Today's Entrepreneur

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Today's Entrepreneur: John Kobs

No. 1 mistake: Assuming revenue is something they can "figure out later"

Innovation series by Kristin Karaoglu
August 29, 2012 | Comments
Short URL: http://vator.tv/n/29c5

Today's Entrepreneur  is  John Kobs, CEO and Co-Founder of Apartment List / Vertical Brands.

Apartment List is the world’s largest and fastest-growing apartment search engine. It brings millions of listings from around the web into one elegant interface, drastically reducing the time it takes renters to find an apartment. Apartment List launched in September 2011 at TechCrunch Disrupt and won a 2012 Webby Award for Real Estate.

(Apartment List is one of the promising startups competing to be one of the top 10 finalists to present on stage at Vator Splash SF. If you want to see Kobs on stage, or another startup in the competition, vote for them here.)

Vator’s community is the home to entrepreneurs who embrace their passion and follow their dreams. Our profiles allow members to express themselves by sharing their interests, lessons learned, as well as bits and pieces of their roller-coaster journey.

These profiles give entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase themselves and tell their story. So if you are an entrepreneur, a serial entrepreneur, or even an aspiring entrepreneur, we'd like to hear from you.

I am a(n):
Entrepreneur

Companies I've founded or co-founded:
Apartment List, Vertical Brands, Inc., ChatSports.com

If you are an entrepreneur, why?
I love eating Ramen.

My favorite startups:
Uber, Optimizely, Offerslot, Taskrabbit

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?
Recruiting world class caliber teammates is both the hardest and most rewarding part of my job.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make?
Assuming revenue is something they can "figure out later."

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?

1) People are everything
2) It's a marathon, not a sprint
3) Vision is evolutionary

(Want to be profiled? Just fill out your Vator profile and we'll find you! Or you can email newsroom@vator.[email protected])


Related companies, investors and entrepreneurs

Description: Apartment List is the world’s largest and fastest-growing apartment search engine. It brings millions of listings from around the w...
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John Kobs
CEO & Co-Founder,
Apartment List / Ver...
Bio: John Kobs is the co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based start up Vertical Brands which owns the Webby Award-winning #1 apartment s...

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