"AM I A designer first and then an entrepreneur, or vice versa?" says Joe Gebbia, carefully repeating my question. He speaks methodically, weighing each word before it takes shape. "Well, it's chicken-and-egg. The act of design is identifying a problem, then coming up with a solution. You have to envision something that doesn't yet exist and then you have to go make it."
Today, Gebbia is best known as one of America's most successful businessmen, a philanthropist and visionary who has revolutionized the hospitality industry and whose net worth last year was estimated by Forbes at $7.4 billion. Since he regards himself as extremely fortunate and wealthy far beyond his needs, he has pledged in writing to give away half his riches before he dies. Yet barely a decade and a half ago, Gebbia was asking himself a question that is all too familiar for many lower-income Americans: How am I going to pay the rent?
It was 2007 and Gebbia and roommate Brian Chesky, both 20-something designers, were gainfully employed yet barely getting by in San Francisco, a city whose housing market had reached boiling point thanks to the massive boom in Silicon Valley's tech industries. When their landlord suddenly raised their rent by an exorbitant 20 percent, they found themselves strapped for cash.
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World Fairs - As Art Basel prepares for its annual shows in Paris and Miami, CEO Noah Horowitz discusses the cultural and financial impact of the globe's premier contemporary art event
Art basel ceo Noah Horowitz isn’t used to doing things the old-fashioned way. Before stepping up to lead the largest, most prestigious art fair operator in the world, he was Basel’s director of the Americas, in charge of the company’s most contemporary-leaning show in Miami Beach. Now he turns his attention from one of the youngest major art cities in the world to one of the oldest: Paris.
Beyond the Beach - Why Miami's Coconut Grove is booming
Miami’s oceanfront neighborhoods may grab international attention, but other parts of town offer as much appeal. The entire city is booming with development, says Jaclyn Bild, a broker associate with Douglas Elliman who was born and brought up in Miami. “The beating heart of Miami is now on the mainland, whereas before it was all about the Beach,” she says. “Neighborhoods that have been around forever are transforming into trend centers, and others are burgeoning for the first time.”
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Resort and Spa in Napa, California, it has always been about wine—with a location just minutes from top wineries, a restaurant with an extensive wine list, and rooms looking out over working vineyards. Since its opening in 2006, it has been inherently clear that this hotel caters largely to oenophiles. But after a twoyear $25 million renovation completed earlier this year, there have been a few notable additions to the premises: new rooms, a refreshed lobby and expanded bar, as well as a newfound emphasis on speaking to a sober or sober-curious audience.
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