A woman-owned group purchasing organization based in Fort Worth has a plan to help small- and medium-sized businesses rebound from the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the vaccine continues rollout across the country, employers are establishing hybrid and remote work policies, return-to-the-office plans, and safe social distancing practices. That includes the legions of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which are rapidly adapting to save time, money, and resources after a strenuous year.

Enter Legacy Purchasing Group: a fast-growing North Texas group purchasing organization (GPO) that says it can save businesses more than 50 percent on any office needs.

Billed as a “trusted business resource,” Legacy Purchasing Group (LPG) aims to help businesses realize savings and efficiencies when it comes to office supplies, technology, HR solutions, and more. The organization does so by leveraging the collective buying power of its members so significant discounts can be negotiated.

For instance, the more business an organization can bring to a supplier, the more that supplier will offer better discounts and benefits. It’s all about sweetening the deal.

According to LPG, most buying groups target large enterprise customers in a specific industry, like healthcare. But their team has a different approach.

LPG specializes in entrepreneurs and SMBs—though they accept businesses of every size—that might feel they don’t have enough buying volume to earn deep discounts. This is likely a “new purchasing option for many,” the org says, as most of its target market also tend to get overlooked because of their smaller size. 

But, as the organization points out: businesses of every size are trying to save money, “now more than ever.” And it intends to help with that.

“We have the business owner’s best interests at heart,” LPG Director of Marketing Morgan Heinrich said in a news release. “We spend our time vetting the best supplier partners and passing on cost savings to members. This is a game-changer for our members.”

LPG Founder and President Ashley Stuhr officially launched LPG in 2017 after taking a leap and quitting her corporate job. She already had experience in the industry—she spent around a decade in Office Depot’s business division and along the way realized many business owners and executives didn’t know how to unlock the benefits of a GPO. She wanted to make an impact.

According to Stuhr, she “pounded the pavement” by networking with founders, consulting with successful GPOs, interviewing potential vendors, and taking time to understand the SMB market’s needs.

Today, LPG has established $80 million in buying power, grown 126 percent in members during the pandemic, and attracted more suppliers. Discounted solutions now include technology, small business payroll, corporate 401k consulting, telemedicine, and more.

“We are reaching businesses in the community, educating them on our programs, and saving them thousands of dollars annually,” Stuhr said in a news release. “Those savings get reallocated to the core focus of their business.”

LPG’s differentiating factor is that it doesn’t charge fees or membership dues. Rather, it “bridges people” to services that SMBs traditionally wouldn’t have access to on their own.

Take Office Depot, Stuhr’s former employer, as an example.

In exchange for deep discounts on all of Office Depot’s offerings—from copy services to white boards to janitorial supplies—LPG negotiates a contract, bringing thousands of members in.

By signing up on LPG’s website or presenting an LPG-issued store discount card at an Office Depot, business owners can receive the same discounts. Once businesses are registered through LPG, an Office Depot account manager works with them to ensure the best pricing and products are available.

“We’re constantly going back and negotiating for better benefits,” Stuhr said. “There’s no membership fee for our members, ever, no cost for any business to access our contracts and discounts. Honestly, it’s surprisingly simple.”

Overall though, LPG just wants to be personal and helpful when assisting its members.

Last year, the organization revamped its brand, adding the tagline of “Do Good Business.” To LPG, that means “offering the best prices and best customer service while continually serving as a community resource.”

To coincide with this core value, the team recently launched its Do Good Business Mini-Series, a continuing collection of video interviews with industry leaders.

“As a woman-owned business,” Stuhr said, “we hope to be yet another inspiration to other women who want to take that next step in their future careers.”

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