are some tips to improve cash-conversion processes.