Thumbtack - Background checking online

“Like a handsome lovechild of Yelp, Craigslist, and Open Table, Tack's a new free "marketplace for local services" that vets and verifies the backgrounds of providers (from contractors, to plumbers, to translators, to...bagpipers), allows others to leave testimonials, and lets you book appointments directly from their profile page, much like how Tila Tequila manages her love life.”

Thumbtack.com may eat Yelp’s lunch

"Though Craigslist and Yelp have the advantage of a much larger user base, Thumbtack has a clear advantage in web architecture. Critics may doubt Thumbtack’s ability to capture a meaningful share of the market. Such doubts are not unfounded but it is worth remembering that at one point, Facebook was a small timer in social networking."

Well-known angels back local services startup Thumbtack.com

"The round comes from a long list of angel investors, many of whom are familiar names in the tech world. They include husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Cyan and Scott Banister (founders of Zivity and IronPort, respectively), WebBlogs and Mahalo founder Jason Calacanis, … "

Thumbtack Takes On RedBeacon As It Looks To Bring Local Service Providers Online

"Thumbtack is doing a lot of things right with its site – I particularly like the idea of having providers verified through background checks, which helps differentiate it from sites like Angie’s List, Craigslist, and RedBeacon."