Sep 16, 2026 · 18 min
Marine leadership scales a distribution business
How a Marine Officer Grew a $3M Business to $23M
Ryan Sturm’s story shows how disciplined delegation, strategic hiring, and operational reliability can turn military leadership experience into durable business growth.
- 1Sturm used an equity-partner model to lead an established distribution operation while building an ownership path.
- 2Adding HVAC expanded the business, but scaling people, inventory, warehouse capacity, and processes became the central challenge.
- 3He connects growth to authentic relationships, reliable service, and clear outcomes that let employees execute without micromanagement.
Don't miss
Sturm explains how setting boundaries and outcomes, while leaving execution to employees, lets a growing operation avoid micromanagement.
The brief
Ryan Sturm describes the uncertain move from Marine Corps financial management officer to civilian executive, aided by veteran-focused hiring support and recommendations from peers who had already made the transition.
At Wind Supply, local presidents operate established distribution businesses as equity partners, combining ownership opportunity with support from a broader network spanning plumbing, HVAC, waterworks, and electrical supply.
Growth accelerated after HVAC expansion, but referrals created a harder problem: scaling people, warehouse capacity, inventory, and processes while preserving dependable service for customers and vendors.
Sturm applies a Marine Corps leadership principle by setting boundaries and outcomes, then giving employees freedom to decide how the work gets done.
His broader lesson is that authentic relationships and operational consistency compound together: trust attracts business, while the right hires make growth sustainable.
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