About VerifyLocal
Built by a family. Built for yours.
VerifyLocal is a father-and-sons company. We started in Florida and we're going nationwide — putting enterprise-grade reputation tools in the hands of every local service business, at a price that actually makes sense.
The Story
Why we built this
Stephen Garbett watched skilled local business owners — plumbers, electricians, salon owners, restaurant operators — lose customers to less-qualified competitors simply because those competitors had better online reviews. The work was there. The reputation wasn't.
The tools that existed to fix this cost $300–$400 a month, required annual contracts, and were built for enterprise chains with marketing departments — not for the owner who's also answering the phones, running the jobs, and trying to get home for dinner.
So Stephen built VerifyLocal with his sons Vaun and Blake. Vaun owns product quality and AI training. Blake drives sales and growth. Together, they built a platform that automates the hard parts — review requests, AI responses, reputation monitoring — and gets out of the way.
We believe local businesses are the heart of every neighborhood. They deserve software that helps them win.
The Team
The people building it
Stephen Garbett
Founder & CEO
Stephen built VerifyLocal because he watched too many skilled local business owners lose customers to competitors who simply looked better online. He leads product strategy, partnerships, and the overall direction of the company.
LinkedInVaun Thompson
Co-Founder — Product & QA
Vaun keeps the product sharp. He owns quality assurance, review response testing, and AI voice training — making sure every feature works the way a real business owner actually needs it to.
LinkedInBlake Anderson
Co-Founder — Growth & Sales
Blake drives growth. He leads outreach, manages the sales pipeline, and makes sure the right local businesses find VerifyLocal before their competitors do.
LinkedInHow We Work
What we actually believe
Honest over polished
We'd rather tell you what's actually happening than dress it up.
Fast over perfect
We ship features in days, not quarters. Bugs get fixed fast.
Your ROI, not ours
Every decision starts with: does this help the operator make more money?
AI as a tool, not a gimmick
AI only where it genuinely saves time. Human judgment stays in the loop.
Headquarters
Built in Bradenton, Florida. Serving local businesses nationwide.
VerifyLocal was founded in Florida and serves local service businesses across the U.S. — home services, salons, coffee shops, restaurants, contractors, professional services, retail, and more. Local-first is not a tagline. It's the whole point.
7120 Henry Dr, Bradenton, FL 34210Ready to see what we've built?
Start with a free trial or let us audit your current online reputation — no pitch, just an honest look at where you stand.