Real Talk: Buyer Meeting Dos & Don'ts

Join Ben and Rachelle Milam for "Dollars & Sense," a series inviting leaders from some of the most successful consumer brands to share insight and best practices related to getting, growing, and staying on the shelves (and websites) of the country’s most important retailers.

In this episode, Ben and Rachelle offer real talk about some of the biggest mistakes that supplier teams make during meetings with their buyer.


About Ben Milam
Ben Milam has 35 years of experience in the CPG industry offering a unique set of business perspectives that he's gained from successfully operating on both sides of the desk (as buyer and seller).

Ben spent 20 years with Mars Inc., mainly managing large national accounts like Walmart and Sam's Club, but also in headquarters roles to include sales operations and sales strategy.

Leaving Mars in 2010, Ben moved on to Sam's Club, buying key categories including pet care, laundry, home care, and commercial bakery.

Ben was also the Director of Merchandise Strategy and Supplier Collaboration while at Sam's Club.

In March of 2022, Ben returned to the supplier community, joining Heartland Foods Product Group as their Director of Sales.

In October of 2023, Ben joined Jack Link's as Senior Customer Development Manager, responsible for Sam's Club.

About Rachelle Milam
With over 25 years of experience in retail analytics, Rachelle Milam is a strategic partner who can transform the most complex business challenges into new opportunities.

For nearly three decades, Rachelle has been using the power of data and analytics to catalyze real business impact.

Her in-depth understanding of the retail landscape and supplier needs began when she started her career with Bayer and has only expanded since.

Over her career, Rachelle has worked with brands like Purina, P&G, J&J, Kimberly Clark, and Disney.

She has spent the last five years in operations for the Retail E-Commerce Analytics arm of 1WorldSync.

This service (formerly Webata) enables suppliers of all sizes to unlock sales growth through data differentiation, SEO mastery, content compliance, and much more.

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Dollars & Sense: Real Talk About Buyer Meeting Dos & Don'ts
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