Sean Henry: How Stord Built a Commerce Enablement Platform ($1B+ Valuation) That Rivals Amazon’s Logistics Network

Sean Henry founded Stord at just 18 years old to solve a critical pain point for e-commerce brands: competing with Amazon's logistics capabilities. What began as a network of third-party warehouses has evolved into a comprehensive commerce enablement platform that helps brands deliver Amazon-like customer experiences. In this episode of Centaur Builders, Sean shares how Stord grew from a bootstrapped startup to managing 11 warehouses with over 3 million square feet, serving leading brands like Athletic Greens, Seed Health, Native, Tula, and Fly by Jing.

Topics Discussed:

• Starting Stord at 18 years old after a decade of e-commerce experience
• Evolving from a third-party warehouse network to a full commerce enablement platform
• Building and scaling physical infrastructure alongside sophisticated software
• Expanding from B2B retail fulfillment to omnichannel e-commerce
• Creating a new category in the commerce infrastructure space
• Implementing executive-led sales as a growth driver
• Developing a marketing strategy that showcases customer success

 

GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:

• Start with a wedge product, then expand: Stord began by tackling one critical component of the supply chain—warehouse placement—before expanding to a full-stack solution. Sean explains, "Day one, we kind of stepped back and said, what is the most unique element of [Amazon's] operation and their supply chain? And it's how they place inventory across a network close to consumers to mitigate shipping costs and enable fast speeds." B2B founders should identify a specific high-impact problem, solve it exceptionally well, and use it as a platform for broader expansion.
• Turn cost centers into value engines: Stord's most effective pitch is showing brands how to transform an inevitable cost (shipping and fulfillment) into a competitive advantage. Sean shared, "Our best sales pitch ever to a brand is, 'You're going to spend 10 to 15% of your revenue on your end-to-end shipping, fulfillment, returns... Let us take that from you and take it from being a fragmented, clunky cost center where you are shipping too slow, spending too much... to a value engine.'" B2B founders should focus on transforming existing, unavoidable expenses into strategic assets rather than creating entirely new cost categories.
• Evolve your ICP strategically: Stord initially cast a wide net to gain volume, then narrowed their focus as they scaled. Sean advises, "Let's actually start with a wide aperture... We want to handle anyone who agrees with the problem we're solving and can get volume flowing in our network." For flywheel businesses that depend on scale, B2B founders should consider prioritizing early volume over extreme ICP precision, then refine as they grow.
• Commit to executive-led sales: Stord attributes much of their growth to founder and executive involvement in sales. "Every deal at Stord has a named executive sponsor... It doesn't feel the most scalable. But then you step back as a founder and you go, okay, if 50% of my valuation or my business is driven by growth, how much time am I really investing in growth?" B2B founders should institutionalize executive involvement in key deals rather than fully delegating this crucial function too early.
• Map and measure customer ROI meticulously: Stord focuses intensely on documenting specific ROI metrics for each customer. Sean cautions, "If we don't have a specific ROI mapped out for them... if we don't know every time we look at them, this is the feature and ROI they're getting the most... we should consider them pre-churn because they will leave." B2B founders should develop robust ROI tracking systems that demonstrate their solution's specific value to each customer.