On the TechTO stage ×1
First seen on the TechTO stage in 2006. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Nancy ↗
In their words
in their first month they were sued for defamation in their first year they had a term sheet from a leading VC and Toronto couldn't close it
so would you tell this come this person to stop I know I did it was a really tough couple years but that's not the full story that person is me
who you hire is the most important decision and when you're doing your home renovation that's pretty daunting
Around the web ×1
Quick answers
Who founded HomeStars?
Nancy Peterson, in Toronto in 2006. Her inspiration was TripAdvisor: at the time, hiring a contractor meant word of mouth or the phone book.
What happened to HomeStars?
HomeAdvisor acquired a 90% stake in 2017. Peterson stayed on as CEO through the scale-up and retired on 31 July 2020, appointing Shir Magen and Megan Oldfield as co-general managers.
What did she tell the TechTO stage?
She read out a founder's first two years — a defamation suit, a term sheet that never closed, a spouse's job lost, both parents ill — then said the founder was her.