CEO & Co-Founder, Faire
Search every verified Max Rhodes interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Max Rhodes, CEO and co-founder of Faire, has been focused on expanding the platform’s tools for independent retailers and brands. In late 2024 and 2025, he announced a major upgrade to the Insider free shipping program, doubling the number of brands on which retailers receive free shipping and introducing exclusive phone support. He also introduced Fair Pay, a payment option that gives retailers 3% back on purchases, and highlighted the rollout of product-level reviews, a no-import-duties filter, and volume pricing discounts. Rhodes stated that the company is using AI to improve search results and product recommendations, and that it has worked with FedEx to negotiate lower shipping rates for brands using the “Ship with Faire” service. Rhodes has also spoken about the company’s growth and strategy. He described a partnership with Shopify as an “incredible endorsement” and said the companies would deepen their integrations. In discussions about board management, he said that board members are like “executive hires that you cannot fire” and emphasized the importance of choosing them carefully. He noted that he regretted not heeding board members’ warnings in 2021 about overspending and excessive focus on competition. Rhodes has also discussed the challenges independent retailers face from inflation, but said their ability to buy inventory 30 to 60 days in advance gives them an advantage over larger chains.
“Founders are often very afraid to have a willingness-to-pay conversation; they feel like if they bring a dollar amount up, it might scare the customer off.”
“It's so important to have the conversation with a customer: if I can solve this problem for you and deliver these metrics we've talked about, how much would that be worth to you?”
“You really need to disqualify customers who just aren't ready, able, or willing to buy your product.”
“Independent retailers can pivot quickly and find new local suppliers in 60 seconds using Faire, unlike most chain stores that need to buy their inventory through pre-orders over a year in advance.”
If you can solve a real problem, ask customers what it's worth—and disqualify the ones who aren't ready or willing to buy.
Welcome to Reshaping Retail, our learning event designed to set you up for success ahead of the holiday buying season.
We're committed to making Faire the best place for independent retailers to get the most free shipping. Hear more from our CEO ...
Learn how to boost your brand visibility on Faire and simplify wholesale operations without adding more manual work in this webinar. Join CEO Max Rhodes and the Faire team for a practical session on how to grow your wholesale brand, improve product discoverability, and build stronger retailer partnerships on the platform. You'll see how to optimize product listings so retailers can find the right items faster, manage orders with more confidence, and use Faire platform tools to reduce day-to-day admin. The conversation also covers what makes a listing more useful to retailers, how clear produc…
... uh so I'd like to introduce Max rhs who's the co-founder CEO of fair which was an incredibly counterintuitive investment uh when ...
E-commerce company Shopify (SHOP) has invested in Faire, a fast-growing online wholesale marketplace valued at $12.4 billion.
Faire is on a mission to revolutionize the way retailers shop for their stores. They take all the pain out of buying for store owners.
Taking on Goliath: Faire Leveling the Playing Field for Retailers - (Faire) Max Rhodes & (Sequoia) Ravi Gupta | Slush 2022 Faire is the largest global B2B marketplace that connects over 600,000 independent retailers across North America, Europe, and Australia with 85,000 brands located in over 150 countries. Founded only five years ago, the company is valued at over $12b and has raised over $1b in funding from world-class investors. Faire co-founder and CEO, Max Rhodes, and the team are on a mission to level the playing field for independent retailers around the world. Hear from Max and Rav…
Building a team is already hard – now try doing it when your business is growing rapidly. Finding the right recruits, keeping quality ...
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