Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Bryan Mahoney, CEO and Co-Founder of Chord Commerce, an e-commerce data platform that has raised $40 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- From PowerPoint Hackers to E-commerce Pioneers: Bryan's entrepreneurial journey began in university, where a side project turned into a venture that led him deep into the world of e-commerce, setting the stage for his future endeavors.
- Transition to Glossier and the Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Brands: Bryan recounts his transition from running an agency to joining Glossier, highlighting the brand's emphasis on technology and direct engagement with customers, which influenced his perspective on the e-commerce space.
- Foundation of Chord Commerce: The inception of Chord Commerce was a pivot from a broader ambition to create a new type of CPG company, focusing instead on leveraging technology to empower other e-commerce operators with sophisticated data tools.
- The Evolution of Chord's Offering: Initially a full commerce platform, Chord has honed its focus to become a commerce data platform, partnering rather than competing with established e-commerce infrastructure providers like Shopify and Salesforce.
- Marketing Philosophy in B2B Ecommerce: Chord's approach to branding and marketing reflects a blend of enterprise-grade sophistication and the approachability of direct-to-consumer brands, aiming to resonate with e-commerce operators who value both robust technology and compelling brand experiences.
- Future of E-commerce: Bryan shares his vision for the future of e-commerce as an increasingly experiential and omnipresent aspect of consumer life, emphasizing the importance of first-party data and personalized customer experiences across all touchpoints.