It’s hard to imagine that someone afraid to speak to strangers could go on to own a billion-dollar business. But that’s exactly the story of Hicks, co-founder of Angi, previously known as Angie’s List.A self-described introvert, Hicks once considered talking to strangers her biggest fear. Despite this, she co-founded Angi, an online home services platform that connects millions of users with trusted professionals. Today, the company has grown into a household name, with a valuation of $1.2 billion (Rs 9997 Crore).

According to CNBC, Hicks is Angi’s chief customer officer, a role she’s had since 2017. But when the business launched in 1995, she wore many hats-often literally walking door-to-door to recruit Angi’s first customers. It was a daunting task for someone who shied away from socialising with strangers.

“I’m very shy,” Hicks, 51, tells CNBC Make It. “Going door to door like that was my worst nightmare.” 

Hicks’ journey is an inspiring example of overcoming personal challenges to achieve extraordinary success.

However, becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t her first choice. A boutique consulting firm in Washington, DC, had offered a job to her with a starting salary of $40,000. She didn’t opt for the job and joined her former boss on half of the pay she was offered.

Angi connects homeowners with local service professionals for various tasks like home repairs, cleaning, and renovations. Users can browse service providers, read reviews, request quotes, and book appointments directly through the platform.

As an introvert, Hicks says socialising and marketing the business didn’t come naturally. But she developed strategies to become a more confident leader, like practicing her script before a daunting presentation or sales pitch and setting small, realistic goals to celebrate.

“If I sold one membership in a day, I was thrilled,” she says. “I also learnt to tackle the hardest tasks first and save the fun tasks for later in the day, which helped me stay motivated and be more productive.”

However, after years of persistent work, Angi’s efforts paid off, and the company became well-known.

In the $90 billion home services sector in the United States today, Angi is a major player. Homeowners submitted almost 23 million service requests to Angi in 2023 alone, bringing in over $1.3 billion.