6 Wholesale Distributor Success Stories [2023]

Updated: April 26th, 2023
Become A Wholesale Distributor

Here are some real life success stories of starting a wholesale distributor:

1. ABC Supply ($15B/year)

Diane Hendricks had a child at age 17, worked as a Playboy Bunny to pay her bills, beat cancer twice and survived the tragic death of her husband before tran...

Diane Hendricks, Ken Hendricks (from Beloit, WI, USA) started ABC Supply over 41 years ago.

Revenue
$1.25B / month
Team
2 founders / 5374 employees

Case Study

Diane and Ken Hendricks established ABC Supply Co. Inc., a leading wholesale distributor of exterior and interior construction supplies.

Their staff tackles the most difficult projects with proven solutions at almost 800 sites nationally.

The duo borrowed $900,000 from a bank & acquired two failing construction supply companies in 1982.

They planned to acquire from manufacturers directly and then sell to contractors and project builders.

They ensured top-quality customer service and drew around $140 million in sales in the first five years.

In 2021, the revenue for ABC Supply reached a new high of $15 billion and they plan to close at $18 billion in 2022.

After her husband died in 2007, Diane now owns a 100% stake at ABC and a holding company with investments in 18 firms.

Diane has a net worth of $12.2 billion, which is way more than any other women entrepreneurs in U.S history.

From being a teen mom to working as a waitress to pay her bills to beat cancer and finally becoming one of the most successful businesswomen in the U.S, Diane has had an inspiring journey.

Read the full story on forbes.com ➜

Learn more about starting a wholesale distributor:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a wholesale distributor?
-> Pros and cons of a wholesale distributor

Need inspiration?

-> Examples of established wholesale distributor
-> Marketing ideas for a wholesale distributor

Other resources

4. Wholesale Central

  • Website traffic: 320K/month
  • Business rank: #24.2K

Check out their full website ➜

5. Vitality Medical

The leader in quality medical supplies, home medical equipment and health care products. Make Vitality Medical your first choice for purchasing discount medical supplies for you and loved ones. Fast shipping and low prices.

  • Business rank: #24.7K

Check out their full website ➜

6. Wholesale Merchandise, Closeout Supplier, Wholesale Supplier

Kole Imports is a leading wholesale merchandise and closeout supplier of discount merchandise in the United States and offers wholesale merchandise, closeouts and products for all kinds of stores.

  • Website traffic: 150K/month
  • Business rank: #44.6K

Check out their full website ➜

Pat Walls,  Founder of Starter Story
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