#045 : Ali Afzalirad @ BigCommerce

02/07/22 • 41 min

In this Chill episode, Overdose’s Andrew Potkewitz and ecomm legend Ali Afzalirad will discuss BigCommerce’s growth and roadmap, the rise of headless/composable solutions, ecomm trends and strategies, and more.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a world-leading open-SaaS ecommerce platform used by merchants of all sizes to conduct their businesses online. With sophisticated enterprise-grade functionality, customisation, and performance, it’s lauded for its simplicity, ease of use, and scalability. Headquartered in Austin, BigCommerce has offices in San Francisco, Sydney, and London.

BigCommerce has been an Overdose partner since 2018.

Ali Afzalirad

Ali Afzalirad is without a doubt a stalwart of ecommerce. His career almost spans the entire tech industry’s evolution, beginning back in the dark ages some twenty years ago. It’s a trajectory that has seen him dabble in everything from deep tech, to early applications, to agency, and onto SaaS—the space where he happily sits now as VP Enterprise Sales at BigCommerce.

He cut his teeth, back in the day, working for a company licensing software technology to device manufacturers. It was software development and a lot of source code. He was in sales, but there was nothing to demo.

“We sold real-time operating systems and protocol stacks to companies that were making devices.” There was all manner of devices: early cellphones, set-top boxes, digital cameras, and personal assistant devices (remember Palm Pilot?). Also networking equipment, like routers and switches, and avionics, such as ground proximity radar warning systems.

Then, one day, he heard about this thing called ecommerce.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce has been an Overdose partner since 2018.

Ali Afzalirad

Then, one day, he heard about this thing called ecommerce.

Previous Episode

#042 : Curt Carpenter @ Lekker Home

Today on Chill, we’ll chat with the wonderful Curt Carpenter, Co-Founder and Principal @ Lekker Home

From tailblock grinds to dovetail joints, we’ll cover Curt’s rise from rad suburban skater, to purveyor of modern design.

Since its founding in 2002, Lekker Home has grown from an idea into an innovator in the world of furniture and decor. They specialize in Mid-Century Modern classics and European Design icons, curating brands they believe in – both aesthetically and ethically.

Overdose’s Gary Benerofe and Curt will discuss entrepreneurship, digital transformation, growth, omnichannel & B2C/B2B commerce, and adapting & evolving approach to successfully navigate the challenging brick-and-click landscape.

Next Episode

#067 : George Lloyd @ Whiskers N Paws

This week on Chill, we’ll chat with George Lloyd @ Whiskers N Paws.

George is the Chief Operations Officer at Whiskers N Paws.

Located in Hong Kong, Whiskers N Paws is a pet shop with a mission, rooted in the belief that animals make us better people. They teach us mindfulness; Remind us to be compassionate; Show us the importance of having fun; They open our hearts and help us connect as humans to one another without barriers.

Given how important pets are to their owner’s happiness and well-being, Whiskers N Paws takes their job seriously. “We study every product to make sure they are free from harmful ingredients, safe to play with, and are wholesome to nibble. By partnering with like-minded suppliers, we make sure products are made with love, handled with care, and stored properly en route to you,” – Vada Chung, founder of Whiskers N Paws.

Overdose’s Managing Director, Singapore, Iestyn Keyes and George will discuss what makes them more than just a pet store and the strategies and digital solutions implemented to achieve their dream of connecting millions of people through the love of animals in Hong Kong and beyond!