# AOL: Steve Case

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-04-03
- Length: 32m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case

## Summary

Steve Case, founder of America Online (AOL), recounts the company's journey from a garage startup to a public giant, detailing early partnerships with Commodore, IBM, and Apple, and the pivotal decision to launch the AOL brand after the Apple deal collapsed. He explains how AOL democratized internet access through free CD-ROMs and community-focused features like chat rooms and the 'You've Got Mail' greeting, eventually leading to the historic merger with Time Warner. Case reflects on the cultural clash and execution failures of that merger, his subsequent pivot to venture capital via Revolution LLC, and the critical role of government policy in enabling the internet's growth.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=0) Introduction: Steve Case and the early days of AOL
- [2:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=153) Case's early interest in modems and Control Video Corporation
- [5:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=358) Forming AOL and securing early partnerships with PC manufacturers
- [10:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=609) The Apple partnership, its collapse, and rebranding to America Online
- [14:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=896) Going public, the 'You've Got Mail' greeting, and reaching mainstream adoption
- [20:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=1220) The Microsoft threat and the decision not to sell
- [22:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=1371) The Time Warner merger, its rationale, and execution failures
- [25:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case#t=1559) Post-AOL life, founding Revolution LLC, and lessons on policy

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- AOL (company)
- Control Video Corporation (company)
- Apple (company)
- Time Warner (company)
- Microsoft (company)
- Commodore (company)
- IBM (company)
- Revolution LLC (company)
- You've Got Mail (product)
- Game Line (product)
- AppleLink (product)
- Windows (product)

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- [Tune in for Season 3 of Moore's Lobby](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-08-19-tune-in-for-season-3-of-moores-lobby) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Silicon Cowboys](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2021-06-01-silicon-cowboys) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Rooting for the Home Team with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-27-rooting-for-the-home-team-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Losing the Signal with Sean Silcoff](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-09-27-losing-the-signal-with-sean-silcoff) (Oxide and Friends)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-04-03-aol-steve-case. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.