When he opened his food distribution business back in 2006, Don Coenen started with three semi-trucks in a crowded market. Nearly 20 years later, his company Don's Cold Storage and Transportation is a multi-million dollar corporation, open for business 365 days a year. More than a profitable operation, it’s a business that has provided a livelihood for countless people in Arkansas, Missouri and beyond.

So how do you achieve this kind of growth? What does it take to turn the dream into a reality? And is reality just as glorious as it seems? Today, our host Ari Marin sits down with Don – a loyal Cadence Bank customer – to answer these questions and hear all about his journey through the food distribution industry.

From Don’s early inspirations and mentors, to his passion for business, we’ll also learn about his goals for the future. We’ll see that Don’s Cold Storage is not just a logistics company. It’s the product of a dream, a resilient financial strategy and a culture of wellness built with intention and purpose.

Join us in conversation to hear Don Coenen’s inspiring tale of grit, and discover a whole new world: the buzzing world of Don’s Cold Storage.

Highlights:

Introducing Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation (0:35)
A typical day in Don Coenen’s life (3:28)
Northwest Arkansas: a thriving place for business (5:15)
Rethinking the economy of “scale” (07:08)
Why the food sector is a resilient industry (8:31)
The early days of Don’s Cold Storage (10:13)
Hard earned financial lessons (13:09)
Don’s growth mindset: don’t back down, double down (15:27)
Challenges and opportunities during the Covid pandemic (16:52)
Unpacking Don’s business culture (18:18)
The benefits of promoting from within (20:21)
The importance of self-care and employee support (21:36)
Why Don’s Corporation is more than a workplace (24:51)
How Don flies the company flag (26:26)
Future goals for Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation (28:22)
Don’s final word: “The future is coming anyway” (31:05)

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If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.

Dreaming Big, Building Bigger: The Buzzing World of Don’s Cold Storage