We were promised that the internet would democratize commerce, connecting buyers directly with creators and eliminating the need for expensive intermediaries. Yet, today's economy is entirely dominated by massive digital platforms acting as the ultimate, inescapable toll collectors. Instead of removing the middleman, tech giants have simply digitized and amplified the role. They insert themselves between the producer and the consumer, utilizing algorithmic control to extract exorbitant fees, manipulate visibility, and siphon off the vast majority of the profits without actually producing any goods themselves. Gatekeepers of Value exposes the hidden mechanics of platform capitalism. It analyzes how modern brokers use artificial friction and data monopolies to hold entire industries hostage, transforming free markets into modern feudal systems where creators are reduced to digital sharecroppers. Learn how to navigate and survive in a broker-dominated market. Discover strategies to build direct-to-consumer relationships, bypass digital toll booths, and reclaim the true value of your products and services.