Lewis Dennen

Lewder Consulting

We provide Sales and Purchasing Coaching, Sales Team Development, Sales Education/Training, Vendor Improvement, Inventory Management, and Quality Control Reviews. My clients include CEOs, business owners, sales managers, and purchasing managers in the steel/metal/manufacturing industries.

Owner

Lewder Steel Corp.

Since 1999, I have successfully done over $24,000,000 in sales, working with steel traders, service centers, and small to mid-sized manufacturers in industries such as Automotive, Appliance, Furniture, HVAC, Farm Equipment, and more.  I've been supplying OEM's from Georgia to New York and California to Texas.  I have an extensive network to utilize and am able to source most material in sheet metal.

Stories on Steel

Podcast Host

EOXS

During my tenure at EOXS, a dynamic startup specializing in ERP systems for the metals industry, I leveraged my deep industry knowledge to facilitate the adoption of cutting-edge ERP and CRM solutions. My role involved engaging directly with clients to understand their unique operational needs, demonstrating how integrated technological solutions could drive efficiency and productivity. I played a key role in shaping the sales strategy and customer engagement processes, which enriched my expertise in tech sales and deepened my understanding of digital transformation in the metals sector.

Sales Consultant

Dennen Steel Corp.

Managed and executed a sales division through strategic planning and targeting accounts, which did $20 million in sales per year.
Assigned sales targets and prepared work schedules as well as preserved inventory levels and monthly, quarterly, and yearly sales targets.
Accountable for providing over 5000 Tons of steel in over half the United States per month according to order schedules and in timely fashion.
Communicated with the leadership team by presenting forecasts, exchanging best practices while ensuring all company directives and sales resources are maximized.
Wrote 1 and 5-year sales forecasts which resulted in increased sales, revenue and product details.
Maintained relationships with several steel mills by visiting each on a monthly basis.
Supervised a team of 10 employees, including 4 sales people.

Manager, Special Products

I grew up in a steel family.  In fact, you could say I'm a 'Shop Rat'.  Metals and Steel are truly in my blood.  And I love it!

👋 Hi, I'm Lew Dennen, the owner of Lewder Steel and Lewder Consulting. With a rich background in both sales and purchasing within the metals and manufacturing industry, I've honed a dual perspective that uniquely positions me to boost your business from both angles.

WHO DO I WORK WITH?

I specialize in assisting metals companies and manufacturers looking to optimize their sales and purchasing processes. Whether you're struggling to close more deals or aiming to streamline your procurement, I’ve got the insights and strategies to help you thrive.

SERVICES I OFFER:

1. Sales Training for Metals Companies: I train both sales teams and new sales hires, freeing up time for sales managers and enhancing the skills of the existing sales teams. My hands-on approach ensures your team is equipped with the tools and strategies needed to excel.

2. Purchasing Audits for Manufacturers: I conduct thorough purchasing audits, identifying gaps and inefficiencies in your procurement process. After an in-depth discussion with the owner or buyer, I provide actionable recommendations to optimize your buying practices and secure better deals.  Also, because of my extensive network, I may be able to help increase your vendor base as well.

PROVEN RESULTS:

Started Lewder Steel Corp as a Trader, serving Service Centers and OEM's, resulting in over $25m cumulative revenue.

I outmanoeuvred one of the biggest service centers in the country and won one of their clients, who I supplied for over 10 years.

Coached multiple people to improve their sales

Shawn Walsh, CFO of White Rock Manufacturing said: “We couldn’t be happier with the service we have received from Lewis Dennen. Lew has a deep understanding of metal procurement and did a great job communicating his knowledge to us. We have been working with Lew for the past 4 months and his knowledge has had a clear impact on our procurement team. We highly recommend Lew to anyone looking to improve their metal procurement process.”

READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS?

Reach out if you need expert guidance in any of the above areas. Whether you want to enhance your sales strategy, optimize your purchasing process, or just say 'hi', I'm here

How can salespeople call themselves “sales professionals” but won’t even try to get in front of a customer?

I still see sales reps trying to close everything over email and Teams.

News flash: You’re not building relationships behind a screen.

You’re just another vendor in the inbox.

If a customer is spending real money — get in the truck, shake their hand, look them in the eye.

You’d be amazed what happens when you actually show up:

You hear the truth
You build trust
You get repeat business
You get referrals
You get the PO

People buy from people. That hasn’t changed, it won’t change, and AI won’t change it either.

Whether you sell steel, software, chemicals, or corrugated boxes — the rule is the same:

If you want more business, go see more people.

#sales
#b2b 
#relationshipbuilding 
#oldschoolworks 
#salestraining

Somewhere along the way, hiring lost its common sense.

We started trusting keyword filters more than real conversations.

We let AI scan résumés instead of using human judgment.
And now everyone is asking why it’s so hard to find good people.

It’s not complicated:
Talent isn’t in your ATS system—it’s in your inbox getting filtered out.
You don’t hire résumés—you hire people.
Instinct still matters. Experience still matters. Conversations still matter.

I’ve hired people. I’ve built teams. And I can tell you—the best hires rarely survive keyword screening. They survive because someone actually read their story.

If hiring managers want better outcomes in 2025, here’s a crazy idea:
👉 Read the résumé
👉 Talk to the human
👉 Trust your gut again

Tools don’t build teams. Leaders do.

#Hiring #Recruiting #Leadership #Workplace #Career

I keep hearing managers say their Gen Z hires “don’t want to work,” “won’t pick up the phone,” or “don’t know how to communicate.”

But when I talk to my own Gen Z kids, their answers actually make sense:

It’s not laziness — it’s language.

In B2B, the gap is even wider.

Most buyers are 40–60+.
Most new reps are under 30.

One side grew up on calls and handshakes.
The other on texts and DMs.

Both are trying to do a good job. Both want to win.

They’re just not speaking the same language.

I’ve seen this first-hand across teams — and it’s not a “work ethic” problem.

It’s a translation problem.

Curious — have you seen this where you work?

#Sales #B2BSales #Leadership #GenZ #Communication #WorkplaceCulture

Stop blaming the platform. Cold calling isn’t dead. LinkedIn DMs aren’t dead. Your approach is.

I’m tired of seeing posts from people declaring:

 “No one answers the phone anymore”
 “DMs don’t work”
 “AI books my meetings while I sleep”

Here’s what’s actually happening:

– People call the wrong prospects
– With weak reasons for calling
– No clear message
– No follow-up
– And no patience

Then they say the channel is “dead.”

That’s like blaming the gym because you didn’t get in shape.

Two months ago, I made around 75 cold calls in a single day. Clean list? Nope. Perfect script? Didn’t use one.

Result: 20 real prospects and actual conversations that moved deals forward.

Why did it work?

 Because cold outreach still works when you do it like a professional:

 Know who you’re calling
 Bring a reason for the call
 Respect their time
 Don’t sound like a robot
 Follow up like it matters

Cold calling isn’t dead.
DMs aren’t dead.

Lazy sales habits are dead.

#Sales #B2BSales #Prospecting #ColdCalling #RealSales #NoGimmicks

Everyone Says “Build Rapport First.” Here’s Why That’s Wrong.

I got a shout-out yesterday from a friend and mentor(thank you  Michal Bohanes!) about how I write cold outreach.

Here’s the truth after 35 years of selling steel, training reps, and buying from hundreds of vendors:

Rapport doesn’t come before the pitch. It comes from the pitch.

You earn trust when your message proves you understand their world — not when you fake small talk.

“Lew, I saw you’re in the metals industry. We’ve built marketing tools for companies like yours that actually drive inbound leads — want me to send you a quick Loom to show what I’d do for you?”

That works. Because it’s specific, short, and human.  I'd actually respond to that message. 

Why?  It mentioned my name, my industry and said he/she has something specific that could help me and they'd make a video to show it to me.    

In other words, it showed some effort in the outreach.  

AND, it got to the point!

Stop saying “Hope you’re doing well.” Start showing you actually know who you’re talking to.

#sales #manufacturing #b2b #training #prospecting

I’m not a great consultant.
At least, not by LinkedIn’s standards.

I don’t have a content calendar.
I don’t run funnels.

And I sure as hell don’t use AI to pretend I know your business.

What I am good at — is sitting in a room with real people, figuring out what’s broken, and helping them fix it.

I’ve done it for 35 years across sales, purchasing, and leadership.

And when I’m in that room, things change — because people actually feel seen and understood.

That’s the part AI can’t do.

It can write you a plan, but it can’t read the room.
It can give you 10 steps to sell, but it can’t tell when the buyer is losing trust.
It can summarize your career, but it can’t understand your story.

Everyone’s looking for the shortcut right now — the magic tool, the “AI system,” the $20/month miracle that’ll fix it all.

But business doesn’t work like that.

Humans do.

Curious — how many of your biggest wins started with a spreadsheet… and how many started with a conversation?

#TheLewTake #SalesLeadership #Consulting #AI #HumanConnection #B2B #RealTalk #NoGuruBS #SalesTraining #Leadership

I saw a post today from another founder who said she wanted to delete LinkedIn because everything felt like it was falling apart.

I get it.

Most of what we see here are highlight reels — launches, wins, smiling teams. Success stories of their great achievements.

What we don’t see are the quiet moments when someone’s wondering, “Am I crazy for trying?”

I commented back with something I tell my own daughters:

“Sometimes just showing up is enough of a win for today.”

Entrepreneurship is a lot like a soccer match with nine players against a team of twenty. You can’t fake energy. You can’t outsource grit. 

You lead because people are watching — and because quitting just isn’t in your DNA.

It reminded me why I started my own thing again — not to look good online, but to help people who are in the trenches every day. Whether that’s sales, manufacturing, or just life.

So if today feels like a slog, show up anyway. 

The scoreboard will take care of itself later.

Sales isn’t being taken over by AI — it’s being exposed by it.
What AI is doing right now isn’t replacing salespeople.
It’s removing the hiding places.

No more excuses.
No more “busy” work masked as productivity.
No more hiding behind activity metrics.

Because now:
– Anyone can send 1,000 “personalized” emails
– Anyone can auto-generate a cold outreach sequence
– Anyone can build a pipeline dashboard

So what happens next?

The real salespeople stand out.

The ones who can:

 Start real conversations
 Ask questions that move deals forward
 Navigate resistance without folding
 Close without sounding desperate

Those people will win bigger than ever.
Everyone else is about to get exposed.

AI doesn’t make you better at sales.
It just makes it obvious who actually knows how to sell.

#sales #b2bsales #salesleadership #AI #prospecting

I keep asking myself—will AI replace me? Will it replace us?
Let’s be honest. Business doesn’t run on empathy. It runs on profit. Full stop. 

Everything else is window dressing. These 14,000 Amazon layoffs aren’t about innovation or efficiency—they’re about cash and margins.

I’ve worked in both sales and purchasing. In my world, deals still happen between humans. Even when it starts with a list or an email, it ends with people talking. Maybe that changes when buyers start buying directly from AI—maybe tomorrow, maybe never. 

If that day comes, the whole system changes. I’m not ready to concede that yet.

I’ve spent decades in sales and purchasing—steel, metals, manufacturing. 

What’s coming isn’t just “AI disruption.” 

It’s a reset in how people connect, negotiate, and buy.

That’s why I’m focused now on helping sales and purchasing pros sharpen the human side of business—the one thing AI can’t replace.

Anyone else seeing really bad Cold DM's in your LI Feed?
Like, are the same people teaching this stuff?

Most of them sound something like this:
“Hey Lewis — I help business owners like you scale to $100K months. Here’s my Calendly link to book a free discovery call!”

Or this one:
“Hey Lewis, are you open to a quick chat next Thursday about how I can help you grow?”

Or the all-time favorite:
“Hey Lewis, I think I spotted something you might’ve missed on your website — want me to shoot you a Loom?”

Who the **** are you?

I’m so programmed to see these messages now that half of them make me roll my eyes before I even finish reading.

Here’s the thing — audiences are different. Some of these messages might land. But most don’t, because they all sound the same.

What actually works?

Something personal. Something real.

Like this 👇
“Lew, I see you’re in the metals industry.
 I’ve built campaigns for companies like yours that increased inbound leads by 20%.  Want me to make a quick Loom showing what I’d do for you?”

That I’d respond to.

Not because it’s perfect. Because it shows effort.

Here’s the reality about outreach:
 People don’t ignore cold messages because they’re cold.
 They ignore them because they’re lazy.

Make it specific.
Make it short.
Make it sound like you actually looked at who you’re messaging.

Remember, you're reaching out to other humans.  

Don't sound like a computer.

#Sales #ColdEmail #Prospecting #B2BSales #SalesTraining #LinkedInTips #BusinessDevelopment #NoGuruBS

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