Bio of Angie’s List
Take a super simple Idea and Perfect it !!! [Wiz4biz]
from Wikipedia.org 2012 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz 8/13
Angie’s List is a US-based website that aggregates “verified” Consumer Reviews of Services Companies. Angie’s List has about 1.5 million subscribers throughout the United States & Canada who post an average of about 40,000 reviews each month. The concept behind the website is to certify their data collection process by only allowing paid and registered subscribers to access the website to prevent anonymous or biased reviews.
HISTORY: Angie’s List was co-founded by
Bill Oesterle & Angie Hicks in 1995. It was inspired by Hicks’ search for a reliable contractor in her suburban Columbus on behalf of Bill, a Venture Vapitalist & her former Supervisor. She relocated to down-town Columbus to join him in creating Angie’s List, which started as a Call-in Service for reviews about home & lawn care. Hicks went door-to-door, signing up members & collecting ratings on local contractors. For a year, it was called “Columbus Neighbors”. After solely recruiting more than 1,000 members in Columbus within one year, Hicks turned to Bill (a VC), to raise money from Investors in order to develop the business at a faster pace. [It’s who you know. So be an active Networker. Wiz4biz]
In 1996, Angie’s List purchased Unified Neighbors (to access the Indianapolis & Indiana markets) and relocated Angie’s headquarters to Indianapolis. By 1999, the database of local services & reviews was moved to the internet. During the ensuing years, their customer base and business relationships grew throughout North America, while also expanding to include additional service industries such as Health care & Auto care.
CNN Money featured Angie’s List as one of the 100 “fastest-growing” Inner City businesses in the nation, with their revenues reaching $45.6 million in 2011. According to their 10k, Angie’s List’s revenue last fiscal year 2012 was $90M
Methodology. Angie’s List grades companies using a report-card-style scale, which ranges from A to F; these ratings are based on the following criteria: price, quality, responsiveness, punctuality & professionalism. Each company has its own page, which is composed of a description of its business along with the customer reviews. The aggregate grade is drawn from the combined reviews & grades given to the businesses from the consumers. Angie’s List employees are trained to identify any reviews that seem biased or sabotaged, so the overall rating will only reflect “legitimate” customer reviews. This process was reviewed and approved by Business Professional Association Worldwide during a 2009 audit. Revenue for Angie’s List comes from member Subscription fees, as well as Advertizing from businesses that have an overall grade of B or higher on the website
Company Culture. Angie’s List is reputed to have a unique company culture, in that it encourages a laid-back – yet innovative – atmosphere. Communication is extremely open between management & staff. Ideas are encouraged from all employees, regardless of their positions. Angie’s List was named one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana in 2007 & 2008 by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. The rankings for the list are based on the feedback of randomly selected employees at eligible Indiana businesses. Angie’s List was also a finalist for the Nation’s Healthiest Employers of 2010. They have had a comprehensive employee wellness program for over 5 years, which includes about 30 different programs & events throughout the year. Employees are offered Health, Life & Dental insurance, as well as access to the fitness programs and the on-site Fitness Center. They are encouraged to participate in various events created to foster a team environment & boost company spirit.
Today, the company covers more than 200 Cities in USA & Canada, and has roughly 750,000 members. The business has received more than $50 million in investment capital from several sources, and it was named to the Inc. 500, Inc. magazine’s list of the “fastest growing” Privately-held Companies in the nation for three consecutive years.
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