Show notes
This episode Bill and I are joined by Bryan House to mix up a bespoke Manhattan riff, check in on Elastic Path, discuss the state of the commerce tech market, and look forward to the impact of agentic commerce.Bryan is now CEO of Elastic Path, having taken over the leadership role in May 2025. Bryan joined EP in December of 2020 to lead product and customer success, then became President in 2024. Prior to that Bryan was Chief Commercial Officer at Neural Magic, which was acquired by Red Hat, and spent a number of years at Acquia where he was a founding team member and went on to serve in a variety of leadership roles.It’s another great C&C conversation, so pour yourself something to sip along with us and enjoy our conversation with Bryan.Cheers!Episode Timeline:00:00 – Meet Bryan + This Week’s Cocktail: We kick things off with Bryan House, CPO at ElasticPath by breaking down a bespoke, smoky, spirit-forward Manhattan riff we call Burning Down the House.06:15 – Commerce 101… for an 8-Year-Old: Bryan explains what a commerce platform is using Pokémon instead of lemonade stands.09:20 – What Most People Get Wrong About ElasticPath: Bryan reflects on EP’s 25-year evolution — and the misunderstood strengths that still set them apart.13:40 – Why Some Brands Still Need Full Control: A breakdown of ElasticPath’s self-managed option vs. SaaS — and why it matters for many clients. 18:45 – The MACH Alliance Debate: Bryan shares his candid take on MACH: the movement vs. the marketing.24:10 – How AI Is Reshaping Commerce: From merchandiser agents to B2B sales bots — how ElasticPath is building AI-native tools today.29:50 – What Happens When Storefronts Disappear?: A bold prediction: AI agents might make traditional eComm interfaces obsolete.33:30 – The Future Role of Commerce Platforms: No storefront, no problem? Bryan explains how the platform backbone still matters — especially post-sale.38:20 – AI Inside: How ElasticPath Uses AI Internally: Prototyping, documentation, developer experience — Bryan shares how AI is speeding up their entire org.42:40 – Why B2B Commerce Is Stuck — and How It Gets Unstuck: Complex catalogs, negotiated pricing, recurring orders — ElasticPath’s sweet spot in B2B.47:10 – Will AI Replace Salespeople?: Bryan argues no — but AI will give sales teams superpowers.50:15 – The Partnerships That Will Matter Most: Why Visa, vertical ecosystems, and LLMs are shaping the future of commerce tech.54:20 – Bryan’s Go-To Cocktails + Brewing on the Side: Closing out with smoky mezcal old fashioned, and his homebrew hobby.56:00 – Final Toast + What’s Next in CommercePlease subscribe! We want to be sure you make it to the next party! Cheers!This week’s cocktail: Burning Down the HouseThis week’s cocktail is a bespoke, boozy wonder created by C&C Chief Mixology Officer Bill Friend in honor of our guest and one of their all time favorite bands. Bill riffed off the Manhattan spec, but this stands on it’s own, splitting the classic rye in a Manhattan with Cognac, adds amari and a little cheat of Benedictine, and some smoke on top. Honestly, it’s great. Cheers!Spec:Burning Down the House Cocktail1 oz. / 30 ml. - Cognac1 oz. / 30 ml. - Rye Whiskey1 oz. / 30 ml. - Sweet Vermouth (Cochi de Torino recommended)1 oz. / 30 ml. - Amaro (Gran Classico or Amaro Nonino work well, or get creative)¼ oz / ~7 ml. - Benedictine1 dash - Angostura bitters1 dash - Orange BittersGarnish - Cocktail or Brandied CherryAdd Cherry or Apple SmokeSteps:Add all ingredients to mixing glass or pitchers. Stir with ice until well chilled. Strain into coupe glass. Add Garnish.After the cocktail is made, smoke the cocktail using a smoke cap or cloche (Cherry or apple wood is recommended.)Thanks again to our partner Lalo Tequila! If you are looking for them, check them out here.Please share! There is plenty of room for others at the cocktail party! Please share with you network or workplace today. Thank you!As always, it’s great to have you here! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, rate (it helps!), and let us know your thoughts. We love to hear from our listeners.Be well, drink well, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & BillCocktails & Commerce™ is a wholly owned subsidiary of StrategyēM, LLC. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cocktailsand.substack.com