* Topics
* [Guide](/academy/guide/)
* [Video course](/academy/marketplace-video-course/)
* [The podcast](/academy/marketplace-academy-podcast/)

[Subscribe](#subscribe-academy)

# The Backstage

Welcome to The Backstage video series, where we sit down to chat with leading marketplace experts, founders, and investors. 

![What makes a marketplace defensible? Featuring investor Carmen Alfonso Rico.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/7ad5f4bf-d3b6-4bbe-9763-785987ee2d1b_Carmen_thumbnail_1200.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Investor Carmen Alfonso Rico on what makes a marketplace defensible](/academy/defensible-marketplace/)

Carmen Alfonso Rico’s strategies for building a marketplace that is defensible against competitors.

by Mira Muurinen 

---

### 

![Investor Josh Breinlinger in a 1/3 close up wearing a grey sweater smiling](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/b397ade4-9b9b-4b11-9fcb-87dcaf309b26_TheBackstage-JoshBreinlinger-thumbnail_1200.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Investor Josh Breinlinger on why investors love B2B marketplaces](/academy/backstage-b2b-marketplace/)

Thinking of building a B2B marketplace? Watch Josh Breinlinger’s interview for some tactical advice.

by Mira Muurinen 

![Makerist founder Axel Heinz in black shirt smiling](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/ac15f7d8-6982-478b-8be7-8e77821139f6_TheBackstage-EP7-AxelHeinz-thumbnail_1200-1.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Makerist founder Axel Heinz on how to validate a marketplace idea](/academy/backstage-validate-marketplace-idea/)

Axel Heinz’s story proves that you can prevalidate your marketplace idea extremely affordably. And that you should.

by Mira Muurinen 

![Axel Bard Bringéus on what a scalable marketplace looks like](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/f26b0837-1399-489c-9e52-caf91a53d8c3_Thumbnail_TheBackstage-EP6_AxelB.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Investor Axel Bard Bringéus on what a scalable marketplace looks like](/academy/scalable-marketplace/)

Tips for scaling your marketplace from Spotify’s former Global Head of Markets.

by Mira Muurinen 

![James Berdigans on helping marketplace users succeed](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/9683e950-1bb2-4e08-a911-13b237f5e029_TheBackstage-EP5_JamesBerdigans-thumbnail_1200.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[How marketplaces can help users succeed](/academy/marketplace-help-users-succeed/)

James Berdigans believes his B2B platform thrives when its customers and providers thrive.

by Mira Muurinen 

![Investor Ben Narasin from NEA explains how marketplaces can disrupt large markets](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/9217d387-2361-464a-a081-9cc3e8a5f72e_TheBackstage-EP4_BenNarasin_1200.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Investor Ben Narasin on how marketplaces can disrupt large markets](/academy/marketplaces-disrupt-large-markets/)

Follow Ben Narasin’s advice to build the next marketplace unicorn in an unconquered market.

by Mira Muurinen 

![What makes a marketplace defensible? Featuring investor Carmen Alfonso Rico.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/7ad5f4bf-d3b6-4bbe-9763-785987ee2d1b_Carmen_thumbnail_1200.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Investor Carmen Alfonso Rico on what makes a marketplace defensible](/academy/defensible-marketplace/)

Carmen Alfonso Rico’s strategies for building a marketplace that is defensible against competitors.

by Mira Muurinen 

![How to build a marketplace success story – featuring Lemoncat CEO Doreen Huber](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/d9a45950-ae80-4745-acf5-da72f5648584_TheBackstage-EP2_Doreen_thumbnail_1200.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[Lemoncat CEO Doreen Huber on how to build a marketplace success story](/academy/marketplace-success-story/)

Doreen Huber discusses Lemoncat’s success story from the moment the idea was born.

by Mira Muurinen 

![Speedinvest’s Mathias Ockenfels on what investors look for in marketplaces](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/7fe1bbb0-f178-48a1-9e1a-4283cb071d14_TheBackstage-EP1_Mathias_cover.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840)

The Backstage

[What do investors look for in marketplaces?](/academy/what-investors-look-for-marketplaces/)

Mathias Ockenfels shares his love of network effects – and how he spots them early on.

by Mira Muurinen 

[All articles](/academy/articles/)

Start your 14-day free trial

## Create a marketplace today!

* Launch quickly, without coding
* Extend infinitely
* Scale to any size
[Start free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/new)

No credit card required

[Starting a marketplace](/academy/start-a-marketplace/)

[Business model](/academy/business-model/)

[Marketing & growth](/academy/marketing-growth/)

[Platform technology](/academy/platform-technology/)

[Insurance](/academy/insurance/)

[The Backstage](/academy/backstage/)