History of commonsku
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Toronto, commonsku is a connected workflow platform designed specifically for branded merchandise distributors. The platform brings together sales, production, supplier collaboration, and financial management into one system with a goal of helping teams work more efficiently.
Founders Mark and Catherine Graham previously owned RIGHTSLEEVE (now a division of Genumark,) where they experienced the daily operational challenges of running and scaling a business. To address these challenges, they built their own internal software to manage sales, orders, and workflows.
As others in the industry saw the impact of this software, it became clear that the platform had potential far beyond internal use. Mark and Catherine believed it was something the broader distributor community needed, leading them to launch commonsku, with the goal of being a shared platform built on community, collaboration, and commerce.
Because commonsku was developed from within an active distributorship, its foundation is closely aligned with how distributors actually work. That perspective guides product development to this day, with the commonsku team collaborating directly with customers through idea submissions, beta programs, and focus groups to ensure every feature solves real-world challenges.
PromoStandards' Impact
commonsku has been involved with PromoStandards since its earliest days, participating in the first industry Tech Summit in 2014. From the beginning, the team recognized that solving the industry’s data challenges required a unified, standardized approach.
Before PromoStandards integration, distributors using commonsku often relied on phone calls and emails to:
- Check Pricing
- Confirm inventory
- Track orders
That friction added up to thousands of unnecessary touchpoints every year — time that could have been spent selling.
With PromoStandards, that process has been streamlined. Critical supplier data now flows directly into the commonsku platform in real time. Distributors can access live pricing, current inventory, and up-to-date order status without leaving their workflow. PromoStandards serves as a key foundation for commonsku’s Connected Workflow approach—where seamless, standardized data exchange enables distributors to operate more efficiently and make better decisions, faster.
Become a PromoStandards Member
PromoStandards makes it easier for businesses across the promotional products industry to connect, communicate, and exchange information in real time. By reducing reliance on manual processes, companies can save time, improve accuracy, and scale more effectively.
With multiple membership levels available, organizations can choose the option that best fits their needs. Join PromoStandards and start building a more connected future for your business.