Mike Marks, founding partner of Indian River Consulting Group, is a straight-talking distribution industry veteran, consultant, and educator with decades of experience helping companies navigate change. Mike has served on the boards of Hisco, Floor & Décor, HIDA and more. He is also a National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors Institute Research Fellow and a permanent faculty member of the University of Innovative Distribution. From his early days translating engineering jargon to plainspeak, to leading at one of the nation’s largest semiconductor distributors, to building Indian River Consulting Group, Mike shares candid lessons on leadership, trust, AI and the value of saying “yes” before you feel ready. In this wide-ranging conversation, we cover everything from sales grit and critical thinking to mentoring Gen Z and why bigger isn’t always better.