76: The Challenges of Managing a Commodities Business Through and After the Pandemic, with Andrew Geisler

AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Drew Geisler, president of Mainline Metals, about how he is managing supply chain issues and the challenges of managing a commodities business through and after the pandemic.

Andrew started his career in the steel industry at the age of 19, when he was hired by Mainline Metals as a co-op student. Under Bob Dubin’s tutelage, Andrew learned the art of cold-calling and how to find and sell surplus and excess steel. Once graduated from Drexel University with a degree in materials engineering, Andrew was hired by Mainline Metals.

Andrew’s rigor and ambition have been integral to his personal success and to Mainline Metals’ growth as a company. Andrew cultivated his entrepreneurial skills from a young age, having started multiple businesses while in high school and college. Then, after making Mainline Metals his home for the last 30 years, Andrew became the President of Mainline Metals at 40 years old.

In addition to his role at Mainline Metals, Andrew is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization of Philadelphia. Within the organization, Andrew is a member of the executive board of the steel and metals network, in which he continues to grow professionally, personally and with his family. For Andrew, personal growth is an important aspect of leadership. Having a community that cultivates growth and continuous learning helps him keep his head focused and enforces his mission of bringing his best self to the office every day.

Recorded 07/25/2022.