Richard Lent

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT RICHARD LENT

I was born in New York City in 1971, where multiple generations of my family owned and operated a boutique hotel in Greenwich Village. Hospitality is in my blood. At the dawn of the dot-com era, I founded one of the world’s first independent digital agencies: AgencyNet. AdAge dubbed us ‘One of the Hottest Digital Agencies Around’ on its cover. Seventeen years later, I co-founded Thesis Ventures—an early stage VC fund. The ride has been enlightening, inspiring, and often humbling. I\'ve been lucky enough to speak across the globe on creativity and innovation, including as an expert witness to Congress. I co-founded SoDA and served as Chairman of the Board. I’ve had the honor of winning and judging prestigious awards including Cannes, Emmy, and Webby. I\'ve driven strategy for brands including AmEx, Bacardi, Time Warner, Universal, and Viacom. A few years ago, I acquired the finest boutique hotel I’ve ever had the pleasure of staying in, The Kimber Modern. Earlier this year, my partner and I acquired the assets of Kasita, which created a stunningly designed, factory-built tiny home and was named one of Fast Company World\'s Most Innovative Companies and Inc\'s 25 Most Disruptive Companies. We recently relaunched Kasita as a hospitality company created for independently-minded travelers. Kasita offers the optimal, purpose-designed, precision-built hotel suite and provides a seamless guest experience. We combine the consistency of a global luxury hotel chain with the warmth and authenticity of the best short term rental you\'ve ever stayed in. Our team and I (as CEO) have ambitious plans to scale the brand globally and reinvent hospitality for the next generation of travelers. I have a passion for life and constantly find myself chasing the next challenge. Sleeping is useless, so I try not to do much of that. Above all, I\'m a loving husband and a father to two beautiful daughters. They are, by far, my most rewarding and challenging venture to date.