Rob Hayden’s expertise lies at the intersection of real estate and technology. After working at a venture capital firm where he focused on real estate investments, Hayden joined Jetty, a real estate startup with a mission to make renting a home more affordable. As a founding member of the company before the age of 30, Hayden helped to define and lead the overall direction and strategy of the business. When Jetty launched in 2017, deposit alternatives, Jetty’s hero product, were unknown to the housing industry—and yet Hayden still had the foresight to predict there would be a need in the multifamily market for a product that grants affordability while also benefiting assets. He grew Jetty’s sales distribution from nothing to more than 1 million contracted units to date. Most recently, under Hayden’s guidance, Jetty’s sales team has grown more than 400% in one year, with Hayden overseeing partnerships with some of the most well-known and respected property management companies in the U.S., including Blackstone/LivCor, Greystar, Pinnacle, Cortland and Related. 

What is one thing you had to overcome to succeed in this industry?
“Changing the stigma around the word ‘sales’-people typically associate a sales role with someone spamming your inbox. In reality, sales roles can be the most strategic positions at a company (especially if the company is a fast-growing one).”