Every industry has its encyclopedia. The place you go when a headline isn’t enough, and you want to understand what’s actually happening, why it matters, and how it compares to what came before.
For wholesale distribution, we’ve been building that place at NAW. It’s called Nucleus™, and watching how people actually use it has become one of the more interesting parts of my job.
Research you can talk to
NAW produces a lot of research. Benchmarks, market reports, economic outlooks, and studies like our 2026 AI Adoption Index (available now if you message me). Historically, research lived in PDFs. You downloaded it, read what you had time for, and filed it away.
Nucleus changes how you use that research. Our research sits inside it, so members can ask questions and get answers grounded in distribution-specific data.
Nucleus is NAW’s AI-powered knowledge assistant — purpose-built for wholesale distribution, grounded in NAW’s official research and content, and designed to fit into the way you already work. Ask a question. Get an answer you can act on.
What members are asking
The questions say a lot about what’s on distributors’ minds. A few examples over the past year:
- An executive at a holding company asked how to build an AI policy that works across decentralized operating companies.
- Another asked about the ROI of AI sales tools, alongside questions about data governance.
- One member started with basic tariff questions and, a few months later, was asking how to begin sourcing directly from Asia.
- Compensation comes up constantly. Sales commission structures, warehouse wages, executive pay by company size.
Following the thread
The part I enjoy most is watching a question change shape. One member used Nucleus™ over several weeks almost like an analyst on their team, working through scenario planning, service profitability, technician utilization, and turnover.
That’s where having everything in one place matters. Nucleus™ cross-checks new findings against previous benchmarks and related topics, so you see the full picture instead of one report at a time. Some days you want a quick answer. Other days you want to go deep with the encyclopedia of distribution.
How our team uses it
Our staff uses the same tool. Before a member call, we start with what the industry has already told us. When onboarding a new team member, we teach them how to use the tool to learn more about our industry and the topics that matter most to you. Before scoping new research, we look at the questions members keep coming back to. When compensation or AI adoption shows up again and again, we pay attention.
When members and staff work from the same source, the questions get sharper, and the research builds on itself.
Bringing research to life
We’re also building member-only tools around Nucleus™, including interactive dashboards and guided prompts that help members see where they stand. The goal is research that stays useful long after release day.
If you’re an NAW member, Nucleus™ is part of your membership. If you aren’t a member, it’s a great reason for us to talk.
By Patricia Rausch, VP, Research & Innovation
Patti leads NAW’s research and innovation strategy, focused on building industry intelligence, advancing applied AI, and delivering actionable insights for wholesale distribution executives. Her work includes overseeing the development of Nucleus™, NAW’s AI-powered knowledge platform, and shaping a modern research ecosystem that connects data, content, and member needs in real time.
