Phone Systems, Replatforming, and Aerospace Certification (with Mark Knight) | Ep. 12

Darn Good Distributors

A 40th year in distribution brings perspective on culture, leadership, and growth. Kyler Nixon sits with Mark Knight, CEO at Fibre Glast, to talk management style, respect, and giving credit where credit is due. Mark shares early lessons like “sometimes you just need to show people who’s boss,” and why he chose assertive, direct, and supportive leadership instead. He explains servant leadership and the step beyond it he calls servantcy, where leaders and teams serve each other. The conversation moves into day one at Fibre Glast in 2021, building core values with integrity and respect as must haves, and investing in people resources. Tactically, the team prioritized phone systems, CRM, and a risk-mitigating web replatform without breaking what customers love. Growth remains balanced, profitable, and sustainable, with high barriers to entry and a differentiated value proposition, including AS 91 20 B aerospace certification driven by customer feedback.

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👤 Guest Bio

Mark Knight is the CEO at Fibre Glast. His 40th year in distribution includes roles across industrial management, operations, and supply chain, growing into marketing and general management. He has led in large publicly traded industrial businesses and small privately held organizations. Mark stepped into Fibre Glast in 2021, created a set of core values with integrity and respect as must haves, and emphasizes servant leadership, conservancy, and building a healthy, supportive culture.

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📌 What We Cover

• Management style and culture shifts from the eighties to today
• Servant leadership and the team-first idea Mark calls conservancy
• Hiring and leading for passion in B2B distribution
• The pride moment when families recognize where you work
• Day one at Fibre Glast in 2021 and creating core values with team ownership
• Prioritizing phone systems, CRM, and people resources
• Replatforming to mitigate risk without breaking SEO juice or customer experience
• Balanced, profitable, sustainable growth with high barriers to entry and aerospace certification

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Fibre Glast website: https://www.fibreglast.com
• EOS and the L 10 meeting
• PPG
• AS 91 20 B aerospace certification