As co-founder and CEO of OJO Labs, John Berkowitz is fundamentally transforming the way consumers buy and sell homes. Over the past year, Berkowitz scaled OJO Labs to reach millions of new consumers to support homebuyers and sellers, removing barriers to homeownership through personalized guidance and matching consumers with the right industry expertise. Most notably, Berkowitz and his team are addressing the pervasive inequity in the real estate industry head on. With Berkowitz at the helm, OJO Labs is on a mission to close the gap in homeownership so that all people — regardless of race, class or gender — can experience the physical, financial and emotional haven that home provides.
A tenacious leader, Berkowitz will stop at nothing to ensure the safety and well-being of his employees, his community and the broader real estate industry. The past 12 months have presented unprecedented challenges — from a real estate market turned upside down by the pandemic to widespread power outages and freezing temperatures in the state OJO Labs calls home. At the same time, Berkowitz put the well-being of his employees first. OJO Labs implemented an entirely new remote work program, consisting of home office and wellness stipends, a revamped holiday schedule — with longer breaks, new holidays and time off for days of service — and an initiative that gives employees meeting-free blocks every week.
What has been the secret to your success?
“My biggest secret to success is that I’m willing to take a community approach to building a company. You have to be comfortable with recognizing you don’t know everything and be open to constantly learning new things from experts and other CEOs and entrepreneurs.”
Name:
John Berkowitz
Title:
Co-Founder and CEO
Company Name:
OJO Labs
