Show notes
Bill and I are both saddened and excited about this episode. This is the first of a series we are calling the “OG Series”, where C&C talks to a commerce OG about the early days, what they are up to now, and where the party is joining to be when the robots take over.First: Honoring Jon Panella First up: Remembering Jon PanellaBut before we get into the episode, we wan to first acknowledge an OG our industry recently lost - Jon Panella. Jon was exactly the kind of person we had in mind when we first mapped out the OG Series — in fact, he was one of the very first names on the list. We deeply regret that we didn’t get the chance to sit down with him before we lost him. So we dedicate this episode - the first of the OG Series - to Jon. Godspeed, love, and peace, my friend. And let’s go Steelers!This weeks guest: Steve Kramer, Commerce OG & Workjam Founder & CEOWith that said, we have been looking forward to this one for a long time. Steve Kramer is a also a genuine Commerce OG. Steve was the founder of iCongo, one of the early enterprise commerce platforms, before then merging with hybris in what became one of the defining deals of the commerce platform era. Steve went on to lead North America for hybris during its extraordinary run of growth, pre- and post-SAP acquisition, before departing to co-found WorkJam, where he serves today as CEO.WorkJam is an interesting solution adjacent and intertwined with commerce tech, it is now the leading digital frontline workplace platform — used by major retailers and service businesses worldwide to empower, communicate with, and schedule the people who actually run the floor, the store, and the line. It is a category that has historically been one of the most underserved in enterprise software, and Steve has spent a decade making the case that it doesn’t have to be.This conversation covers a lot of ground. We go deep into the founding and growth of iCongo, the iCongo–hybris merger and the cultural magic that followed, and the WorkJam founding story. We also dig up some funny stories, then turn to how AI is changing the experience of the frontline worker — not just the manager, not just the HR team, but the person on the floor making things happen for customers and operations.For those of us who lived through the early commerce platform wars, this episode is a bit of an oral history. For those who didn’t, it’s a window into where so many of the assumptions and architecture patterns we work with today actually came from.So please pour yourself something to sip along with us and enjoy our wonderful conversation with Steve.Cheers!Episode Chapters:* Anointing the first official C&C Commerce OG — the induction ceremony and the swag.* The cocktail: what a freezer-cold Tequila Martini says about a person.* The iCongo founding story — starting a commerce company in Montreal with his father in 1999.* How iCongo built a real edge in order management and B2B commerce before most platforms were thinking about it.* Early omnichannel innovation: buy online, pick up in store and endless aisle before those were industry buzzwords.* The iCongo–hybris merger — the deal behind the deal, and the legendary Octoberfest integration trip.* Why culture made the integration work — and what made the combined hybris team a high-performing band of believers.* The Champagne QBR Story. (No names. You’ll understand.)* Bill’s monster quarter and the hybris sales kickoff callout — Steve’s version.* The SAP acquisition and what changed — and what didn’t.* Why Steve left to start WorkJam — the founding story and the problem he set out to solve.* The surprising overlap between frontline workforce operations and order management.* How AI is changing the daily experience of the frontline worker — not just the manager.* Final question: when the robots have taken over, where’s the party — and what are you ordering?Please share! These OG stories deserve to be heard! Email it, Slack it, send it to your group chat, whatever - Just f*****g share it!This week’s Cocktail: Blanco Tequila MartiniThe martini is the most argued-over drink in the canon — gin vs. vodka, wet vs. dry, stirred vs. shaken (don’t), olive vs. twist. Steve has added his own entry to the debate: do it with tequila.It works, and once you try it you’ll wonder why it isn’t more common. Blanco tequila has a clean, bright character that slots into the martini template surprisingly well — the agave brings an herbal lift that gin sometimes gets credit for, and the spirit-forward structure holds up. A few drops of saline open up the agave and add a dimension you can’t quite name but definitely notice. The lemon twist cuts through the richness at the end.Steve’s spec leans toward the freezer — no ice dilution, just a vermouth rinse and orange bitters, served ice cold from a frozen bottle. Brian riffed and went a different direction: blanco tequila, ancho liqueur, orange bitters, and chile-infused bitters for a spicier riff. Both approaches point at the same insight: tequila’s character is expressive enough to carry a spirit-forward drink. You just have to trust it.Cheers!Cocktail Spec: Blanco Tequila Martini2.5 oz. — Blanco tequila (Fortaleza, Siete Leguas, or Olmeca Altos recommended).5 oz. — Dry vermouth1 dash — Orange bitters2 drops — Saline solution (20% — a small pinch of fine sea salt works)Garnish — Lemon twist (express, swipe the rim, drop in — or a Castelvetrano olive for the savory crowd)Steps: Combine tequila and vermouth in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold — approximately 30 rotations. Add saline if using. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Express the lemon twist over the top, swipe the rim, and use as garnish.Notes: The saline is the move. A small amount won’t make the drink taste salty — it will make it taste more like itself. Agave especially responds to it. Don’t skip it.Enjoy!Please subscribe! We want to be sure you make it to the next party! Cheers!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