Recently, I was looking for a contractor to build a pool. I received three bids, each with very similar numbers and details. The only factor left in my decision was, whom do I trust?

I decided that none of them were the right choice. Instead I went with the company that was in business to connect me with highly skilled individuals–not to be the middleman. This company is not a contractor. Instead, they provided me with a list of the local subcontractors and sample contracts, and they helped me negotiate the subcontracts every step of the way. They received a fixed fee for this service. Overall, I saved 20% of the overall cost.

They did less, and made less money than a contractor–but they were able to provide a superior service at a much better price, and serve more clients–probably making more money in the long run.

This is a great example of a company with an innovative business model, who is in the business of getting more things built for more people–not just doing things "the way we’ve always done them" with unnecessary overhead.