Allie Copeland, Chief Transformation Officer at ADI Global, joins Aaron Sheehan to break down what transformation looks like in wholesale distribution. From merging companies and overhauling tech to building a customer-first culture, Allie shares how ADI keeps progress moving, even when change never ends.
Episode highlights:
00:00 – Introduction: Meet Allie Copeland & ADI
02:15 – What Does a Chief Transformation Officer Do?
04:50 – Why Transformation Never Really Ends
09:15 – Turning Strategy into Action
12:54 – Upgrading Tech: From Mainframe to Microservices
18:25 – Planning for Agility, Not Just Stability
21:45 – “Even Better Together”: Customer-First M&A
25:15 – Decision-Making: When Changes Help (or Hurt) Customers
27:24 – Real Feedback: NPS, Surveys, and Store Pilots
29:30 – How Distribution is Evolving Beyond Inventory
34:32 – Culture Change: Project Avengers & Rebel Alliance
40:13 – Radical Transparency & Leading Through Uncertainty
42:35 – Leadership Lessons & Advice for Transformation
46:25 – Book Recs & Closing Thoughts
Resources mentioned:
• The Singularity Is Nearer by Ray Kurzweil
• Apple in China by Patrick McGee
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