I’ve run businesses before. And like many others, I’ve been frustrated by the same old problems:
- The loudest voices – or those with the biggest ad budgets – get noticed first.
- Review platforms like Checkatrade are expensive, restrictive, and often feel rigged.
- Genuine referrals happen… but slowly, privately, and unpredictably.
- The web is full of spammy SEO, fake reviews, and slick sales tricks.
I wanted something simpler. Fairer. A level playing field.
Something that made it easy for people to publicly say:
“I trust this business. I’ve worked with them. They’re good.”
Real-world problems, every day
A few weeks ago, I needed a builder for a garage conversion. I didn’t want to Google and trawl through ads. I just wanted to see who people I trust already work with. My architect knew a few but had to dig through messages. Wouldn’t it be easier if I could just see his “endorsed list” somewhere public?
Not long after, a client of mine needed software for their accountancy firm. We hit Google. Got demos. Trialled products. The ones with the best SEO or ads got our attention – not necessarily the best solution. Eventually we found a brilliant, lesser-known option by asking around. Again – a public list of trusted vendors from peers would’ve saved us hours.
Even in the charity space, it’s the same. I worked with one recently who had major corporate backers – but no simple way to show them off. Their site is rarely updated. Budgets are tight. They just wanted a public way to say:
“These businesses support us – and we back them too.”
Why just businesses?
You might wonder: why not let anyone leave endorsements?
The simple answer: accountability.
When a business endorses another, there’s weight behind it. There’s reputation at stake.
It’s traceable. It’s professional. It’s real.
With the general public, the risk of spam, fake accounts, and gaming the system skyrockets.
Charging even a small fee becomes unfair – but not charging opens the floodgates to abuse.
Businesses backing businesses creates a network built on accountability and trust.
No anonymous reviews. No bots. No fakes. Just mutual endorsement between professionals.
We may open things up later – carefully – but this is how we start strong.
So what if…
- What if there was a way to collect public endorsements from people you’ve actually worked with?
- What if you could show who you trust – and who trusts you – in just a few clicks?
- What if referrals became visible, searchable, and scalable?
I don’t expect it to be foolproof. But it would be a better starting point than ads or SEO ever could be.
If I know a business is trusted by someone I trust, that carries weight – even if we’ve never met.
Why now?
By day, I help companies simplify how they operate and grow. My business partner is a seasoned developer. We’ve built side projects before – most never left the drawing board.
But this one felt different. It felt necessary. It felt simple.
So we are building it.
Ndorsd is our attempt to make trust public – without spam, without fake reviews, and without games.
It’s not finished. It’ll evolve. But the goal is clear:
Create a simple, honest, public way for businesses to back each other.
If you’ve ever relied on a recommendation to find work, win a client, or choose a supplier – Ndorsd is for you.
