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Marina Krakowski is a journalist and author. Her latest book is The Middleman Economy, how brokers, agents, dealers, and everyday matchmakers create value and profit. People tend to think of middlemen as parasites who aren't actually producing anything. It can be true in some cases, but more often than not, middlemen would not stay in business if they didn't genuinely provide value.

Why would anyone want to hire a middleman, like a wedding planner, especially if you have time to take care of the planning yourself? Marina Krakovsky, author of The Middleman Economy talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about middlemen in the modern economy. Despite predictions that the internet would destroy the need for middlemen, Krakovsky argues they're more valuable than ever though their roles have changed. Krakovsky looks at the different roles middlemen play today and how their value added can justify their existence.