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CJ and Ben set up the episode: marketplaces, middlemen, take rates, and what the show will cover.

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Episode notes

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ breaks down the 5,000-year history of marketplaces—from Mesopotamia to Amazon—and the economics behind take rates, trust layers, and vertical unbundling. We unpack Airbnb’s fee backlash, Facebook Marketplace’s hidden value, why inventory kills platforms, and how AI will reshape discovery—without eliminating the middleman.

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LINKS:

Mostly Talent: https://mostlymetrics.typeform.com/to/cLTxtAsN

CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/

Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com

Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/

Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/

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