Why B2B eCommerce Is More Than Just Cost Cutting with Mark Rubin of Kasama

Mark Rubin: I’m doing great, thanks for having me. Excited to be here.

Sawyer Frank: We’re excited to have you too. Let’s start by talking about your agency. Can you share a bit about your journey in starting Kasama and how you’ve specialized in eCommerce?

Mark Rubin: Absolutely. I’ve been in eCommerce for most of my professional career. I started out in education and credit, but I eventually found my way into something called Demandware, which is now Salesforce Commerce Cloud. It really resonated with me, and I got really good at it. That opened the door for me to co-found an agency with two other partners. We ended up selling that agency after Salesforce acquired Demandware.

I took some time off and worked client-side for a while, but eventually, I started Kasama. The idea was to create an agency focused on commerce. One of our first partnerships was in the Salesforce space. Salesforce often encourages agencies to be "all things to all people," but we wanted to focus on commerce specifically. Sure, we can support other needs, but commerce is where our passion lies.

Our team is primarily based in the Philippines. They work full U.S. hours, their English is excellent, and their technical skills are amazing. We chose the name Kasama, which means "partner" in Filipino, to honor our team. I’m not Filipino myself, but I fell in love with the country and its people years ago. I wanted the name to reflect that.

Sawyer Frank: The Philippines is such a beautiful place. When did you officially launch Kasama?

Mark Rubin: It started as a side hustle, but when it grew big enough, we made it official—just over two years ago.

Sawyer Frank: That’s fantastic. Congratulations on your success, Mark! I see some parallels between your agency’s approach and OroCommerce. For those who may not know, Oro was founded by the original creators of Magento to address the needs of manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers in the B2B space.

Mark, you mentioned earlier that there are many eCommerce agencies out there. What sets Kasama apart from the rest, whether in a specific ecosystem or more broadly?

Mark Rubin: I think there are three key things that make us unique. First, availability—our team works a full U.S. day, which isn’t common for offshore agencies. Second, agility—we’re quick to learn new things and get projects done. And third, affordability—we offer a combination of these strengths at a competitive price. When you put all three together, very few agencies can match that.

Sawyer Frank: Those are important factors when choosing a partner. Many platforms in the market cater primarily to B2C or try to pivot to B2B. What drew you to OroCommerce, and why did you decide to partner with us?

Mark Rubin: We started with the big names in B2C—Salesforce and Shopify—both of which have added B2B capabilities. They’re good, but we realized B2B has so much untapped potential. It’s where the action is.

As we started doing more B2B work, we wanted to expand our partnerships. I noticed some of my industry friends joining Oro, so I did some research. Oro consistently ranks as a leader in evaluations, and its feature set is incredible. It has everything a B2B company needs, and at a fraction of the price. We also saw an opportunity to grow within Oro’s ecosystem in ways we hadn’t been able to with other platforms.

Sawyer Frank: That makes a lot of sense. I think you touched on some key points that make Oro unique. In the early days of OroCommerce, there was a misconception that agencies could handle both B2C and B2B projects seamlessly. But the needs of B2B merchants are so much more complex. From your experience, how do you approach platform selection for a merchant? Do you have a defined process or specific criteria?

Mark Rubin: Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, so it’s critical to start by understanding the business. We dig into their growth goals, pain points, and buying processes. For B2B, that often means looking at things like approval workflows, payment methods, and order complexity. Based on that, we recommend the platform that best fits their needs. We’re platform-agnostic, so we aim to provide an honest assessment of the pros and cons of each option.

Sawyer Frank: That sounds like a thorough approach. Speaking of OroCommerce, what are your impressions so far? How does it stand out from other platforms?

Mark Rubin: Oro’s biggest strength is that it’s built specifically for B2B. It’s also highly customizable, which makes it easy to adapt workflows and processes with minimal effort. Many features that require extensive development on other platforms are available out of the box with Oro. I also really like the reporting—it’s detailed and actionable, which helps businesses focus on operations rather than just managing the platform.

Sawyer Frank: That’s a great point. Integration is another critical factor in eCommerce. How do you approach integrations in your projects?

Mark Rubin: Integration is huge, especially in B2B. You need systems for payments, product data, pricing, marketing, and more. One thing we love about Oro is that it’s open source and built on widely understood technology. That makes it easy to create custom plugins or use existing ones. If something doesn’t exist, it’s simple to build it.

Sawyer Frank: Absolutely. Let’s shift gears a bit. There’s often a perception that B2B lags behind B2C in technology adoption. Do you think this gap will close, or could B2B even surpass B2C?

Mark Rubin: B2B already exceeds B2C in transaction volume, but it’s not seen as "sexy." Many companies view B2B as a way to cut costs rather than drive revenue. However, as younger buyers enter the workforce, they’re expecting the same seamless digital experiences they get in their personal lives. That shift will push B2B to innovate faster.

Sawyer Frank: That’s an excellent insight. User experience is critical in B2B. How do you balance creating a compelling experience with the transactional nature of B2B sites?

Mark Rubin: We often start small and iterate. It’s tempting to over-engineer solutions, but starting with the essentials and building over time is usually the best approach. We also experiment to see what works—whether it’s reducing customer service calls, increasing orders, or improving efficiency.

Sawyer Frank: That’s an excellent insight. User experience is critical in B2B. How do you balance creating a compelling experience with the transactional nature of B2B sites?

Mark Rubin: We often start small and iterate. It’s tempting to over-engineer solutions, but starting with the essentials and building over time is usually the best approach. We also experiment to see what works—whether it’s reducing customer service calls, increasing orders, or improving efficiency.

As a developer at heart, I sometimes find myself overthinking things. For instance, when I’m cooking dinner, I might try to make the process more efficient when all I really need to do is add some salt. With B2B businesses, we approach it the same way. Yes, we can build the most advanced solution, but it’s usually better to start with what’s necessary and grow from there.

Sawyer Frank: That’s great advice. At OroCommerce, we often recommend a similar approach: start small, scale gradually, and evolve alongside the business. Speaking of evolution, could you share examples of how some of your clients have successfully utilized B2B features? Have you seen growth, cost savings, or other benefits?

Mark Rubin: Absolutely. Our B2B clients are so diverse. We’ve worked with companies in polymer recycling, pay-per-view events, software licensing, and more. Some sell physical products, others sell virtual goods.

Despite their differences, they all have common elements—products, prices, and orders or quotes. Oro simplifies a lot of the standard workflows, which means we can focus on the unique parts of their businesses. The real fun is replicating the “secret sauce” in their operations. It’s about figuring out how to automate the processes humans usually handle and making them more efficient through technology.

Sawyer Frank: That’s a great perspective, Mark. No two businesses are the same, but finding those consistent patterns can make a huge difference. Looking at the broader picture, where do you see B2B eCommerce heading in the next three to five years? Do you think it will continue to grow and innovate?

Mark Rubin: I think B2B has a lot of room for growth, especially as technology like AI continues to evolve. AI can help shoppers make informed decisions, streamline tedious tasks for businesses, and improve efficiency for developers. There’s also a huge opportunity in improving speed and uptime, which isn’t always a top priority in B2B but should be.

Another big focus should be efficiency. Some B2B buyers want to browse new products and see what’s exciting, but others just need to reorder the same items every month. Platforms need to cater to both types of users—making discovery engaging while streamlining repeat purchases.

Sawyer Frank: That’s very well said. Speaking of your clients, what kinds of businesses are the best fit for Kasama? If a merchant is listening to this episode and considering eCommerce, how would they know they’re a good fit for your agency?

Mark Rubin: The name Kasama means "partner," and that’s exactly the kind of relationship we look for. We want clients to think of us as partners, not just vendors.

We don’t focus on a specific industry. Instead, we look for businesses with unique challenges—whether it’s complex buying flows, large catalogs, or multiple price books. Those are the kinds of problems that excite us and where we can really add value.

Sawyer Frank: That’s fantastic. I love the idea of tackling unique challenges. It’s exciting to see the transformation in industries where eCommerce might not have seemed feasible before. For a business just starting its eCommerce journey, what’s your biggest piece of advice?

Mark Rubin: Start by understanding your pain points and growth goals. Then, as you evaluate platforms and partners, pay attention to who asks questions and takes the time to understand your business. You want a partner who cares about solving your problems, not just someone trying to sell licenses.

Sawyer Frank: That’s excellent advice. It’s all about finding the right partner—someone who truly understands your needs. Speaking of partnerships, how do you see the role of eCommerce platforms like Oro in supporting agencies like yours?

Mark Rubin: Platforms play a huge role. For example, we recently had a prospect deciding between a platform and building their entire ecosystem from scratch with an AI agency. That was a mess. It’s important to have a strong platform as your foundation. Whether you go headless, traditional, or somewhere in between, the platform gives you stability.

Our relationship with platforms is also about collaboration. We share what we’re seeing in the market, and in return, platforms like Oro keep us informed about new features and innovations. That back-and-forth helps us provide better solutions for our clients.

Sawyer Frank: That’s a great point—collaboration is key. As you mentioned earlier, it’s easy to get caught up in shiny new technologies. Why do you think so many businesses fall into that trap? Is it about ego, job security, or something else?

Mark Rubin: I think it’s a mix of things. There’s a lot of excellent marketing, buzzwords, and success stories out there, which can make businesses think, "Why aren’t we doing this?" But before jumping in, they need to ask themselves, "Do we have the team and budget for this? What will it add to our business?"

It’s easy to get excited about cool technology, but you need to stay grounded in reality. Focus on what your organization and partners can handle, and always keep the big picture in mind.

Sawyer Frank: That’s great advice. Lastly, Mark, for agencies like yours, maintaining strong relationships with clients is essential. What best practices do you follow to ensure those relationships stay strong?

Mark Rubin: One of our core values is hustle—getting things done efficiently while maintaining integrity. We work hard to make our clients successful because when they succeed, we succeed too.

We also try to be "fireable." Some agencies hold all the keys to the castle, making clients dependent on them. That’s not us. We give clients access to systems like JIRA and keep everything transparent. If the relationship ends, we make sure the client has everything they need to succeed wherever they go next.

Sawyer Frank: That’s a fantastic approach—putting the client’s needs first and building trust. Mark, we’re thrilled to have Kasama as part of the Oro ecosystem. Any final thoughts before we wrap up?

Mark Rubin: Just that we’re excited to be here. Oro’s platform is an incredible fit for many businesses, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can grow together. I wish I’d known about Oro sooner—it would have been perfect for some of our past clients.

Sawyer Frank: That means a lot, Mark. Thank you so much for joining us today. And thank you to everyone listening to this episode of the B2B Uncut Podcast. Have a great day!