Across the Yard Podcast

Risk, Resilience, and Retail Leadership: Across the Yard with Navjot Singh, Leader Hardware S04EP17

Nav Singh left city life behind to buy and rebuild a struggling hardware store in Leader, Saskatchewan. This episode is about resilience, risk-taking, and what it really means to build both a business and a community from the ground up. In this episode, Nav sits down with Liz to share his journey from immigrating to Canada at 18, to working construction jobs across Western Canada before stepping into entrepreneurship. He opens up about the setbacks, financial uncertainty, and steep learning curve of running a small-town hardware store where the owner wears every hat, from cashier and delivery driver to estimator and bookkeeper. The conversation also explores the realities of rural retail, the importance of supporting local communities, mentorship, succession planning, and why small businesses remain the backbone of towns across Canada. If you care about entrepreneurship, leadership, community building, small business growth, and taking risks before you feel fully ready, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Leader Hardware & Building Centre: https://www.facebook.com/leaderhardwareACE/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by DeckRite Canada Sundecks – a smarter product for your yard. Learn more at deckritecanada.com This episode is also brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.com

Daring to be Different: Across the Yard with Stephen Bailey, Fluevog Shoes S04EP16

Marketing is louder, faster, and more measurable than ever, but does that actually make it better? This episode is about building a brand people feel something for, not just one that converts. In this episode, Stephen Bailey, Chief Marketing Officer at John Fluevog Shoes, sits down with Liz to unpack what it really takes to stand out in today’s crowded market. Drawing on more than 20 years with one of Canada’s most unconventional retail brands, Stephen shares why differentiation isn’t about having the best price or product, it’s about having the courage to be distinct. From embracing “weirdness” and creative risk-taking to resisting the pressure to chase every trend, this conversation dives into the balance between data and instinct, short-term results and long-term brand building. They also explore how retail has evolved, why emotional connection still drives real loyalty, and how partnerships, community, and a strong founder influence continue to shape a brand’s identity. If you care about building a brand that stands out, creating meaningful customer connections, and thinking differently about marketing in retail or distribution, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Stephen Bailey: linkedin.com/in/baileystephen John Fluevog Shoes: https://www.fluevog.com/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.co Also brought to you by Regal Ideas. Inspiring homeowners, one deck at a time! inspiring homeowners, one deck at a time!

Legacy in Action: Across the Yard with Swift Current Building Supplies S04EP15

After the sudden passing of their father in 2020, sisters Melissa Jensen, Marissa Wolfe and Kristie Mueller faced the challenge of stepping into a leadership role at their third-generation family-owned business. This episode is about growing through that transition and how it earned them a nomination for the Supply-Build Canada 135 Forge & Form Gala’s Women of Influence award. In this episode, you’ll learn what goes behind the scenes of what goes on in a family-owned business when transitioning ownership. You’ll learn how these ladies got to learn their role and how to support the business, especially when Marissa and Kristie pursued their own degrees outside of the building material industry. The importance of communication between the family and the team, and how that leads them to the success of the proud on-going legacy of a third-generation business. Along with the process of transition on both ends of the ladder, from modernizing internal systems to picking up and keeping relationships with previous customers and builders. If you care about business succession planning, transitioning into family-owned businesses, creating a strong team, and modernizing your business, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Melissa Jensen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-jensen-05501914a/ Marissa Wolfe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-wolfe-b9257096/ Swift Current Building Supplies: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swift-current-building-supplies-1970-ltd/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HELI Canada – Giving Canadian Business a Lift. Discover dependable material handling solutions at heliforklift.ca.

The Cutting Edge of Going Green: Across the Yard with Rob Forbes, EAB Tool Company S04EP14

If you’re running a retail yard or building centre, you don’t have time for trends that don’t translate to the bottom line. This episode is about a model that has quietly delivered for nearly 50 years. Rob Forbes built Exchange-A-Blade Tool Company on a straightforward idea: contractors bring in used blades, get credit, and leave with remanufactured ones on the spot. No waiting. No landfill. Just a system that keeps jobs moving and brings customers back through your doors. In this episode, you’ll hear how the exchange model creates repeat traffic and gives dealers a clear, simple answer to “what do we do with used blades?” You’ll learn why in-store service still matters in a world of automated ordering and drop shipping. Rob also shares what decades of housing cycles have taught him about staying steady when construction slows and demand shifts to DIY. We also dig into what sustainability looks like when it’s tied to performance and profitability. From robotic manufacturing to recycling carbide shavings down to the last particle, this is about running lean, competing with global brands, and doing it as a Canadian company. If you care about margin, loyalty, and building a business that holds up through the ups and downs, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Rob Forbes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-forbes-08846b352 EAB Tool Company: https://www.exchangeablade.com/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HELI Canada – Giving Canadian Business a Lift. Discover dependable material handling solutions at heliforklift.ca.

The Second Life of Lumber: Across the Yard with Jay Sanderson, Northmark Materials S04EP13

This week’s episode is recommended for anyone interested in innovative ways to recycle and reduce waste in construction or using reclaimed wood. Have you ever wondered what happens to the wood from demolished homes? What if much of it could be recovered and put back into use? In this week’s episode of Across the Yard, Liz Kovach sits down with Jay Sanderson, President & Operations Lead at Northmark Materials Ltd., to explore the growing role of reclaimed wood in the supply chain. They dive into the process of reclaimed wood, how advocacy can play a role, and how this wood can be more accessible at a local level. They discuss how wood can be salvaged, processed, and reintroduced into the market, the importance of industry advocacy, and how reclaimed materials can become more accessible at the local level. Jay also shares plans for expansion into Calgary and eventually across Canada, and highlights the many applications for reclaimed wood, including siding, flooring, and furnishings. Tune in for an insightful conversation on reducing lumber waste and giving quality materials a second life. Enjoy the show! Links: Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/ Jay Sanderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-sanderson-80a6651a7/ Northmark Materials: https://northmarkmaterials.com/ Northmark Material’s white paper on “Infrastructure for Circularity”: https://northmarkmaterials.com/infrastructure-for-circularity/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated Wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com