When he opened his food distribution business back in 2006, Don Coenen started with three semi-trucks in a beaten field. 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.

• 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)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Cadence Bank YouTube
• Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation Website
• Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation LinkedIn
• Don Coenen LinkedIn

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected] or [email protected].

Read the full show transcript.

Meet the Host

Ari Marin, SVP, Family Enterprise Advisor, Cadence Asset Management & Trust and the new host of Cadence Bank’s In Good Companies (IGC) podcast, says his idea of “good company” is being around creative, insightful people who enjoy sharing personal stories about the things that helped make them successful.

From 9 to 5, Marin is a Cadence Bank senior vice president and family wealth strategist, whose specialty is consulting with family-owned and small businesses. Now, he’s squeezing in IGC hosting duties, bringing in a new voice and fresh perspectives.

As a lawyer with a master’s in taxation from Villanova, Marin holds his own in the business world. But hosting IGC gives him a new way of engaging with entrepreneurs and experts to learn smart ideas and new ways of doing things.

Outside the office, Marin is a history fan and podcast aficionado who loves reading and exercising with his two dogs: Friday–aka “the angel”--and Mahla, the stubborn Shih Tzu with selective hearing.

About Don’s Cold Storage & Logistics Company

Don’s Cold Storage & Logistics is a temperature controlled warehouse and transportation company. We provide blast freezing, cold storage, dry storage and transportation services to multiple industries in the continental United States as well as product exporting services across the globe.

DCSL provides a comprehensive data management system that will allow for real-time tracking of inventory and EDI processing of information for both the warehousing and transportation components of the business. With an experienced staff, state of the art equipment, and its distinct features, Don’s Cold Storage and Logistics provides customers with quality and excellent services in warehousing and transportation..

This podcast is provided as a free service to you and is for general informational purposes only. Cadence Bank and its affiliates make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content in the podcast. The podcast is not intended to provide legal, accounting or tax advice and should not be relied upon for such purposes.