IU Alumni hired to lead new social commerce site

Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are widely known social networking sites where users can connect and share ideas via the Internet.

A newer social commerce site, Kumbuya, emerged in September 2012. This new site recently hired two IU alumni, Jason Klarfeld and Lee Anne Benjamin.

Klarfeld, a 2009 Kelley School of Business graduate with a B.S. in Finance, has taken on the job of Kumbuya’s Director of Business Development.

“As Director of Business Development, my role is to come up with tactful ways to get users and businesses to register on Kumbuya and engage with the platform,” Klarfeld said.

Kumbuya Media Contact Samantha Harris said Kumbuya can be described as a community driven social commerce site for like-minded individuals to come together on things they love. After joining Kumbuya, anyone can start a “community” and become the community leader.

A community can be centered around anything. However, the idea is the community leader will create it based on something they care about. Then, other members who are interested in the same things can join and everyone will collaborate based on that
content.

The main aspect that makes Kumbuya different from other social media sites is that members can choose to sell products or services within a community. Furthermore, if the community leader decides to allow the item to be sold, they will receive a cut.

“Social commerce is what makes it different,” Harris said. “If you are on Pinterest and you like something you have to go to another website to buy it. On our website you conduct business right there, and members are able to make money from other member’s actions. Community leaders can make money even if it’s not their product they’re selling.”

Klarfeld said networking is an important aspect of Kumbuya.

“Everyone uses Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, but having a large following will only reward you with a pat on the back,” Klarfeld said. “With Kumbuya, you can actually monetize off of your network and build strong business relationships.”

Kumbuya has almost 60,000 users and over 6,500 communities, Harris said.

Klarfeld said he enjoys working for Kumbuya because he likes Kumbuya as a company itself.

“We have become passionate about this platform and there is no other social site out there like it,” Klarfeld said.