What does it look like to lead through massive change without losing the heart of the business? In this episode, I sit down with Do it Best president Nick Talarico to talk about leadership, grit, customer experience, and the real work of helping independents win in a changing market. We get into Retail Pulse, the new data tool built to help stores see what is working, fix what is not, and make smarter decisions faster. We also talk about Nick’s unlikely path from auditor to sales leader to president, why trust still wins, and why the future belongs to leaders who are strong in mind, body, and spirit.

Topics we covered:
• What Retail Pulse is and how it turns POS data into simple green yellow red actions
• Why independent hardware stores still win on trust and relationships
• Small customer experience moves that create repeat business
• Why Do It Best bought True Value during bankruptcy to protect retailers
• What “sound mind body spirit” leadership looks like in practice

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🚀 About Stefanie Couch

Stefanie Couch is the founder of Grit Blueprint and a third-generation building industry professional.

Grit Blueprint helps manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and industry leaders build authority, grow visibility, and become unmistakable in their market.

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