March 2026 Mastermind Recap

A consistent theme throughout the conversation was that showing up to an event is only the starting point. Several innovators pointed out that you have to set goals for events. 

The group talked through goal setting:

• 10 conversations
• 4 meetings set
• 1 new B2B client closed

Measuring the outcome of an event will help to sort out which ones you should attend consistently and which ones you should skip. 

Innovators described the need to treat events as the top of the funnel, and the steps from there need to be automated in a CRM or set as reminders for follow-ups to ensure that prospects move down the funnel. 

There was also an emphasis on timing. Following up quickly while the conversation is still fresh was implied as critical, rather than letting contacts sit without action.

B2B reps are already having the right conversations, but without a structured next step, those conversations aren’t turning into revenue.

To make it easier, we put together this 15-Touchpoint Flywheel for B2B reps.

One of the more surprising insights from the group was a shift in spending behavior among Gen X homeowners. Instead of prioritizing vacations or travel, innovators shared that this group is putting more money back into their homes through remodels, upgrades, and ongoing projects.

This showed up in real ways across stores. Innovators described continued demand in categories tied to home renovations rather than seasonal or discretionary spend. Projects are starting to happen more consistently for our B2B clients, like painters and remodelers. 

For B2B teams, this reinforces that the opportunity isn’t slowing down; it’s shifting. The customers are still spending, but the motivation is more practical and home-focused. Following up with paint contractors about delivery opportunities and restocking capabilities is important right now and a great foot in the door if you have a paint contractor wavering on buying from your store. 

A very direct challenge came up around perception in the contractor community. Multiple innovators shared a common sentiment they’re hearing from painters, “Ace doesn’t have what I need.”

Whether or not that’s actually true wasn’t the point. The issue is that this belief is shaping where those contractors choose to shop. If painters assume they can’t get what they need at your store, they’re not walking in to find out.

This created a bigger conversation around gaps between what stores carry and what contractors think they carry. In some cases, it’s a merchandising issue. In others, it’s a communication issue. And in many cases, it’s simply a lack of consistent outreach to reinforce what’s actually available. 

One store saw a 9% increase by putting a pallet of 5-gallon buckets next to their paint desk to let the pros know that they have the stock to keep up with big jobs. 

The takeaway wasn’t to overhaul inventory overnight. It was to recognize that perception alone can disqualify your store before you ever get a chance to compete. For B2B reps, that means proactively addressing those assumptions in conversations, on job sites, and in follow-ups, rather than waiting for contractors to rediscover the store on their own.

Communication came up as one of the biggest operational challenges for marketers. Requests are coming in from managers and department leads through email, text, in-person conversations, and multiple tools, all at once.

One marketer described managing six stores with different pricing, signage needs, and content requests. Most of it is tracked manually through a personal planner, email threads, or a partially functioning calendar, making it easy for things to get missed or delayed.

Innovators are using a mix of platforms like email, Slack, Discord, and other tools, but not everyone is using them consistently. Some are comfortable with these systems, while others avoid them altogether.

The issue isn’t effort. It’s when communication lives in too many places, things fall through the cracks, and the team is less engaged with the marketers who need them for fresh and exciting content. 

What stood out was the need for one single platform for messaging, task assignments, and updates, so employees don’t have to check multiple places. Innovators weighed Deputy versus When I Work, and the group landed on Deputy, coming out as the clear winner.

The group also discussed how search behavior is changing and how AI is now pulling information from websites.

Instead of scanning long-form blogs, AI tools are pulling short, direct answers, described as “chunking.” This means breaking content into smaller sections that clearly answer a single question.

One example shared was going back into existing blogs and restructuring them into shorter paragraphs or FAQ-style sections so AI can easily pull and display that information. Old blogs being restructured are ranking MUCH higher than new blogs. 

The takeaway is that long-form content still has value, but it needs to be structured differently. If your content isn’t easy to scan and pull from, it’s more likely to be skipped by AI in favor of something that is.

One of the clearest themes from this group was how quickly things change once the season turns. By the time May arrives, there’s no margin left to train, organize, or catch up.

Instead of reacting later, several stores are using this slower window to get ahead. That includes training team members now so they’re ready when traffic increases, and getting the store set before demand spikes.

That same mindset showed up in how they’re handling product prep. One store shared that they’ve stopped assembling items like wheelbarrows as they sell and are now building them in advance so they’re ready to go. Once things get busy, there’s no time to keep up with that kind of work.

Others talked through similar shifts, like resetting floors early, putting out seasonal product sooner, and preparing greenhouse and garden areas well before peak demand hits.

The takeaway was consistent. The work done during the slow season directly determines how well the store performs when things get busy.

A strong example of leadership impact came from how one store is approaching team development and transparency.

They’ve been regularly walking their leadership team through financials, budgets, and how day-to-day decisions affect the business. Instead of keeping that information at the ownership level, they’re actively teaching it so employees understand how the store operates.

That shift has changed how employees show up. One moment that stood out was a customer asking an employee if they owned the store. The response was no, but the way they carried themselves made it feel like they did.

That’s become the goal. Building a team where customers can’t tell who the owner is because everyone takes that level of responsibility.

This approach is also shaping how the team communicates, makes decisions, and interacts with customers. Employees are more confident, more engaged, and more invested because they understand how their role connects to the bigger picture.

Several stores are dealing with unpredictable seasonal conditions, especially around weather-dependent categories.

One example was lawn and garden significantly underperforming due to a lack of snow and shifting seasonal patterns. Instead of letting that drag down overall performance, the focus shifted to categories that were still moving, like paint, hardware, and housewares.

What made this effective was how it was communicated internally. Leadership walked their teams through category performance, showing what was up, what was down, and what could actually be controlled.

That helped reset expectations. There wasn’t an attempt to fix what couldn’t be fixed. Instead, the focus moved to where the store could still win.

The takeaway was not to ignore underperforming categories, but to avoid letting one area define the entire business when other areas are growing.