Business Transformation • Indirect Sales • Social Impact
Rich Wu
25 years of practical leadership in the wireless and technology industry, bridging national brands with local communities.
About Me
Professional Background
I’m a business leader with 25 years of experience in the wireless and technology industry, with a background spanning indirect sales, business transformation, and corporate social responsibility.
My work has focused on helping companies work effectively with local, independently owned retail partners, improving how everyday operations function, and simplifying complex systems so people can do their jobs better. I’ve worked across sales, operations, strategy, and community initiatives—often connecting teams with very different perspectives and priorities.
Community involvement has always been important to me personally. Throughout my career, I brought that commitment into my professional work both as part of my role at Verizon and through formal leadership roles beyond my core responsibilities. This included leading volunteer programs, serving in regional ERG leadership and volunteer champion roles, partnering with internal teams to review grant opportunities, and helping align community investments with broader business and regional priorities. I also founded Bikes for Tykes, applying the same skills I used in my corporate roles—program design, partnerships, and execution—to build a community initiative from the ground up.
Quick Facts
I’m known for practical leadership, clear communication, and turning complex challenges into solutions that work in the real world.
What I Do (In Plain Language)
Two parts of my background usually need a bit of explanation: Indirect Sales and Business Transformation. Here’s a simple way to think about both.
Indirect sales is when a company’s products are sold through independently owned, brick-and-mortar stores, rather than only through company-owned locations or online.
Think of a national toy company. You usually don’t buy its products directly from the manufacturer — you buy them at a local toy store owned by someone in your community or big box national retailer . That store isn’t owned by the toy company, but it represents the brand.
- The store has the right products
- Staff know how to sell and support them
- Customers have a consistent experience
- The business is set up to succeed
In simple terms, I help the brand and the local store succeed together.
Business transformation is about fixing how a company operates behind the scenes so it runs more smoothly and serves customers better.
Over time, even good companies add processes and systems that slow things down.
Think of a home improvement store where returning an item requires visiting several counters. Transformation work simplifies that into one clear step — saving time for customers and making work easier for employees.
That same idea applies inside organizations: remove friction, simplify work, and improve outcomes.
How the Two Fit Together
Brick-and-mortar partner environments are complex. They involve customers, store employees, independent owners, and corporate teams all interacting at once. Much of my career has focused on improving those systems so physical stores operate smoothly, customers have better experiences, and organizations can grow without unnecessary complexity.
Track Record
Career Highlights
2,000
Founded Bikes for Tykes, collecting 2,000 bicycles for local families and generating 4× media coverage. As a Volunteer Champion, doubled participation and tripled average volunteer hours per participant while partnering with state and government affairs to vet and align CSR grant applications.
Recognition
Awards & Honors
Get in Touch
Let’s Connect
Interested in discussing business transformation, indirect sales strategy, or community initiatives? I’d love to hear from you.