Building a Product-Centric Culture: Lessons from Peavey Industries

At Peavey Industries, a shift is happening — one that’s about becoming a more product-focused company. And at the heart of this transformation is a simple idea: success starts with people.  

Peavey Industries LP, the parent company of Peavey Mart and MainStreet Hardware, has been serving loyal customers across Canada since 1967. With a focus on essential products and services for the rural lifestyle, Peavey Mart has established itself as a trusted destination for quality goods and personalized customer service. 

Led by Shaun Guthrie, the Head of Technology and eCommerce, Peavey Industries has learned firsthand how important it is to manage change in a way that gets everyone involved. Initially focused solely on technology, Shaun’s role soon expanded to include eCommerce with the intention of fostering collaboration between the technology and eCommerce teams, breaking down silos and creating a cohesive environment where ideas flow freely and solutions are reached more swiftly. 

By fostering a sense of ownership and teamwork across the company, Peavey Industries is setting itself up for long-term success in an ever-changing market, with innovation and customer satisfaction leading the way. It’s this focus on people that’s truly driving their transformation.

Internal Team Buy-In: The Key to Success

One of the most significant challenges faced during this transition was securing buy-in from all team members. Change often meets resistance, especially in large organizations. To overcome this, the leadership team at Peavey Industries emphasized the importance of communication and involvement. 

By involving everyone and ensuring that each team member understands their value, Peavey Industries has fostered a culture of mutual respect and shared goals, not only improving workflows but also strengthening the organization's culture.

The Akeneo PIM not only transformed the way we work but also ignited a wave of positive change within our organization. We have created an environment where productivity soars and innovation thrives while driving concrete business results.

Shaun Guthrie Head of Technology & eCommerce

Peavey Industries

The Role of Training and Education

Everyone’s heard the old adage, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Well, it’s no different here with Peavey Industries; a transformation as significant as this didn’t happen overnight, and requires ongoing education and training to ensure the entire internal team is up to speed. 

Leveraging Akeneo Akademy empowered Peavey’s teams with the essential training needed to quickly and efficiently adapt to the new tools and processes in a product-centric environment. As Shuan Guthrie notes, "Training through the Akademy has been essential. It’s not just about learning new skills but about embracing a mindset of continuous improvement."

The Future for Peavey’s Product-Centric Revolution

While Peavey Industries has made significant strides, the journey is far from over. As the company continues to digitize and expand its offerings, the lessons learned about change management, product-centricity and team buy-in will remain at the forefront of its strategy.

For organizations looking to embark on a similar journey, the experience of Peavey Industries offers a valuable lesson: change takes time, but with the right approach, the rewards are well worth the effort.

If you want to learn more about Peavey’ Industries road to a product-centric organization, you can tune in here to listen to the full story. 

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Samira McDonald, Senior Manager, Community

Akeneo