Winner Take All

This week, we had the opportunity to sit down with Adrien Nussenbaum, Co-founder and CEO of Mirakl. With over 400 marketplaces powered by its technology and surpassing $6 billion in gross merchandise volume, Nussenbaum is an invaluable resource into the industry's trajectory and the future it holds. From humble beginnings in 2012, Mirakl has become a driving force behind the B2B marketplace revolution. The company empowers businesses to create and operate their own online marketplaces, connecting buyers and sellers on a global scale. Mirakl has also launched additional product offerings around related value added services like financing, advertising, finding suppliers, seller operations, and product data. Nussenbaum's new book, The Online Marketplace Advantage, is a comprehensive guide to launching, operating, and scaling online marketplaces in today's dynamic eCommerce landscape. The book explores factors driving the exponential growth of online marketplaces and offers insights from 30+ leading brands that have successfully transformed their businesses.

In this interview, we sit down with Tyler Ellison, the founder of ChemDirect, a leading B2B marketplace connecting buyers and suppliers in the chemical industry. Tyler shares his insights on how logistics and supply chain services have been a key driver for ChemDirect. He also discusses the unique characteristic of having users who are both buyers and sellers on the same B2B platform. This interview provides a fascinating look into the world of B2B marketplaces and the challenges and opportunities that come with connecting buyers and suppliers in a highly specialized industry. #chemical #supplychain #founderstories —

Alex Moazed speaks with Bar Geron, founder of Balance, a fintech company that focuses on digitizing B2B e-commerce payments by developing one-click checkout payment tools. Balance was co-founded by Bar Geron and Yoni Shuster, who were former employees of PayPal, the company helps B2B e-commerce merchants and marketplaces to get paid instantly, process any payment method, and offer flexible terms. Balance has raised $87 million in total funding, including a recent $56 million Series B funding round led by Forerunner. The company works with hundreds of merchants and dozens of B2B marketplaces, targeting legacy industries not as digitally savvy in payments, including lumber, chemicals, steel, retail, and food. The checkout space is reflective of a new stage of the economy, where Balance is taking the next step in eCommerce for the entire supply chain, offering self-serve transactions in ways that were only previously available in B2C channels. #fintech #b2b #startupfounders

In this interview, I speak with Fabrice Grinda, a founder of FJ Labs. With over a thousand unique investments made across different life cycles of FJ funds, Fabrice shares his Marketplace-centric approach to investing, and the importance of investing in extraordinary people who are trying to solve the world's problems. Fabrice also talks about his accidental transition from being a tech founder and CEO to becoming a VC and why he chooses to invest in network effect businesses and marketplaces. Throughout the interview, Fabrice discuss various topics related to investing in marketplaces, including investing in marketplaces all over the spectrum from B2C to B2B, both product and service-oriented platforms. This interview is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in the world of marketplaces and VC investing! Fabrice talks about how he believes B2B marketplaces are at the very beginning of their journey both in the US and globally. Fabrice highlights that the penetration of digital is very low in B2B and about how the entire supply chain needs to be digitized, including ERP integration, payments tracking, and how suppliers are involved. Grinda suggests that in some cases, the elasticity of supply and/or demand is such that a platform cannot have a take rate. Fabrice suggests that there are many tricks to making B2B marketplaces work, such as offering a free tool to the supply side or demand side to help them manage their business better. Also highlighted, that monetization of B2B marketplaces may not come from the transaction of the marketplace component. Instead, B2B marketplaces may monetize through SaaS or by offering ancillary services for insurance, factoring, or logistics. Fabrice gives an example of a hairdresser and barber shop marketplace that grew to a volume of billions of annual GMV and monetized by getting an extraordinary deal on payments and sharing part of that discount with the barber shops. #venturecapital #marketplaces #investorinsights —

In this interview, we speak with Rob Johnson, the President of the Institute for New Economic Thinking, about the state of the U.S. economy in 2023 and the recent closure of Silicon Valley Bank. Johnson shares his insights on a range of topics, including: - The overall health of the U.S. economy and its prospects for growth in the coming year - The impact of inflation on consumers and businesses, and whether it is likely to persist - The role of the Federal Reserve in shaping economic policy and its response to recent events - The closure of Silicon Valley Bank and what it says about the state of the tech industry and the broader economy Johnson brings a wealth of experience to these topics, having served as Chief Economist of the Senate Banking Committee and as a Managing Director at Soros Fund Management. He is a leading voice on economic policy and has been featured in numerous media outlets. #economy2023 #economicpolicy #techindustry —

In this interview, I sit down with Sultan Meghji, a seasoned entrepreneur and former Chief Innovation Officer at the FDIC. Sultan was the FDIC's first ever Chief Innovation Officer and ended up leaving the position and penning an op ed in Bloomberg titled: Why I Quit as FDIC Innovation Chief: Technophobia. I talk with Sultan about the blockers he ran into at the FDIC and what he witnessed as the agency continuously jury-rigged 20th-century rules to cover 21st-century technology. Get an inside look into Sultan's journey from his background in finance to his innovative work at the FDIC, and gain valuable insights into his thoughts on the future of innovation, crypto, and global leadership in the financial sector. Why I Quit as FDIC Innovation Chief: Technophobia: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-02-22/i-quit-as-fdic-innovation-chief-because-of-regulators-technophobia #FDIC #Fintech #innovation —

We open the show with a look at the ongoing turmoil around TikTok and parent company ByteDance. We look at what AI ChatGPT thinks of TikTok and at news that ByteDance is expanding into enterprise software offerings. Next, Twitter files have revealed that the Federal Government sent payments to Twitter. We look at the emerging evidence about these payments and ponder what Elon being Cheif Twit means for these arrangements. Also covered, the long term effects of the FEDs rate hikes and inflation now coming down, Amazon settling with the EU (sorta)", and an overview of how B2B distributors are looking at tech going into 2023. 00:00 - Follow Applico for the latest on platforms 00:38 - ChatGPT on TikTok 04:32 - ByteDance Expanding to Enterprise Software 05:46 - Why was Twitter paid by the Federal Government? 11:49 - Interest rates and inflation in 2023 19:23 - Amazon settles with the EU 29:08 - B2B Distribution Tech Survey #techpodcast #b2bbusiness #2023predictions —

I connect with Kristin Savilia to talk about JOOR, a platform that connects brands and retailers globally to deliver seamless digital wholesale management from connection to payment. Applico ranked JOOR #2 in our 2022 Top 50 B2B Marketplaces ranking. 00:00 - Follow Applico for the latest on platforms 00:20 - Joor in Applico's Top 50 B2B Marketplaces ranking 00:44 - Kristin Savilia background 01:31 - What does Joor do? 02:58 - Joor growth and GMV 04:19 - Joor's hybrid apporach to the fashion industry 06:33 - Brands and catagories on Joor 08:59 - Fashion is a relationship business 10:09 - Will Joor look to monetize building new connections/relationships for brands? 11:01 - Marketplace is only one segment of Joor's business 14:18 - The SaaS to marketplace trend 16:47 - Rollout of Joor Pay 20:36 - Joor's international geograpies 22:01 - Partnerships vs building tech yourself 25:01 -- Do retailers get product data from Joor? 26:26 - A one stop procurement solution for retailers, buyers and merchandisers 29:33 - Will Joor expand into other verticals like cosmetics and home? 31:50 - How Joor is approaching sustainability and supply chain vetting 35:39 - Kristin Savilia bullish on this kind of fashion marketplace 37:50 - Joor's focus and priorities for 2023 39:35 - Why DTC brands need to consider wholesale 41:01 - Closing remarks JOOR | The World's Premier Wholesale Management Platform - https://www.joor.com/ #Joor #fashion #wholesale —

It's a packed episode with analysis of Amazon's complaints about regulation in India, YCombinator changing up it's president to Garry Tan, and Home Depot moving into B2B. Also covered in this episode, Reid Hoffman sticks by the blitz scaling strategy, and what Zuckerberg said during his visit with highly scrutinized podcast kingpin Joe Rogan. 00:00 - Subscribe and fight big tech! 01:28 - Amazon vs India regulators 09:27 - YCombinator Exec Changes 15:39 - Home Depot and Lowe's target B2B revenue 24:40 - Was Blitz Scaling a good idea? 29:20 - Zuckerberg on Joe Rogan reactions #BlitzScale #ycombinator #podcasts

The episode kicks off with an in-depth look at Farfetch's deal to buy Yoox Net-a-porter from Richemont. The luxury fashion space is an especially interesting vertical for platform innovation and there's a lot of unpack and ideate on with this new deal. Next, news has come out that Chinese tech giant Tencent is divesting its assets under pressure of an economic downturn and aggressive tech regulation in China. We close the show with a laugh at GameStop's newly launched NFT marketplace. 00:00 - Subscribe and fight big tech! 00:44 - Farfetch YNAP Deal 20:27 - Tencent sells off investments 28:40 - Gamestop's NFT Marketplace Tencent divestment strategy sends chill through China's tech sector: https://www.ft.com/content/24f7b605-3052-4476-ae2d-a2d0028e70a4 #businessnews #B2Bnews #platformbusiness —

The show opens looking at the Twitter leak from whistleblower Peiter “Mudge” Zatko. Next, eBay has purchased a trader card company called TGCplayer. Is this a good move for the struggling auction based eCommerce platform? Also covered, Penn National completing its acquisition of Barstool sports and DoorDash teaming up with Facebook to deliver marketplace items. 00:00 - Subscribe and fight big tech! 00:18 - Twitter Whistleblower 11:56 - eBay buys TCGplayer 23:50 - Penn National acquires Barstool Sports in full 31:58 - DoorDash and Facebook Marketplace team up #Platformbusiness #Podcast #startupinvesting —

Elon Musk has successfully completed his $44 billion deal to purchase Twitter. The newly self dubbed "Chief Twit" walked into Twitter offices carrying a sink. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and CFO Ned Segal have left the company after day one of Elon's takeover. Musk will take the company private and many reports indicate Twitter will see trimming of unnecessary staff members. The Tesla CEO marked the occasion by tweeting “the bird is freed". #elonmusknews #breakingnews #twitterdeal

We kick off the show with an update on Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter. Next, I document why I think manufacturers are making a big mistake around tech investments and why B2B distributors need to be weary. We close the episode with a look at two happenings out of China, a new article detailing how Chinese startups depend on U.S. market public offerings and what is going on with Bytedance founder Zhang Yiming. 00:00 - Subscribe and fight big tech 01:29 - Elon is Buying Twitter 16:29 - B2B Manufacturers grave mistake 32:03 - Chinese Startups Need U.S. IPOs 41:48 - Bytedance Founder Leaves China? #elonmusknews #b2bmarketplace #ipostocks —

It's a quick episode of the show covering two topics! First off, I look at the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, a bill that prohibits certain large online platforms from giving preference to their own products on the platform. I look at how this bill could benefit companies damaged by big tech's ongoing anti-competitive practices and, to be fair, also look at Amazon's literature on the subject. Next, I detail continued investments from Manufacturers into tech startups. I analyze some recent deals and question whether or not manufacturers may just be teeing up the B2B industry for a big tech takeover. #BigTech #Podcast #Anticompetitive

We kick off the show looking at a new leak showcasing Facebook's devious actions in Australia after Australia had passed a world-first law aimed at making Google and Facebook pay for news content on platforms. Also as a bonus, we have a laugh at Facebook's anti-facebook chat bot. Next, video platform Rumble is suing Google for suppressing search results and favoring YouTube. Also in this episode, continued volatility of tech and PE valuations and why startup debt deals may become more commonplace over the next few years. We end with a look at Flow, WeWork founder Adam Neumann's new venture backed by Andreessen Horowitz. #investingnews #startupinvesting #bigtech —

The episode starts with a look at tech companies big and small cutting back on workers and slowing hiring. Next, an in-depth look at grocery delivery analyzing what incumbent grocers are rolling out delivery tech and whether or not they're keeping up with disruptive startups in this space. Also in this episode, startup accelerator YCombinator pivots away from having larger class sizes and Google faces a new antitrust battle. The show closes looking at Butler Hospitality's sudden closure in what appears to be a catastrophic management failure. #podcast #MBA #bigtech —

Applico CEO Alex Moazed and Director Nick Johnson sit down with 3 time tech disruptor Mitch Lowe. Lowe is known for heading up MoviePassas CEO, being a founding executive at Netflix, and President of RedBox. Mitch has detailed his amazon journey from high school dropout to tech executive in his new book Watch and Learn: How I Turned Hollywood Upside Down with Netflix, Redbox, and MoviePass—Lessons in Disruption. We asked Mitch about the new relaunch of MoviePass, the role Web3 will play as media evolves, how he managed the enormous growth MoviePass experienced, what COVID would've done to the subscription service, and lessons learned from Netflix and from Reed Hastings. #moviepass #ceointerview #startupinvesting —

We start the show with a look at the bizarre narrative around inflation and why so many sources are trying to claim that a recession is not happening in the United States (and how big tech is helping spread this misinformation). Next, Amazon has made waves with its proposed acquisition of One Medical, a technology-powered national primary care organization. Also covered, how some big tech players have failed to innovate around health, Twitter's kerfuffle about user growth before the whole Elon Musk Saga, and a hindsight view at the tech valuation mania of the past few years. #podcast #startupinvesting #venturecapital —

The show opens with a look at LIV, a new professional golf tour funded by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. LIV has quickly become a challenger to the PGA via a marquee strategy. I do some analysis on how sports leagues can be considered platforms and what strategies are being employed in this new battle for the top spot. Next, a look at how members of congress trade stocks and a bill that may put a stop to lucrative trading on insider information. We close out with a look at some updated analysis on Amazon's efforts in B2B markets. #AmazonB2B #StockTrading #Podcast —

To start the episode we take a look at a recent Financial Times story detailing how fake social media posts from Chinese misinformation groups attempted to derail a new rare earths mining operations in the U.S.. Next, Alex looks at TikTok's response to the BuzzFeed leaks and a report detailing how China is putting pressure on Elon Musk over Starlink internet being used in the Ukraine. The show concludes with a look at the U.S. potentially limiting tech investment into China. #podcast #businessnews #China

The episode kicks off with a look at inflation and some real estate data that may hint as to whether or not the FED's rate hikes are working effectively. Next, we take a look at Elon Musk announcing that he is backing out of the Twitter deal and I discuss if I think this transaction will ever actually happen. Also covered, Amazon striking a deal with Grubhub that could net the eCommerce giant a 15% stake in the delivery platform and a look at the livestream shopping landscape in the West. The show ends with discussion on Thrasio, an Amazon seller aggregation business that is struggling with the current economic slowdown. Originally Aired: 07/15/22 #Amazon #Podcast #Inflation —

It's the first official day of the recession in the U.S. and we kick off the episode looking at what this means and why the media doesn't seem to be paying attention. Next, in a move predicted on WTA pre pandemic, Pinterest has finally made a change at CEO. Will new CEO Bill Ready be able to finally tackle commerce on the platform? Also covered, venture capital firms hurting as startup valuations continue to drop and Netflix announcing they will offer an advertisement supported subscription tier. We close out the show looking at news that TikTok's U.S. user data is being accessed from China, something the platform had claimed was not happening. #Podcast #NetflixAds #businessnews

We're back and broadcasting from Minnesota for the summer! The show starts with a look at rising inflation in the U.S. as we question how the Federal Reserve is measuring and reacting to the tumultuous economic environment. Next, a look at how startup valuations are falling and the changing relationships between VCs and early stage startups. We also have some new research from Applico on B2B tech acquisitions and whether distributors or manufacturers are leading investment into new digital business models. Also covered, Freightos' SPAC deal, Revlon going bankrupt, Materiel Bank making an acquisition, historic data on M&A deals during downturns, and what the definition of a "centaur" startup is. #B2BPodcast #marketplace #podcasts —

The episode opens up with a look at Airbnb's decision to exit the Chinese market, a move that I see as part of a larger exodus of foreign tech companies who've been unwelcome in China and continuously managing complicated relationships with the Chinese government's regulators. Next, as we see foreign companies exiting China, the government has pledged to now support its domestic tech enterprises. Is this the end of China's "crackdown on tech" or just more posturing? Also covered in this episode, SoftBank's LatAm division leaving to start a new outside venture and Ford CEO Jim Farley's comments on taking Ford's EV sales direct-to-consumer, potentially cutting out Ford's vast American dealership network. #podcast #Airbnbstock #techindustry

My Modern Monopolies co-author Nick Johnson joins the episode and our discussion starts with Sequia Capital's presentation to growth startups urging founders to focus on profitability and positive cash flows. Also covered, how some VC may have over extended during the current downturn and an explanation on open vs. closed marketplaces. #podcast #startupnews #marketplaces —

We start the show with a look at how Australia's law requiring big tech companies to pay for news sharing has been going 1+ years in. Next, we share some Applico data on M&A activity among B2B distributors and adjacent competitors looking to disintermediate incumbents and disrupt the traditional supply chain. The second half of the show covers some washy data on market outflows coming out of China and why Carvana has gone from a rising tech star on Wall Street to a sputtering linear auto business down over 90%. #Podcast #B2B #chinastocks

The episode opens up looking into the tumultuous market conditions as of late and Netflix's reporting that subscriber numbers are declining. Next, Elon Musk has announced the Twitter deal is on hold pending verification on the number of fake/bot users. I discuss what these means for the deal price and if this could be the end of this transaction. Also covered, Nike files a lawsuit against sneaker marketplace StockX and Walmart's marketplace sees a huge influx of Chinese sellers. We wrap up with JP Morgan's accidental "uninvestable" rating given to Chinese internet stocks, WhatsApp employees speaking out against Facebook, and India cracking down on Amazon and Walmart abusing legal loopholes. #Podcast #BusinessNews #NFLX —

It's a special edition of the show focused on news in the B2B industry. First, we take a look at both Amazon and Home Depot making announcements that they'll be launching funds to invest in B2B technology startups. I break down what these companies have invested in so far and explain why this should be a wake up call for traditional distributors in B2B. Also in this episode, a look at a top HVAC distributor and a top IT distributor embracing marketplace and tech investment. #VCInvesting #B2B #Distribution —

The episode starts with SEC documents that reveal what the breakup fee is between Elon Musk and Twitter. We discuss if the size of this fee is a signal on how serious each side is on making this deal happen. Another story concerning the Twitter buyout, we look at what Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has to say about the transaction and Elon's business ties with China. We also dig into eCommerce fulfillment, looking at news that Walmart's marketplace fulfillment service has grown 500% and Shopify making a potential acqusition to bolster services for its sellers. We close out the episode looking at how tech protectionism in India has fostered growth of domestic TikTok competitors. #Podcast #technews #twitterupdate —

We start off with an update on Elon Musk's attempts to purchase a majority share in the social platform Twitter. With the Twitter board now instituting a poison pill strategy to ward off hostile takeover attempts, it would appear things are getting tense. I still think Elon can make a purchase of Twitter happen but it's going to have to be done the hard way. Next, a look at Chinese netizens voicing dissent on the social platform Weibo. We close out the episode with a look at Andreessen Horowitz's 2022 top 100 marketplaces rankings. #podcast #ElonMusk #twitterupdate —

The episode starts with a detailed look at the saga between Elon Musk and Twitter. At the time of recording, Elon had rejected an offer to join Twitter's board and was holding an almost 10% stake in the social platform. Next, a look at the Etsy seller strike over the craft marketplace's increases to its take rate. Is this a classic example of a dominant platform squeezing its producers or does Etsy need this increased revenue to spend on platform improvements? The show closes with a look at luxury fashion platform Farfetch making a $200 million investment into luxury department store owners Neiman Marcus Group. 00:00 - Subscribe and fight big tech! 00:37 - The Elon Twitter takeover 17:56 - Etsy sellers on strike 26:48 - Farfetch invests in Neiman Marcus Originally Aired: 04/12/22 #Farfetch #ElonTwitter #TwitterBuyout

We dive into new tech regulations in this episode, begining with a look at the EU's troublesome new Digital Markets Act. This new EU regulation aims to curb the power of gatekeeper tech companies but unfortunately the set definition for a "gatekeeper" is much too broad and I think this one will cause much more chaos than good. Next, we look at some comments from the U.S. on how tech companies may be regulated before the end of 2022. We close out with a look at why GameStop is refusing to pay Boston Consulting Group $30 million. 00:00 - Get subscribed and fight big tech 01:17 - EU's Digital Markets Act 09:09 - How Will The U.S. Regulate Tech in 2022? 13:19 - GameStop's Consulting Bill #Regulation #TechLaw #BigTech —

The episodes kicks off looking at Uber's decision to integrate taxis onto the platform in NYC and San Francisco. Next, a look at Pinterest's failed attempts to add commerce to its platform and the company's spectacular failure to acquire Verishop. We also cover two stories on Instacart, looking at the delivery platform deciding to slash its valuation by 40% and a new suite of SaaS tools being offered to grocers. The episode closes with our announcement of Dot Foods acquisition of Morsum. #Instacart #RideSharing #Podcast —

The episode starts with a look at the European Union banning Russian media from spreading on the web. While I've supported businesses right to cease business with Russia, I think an outright ban on information is a more complicated issue. Next, discussion on the SEC asking for more information from Chinese companies and some signs that the tech crackdown from Chinese regulators may be easing. We end the episode with a look at the FED announcing they will raise interest rates by 25 basis points. 00:00 - Get subscribed and fight big tech 01:27 - Russian Media Ban 07:16 - SEC Looking at Chinese Stocks 15:46 - FED Raises Rates #InterestRate #ChineseStocks #Russia —

I dig into the auto industry with Applico Managing Director Nick Johnson! We start off with a big announcement concerning Applico Capital and the LatAm auto market. Next, Carvana's purchase of ADESA is analyzed as Nick and I breakdown why the digital enabled car retailer might want to own a B2B auction provider. We finish off the episode looking at how some auto manufactures are leaning towards direct to consumer sales. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:29 - Investing in Curbo 05:43 - Carvana Acquires Auction Company ADESA 11:54 - Automakers Go Direct #Automakers #Carvana #Applico

We dive right into the episode with Alex discussing why he decided to sell his "beloved" mfers NFT. He details if this venture into the NFT world was profitable and if he would recommend others try out the "investment". For our second topic, a look at Elon Musk supplying the Ukraine with Starlink internet equipment so that the nation can access internet while in conflict with Russia. Also covered, eBay's declining market share has now sunk below 5% and what companies are pulling out of the Russian market. Originally Aired: 03/03/22 #eBay #NFTs #Podcast —

The Federal Reserve has broken our American economy and I sit down with Chris Leonard to discuss his new book that details how our monetary system ended up here teetering on ruin. Chris is a New York Times best selling author and his new book The Lords of Easy Money: How the Federal Reserve Broke the American Economy is a "fascinating and propulsive story about the Federal Reserve" and how quantitative easing and political posturing have put America's monetary system in peril. I talked to Chris about how the United States Federal Reserve has printed an astronomical amount of money under FED Chairs Ben S. Bernanke, Janet Yellen, and Jerome Powell. We dig into why the Federal Reserve was originally created and how the institution has changed over the years to become, as meme lords would put it, the folks who make the "money printer go brrr". Chris offers his insights into why a crash is all but imminent for the American economy and what role inflation plays in accelerating this in 2022. See more

This episode of Winner Take All starts by looking at Peloton, a downtrodden exercise equipment and "media" company that activist investors are peddling to everyone from Disney and Netflix to Berkshire Hathaway. Alex comments on why he thinks the business is in decline and criticizes Peloton for claiming to have Network effects. Next, discussion on why music isn't profitable for Spotify, how the company's cash flow is not as it appears, and the controversy surrounding its marquee podcaster Joe Rogan. The episode closes with news of Facebook stock being wiped out in the biggest one-day drop in stock market history. NOTE: We forgot to record the outro so sorry for the abrupt ending. We promise to tell you to "have a nice day" at the end of the next episode. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:22 - Will Peloton go out of business? 07:34 - Music is bad business for Spotify 15:07 - Facebook Stock Plummets #PelotonStock #Spotify #FacebookStock

I talk with Christopher Bedford, a founding partner at RightForge, about building a new internet infrastructure company in the shadow of big tech. RightForge is an internet infrastructure provider that claims to be a first of its kind company operating infrastructure while being committed to American ideals online. RightForge is positioning themselves to be a key player for enabling independent free speech platforms to operate outside the gargantuan grasp of big tech providers like Amazon (operator of AWS). With many questions being raised around what constitutes free speech online and when platforms should or shouldn't be allowed to take action against users, RightForge seems positioned well for users who lean towards wanting a more open internet and are concerned about being deplatformed at the infrastructure level. I chatted with Chris about his experiences building a new internet infrastructure provider in an already mature and established industry, what inspired him and his partners to found the company, and the American ideals he sees as a guide to how RightForge should operate and find its niche. I think an overall theme here is looking at why independent platforms may be the future and why RightForge is needed the facilitate new tech entrants build around free speech and American ideals. See more

I start the show with a look at the epic Twitter battle between (now former) Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow and Y Combinator. Are Breslow's claims anointing Y Combinator and Stripe as mob bosses of Silicon Valley accurate? Next, a story that DoorDash engineers are outraged at the company policy requiring all employees to do a food delivery once per month. We wrap up looking at Robinhood's stock price being in the basement (time to fire Vlad maybe?) and Sonos beating Google via its patents. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:26 - Silicon Valley mob bosses? 14:06 - DoorDash engineers make deliveries 17:09 - Time for Robinhood to fire Vlad 19:34 - Sonos beats Google Originally Aired: 02/0122 #YCombinator #Robinhood #Sonos

Nick and I welcome Jonathan A. Knee onto the show, author of The Platform Delusion: Who Wins and Who Loses in the Age of Tech Titans. Knee is Professor of Professional Practice and Co-Director of the Media and Technology Program at Columbia Business School and also a Senior Advisor at Evercore Partners. At a quick glance, The Platform Delusion appears to stand in opposition to Nick and I's book, Modern Monopolies. Tim Wu describes Jonathan's new book as "a jolting and often hilarious exposure of our delusions that teaches, once again, that the fundamentals of business may not have changed quite as much as you think they have." When we really dig down into Knee's "Core Tenets of the Platform Delusion" and discuss why platforms like Amazon and Google have become so dominant, we find a lot more alignment between Modern Monopolies and The Platform Delusion than one would initially think. One area we differ on is whether or not big tech companies are monopolies. We've often criticized U.S. antitrust regulator's focus on consumers while big tech runs rampant taking advantage of producers on platforms e.g. Amazon third-party sellers. For more on this topic, see our recent video on the FTC reshaping its anti competition arguments to take monopsony power into account. See more

I sit down with Salih Hudayar, Prime Minister of the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile. The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile claims to be the sole representation of East Turkistan and its people on the international stage. East Turkestan is an area annexed by the People's Republic of China in 1949 and is officially recognized as the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region despite The East Turkistan Government in Exile's calls on the U.S. and other governments to recognize East Turkistan. I talked with Salih about his journey establishing the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Xinjiang region. We spoke about how platforms and big tech have impacted communications and organization of the Uyghur people in both positive and negative ways. Hudayar gives us some examples of the double standards he's seen when using monopolized tech offers such as Facebook ads and we comment on a short list of tech companies that have been deemed unsafe for use by political figures like Salih, some examples being Zoom and TikTok. Despite the extremely serious nature of what is taking place in East Turkistan/Xinjiang, we do find some reasons to be optimistic and hopeful about progress. Salih notes that Google translate has added the Uyghur language and we speak about the growing population of Americans, and citizens globally, who have become familiar and supportive of Prime Minister Hudayar's mission for East Turkistan. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:31 - What and where is East Turkistan? 03:50 - How does a Government-in-Exile start? 06:13 - How has media/tech coverage been on what's happening in Xinjiang? 07:52 - Is your voice being muted by big tech? 09:03 - Facebook's double standard 09:32 - Why do you avoid using Zoom? 10:04 - Censorship on TikTok 11:21 - Experience with 50 cent army bots 12:57 - The information war 15:51 - Positive moves from big tech 18:33 - Boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics 22:25 - Support from the people 28:08 Enes Kanter Speaking out 29:35 - How can viewers/listeners help? 31:32 - Does this come directly from the top? 35:25 - Thank you for joining us! See more

The FTC has reshaped its arguments against big tech monopolies and will now look at potential regulation with monopsony power in mind. Alex and Nick discuss how this new angle being used by U.S. competition regulators at the Federal Trade Commission, lead by Biden-appointed FTC chairwoman Lina Khan, has the potential to actually prove big tech platforms like Amazon and Google are monopsonies. How the FTC Is Reshaping the Antitrust Argument Against Tech Giants: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-ftc-is-reshaping-the-antitrust-argument-against-tech-giants-11643432448 Originally Aired: 01/31/22 #Monopsony #BigTech #Antitrust —

Alex starts the show looking at a CNBC story that claims ultra-wealthy investors are buying platform stocks as a hedge against inflation in the United States. Next, a look at the unpaid army of moderators that run platforms like Reddit and Wikipedia. Alex analyzes how much power these users hold and whether or not platforms should be paying them. Also covered in this episode, why food delivery platforms are adding in fintech functions and reports that Joe Rogan already hates alt-tech social platform Gettr. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 01:42 - Platforms companies an inflation hedge? 08:22 - Reddit mods getting paid? 21:44 - Delivery fintech models 26:18 - Joe Rogan hates Gettr #PlatformBusiness #CNBC #Reddit

The episode starts with a look at Microsoft's massive deal to buy Activision Blizzard inc.. Alex breaks down the deal and questions Microsoft's positioning that this deal is a play towards the metaverse. Next, news that Y Combinator will change its standard deal offered to startups in the accelerator to now invest as much as $500,000. We discuss how this change may affect seed investments for YC startups and share some reactions and thoughts from Y Combinator alums that work at Applico. The show closes with a look at increased buying of inflation protected bonds. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:19 - Microsoft Buys Activision 07:48 - Y Combinator Ups Startup Investment 22:01 - Inflation Protected Bonds Originally Aired: 01/18/22 #Microsoft #YCombinator #Inflation

Alex starts the show with a look at the metaverse acquisitions Facebook has been making and whether or not Mark Zuckerberg can just buy Roblox. Next, Alex explains why he loves Rocket Mortgage's move to buy TrueBill, a personal finance suite for users who'd like to track spending and rid themselves of delinquent subscriptions. Also covered, why China is seeing a decline in venture capital investing and the SEC's investigation into Medallion Financial Corp.. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 01:09 - Metaverse Acquisition Deals 07:18 - A Great M&A Deal for Rocket Mortgage 23:55 - China VC Investing Trends Down 34:07 - Taxi Medallion Bank Gone Wrong, SEC Investigates Originally Aired: 12/30/21 #Podcast #Business #Platforms

Applico CEO Alex Moazed breaks down platform and platform adjacent companies that are expected to go public in 2022. These companies span multiple spaces and industries including B2B, fintech/payments, food, delivery, eCommerce, buy now pay later, social media, content, and more. Moazed looks at various fundraising by these platforms, current valuations, and gives his thoughts on market fit and IPO timing. 00:00 - Subscribe and Follow the Fight Against Big Tech 00:15 - Instacart IPO 01:07 - FlipKart IPO 01:49 - Gopuff IPO 05:49 - Stripe IPO 08:18 - Plaid IPO 09:50 - Klarna IPO 11:56 - Reddit IPO 12:40 - Discord IPO 13:44 - OnlyFans IPO 14:49 - Patreon IPO 15:18 - Turo IPO 16:40 - Farmer's Business Network IPO 18:47 - Houzz IPO 20:51 - Quora IPO Originally Aired: 01/07/22 #2022IPO #IPO #StockMarket

Alex kicks off the episode looking at eBay's changes to how the company will be reporting gross merchandise volume and he breaks down what eBay's claimed immaterial differences between the old and new GMV numbers actually are. Reddit has confidentially filed for IPO and we take a look at how profitable of an investment Reddit could turn out to be for Advance Publications who acquired the platform back in 2006. Also covered, Amazon opening a bookstore for the Chinese Communist Party, Cathie Wood's "promise" that her ARK ETF's will return 40%, and a big milestone in the digitization of the B2B industry. Alex also shares his favorite highlights from Marketplace Pulse's fabulous Marketplaces Year in Review 2021. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:36 - eBay's New GMV 11:54 - Reddit Going Public 17:20 - Amazon's CCP Bookshop 26:00 - Marketplaces Year in Review 2021 34:02 - a B2B eCommerce Milestone! 37:23 - ARK's 40% Return Promise Marketplaces Year in Review 2021:https://www.marketplacepulse.com/mark... Originally Aired: 12/21/21 #Podcast #BigTech #B2B

The show opens looking at an interview with Palantir CEO Alex Karp where he calls out Silicon Valley's reluctance to work with the U.S. government. Alex commends Karp for his criticisms and calls for big tech to have more of a backbone when it comes to supporting the U.S.. Next, discussion of The Information's exposé revealing Apple's clandestine $275 billion investment into China. The show closes with some alt tech news that includes former President Trump's SPAC DWAC (Digital World Acquisition Corp) will partner with Rumble, and a letter from Gab founder Andrew Torba calling out it's alt-tech contemporaries and stating Gab is not for sale. Originally Aired: 12/07/21 #Podcast #BigTech #Palantir —

The episode starts with analysis of a report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance that details how Amazon has continuously extracted increasing profits from third-party sellers on its marketplace platform. Next, Alex digs into the departure of Jack Dorsey from Twitter and looks at newly appointed CEO Parag Agrawal. Also covered, alt tech video platform Rumble announcing it will go public via a SPAC and Chinese companies delisting from U.S. exchanges. The show ends with a look at Biden confirming a band on Huawei and ZTE products in the United States. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 01:58 - Amazon's Hidden Profits 14:13 - Jack Dorsey Out at Twitter 25:49 - Rumble SPAC 29:42 - Will $BABA Be Delisted? 33:53 - Huawei and ZTE Banned Originally Aired: 12/03/21 #BigTech #Podcast #TwitterCEO

The show starts off with an interview of Harsh Khurana, the CEO of Cultivate, a browser extension and shopping app with a mission to help businesses that are manufacturing goods locally. Next, a look at Leaflink's expansion of its logistics offerings and a highlighting of the macro trend in which B2B marketplaces broaden via key value added services around logistics and/or financing. Also covered, Macy's partnering with Mirakl to open a digital marketplace, and a look at the various approaches B2B players are taking to offering eCommerce tools to customers. 00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech 00:20 - Interview w/ Cultivate CEO Harsh Khurana 14:08 - A Big Cannabis B2B Op 20:52 - Macy's Marketplace Finally? 26:35 - B2B eCommerce Offerings Originally Aired: 11/23/21 #B2B #Logistics #B2BPodcast