If you've been in B2B a while, you know how disruptive technology and process innovations can be. You've also seen that business models are changing across almost all the major vertical markets. Disruption happens like that. One year, you have solid market share, and the next you're fighting for existence against some startup whose bootstrapped an online store and has a vision for domination selling directly to consumers.

Warby Parker, for example, is upsetting the near impenetrable eyewear industry. In 2016, it joined a long list of new companies selling directly to consumers and upending traditional markets. Warby Parker is valued at $1.2 billion and closed another $100 million series D round of funding this past April. In the fall of 2016 we saw Dollar Shave Club get acquired in a massive deal by Unilever. In 2017, we're likely to see Jessica Alba's The Honest Company, among others, get acquired as well. The CB Insights market landscape below shows just a small portion the startups skipping the traditional wholesale and distribution channels and targeting consumers directly.