CUTR

CUTR charges woodworkers a commission on completed projects—typically 8-12% of job value—while designers and manufacturers post work for free. ​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌The team validated willingness-to-pay by conducting direct conversations with 50+ woodworkers, asking them to commit to paying a percentage of their first job if CUTR delivered quality leads. Remarkably, 70% agreed verbally, signaling genuine demand despite the market's traditionally cash-based, offline nature. When CUTR launched with their first paying customers, woodworkers actually paid commissions on completed projects within 30 days—a critical validation in an industry skeptical of digital intermediaries. The early signal that proved the model worked was retention: woodworkers who completed their first project through CUTR returned for second and third jobs, demonstrating the platform solved real pain points around finding reliable clients. This repeat usage, combined with timely payment behavior, showed the commission model aligned incentives and delivered measurable value to both sides of the marketplace.