A Fireside Chat with Rob Karp ’19
Rob Karp ’19 speaking to Air & Sea Club students
On October 9, 2024, Rob Karp ’19, the CEO and Founder of MilesAhead, joined Nolan’s Air and Sea Hospitality Club for a Fireside Chat hosted by the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship. He shared personal experiences and successes in entrepreneurship to enlighten and inspire club members.
MilesAhead is a luxury hospitality company that focuses on creating high-end experiences for its high-profile customers. Karp originally founded this business while still in high school and continued its development throughout his time as a student at the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. MilesAhead currently manages over $15 million of global travel for their customers.
Karp not only shared stories of success, but also some failures in his journey, emphasizing the importance of the Nolan School partnerships and leadership in navigating through hardships. While discussing leadership and delegation, he stated that group leadership is derived from how people are treated rather than the actual knowledge. He assured the members that the delivery of messages, in terms of feedback, efficiency, and promoting motivation is what builds successful teams, and provided the group with humorous anecdotes about the downfalls that can arise when teams are built strictly with friends. He emphasized that relationships are important, however clarity in roles and similar missions and visions are imperative to success. MilesAhead focuses on soft skills and then trains for technical skills. Karp stated, “You can’t teach someone empathy, but you can teach someone how to build a trip.”
Another important point of discussion was the ability to pivot in stressful situations. Karp led with how CrowdStrike affected business, and then he recounted creating a new partnership with EMBARK Beyond. This provided insightful comments emphasizing the importance of not only knowing the current state of the market and business, but also the importance of remaining focused on goals and finding partnerships that support growth and teamwork. With the right partnerships, teams can anticipate, plan for, and overcome challenges.
The session ended with a solid piece of advice for all aspiring entrepreneurs. Karp said, “It is never the right time and never the wrong time to start a business. It is up to what you want to happen. If you want it to happen, you have the ability to do so.”
About the author
Amelia Okulewicz is a junior in the Nolan School, with a hope in studying law post-grad. In the Nolan School, she is involved in AHLA, the Communication Center, HSMP, DSAB, and is the course assistant for HADM 1650 and 3640. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and cooking.