Newsletter #16: An Interview with the Cohere Commerce Co-Founders

Any retail merchant overseeing a consumer packaged goods (CPG) category will tell you that they are always on the hunt for the best emerging brands to bring into their assortment.  They will also tell you that the process is terribly inefficient, and given the sheer number of emerging CPG companies out there, it is hard to be confident in your decision-making.  What if there was a way to efficiently sort through the thousands of new brands coming to market each year, so that a retailer could know they are picking the right new brands, tailored for their unique customers?  Enter Cohere Commerce, which is facilitating just that.

Below is the transcript of a conversation between Cohere Commerce co-founders Mike Chen (MC) and Lena Zhang (LZ) and Ocampo Capital’s CEO Karl Bracken (KB) from May 7^th, 2025.

KB: Mike and Lena, thank you both for taking the time to sit down and chat about Cohere Commerce’s journey.  To start off, what does Cohere Commerce do?

MC: Cohere Commerce is the leading AI-driven sourcing and evaluation platform for retail buyers, consultants, and investors. We provide verified, real-time insights into CPG brands—think CrunchBase for CPG, but with store performance insights directly from retailers.

Our data powers transparent purchasing, smarter due diligence and targeted brand support across a growing network of national and regional chain retail, CPG-focused VCs and consulting firms.

KB: How have your backgrounds prepared you for Cohere Commerce?

MC: Our backgrounds are actually pretty complementary. I come from a chef’s background, so I’m very used to high stress, and consistency and execution are everything in a busy kitchen.

Later, I pivoted into tech and led casino data science at Wynn and Encore Casinos, where I handled high-stakes, complex gaming data and betting strategies. That experience really sharpened my skills in strategic and operational planning.

Lena’s background is in architecture, so she’s naturally wired for problem-solving, large-scale project management and collaborations.

We also ran our own grocery market, which gave us a real, hands-on understanding of what merchants go through every day. And since we’ve built and run companies together before, we know how to move fast, communicate well, and build teams that play to our strengths.

KB: Your backgrounds are amazing.  What specifically was it that inspired you to start Cohere Commerce?

LZ: The inspiration really came from our own frustrations as merchants and operators in retail. We constantly struggled to find reliable, transparent data on new and emerging CPG brands. Every decision-from what to put on shelves to which brands to back-felt like a gamble because the information just wasn’t there. Through hundreds of discovery calls, we realized that others have this problem too.

That’s what drove us to build the platform: something that empowers merchants with actionable, real-time insights, and ultimately helps the whole industry run more efficiently and transparently.

KB: Since founding Cohere Commerce, I know you both have been heads down building out your platform.  What have been the most memorable moments or milestones in Cohere Commerce’s history, thus far?

LZ: Some highlights include being featured in Times Square for a week, which brought national attention to our work. Getting recognized by some of the top retailers in the country was another huge milestone for us. And honestly, bringing on investors like Techstars, GoldHouse Ventures, and Ocampo Capital as our early stage investors has been a game-changer. It’s not just about the funding; it’s the strategic advice and the networks they bring that have really helped us grow.

KB: What’s the biggest challenge you have faced thus far as a company?

MC: The biggest challenge has been breaking into a legacy industry where credibility is everything and it takes time to earn trust and get in front of decision-makers.

On top of that, as immigrant founders, we’ve had to juggle everything from getting the proper visas to the many additional barriers that come with being minorities. It’s a lot to manage, but it’s also made us more resilient and resourceful through the process.

KB:  Wow- that makes sense.  Changing subjects, what advice would you give other entrepreneurs?

MC: Spend a week working in a restaurant kitchen. It’s the best crash course in humility, grit, problem-solving and teamwork I can think of, hahah!

But on a more practical note, especially for tech founders, I’d say don’t start with a solution. Too many people jump straight into building a product. Instead, start with a real problem you’ve experienced, make sure others have it too, and really dig into the pain points before you start building. And don’t be afraid to pivot if your assumptions turn out to be wrong.

KB: I totally agree.  Always start customer-first!  What traits in entrepreneurs are most crucial to success, in your experience?

LZ: For us, it comes down to being resourceful and able to “hack” solutions with whatever you have. You also need a lot of inner strength and resilience, the ability to keep going, figure out and find a way, no matter what.

And finally, you have to be endlessly curious and willing to learn from your mistakes. That’s what keeps us moving forward.

KB: You both are very scrappy and eager to learn and adapt- two qualities which I found very appealing about the culture of Cohere Commerce.  How do the two of you divide up the work?

LZ: We’ve found a really good balance.

Mike leads products, business, strategy, and the technical side of things.  I focus on operations, design, customer discovery, and community building.

Our skills complement each other, so we’re able to cover a lot of ground without stepping on each other’s toes.

KB: How do you leverage your advisors?

MC: We really see our advisors as an extension of our founding team. We’re intentional about bringing on people with deep expertise in areas where we want to grow. For example, one of our advisors is a tech and data expert who we turn to for advice on building our data systems, technical structure, and SaaS pricing. Karl has been invaluable for business development and making connections in the retail industry. We check in regularly, seek their input on big decisions, and rely on their experience to help us avoid common pitfalls. It’s a very collaborative relationship.

KB: What does an ideal Board member look like for Cohere Commerce?

LZ: For us, the ideal board member is someone who’s insightful, strategic, honest and genuinely aligned with our mission. Someone who’s not afraid to hear bad news and can help us navigate tough situations. We see our board as true partners: people with real domain expertise, long-term perspective and strong networks, who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help the company succeed. 

KB: What are you most excited about over the next year at Cohere Commerce?

LZ: Definitely partnering with some forward-thinking enterprise retailer customers. And building partnerships with some of the top consulting firms and brokers in the industry. These milestones will help us scale our distribution and really validate our data platform at a whole new level.

KB: What kind of advice do you have for me and Ocampo Capital?

MC: You’ve been a super engaged and proactive partner, and your introductions and product feedback have been invaluable. As we grow, we’d love your continued support in building strategic partnerships and making more customer introductions, especially as we go after larger enterprise accounts. And please, keep challenging us with tough questions-that’s what helps us get better.

KB: I am really excited for the future of Cohere Commerce, and look forward to being along for the ride.  Thank you guys for taking the time today!