# Angie's List: Angie Hicks (2016)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-08-20
- Length: 32m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016

## Summary

Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angie's List, explains how she launched the home services referral business in 1995 with mentor Bill Asterley, starting with door-to-door sales in Columbus, Ohio. She details the transition from a physical newsletter to an online platform, the strategic decision to avoid anonymous reviews to build trust, and the company's expansion to over 3 million members. The episode also covers her brief departure to attend Kellogg business school and her return to lead the company as Chief Marketing Officer before its merger with HomeAdvisor.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=0) Introduction: Angie Hicks and the early days of Angie's List
- [2:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=151) Starting the business with Bill Asterley in Columbus
- [4:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=285) Door-to-door sales and the first $19 memberships
- [8:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=498) Pivoting to newspaper ads and hiring the first employee
- [13:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=814) Burnout, business school, and returning to the company
- [20:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=1252) Transitioning from newsletter to online platform
- [24:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=1448) Raising capital, national expansion, and market strategy
- [28:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-08-20-angies-list-angie-hicks-2016#t=1701) Postscript: Joel Crites and Micro Fantasy app

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

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

## Mentioned

- Angie's List (company)
- Bill Asterley (other)
- Unified Neighbors (company)
- Columbus Neighbors (company)
- Kellogg (other)
- Harvard (other)
- HomeAdvisor (company)
- Micro Fantasy (product)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [#70 Angel Investing 101 with Marcia Dawood (+ Uproot Teas)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-11-22-70-angel-investing-101-with-marcia-dawood-uproot-teas) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [S7E18 Aaron Moncur | Building Pipeline, the Being An Engineer Podcast, and Engineering Communities](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-24-s7e18-aaron-moncur-building-pipeline-the-being-an-engineer-podcast-and-engineeri) (Being an Engineer)
- [#59 Welcome to the Oat Haus! Celebrity Collaboration, Sprouts Launch, and Mental Health with Ali Bonar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-08-30-59-welcome-to-the-oat-haus-celebrity-collaboration-sprouts-launch-and-mental-hea) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Meet Our New Host](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2021-01-25-meet-our-new-host) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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