"Pre-construction is actually just free construction because it's a lot of work up front that you don't often get paid for." - Chloe Smith, CEO of MercatorIn today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we sat down with Chloe Smith, who shared her journey of building Mercator, a construction tech startup that's changing how contractors find early-stage project opportunities.Tune in to discover:✅ Why Mercator focuses only on Texas (for now) and how they plan to expand✅ The power of hiring for talent over skill in a fast-growing startup✅ How they built their own "accelerator" by carefully selecting operator-investors✅ Their unique approach to product development through an intensive beta program with general contractorsListen to the full episode on Spotify to learn how Mercator is helping contractors get involved in projects before the bidding phase even begins - as Chloe puts it, "It's almost like using a marriage registry as a dating app."------