Chip Conley

Chip Conley joined the tiny tech start-up Airbnb nearly a decade ago after a successful career as a boutique hotel company founder and CEO. He was twice the age of the average Airbnb employee, which earned him the title “Airbnb’s Modern Elder.” As the internal mentor to the young Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, Conley was instrumental in transforming Airbnb’s culture and contributed to its growth into the most valuable hospitality company in the world. His experience at Airbnb, where he taught his award-winning methods to hundreds of thousands of hosts in nearly 200 countries, highlights the value of intergenerational collaboration.

His bestselling books, including “Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder” and “Emotional Equations,” are testaments to rethinking the value of having five generations in the workplace and why more companies are doing their best to encourage their older workers to stay in the workplace longer. Conley has also authored “Peak” and the newly released “Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age.” His Modern Elder Academy has more than 2,000 alums who’ve come to the Mexican beachfront campus, which Conley co-founded, and MEA will soon be expanding with a new campus on a 2,600-acre regenerative horse ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico in April 2024.

In addition to his contributions to hospitality and leadership, Conley is recognized as a thought leader at the intersection of psychology and business. He promotes a philosophy of mutual mentorship in the workplace, emphasizing the benefits of age diversity and wisdom sharing across generations. His approach to leadership includes understanding the motivations of various stakeholders like employees, customers, bosses, and investors to foster better relationships and a connected culture. Through his media appearances, including a TED talk and features on “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show,” Conley continues to share his insights on creating a culture of happiness and success in business.