Wisdom at Work: Words from a Modern Elder, a keynote presentation by Chip Conley

Chip Conley, Rebel hospitality entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and leader at the forefront of the sharing economy joins NYC SHRM as the midday keynote speaker.

In his keynote, Chip will share his experiences as a “mentern” (part mentor/part intern) at Airbnb that inspired him to start a movement to ignite better collaboration between generations. He will talk about becoming a “Modern Elder,” someone who serves and learns, is a mentor, intern, student, and sage – all at the same time.

At age 26 he founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality (JdV), transforming one inner-city motel into the second largest boutique hotel brand in America. After running his company as CEO for 24 years, he sold it and soon the young founders of Airbnb asked him to help transform their promising start-up into the world’s leading hospitality brand. Chip served as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy for four years and today acts as the company’s Strategic Advisor for Hospitality and Leadership. His five books include PEAK and EMOTIONAL EQUATIONS and are inspired by the theories of transformation and meaning by famed psychologists Abraham Maslow and Viktor Frankl. In his latest book, WISDOM @ WORK: THE MAKING OF A MODERN ELDER (September 2018), Chip shares his experiences – as both mentor and unexpected intern – at Airbnb.

Chip is the founder of Fest300 (part of Everfest), San Francisco’s annual “Celebrity Pool Toss” that has raised millions for families in the neighborhood where he opened his first hotel, and the Hotel Hero Awards that shine a light on outstanding line level employees. Chip is a recipient of hospitality’s highest honor, the Pioneer Award, and holds a BA and MBA from Stanford University, and an honorary doctorate in psychology from Saybrook University. He serves on the boards of the Burning Man Project and the Esalen Institute, where the Conley Library bears his name.