Commerce Famous

Hosted ByBen Marks

Commerce Famous is a bi-weekly podcast series seeking to bring clarity and objectivity into the commerce platform space. In every episode, open commerce evangelist and podcast host Ben Marks is joined by guests who live and breathe ecommerce and retail and are therefore uniquely able to offer well respected and at times controversial insights, drawing on decades of experience. While their names and faces might not be recognized on the street, each guest is, in their own right, “famous for commerce”, or: Commerce Famous.


All Episodes

Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E9: Brent Peterson

Unlock the secrets to thriving in today’s rapidly evolving B2B landscape with insights from Brent Peterson, a recognized industry thought leader. In this episode, Brent reveals the groundbreaking report on the Current State of B2B Commerce Trends and Opportunities, crafted from real ground-level interviews with industry experts. Discover how the future of B2B commerce isn’t just about technology—it’s about strategic data management, modernization, and understanding the seismic shifts caused by AI, private equity, and platform control.

Brent shares behind-the-scenes stories from interviews with 7 agency and tech innovators, uncovering how businesses are redefining their buying experiences, optimizing data readiness, and navigating the complex world of SaaS versus on-premise solutions. You’ll discover actionable frameworks for assessing your platform needs, questions to ask your partners about technology modernization, and why data sovereignty is becoming a pivotal advantage for large enterprises.

This episode breaks down the implications of open-source solutions, the rising importance of the CIO in securing IP, and how the democratization of AI solutions through community-driven open-source projects accelerates innovation—without sacrificing control. Brent’s insights will empower you to future-proof your business, whether you’re a startup, SMB, or large corporation, by understanding the risks and opportunities in a world where data security and platform flexibility could define your success. If you want to stay ahead of the curve—grasp the strategic shifts in B2B commerce, learn how to leverage AI responsibly, and explore how on-prem versus SaaS impacts your business sovereignty—this episode is a must-listen. It’s not just a report; it’s your guide into the near future of B2B success.

Brent W. Peterson is a seasoned industry strategist and the mind behind the authoritative report that offers a clear snapshot of where B2B commerce is headed in 2026 and beyond. Download the full report at contentcucumber.com and join the conversation that could redefine your approach to commerce.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E9: Brent Peterson
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E08: Maier Bianchi

Most e-commerce agencies are focused on projects — but what if your business could thrive on a completely different model? Maier Bianchi, Founder of BEMEIR strategic consultancy agency for ecommerce, reveals how a focus on long-term value, community, and AI-driven innovation is transforming the agency landscape—and why this shift is crucial for merchants and service providers alike.

In this episode, Maier shares his inspiring journey from founding BEMEIR in 2014 to becoming a community-driven leader in the e-commerce space. He discusses how his agency helps clients unlock billions in value by prioritizing trust, transparency, and strategic guidance over quick wins. Maier and host Jason Nyhus dive into the power of community—highlighting the significance of industry events, human connection, and shared purpose in a digital world that often feels disconnected. His insights on how to choose the right platform based on real business needs rather than stereotypes challenge conventional thinking and provide clarity amid the platform chaos.

They cover the emerging concept of agentic commerce—where AI and automation layer seamlessly into customer experiences to create smarter, more personalized websites. Maier breaks down how AI not only revolutionizes development but also enhances site experiences, making them more flexible and user-focused. He shares practical approaches to platform evaluation, the importance of aligned goals, and how to avoid costly pitfalls that can derail long-term success. Whether you’re a merchant, agency owner, or developer, you’ll learn how to position yourself for future growth by embracing innovation, community, and trust.

This episode underscores why understanding your true business needs and valuing human connections are more critical than ever. As the digital landscape evolves rapidly—with AI, remote work, and new community dynamics shaping the industry—Maier offers a compelling vision of a more humanized, purpose-driven e-commerce world, and rethinking how you build and deliver digital experiences.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E08: Maier Bianchi
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Commerce Famous Podcast | Special Edition: Shopware Community Day w/BOLDEST

Host Jason Nyhus sat down with Sydney Maringas and Ramy Youssef from Boldest at Shopware Community Day to unpack their take on Sebastian Hamann’s keynote on Shopware’s product vision and strategy for the AI-powered future.

Their reaction? The keynote was both impressive and highly engaging, particularly because it focused on something many companies overlook: building the right infrastructure for AI commerce. A standout moment was seeing Boldest’s PathWay integration with Shopware Copilot featured on stage.

So what is Boldest’s PathWay product? It’s conversational commerce—but not in the traditional sense.

Using Boldest’s proprietary PQRST framework (Price, Quality, Relevancy, Scope, and Timeline), PathWay helps shoppers find exactly what they need by presenting a highly curated set of results. Rather than overwhelming buyers with endless choices, it builds confidence by narrowing options to the most relevant outcomes. Even more interesting, PathWay doesn’t rely on a predefined journey. The platform dynamically builds pages in real time based on shopper intent. The AI understands what the buyer is trying to accomplish, asks the right questions, and guides the purchasing journey without ever forcing the customer to leave the storefront.

The discussion also explored a critical topic for the future of commerce AI: predictability.

As the Boldest team shared, successful AI implementations require consistency across latency, cost, accuracy, and outcomes. That’s why Shopware’s focus on building the infrastructure layer for AI commerce resonated so strongly. When the infrastructure is in place, intelligent applications can leverage it effectively—connecting data sources, applying fine-tuning where needed, and orchestrating AI experiences that actually deliver business value.

Other key topics from the conversation included:
🔹 AI fine-tuning for ecommerce-specific use cases
🔹 Data sovereignty and governance controls that determine what information remains internal and what can be shared with LLMs
🔹 Intelligent seller and marketplace management across complex multi-brand and multi-vendor environments
🔹 Agentic commerce experiences that can take action, not just provide recommendations

As AI continues to evolve from assisting shoppers to actively participating in commerce workflows, the conversation around infrastructure, governance, and intelligent orchestration becomes more important than ever. Tune in to hear the discussion!

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | Special Edition: Shopware Community Day w/BOLDEST
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Commerce Famous Podcast | Special Edition: Shopware Community Day w/Basecom

Host Jason Nyhus sat down with Torben Höhn and Jonas Dambacher from Basecom at Shopware Community Day to unpack their take on Sebastian Hamann’s keynote on Shopware’s vision, product strategy, and AI-powered future.

They discuss Shopware’s vision of commerce managed through AI – enabling merchants to manage their entire commerce operation with AI, including powerful demonstrations of Experience Studio where product pages can be created, updated, and personalized at scale in minutes. Relevant experiences for every shopper with mass dynamic personalization is becoming a reality, helping merchants deliver tailored experiences faster than ever while reducing manual effort. Ownership and control of data – as AI agents become more prevalent, merchants face important questions about where their customer data and proprietary business processes reside. The discussion explores why businesses increasingly want the freedom to integrate with the systems they choose while maintaining visibility and control over their data flows.

They discuss what makes Shopware different and continues to stand apart through open-source flexibility that empowers developers to extend and innovate; Shopware Payments with no penalties or fees for choosing third-party payment providers; and a commitment to merchant freedom and choice over platform lock-in. The episode also explores Shopware Nexus, the new middleware layer that simplifies integrations between Shopware and critical business systems like ERPs, shipping providers, and other APIs. The result? Faster implementations, lower costs, and more time for developers to focus on innovation instead of complex integrations.

From powering Fleurop/FTD’s global floral marketplace with real-time inventory visibility to supporting a B2B organization managing over 2 million products and highly complex sales processes, the conversation showcases how Shopware is designed to solve unique business challenges that many platforms struggle to address.

If you’re interested in the future of AI-powered commerce, merchant ownership, developer freedom, and composable commerce architecture, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | Special Edition: Shopware Community Day w/Basecom
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E7: Ethan Giffin

Most manufacturing and distribution companies are sitting on outdated systems—unknowingly risking their future with the subtle drift of neglected technology. Ethan Giffin, renowned for demystifying complex e-commerce challenges, reveals how unseen manual processes and misaligned teams quietly erode revenue and trust. If you’re a mid-market leader feeling the weight of aging tech or struggling to unify your teams around digital transformation, this episode could change your perspective.

Ethan sits down with host Jason Nyhus to discuss how organizations often mistake technology as the core problem when, in reality, it’s often a human and strategic disconnect. The five-legged stool of digital revenue—sales, marketing, operations, IT, and finance—and why alignment here is critical; how manual processes like handwritten orders or scribbled notes create risks worse than any algorithms; and why top-down engagement and change management are the secret sauce to successful digital transformation. Through real stories—including a skydiving client dependency that could have been catastrophic—Ethan illustrates common pitfalls and practical solutions for de-risking your approach.

He shares his new book “Closing the Digital Revenue Gap” and his focus for The B2B eCommerce Agency. Tune in to hear a great conversation!

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E7: Ethan Giffin
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E6: Ian Heller

In this episode, host Jason Nyhus sits down with Ian Heller, founder of Distribution Strategy Group. This episode is perfect for distribution executives, e-commerce leaders, and marketers ready to break free from outdated metrics and uncover hidden revenue streams. If you’re committed to transforming your digital strategy into a true growth engine, this conversation is a must-listen. Ian’s insights could reshape how you view—and invest in—your online presence—and they might just be the game-changer you need to outpace competitors.

Most distributors are leaving millions of dollars on the table by misunderstanding what their e-commerce channels are truly worth—and many are investing less than they should. Ian reveals the shocking truth: measuring e-commerce success solely by the shopping cart misses the biggest impact areas. You’ll discover how a 600% underestimation of website value is common and learn the proven methods to accurately track second-order effects that drive overall sales—like customer engagement, demand generation, and offline interactions.

Ian shares compelling stories from the industry, including how distributors mistakenly dismiss the potential of their websites because they focus only on direct transactions. He breaks down a simple yet overlooked tactic: calling customers who order offline and asking if they used the website, transforming anecdotal insights into powerful metrics. We also explore how internal disincentives—like giving discounts to reps over online orders—undermine digital growth and how to recondition your organization for true e-commerce success.
You’ll uncover detailed frameworks for measuring website ROI beyond transactions, including how high correlation between website engagement and overall sales should prompt much larger investments in digital. Ian explains why most distributors are caught in a “doom loop” of underinvestment and how fixing attribution can unlock extraordinary ROI. Plus, get insider tips on how to foster partnerships with industry associations, create content that your audience craves, and leverage AI to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to supercharge your existing channels, Ian’s proven tactics and industry expertise will give you the clarity and confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions for your distribution business.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E6: Ian Heller
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E5: Scott Ohsman

Host Jason Nyhus catches up with Scott Ohsman, VP of Digital Commerce at Quickfire Digital Commerce Agency, and host of the wildly popular podcast Always Off Brand. In this episode, Scott uncorks behind-the-scenes stories from his 30+ years in retail, including how he went from selling outdoor gear to mastering Amazon’s marketplace long before it was obvious to everyone else. You’ll discover why his podcast, Always Off Brand, is a breath of fresh air—combining pop culture, industry secrets, and real talk—plus how he sources engaging guests and keeps the content relatable and fun.

Scott shares his bold predictions on AI’s future in e-commerce, practical tips on navigating the B2B and B2C worlds, and why honest conversations matter more than ever in a noisy, hype-driven industry. He breaks down the hilarious origins of his podcast’s unique personality—including his love for Yiddish words and regional accents—and why authenticity is his secret weapon. If you’re tired of corporate pump and dump and want real insights with a side of entertainment, this episode is your antidote. Whether you’re a seasoned seller, a new entrant, or just love clever industry storytelling, Scott Will inspire you to level up your game—and remind you that sometimes, the best knowledge comes from those who keep it off the record.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E5: Scott Ohsman
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E4: Matt Christensen

Matt Christensen, President of Distributor Data Solutions (DDS), revolutionizes product data management for manufacturers and distributors. In this episode, host Jason Nyhus speaks with Matt about his career journey and the back story of why DDS was founded. Tune in to learn how DDS’s API-first platform and AI-driven solutions empower distributors to scale efficiently, reduce manual work, and compete with industry giants. Matt shares insights on leveraging data to enhance customer loyalty, reduce returns, and expand market reach. Perfect for those in distribution and e-commerce, this episode offers strategies to transform digital chaos into a competitive advantage.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E4: Matt Christensen
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E3: Sarah Falcon

In this episode Sarah Falcon, SVP of Global Marketing at B2B Ecommerce Association and Founder of Falcon Consulting, shares how manufacturers and distributors are transforming their approach to e-commerce and the compelling shift happening right now in B2B sales and marketing, and what it takes to thrive in complexity. Tune in to hear about Sarah’s journey from early digital marketing days to leading global B2B e-commerce initiatives. She shares her firsthand experiences navigating channel conflict, change management, and the real reasons why B2B sales teams are embracing digital faster than ever—despite initial resistance. If you’re a manufacturer, distributor, or B2B marketer feeling stuck on how to adapt, this episode is your blueprint for making digital work for your business.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E3: Sarah Falcon
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E2: Shae Inglis – Solving Complex Problems

In this episode of Commerce Famous, host Jason Nyhus welcomes Shae Inglis, co-founder of Acro Commerce, a Canadian agency specializing in B2B e-commerce. Shae shares the journey of Acro, from its initial failure to becoming a successful agency focused on complex commerce solutions. The conversation delves into the importance of understanding the B2B landscape, the role of ERP systems, and the significance of discovery in project success. Shae emphasizes the need for agencies to build strong relationships with VARs and ERPs to effectively serve their clients. The episode concludes with insights into the unique lifestyle in Canada and the future of Acro’s collaborations.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E2: Shae Inglis - Solving Complex Problems
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E1: Brian Walker – Adapting to Dynamic Market Changes

Commerce Famous Season 4, Episode 1, kicks off with Jason Nyhus talking with Brian Walker, an e-commerce veteran with an extensive career, including Eddie Bauer, Amazon, and Forrester. They discuss the evolution of e-commerce and Brian highlights the importance of adapting to the changing landscape of commerce, the role of industry analysts, and the future of commerce with a focus on agentic systems and AI. He shares why B2B e-commerce has not materialized as expected, with many companies lagging behind, and the future of commerce will involve automation and orchestration of processes. The conversation also touches on the democratization of expertise and the consulting work Brian is doing with StrategyēM, focused on helping organizations define their go-to-market strategies and operations.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S4E1: Brian Walker - Adapting to Dynamic Market Changes
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S3E10: Raj De Datta – The Journey of Bloomreach

In the season finale of Commerce Famous, host Jason Nyhus speaks with Raj De Datta, CEO and co-founder of Bloomreach, the agentic platform for personalization. They discuss Raj’s journey in e-commerce, the founding of Bloomreach, the challenges faced during the 2009 financial crisis, and the evolution of the company’s business model to achieve great success. Raj shares insights on the importance of personalization in e-commerce, the company’s M&A strategy, and the future of conversational commerce. The conversation also touches on the role of analysts in shaping market perception and the significance of influential figures in the e-commerce space.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S3E10: Raj De Datta - The Journey of Bloomreach
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S3E09: Andy Barker – The Payment Eras Tour

In this episode of Commerce Famous, Jason Nyhus interviews Andy Barker, a seasoned expert in ecommerce and payments. They discuss Andy’s journey from his early days at Digital River to his experiences at GSI Commerce, Magento, Miracl, and now Pagos. The conversation highlights the evolution of the payments landscape through the eras, the importance of problem-solving in e-commerce, and the role of community in building successful platforms. Andy shares insights on how to navigate the complexities of payments and the value of partnerships in driving business success.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S3E09: Andy Barker - The Payment Eras Tour
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Commerce Famous Podcast | SPECIAL EDITION – Launch of Order Network eXchange

In this special episode of Commerce Famous, host Jason Nyhus welcomes back Kelly Goetsch, as they dive into the world of order management and the launch of an exciting new initiative he co-founded — The Order Network eXchange — and its potential to revolutionize the industry. The Order Network eXchange (onX) was built as the first open standard unifying how commerce systems communicate – from AI-powered selling channels through payments, logistics, and fulfillment – addressing a critical missing layer in the agentic commerce stack. This new industry standard is designed to unify how commerce systems communicate, facilitating seamless order operations across various platforms. It aims to standardize order data, inventory, and fulfillment processes, allowing brands and 3PLs to operate more efficiently and reduce operational costs by up to 85%. The protocol is built as an open, vendor-neutral body, addressing the complexities of modern commerce by providing a common language for order operations.

Tune in to discover how the Order Network eXchange aims to set new standards, making integrations seamless and enhancing customer experiences. Join us for this insightful conversation on the future of AI-enabled commerce and shaping new standards for operational excellence.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | SPECIAL EDITION - Launch of Order Network eXchange
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Commerce Famous Podcast | S3E08: Jeremy Gryder – The Power of Connection

Join us as we dive into the inspiring journey of Jeremy Gryder, who transitioned from a youth pastor to a leading e-commerce consultant. Discover how his unique background shaped his approach to business and hear about his experiences at BigCommerce and beyond. Don’t miss out on his insights into growth and innovation in the e-commerce world.

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Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous
Commerce Famous Podcast | S3E08: Jeremy Gryder - The Power of Connection
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