In this episode of The CEO and the Salesman podcast, Matthew Whyatt sits down with Sjoerd Handgraaf, Chief Marketing Officer at Sharetribe – the no-code platform helping entrepreneurs build their own online marketplaces without needing to write a single line of code or make large upfront investments.
Sjoerd shares the fascinating journey of how Sharetribe evolved from a small Finnish startup into a profitable global SaaS business supporting thousands of marketplace founders. He opens up about the platform’s unique steward ownership model, the critical role of early customer feedback, and why starting small can often lead to big success.
The conversation dives into the intricacies of building successful two-sided marketplaces, the challenges of scaling partnerships, and what it really takes to grow a tech business in today’s market. Sjoerd also discusses how Sharetribe leverages content marketing to reach its audience and how AI is reshaping modern marketing.
He stresses the growing importance of authenticity, values, and trust in building lasting customer relationships.
If you’re a startup founder, marketer, or someone interested in the future of online marketplaces, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Sharetribe and Marketplace Concepts
03:03 The Evolution of Sharetribe and Its Offerings
06:00 The Motivation Behind Sharetribe’s Founding
09:12 Understanding the Steward Ownership Model
12:10 Challenges and Strategies in Growing a Tech Business
23:09 Exploring Marketplace Success Stories
24:06 Challenges in Scaling Marketplace Partnerships
26:44 Key Characteristics for Marketplace Entrepreneurs
29:02 The Importance of Starting Small
31:15 The Value of Getting Feedback Early
35:43 Navigating AI and Marketing Challenges
39:20 The Future of Marketing: Authenticity and Values
Sjoerd is also the host of the Two-Sided podcast, where he’s interviewed over 30 founders and investors from the world’s leading marketplaces.
His deep expertise offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what really drives marketplace success.
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy the episode.
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Links:
YouTube: 
/ @theceoandthesalesmanpodcast
Sharetribe: https://www.sharetribe.com/
TwoSided Podcast: https://www.sharetribe.com/twosided
Sjoerd Handgraaf LinkedIn: 
/ sjoerdhandgraaf
Matthew Whyatt LinkedIn: / matthewwhyatt
Learn more about techtorque at https://techtorque.com.au/
