The supply chain is "complicated, but it's getting better," Bunzl CEO Jim McCool said during a panel discussion at the National Association of Wholesale-Distributors' Executive Summit in Washington, D.C. Executives on the panel, which included RelaDyne President and CEO Larry Stoddard and Do It Best Corp. President and CEO Daniel Starr and was moderated by ORS Nasco and Medco Tool CEO Kevin Short, also discussed the importance of investing in technology, the current regulatory environment and their predictions for the future of the industry.

W.W. Grainger reported $15.2 billion in sales for 2022, an increase of almost 17% year over year. The distributor's e-commerce sales through Zoro.com totaled more than $1 billion, and the number of Zoro registered users grew 17% last year to 4.57 million.

Imperial Dade will acquire California-based Focus Packaging & Supply Co., which will give the distributor a "foothold in the growing Fresno market which is key as we expand throughout California," CEO Jason Tillis said. Terms were not disclosed for the acquisition, which is Imperial Dade's 59th under Tillis.

US industrial construction starts decreased 24% in the fourth quarter versus a year ago and marked the lowest onset of new space building since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic amid rising building costs and decreased leasing activity, according to CoStar Group. Adrian Ponsen, CoStar national director of US industrial market analytics, says that means there will likely be fewer new warehouses this year, which could result in falling vacancy rates and the return of space shortages.

TikTok can be an effective platform for business-to-business marketers if used correctly, Ismael El-Qudsi writes. El-Qudsi shares tips on creating engaging content with a more humorous tone and finding the right niche influencers, along with spotlighting best practices from brands such as Microsoft, Canva and Zoom.

If you feel something has damaged your credibility as a leader, do a self-inventory to identify potential problem areas, take a walk to clear your head, and look for mentors or coaches who can help you identify areas where you may need to grow or change, writes executive coach Anne Sugar. "You must accept that there are times you will need to make changes, whether you like it or not," Sugar writes.

Assuming that others -- be they potential customers or employees -- think just like you do can lead you to miss the markets you should target and misread the needs of team members, which ultimately can weaken your influence as a leader, writes Steve McKee, co-founder of McKee Wallwork + Co. "Leaders are marked by their ability to influence others, not merely by how well they can fire up everybody who already agrees with them," McKee writes.