What a year 2022 was. Let’s recap it together, shall we? Phillip and Brian look back on the most popular episodes, articles, and happenings at Future Commerce and tease a lot about what is coming in 2023 and why they are excited about what’s ahead. Listen now! “You Had Me at Beowulf” The most listened-to-episode of 2022 was Episode 240 featuring Magdalena Kala, in which she dropped lots of great insights that became even more profound as the year unfolded As technology like blockchain and other ...
Jan 06, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 284
Where are people shopping and how is that affecting how people are launching brands today? The guys sit down with Calvin Lammers to hear what he is seeing as an emerging CPG leader to get his take on the opportunity available to brands today. Rare Eye for the CPG Guy How brands launch has now significantly changed. Before, brands could decide to avoid Amazon but now, it’s an imperative part of their early business strategy. Amazon is a true platform now and has become more competitive, so differ...
Dec 23, 2022•49 min•Ep. 283
If only there was a directory where we can find out concise information about CPG and also a directory of agencies for brands to find. Well, there is! Listen in as Phillip and Brian discuss the CPG world with Andrea Popova and also find out what some of their favorite product placements in films are and why the future of feature is different. McCallister Money CPGD is a wealth of information for leaders in the CPG world and a great resource for connections and was a huge lucky moment for Andrea ...
Dec 13, 2022•49 min•Ep. 282
AI advancements are changing the landscape of product photography in many industries, including eCommerce. There are many exciting use cases and possibilities and also some snags that the AI world is trying to untangle, such as rights to content, proper execution of image generation, and other issues that could be figured out by the time 2023 rolls around. Seriously? Listen now to hear Sofiia Shvets’ take on this and more! Have Your Robots Call My Robots The power of AI technology is not only ab...
Dec 09, 2022•47 min•Ep. 281
With the advancements in technology over the years and the prospect of advancements looking into the future, how can we make sure we are looking around and keeping our approach as one that brings others with us? Is there a way to build that also lifts others and strives to not leave some behind? Phillip and Brian chat with Adii Pienaar about this and more. Listen now! Human-Centered Future “Going from 0 to 1 remains hard. As a founder, especially when you are responsible to your shareholders and...
Nov 25, 2022•50 min•Ep. 280
Balance strives to make online B2B payments something that doesn’t suck. Why is it important to take action and learn as much as you can about digitizing your business? How do you move from a “keep our business alive” mentality to “grow our business in 2023” strategy? Why is B2B such a vital part of the new world of eCommerce? Listen Now! Old World/New World “Because there are more opportunities, more relationships that can be formed, and because discovery is so much higher due to digitization o...
Nov 23, 2022•49 min
Venture Capital has been powering brands in the modern era and has also shifted with the changing times. How has Forerunner experienced those changes over the past decade and what opportunity is there ahead? Kirsten Green, General Partner at Forerunner Ventures joins this episode of Step by Step to talk about the evolution of eCommerce, the massive monetary potential of the B2B industry, and the role of data and research in eCommerce. Listen Now! Table Stakes “The customer wants what they want, ...
Nov 22, 2022•40 min
There are a million reasons why B2B payments are behind the times. In an era where margins are razor thin, businesses make irrational decisions that cause frustration and headaches for employees and for finance. The modernization of payments in business is the final frontier of digital transformation, employee experience, cash flow management, and profitability. When every point of margin matters, investing in your payments infrastructure is critical to your success. Listen in as Paul do Forno, ...
Nov 21, 2022•57 min
Phillip and Brian talk with Dr Amy Gershkoff Bolles about how having an innovation strategy that connects to your larger corporate strategy and a very disciplined approach, looking for opportunities that add value for your business and most importantly for your customers, is key to longevity. Evaluating opportunities in the digital and technology space, given how much opportunity there is, is a very important discussion. Listen in to hear what they are doing at Levi’s, and how the future there i...
Nov 18, 2022•48 min•Ep. 279
On today’s episode, Phillip and Brian discuss e-biking and deficient snack drawers, AI and the recent developments within use cases for eCommerce, and also about that guy in Starbucks who was in full-VR use like it was his job. Was it his job? I mean, he did have a tie on. Jeroboam-sized BOOMCHICKAPOP How has Phillip’s experience with being a one-car family for a year been going and wait, how many miles has he either biked or run this year so far? Artificial limitations can provide great opportu...
Nov 11, 2022•57 min•Ep. 278
On today’s episode, Philip and Brian discuss their recent issue of The Senses, as well as some tips for preparing for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday season. They also talk about the recent release of a Ralph Lauren collection in Fortnite and how Roblox has become a giant brand playground. Plus listen in for a HUGE announcement that we are really excited about! Do you Insta Cop? How to be prepared for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday season, including some horror stories from past years ECommerce its...
Nov 09, 2022•29 min•Ep. 277
Open source software is such an important part of how the whole world is run, and it takes a community to build it. In fact, so much has been built up to this point, that everything new that’s created is standing on the shoulders of the giants that have solved problems in the past, problems that we don’t even have to think about much today. So what are the problems that we do need to investigate today and how shall we best address them? Yitzchak Lieblich from Web Solutions NYC shares how they do...
Nov 04, 2022•35 min
Because open source is so flexible, it can be such a powerful tool. But how do you manage the complexities of all that is possible and steer clear of overbuilding? How do you stay focused with all that is available? Listen in as Founder and CEO at Alumio, Caspar Hardholt, explains how to manage these risks and build your open source stack successfully. Feature Creep Software providers work with more educated business owners/operators today than in years past, and multiple software needs add to t...
Nov 03, 2022•50 min
We all hate the B-Word (budgeting). How do you set yourself up for success when you enter into a project using open source? How do you make sure you have guardrails going into this so that you can actually have a plan and don't get yourself into trouble? Can software buying be less scary? Stephen Stark, Founder, and CEO at ITG Commerce explains how you can make these decisions less scary. Listen in and find out! Wedding Planning Selecting software is important, but selecting the strategy by whic...
Nov 02, 2022•53 min
When should I use open source software and how do I build on top of it to create the unique and differentiating elements of my business where I am right now? How can open source create community and lead to a wider array of solutions? Sander Mangel, eCommerce Solutions Architect at Shopware, joins this episode to explain the necessity of community in open source. Listen Now! A Bigger Beneficial Pie Doing eCommerce has become tremendously complex and that requires not just developers but speciali...
Nov 01, 2022•49 min
Open Source isn’t dead, actually it’s never been more alive. We’re in the ninth season of Step by Step and this season, we’re exploring the question, “is open source still viable for the modern business?” We think the answer is yes, but getting to the solution requires the business operator to do a cost benefit analysis, manage complexity and budget, and choose the correct software to set their team up for success. In this first episode, Ben Marks, Director of Global Market Development at Shopwa...
Oct 31, 2022•52 min
We’ve been through Brian Goes Bougie together, but can we handle Phillip Goes Dirtbag? Also the guys talk about brands they are loving right now, hot takes on Mr Beast and a bit of a musing on the Age of Contentment.
Oct 28, 2022•53 min•Ep. 276
What if the way we think about expense management and reimbursements could be reinvented? What does that look like? Listen in to learn how Divvy is changing the way business is done and making life easier for teams like yours. An Easier Way Divvy provides software to make the details of expense management easier with tools for keeping track of everything that passes through accounts, budget locks to prevent overcharging, and even cash-back rewards Because accountants have feelings, too, and givi...
Oct 14, 2022•39 min•Ep. 275
What’s the biggest addiction in eCommerce and how in the world can it be solved? It’s discounting and couponing! Fondue has a solution that has been shown to increase revenue, boost profits, and create win/wins for brands and consumers. Oren Charnoff, Founder of Fondue, and Roy Rubin, Founder of Magento and Investor join the podcast this week. Listen Now!
Oct 07, 2022•51 min•Ep. 274
Pattern Brands has just announced that they’re acquiring Onsen Towels . What was it like to see the market go from 20,000 using Shopify as a platform to now 2 million? Well, Nick Ling can tell you. What is it like to help founders become millionaires? He can tell you that, too. Phillip takes some time with Nick Ling to talk about Pattern’s Acquisition of Onsen, how they build trust with founders, and why they hold strong views loosely as they build differently. Time and Trust “Good brands aren't...
Sep 27, 2022•39 min•Ep. 273
eCommerce is in need of a deconstructionist movement. Brands should question the norms of their behaviors and their beliefs of “best practices,” but we don’t always take time to reflect. In this episode, Phillip and Brian explore the nature of deconstructionism, why eCommerce is due for a deconstructionist movement, the quiet builders in our space, and the influence of artists in our space. Listen now! Building the Future An eCommerce deconstructionist movement is needed where we question our no...
Sep 23, 2022•36 min•Ep. 272
Mags joins Phillip and Brian to discuss the role of Web3 and the blockchain as we enter into the new wave of commerce. Does Web3 open up a new world of possibilities for brands to interact with and meet the needs of their customers? How can brands and investors partner with celebrities to solve problems? Listen now! Mindful Web3 A successful approach to Web3, from a brand perspective, is asking questions like "Why would we do this? Why should we care? Why should our customers care? And what can ...
Sep 20, 2022•50 min•Ep. 271
“Death eventually comes for us all, why not buy your casket direct and save a bunch of dough?” Today we dive into the digital transformation that has taken place in death care, and how funeral home websites have become marketplaces unto themselves. PLUS: a Veleb gets canceled for “digital blackface.” Listen now! Caskets, but in Millennial Pink A large portion of the funeral homes in the United States are owned by private equity rollups that consolidated infrastructure and operations through the ...
Sep 09, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 270
Show Notes “Being a retailer of a brand, there are a number of different pressures that I think they have to address, but in doing so, it will only make them stronger companies. It'll only make consumers want to shop with them more.” - Miya Knights When it comes to sustainability, are consumers really adhering to their convictions or are convenience and practicality leading to incongruent behavior there? “Retailers are going to have to be a lot more transparent and a lot more in the same way tha...
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Welcome to the LAST episode of Step by Step Season 8! We’re wrapping up the series with Tyson Graham, and will be covering the nuts and bolts of what makes headless interesting. Listen now! Headless Needs a Real Head What you want is optionality, but there is another level that isn’t just a first-party option in your eCommerce tech stack. there is an entire level we haven't thought about as an option. “People don’t buy protocols, they buy products.” – Phillip There are some advantages of headles...
Sep 02, 2022•42 min
For our 4th episode of Step by Step Season 8, we’re covering how you can take your brand from having an eCommerce project mindset to a program mindset. Jon Reily from bounteous is here to chat about the difficult parts of shifting mindsets, how we're rewriting the rules, and more! Tune in now! A North Star or a South Star? Currently, a lot of brands are struggling with how to move from having an eCommerce project mindset to a program mindset. The most difficult part is that brands need to break ...
Sep 01, 2022•48 min
Want to get more from this season of Step by Step? Download our free accompanying guide . Personalizing Your Data Tools All the uncertainty around the economy, inflation, and interest rates is affecting decision making and freezing the market. “Redeploy budgets and focus on getting more out of the existing database of customers you have. Ensure that their journeys support what they're trying to accomplish as consumers and how they want to engage with your brand.” – Brian Walker We’ve been talkin...
Aug 31, 2022•58 min
Want to get more from this season of Step by Step? Download our free accompanying guide . A Blendification of Brands State and local governments have continued to rely on sales tax as it is one of the three pillars that governments rely on for income. Retail invoices have a lot of key components because SKU, price, and tax all have to be correct. Recently, Michael is witnessing more retailers demanding more and more precision. Believe it or not, over the last 30 years, the sales tax base has act...
Aug 30, 2022•40 min
Welcome to Season 8 of Step by Step. This season we’re partnering with fabric to discuss how brands can stand out from the crowd by investing in an experiential design. Tune in every day this week to hear from experts on how to unlock your eCommerce growth. Listen now! Is experience worth investing in? Ryan Bartley is the Founder of Fabric, a leading modular and headless enterprise commerce platform helping brands and retailers innovate and scale. Experience is not only your digital experiences ...
Aug 29, 2022•44 min
Joining the show today is Karin Dillie, coming to talk about Recurate’s newest report, all things resale, from Gen Z to Boomers, omnichannel, and more! Tune in now! Reclaiming Resale Recurate started as a way for brands to reclaim resale Recurate has recently released a new piece of research called the Recurate Resale Report , they wanted to dig in and find the data on what is happening in resale “What we wanted to do was dig in a bit more into primary data and really understand the motivations ...
Aug 26, 2022•45 min•Ep. 269
