Building Marketplaces with Data: What We Learned at Uber and Faire

On this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar is joined by Gopal Nath, Director of Strategy and Analytics at Faire and former Marketing Analytics Lead at Uber. Together, they explore the data-backed decisions that shaped two of the world’s most dynamic marketplaces. From measuring efficiency to testing branded search strategy, this episode breaks down how growth actually happens behind the scenes. Expect tactical takeaways, sharp insight, and a few laughs as Sundar and Gopal reconnect and reflect on lessons from Uber, Faire, and life in between.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Efficiency means balancing ROI with payback periods, not chasing perfection
• Uber’s marketplace matured by shifting from growth-first to ROI-first models
• Strategic finance teams need embedded marketing context to partner effectively
• Paid marketing is a two-way door, you can turn it off, learn, and turn it back on
• Pre-post tests still work when applied with high intent and channel focus
• Branded search efficiency varies by region and even by language nuance
• B2C and B2B marketplaces share similar dynamics on both sides of the platform
• Culture impacts data science effectiveness, ego-free collaboration drives scale
• Faire prioritizes truth-seeking and kindness as core hiring and cultural values
• Family life and high performance can co-exist with flexibility and trust

BEST MOMENTS
00:00:03. “Brand to me is how you become top of mind.”
00:01:33. “I switched over to Faire, leading our marketing analytics team here for both sides of our marketplace.”
00:03:02. “We had a six-line-long definition of efficiency at Uber.”
00:04:49. “Your return might take two and a half or three years to make that money back.”
00:07:28. “Because there’s a dedicated individual, they’re able to learn quickly about marketing.”
00:12:06. “Let’s double click on that, because I imagine a lot of people are going to be in the situation of...I don’t have the resources.”
00:14:20. “We were able to recoup 99% of the signups.”
00:17:08. “Paid is a two-way door. You can turn it back on and get back to prior efficiencies.”
00:21:25. “You don’t get the zero moment of truth only through having a great product.”
00:28:22. “Focus on that one team, one dream mentality.”

🎧 ExperiMENTAL is hosted by Sundar Swaminathan, Head of Data Science at Bounce and former Uber leader. This show is your behind-the-scenes look at how top marketers and data scientists make smarter decisions.

🧠 Expect unfiltered conversations, mental models, and case studies that help you cut waste, build conviction, and grow your B2C business.

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