The Myth of Business Acronyms

The business world loves its acronyms. B2B. B2C. B2B2C. These neatly packed shorthand expressions make strategies sound definitive, clear, and structured. But what if we’ve been using these terms to create a divide that doesn’t exist? What if the very foundation of these labels is flawed? What if B2B is nothing more than a myth we’ve perpetuated because it’s easier to categorize than to confront the truth?

The term B2B (business-to-business) emerged during the mid-20th century to distinguish business transactions and relationships from those with consumers (B2C). Its roots trace back to the Industrial Revolution when supply chains required clear definitions of inter-business interactions. As marketing evolved in the early 1900s, companies sought terminology to describe selling directly to other businesses. The digital revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, especially with electronic data interchange (EDI), amplified the need for such distinctions. By the 1970s and 1980s, “business-to-business” gained prominence, and the tech sector’s rise in the 1990s, particularly with e-commerce, popularized the acronym B2B. Companies like IBM and Oracle played key roles in mainstreaming it. The term resonated for its simplicity and utility, encompassing transactions, strategies, and ecosystems tailored to business clients.

Why the B2B Myth Persists

The myth of B2B continues today because it’s comfortable. It’s easier to talk about markets in terms of acronyms and abstractions. It’s simpler to draw a line between “us” and “them” between businesses and consumers. Much like the shift during the Industrial Revolution, today’s digital and AI-driven industries have fallen into the trap of seeking simplicity over complexity. We’ve become lazy, accepting that we are selling to a “business,” devoid of feelings and somehow separate from the individuals who ultimately consume the products.

This mindset is further fueled by the belief that businesses have more money to spend on the latest hypes and trends. It’s all about chasing profit; businesses are seen as easier targets for inflated offerings. Nowhere is this clearer than in the bandwagon effect we see today with AI. Entire industries of startups are selling within a so-called B2B motion based purely on a fear of being left out of the AI opportunity, even when consumers aren’t asking for it. This approach overlooks the actual needs of end-users and creates a disconnect between innovation and real value. Purely opportunistic money grabs. By leaning into this mindset, we risk designing systems, products, and experiences that resonate with no one.

A Universal Truth: Serving People

The fundamental truth remains unchanged: every transaction, every decision, and every strategy is ultimately about serving people. Whether you’re selling enterprise software or artisanal coffee, the second “B” in B2B is still a customer, your customer. Strip away the layers of organizational charts, procurement policies, and corporate branding; what remains is a human decision. Yet we cling to B2B as if it’s fundamentally different from B2C. It’s not.

Businesses don’t make decisions. People do. The vice president signing off on a contract for a million-dollar SaaS platform is driven by their needs, risks, and goals. They’re influenced by how your product will help them achieve results, look good to their peers, and avoid mistakes. These motivations are similar to why someone chooses a new pair of running shoes or downloads a meditation app. We like to imagine that B2B transactions are logical, data-driven, and entirely rational. But let’s face it: emotion, trust, and perception play just as critical a role.

B2B2C: A Confusing Construct

B2B2C is another construct that confuses more than it clarifies. It implies a chain where the second business acts as an intermediary to reach the consumer. However, if we accept that the second “B” is still just a customer, then B2B2C collapses into B2C2C. And at that point, isn’t it all just B2C? Isn’t every business relationship a series of interactions where people, as customers, serve other people? Maybe we need to look at it as People 2 People or Human 2 Human (for those living in an AI-first world).

The labels aren’t entirely without merit. They’ve been helpful in delineating strategies and expectations. But as the lines between industries blur and the walls between businesses and consumers crumble, these distinctions feel increasingly artificial. Think of the shift in expectations. B2B buyers now demand seamless, personalized experiences similar to what they get as consumers. They want user-friendly platforms, instant support, and clear communication. Customers don’t care that you’re a “B” selling to another “B.” They want solutions.

B2B2C is the bare minimum mindset to adopt. Understanding what your customer’s customers want can drastically redefine your approach. When you build products and services that meet the end consumer’s needs, you position your company as an indispensable partner to your business customers. The truth is that businesses are far more likely to purchase your products when they see clear value for their own customers.

This shift isn’t about improving efficiency or any other KPI you might traditionally target on a sales call. In the B2B motion, the only KPI that genuinely matters is whether that business can sell more products because of your offering.

Even if we maintain that you are selling B2B2C from a customer-first perspective, it should, and always will be, more beneficial to your company to look at it as C2B2B. Note: the customer comes first.

From B2B to C2B: A Paradigm Shift

And here’s the fundamental shift: when you put the customer first, the flow of business changes. Instead of thinking about B2B or B2C, everything becomes C2B. The customer comes first in priority, decision-making, and influence. Businesses don’t drive the agenda; customers do. It’s their needs, their context, and their goals that shape the product, the service, and the experience.

[For those who completely disagree with this premise, I’ll write a follow-up piece about the distinction between business and customer agendas.]

C2B is a call to reorient the way we think about value creation. In a purely digital economy, it acknowledges that customers have more power and voice than ever before. The rise of the connected consumer underscores this shift. They expect tailored experiences and solutions that fit seamlessly into their lives. Through digital platforms, they wield influence that can shape industries, disrupt business models, and redefine loyalty. And quite honestly, they don’t care how it’s made; they only expect it to work.

More than a Trend

This paradigm shift is more than a trend; it’s a structural evolution in how value is created and exchanged. Businesses must view themselves not as separate entities but as integrated partners in their customers’ lives. This approach redefines innovation. It’s not about creating the next big thing but solving the next big problem for the customer. It’s about anticipating needs before they arise and delivering solutions that resonate profoundly and personally. It’s about value alignment.

A customer-first mindset transforms organizations into ecosystems of collaboration. Employees, partners, and stakeholders align around a singular focus: the customer. The result is better products and services, stronger relationships, and lasting trust. In this environment, the customer isn’t just an end-point; they become a co-creator, influencing everything from design to delivery.

Ending with C2B

In this mindset, B2B doesn’t exist. Heck, B2C doesn’t exist. What exists is people and the relationships they build with each other through commerce, collaboration, and trust. If we embrace that reality, the labels don’t matter. What matters is the commitment to connect and deliver value.

It’s not about finding a correlation between your business and other entities in a customer-first world. It’s about recognizing and building a culture that understands a drive to be customer-to-business. It’s about turning the entire model on its head and accepting that the customer is not the end of the chain but the beginning. When we adopt this mindset, everything changes. And the best part? It brings us closer to what truly matters: creating something meaningful for the people we serve.

Want to change your mindset? Let’s get to work!