Marketplace Chat With Sosh, UrbanSitter, Rover, And Postmates

From the Store to the Street Panel from Menlo Ventures on Vimeo.

A few weeks ago, I was invited by friends at Menlo Ventures to participate in a small event touching on marketplace businesses. I moderated a panel that consisted of the founders of UrbanSitter, Sosh, Postmates, and Rover — all incredible early-stage companies with real traction. For about 40 minutes, we had a detailed discussion about how each one kickstarted liquidity in their product, how they think about expanding geographically while maintaining a quality of service, and how they work to ensure transactions are safe, secure, and build trust. I know the cost to watch video is quite high, but this conversation is only going to appeal to those who build and/or invest in marketplaces — and to those people, I’d say, you’ll definitely enjoy this chat. As someone who loves marketplace products and businesses, and as someone who has had the fortune of working with founders who are building businesses like Hired, Paddle8, Exitround, Cambly, and a few others, I’d recommend this discussion to those who work on such marketplaces. Whether it’s Sosh, UrbanSitter, Rover, or Postmates, each service has a slightly different approach to liquidity, geography, and transaction volume and other matters. I hope you enjoy the chat and if you have any feedback, I’d love to hear it.