Clone | Houzz

Marcus’s face went red. "Why is the sink a microwave?"

The email arrived at 2:17 AM, its subject line screaming in all caps:

This was the death spiral. Houzz let homeowners find contractors and see reviews. Apex had a list of 350 local pros—plumbers, electricians, painters. Most hadn't updated their profile since 2019. Leo built a simple directory: name, phone, star rating. But Marcus insisted on a "verification badge" (a little green checkmark) for pros who paid a $99 monthly fee.

Marcus’s face went red. "Why is the sink a microwave?"

The email arrived at 2:17 AM, its subject line screaming in all caps:

This was the death spiral. Houzz let homeowners find contractors and see reviews. Apex had a list of 350 local pros—plumbers, electricians, painters. Most hadn't updated their profile since 2019. Leo built a simple directory: name, phone, star rating. But Marcus insisted on a "verification badge" (a little green checkmark) for pros who paid a $99 monthly fee.