Sam Atkinson on Swap and reshaping ecommerce for the next generation of brands

From aspiring footballer to startup founder, Sam Atkinson’s journey to building Swap is far from straightforward. In this episode of The Uncommon Path, ICONIQ General Partner Seth Pierrepont sits down with Sam to explore the early experiences, setbacks, and entrepreneurial drive that led to founding Swap. Sam shares how the lessons from his first e-commerce venture—and the operational pain points he lived firsthand—inspired Swap’s mission to simplify cross-border logistics for modern brands.

You'll hear how early scrappiness, strong customer relationships, and deep industry expertise helped secure breakout partnerships with retailers and platforms like Shopify and Avalara.

The Uncommon Path offers a behind-the-scenes look at the defining moments that shape a founder’s journey.