EM Group Chat #100: Leading Marketplace Operator & Investor Insights With Mike Ghaffary

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Mike Ghaffary

Recording of the Everything Marketplaces Group Chat #100 (6/7) with Mike Ghaffary, who’s a General Partner at Canvas Ventures. Canvas Ventures is a leading Series A & Series B stage fund that focuses on marketplaces and has invested in Flyhomes, Roofstock, ResQ, Airvet, Zola, and many more. Prior to Canvas Ventures Mike spent 7+ years as a VP at Yelp and was also the CEO of Eat24, so he has some really incredible experience as both a marketplace operator and now investor.

0:05
Intro
1:28 Mike's background
5:19 Mike's experience as a VP at Yelp, then becoming the CEO of Eat24
8:14 Learnings & takeaways from the successful transition to being the CEO of Eat24
11:45 Operating Eat24 during the infamous "food delivery wars"
16:08 What led Mike to investing in marketplaces & joining Canvas Ventures
19:57 An overview of Canvas Ventures as a leading Series A & Series B stage marketplace focused fund
21:55 The marketplace metrics & benchmarks that Mike looks for at Series A stage
27:35 Group Q&A on the factors & execution tactics that led to Eat24's success in a competitive market
32:27 Group Q&A on how investors evaluate hybrid revenue models for marketplaces
35:58 Group Q&A on what good retention metrics & benchmarks are for marketplaces
39:16 Group Q&A on how marketplaces can potentially change consumer behavior to increase retention & usage
44:42 Group Q&A on opportunities for marketplaces to help bridge from web2 to web3
47:13 Group Q&A on some of the unique challenges with three-sided marketplaces
52:47 Group Q&A on challenges & potential opportunities with food procurement

Mike on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/newmike
Canvas Ventures: https://www.canvas.vc

Connect with Mike in the Everything Marketplaces community.