Special Essential Conversation:
The Emergence of
the Modern Elder
Wednesday, November 2
9:00-10:00am CT US
Chip Conley
What is a “Modern Elder”?
A modern concept and definition of “elder” (of one or more out of a group of associated people) of greater age, often of retirement age. People who are planning to or have retired, having taken themselves out of direct responsibility for the world around them,
Modern Elder Academy (MEA) is on a mission to reframe midlife from a crisis to a calling. Midlife is a time when things start to shift and change. And any moment of change brings an opportunity for reinvention and revitalization. What do you truly want out of your career and your life?
The purpose of MEA is to help people find a renewed sense of purpose and to build a community of inspired and empowered midlifers.
Background
When he was 26, Chip Conley broke the two cardinal rules of starting a business: he invested in an industry about which he knew nothing and he ignored the mantra "location, location, location." He bought a notorious "pay-by-the-hour" motel in a seedy San Francisco neighborhood. Today, Chip is still a "boy wonder" of the American travel industry, famous for his entrepreneurial genius, creativity, sense of fun, and generous spirit. In 2013, Conley became Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy for Airbnb, and founded Fest300. At Airbnb, he was asked by the three co-founders to help evolve the company into a hospitality company with more than one million hosts in 191 countries. In 2017, he transitioned to the role of Strategic Advisor for Hospitality and Leadership.
Along the way, Chip has been known as a collaborator and seeker, of knowledge, best practices, and practical wisdom. In 2018, as a middle-aged, he founded the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), the world's first "midlife wisdom school" in Baja California Sur. This 3-acre (1.2 ha) oceanfront campus is dedicated to helping students reimagine midlife as a time for learning, growth, and positive transformation through immersive workshops, sabbaticals, and digital programs. Modern Elder Academy focuses on Long Life Learning and is a mission-driven organization committed to socio-economic diversity, has provided scholarships to 50% of its 2,000 alumni. Graduates receive a certificate in Mindset Management.
“Our 40s, 50s and 60s are rich with potential. We’ve grown enough wisdom to know what’s important and begun to get comfy in our own skin — just as it starts to sag.
Yes, our sense of humor, humility, and emotional intelligence grows with age, too. MEA is here to turn your midlife crisis into a calling.”
-Chip Conley
An MEA Regenerative Community shifts mindsets about aging from leisure to cultivating purpose and connection. Intergenerational engagement is a core value—with opportunities to learn, grow, serve and work together. Our vision is to create a place that helps us to focus on the things we know help us to thrive as human beings: community, nature, and good living.
Modern Elder Academy
Rebel hospitality entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author, Chip Conley disrupted his favorite industry... three times. At age 26 he founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality (JdV), transforming an inner-city motel into the second largest boutique hotel brand in America. He sold JdV after running it as CEO for 24 years, 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 remains the company’s Strategic Advisor for Hospitality and Leadership. Chip is the founder of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), where a new roadmap for midlife is offered at a beautiful oceanfront campus in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and forthcoming campuses in Santa Fe, NM. His five books have made him a leading authority at the intersection of psychology and business. Chip was awarded “Most Innovative CEO” by the San Francisco Business Times, is the recipient of hospitality’s highest honor, the Pioneer Award, and holds a BA and MBA from Stanford University.
