It’s hard to imagine that someone who was afraid to talk to strangers could run a billion-dollar business. But that’s exactly the story of Hicks, co-founder of Angie’s, formerly known as Angie’s List. A self-described introvert, Hicks once considered talking to strangers to be her biggest fear. Despite this, he co-founded Angie, an online home services platform that connects millions of users with trusted professionals. Today, the company has become a household name with a valuation of $1.2 billion (Rs 9997 crore).
According to CNBC, Hicks is Engie’s chief customer officer, a role she has held since 2017. But when the business took off in 1995, she frequently went door-to-door to recruit Angie’s first customers. This was a difficult task for a man who was shy of meeting strangers.
“I’m very shy,” explains Hicks, 51. cnbc Make it. “Going door to door like this was my worst nightmare.”
Hicks’ journey is an inspiring example of overcoming personal challenges to achieve extraordinary success.
However, becoming an entrepreneur was not his first choice. A boutique consulting firm in Washington, DC, offered him a job at a starting salary of $40,000. He did not opt for the job and took a job with his former boss at half the salary he was getting.
Angie connects homeowners with local service professionals for a variety of tasks like home repair, cleaning, and renovation. Users can browse service providers, read reviews, request quotes and book appointments directly through the platform.
As an introvert, Hicks says socializing and marketing the business didn’t come naturally. But she developed strategies to become a more confident leader, like practicing her script before a challenging presentation or sales pitch and setting small, realistic goals to celebrate.
“If I sold one membership a day, I would be thrilled,” she says. “I learned to tackle the hardest tasks first and save the fun tasks for later, which helps me stay motivated and be more productive.” Got help.”
However, after years of consistent hard work, Angie’s efforts paid off and the company became famous.
Today in the $90 billion home service sector in the United States, Engie is a major player. Homeowners submitted approximately 23 million service requests to Engie in 2023 alone, generating more than $1.3 billion in revenue.
