Advisory Board Spotlight: Darren Cody, Co-Founder, Marketplace Studio

We caught up with another of our newest Advisory Board members again this week: Darren Cody, and got his thoughts on what motivated him to join the Marketplace Risk Advisory Board.

Darren is the Co-Founder at Marketplace Studio, a Design & Development company that specializes in building marketplace platforms. Darren is curious by nature and a Product Manager by trade. He leverages his real-world experience of his past rent-anything marketplace.

Our Advisory Board is the very lifeblood of everything we do at Marketplace Risk. From conferences and virtual events to resources and advice for startups, our board takes a hands-on approach to providing indispensable insight and guidance, drawing on their broad experience that spans a multitude of platforms and industries. We are so excited to welcome Darren to the Advisory Board!

As Marketplace Risk continues to grow, we have expanded our Advisory Board, with calls for new members who can use their skills and experience to help startups. We asked Darren a few questions to get to know him better:

Tell us what you do in / your connection to the marketplace / sharing economy space.

I was the Product Manager at the largest rent-anything marketplace, Ruckify for 5 years. I brought it from an idea to an MVP, to version 2.0. I recently Co-Founded Marketplace Studio which helps first-time founders design and develop a platform that their community will love.

What interests / fascinates you most about marketplaces / the sharing economy?

No marketplace is the same, yet they all have 70% of the same fundamentals. It is fascinating the complex problems that need to be solved when building a platform to achieve PMF. I believe the solution to the Chicken & Egg problem is building Supply first, and demand will follow.

How were you first introduced to marketplaces / the sharing economy?

In 2017, I was asked to join Ruckify as the Product & Development Manager. That opened my mind to a new world of "green" by re-using things that our neighbors own instead of buying, it dramatically can help save the planet.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A Chef. That quickly changed to being an entrepreneur following the path my parents set for me.

What motivates you the most about your business/platform?

I want to earn enough money working at Marketplace Studio to fund my own marketplace, 12 Step Road. It will become the Yelp for Rehabs & Mental Health Clinics.

What one or two things do you do each day religiously?

Look on Everything Marketplaces to see the new types of platforms founders are launching!

What do you think the world of marketplaces / sharing economy will look like in 10 years?

Eventually, there will be a Shopify for marketplaces competing with the new Amazons. The majority of people will be a part of a community and it will be easier to launch because there is less resistance from society. We absolutely need to have standardized levels of Trust & Safety that people can recognize to know they're dealing with a proper company.

If you’d like to be part of a dynamic group of founders, operators and subject matter experts, and your expertise and ideas could help us to better support the marketplace ecosystem, reach out to us at info@marketplacerisk.com.