Chris Bledsoe, Co-Founder & CEO of Ollie

Chris is the co-founder and CEO of Ollie, leaving behind his finance career in 2011 to focus his full time and energy on his passion for the development of coliving and micro-housing communities. His prior experience as both an institutional investor and an angel investor in the consumer sector led him to re-imagine how the multi-family housing sector could, and should, be very different if only real estate developers would segment and innovate their product as a consumer category rather than as a commoditized asset class or an investment vehicle. Chris’ entrepreneurial roots pre-date Ollie. He is one of the initial seed investors in the organic baby food manufacturer, Happy Family Brands, which boasts nationwide distribution in most major grocers, including Whole Foods, Target and Wal-Mart, and was acquired by global food giant Groupe Danone in 2013. He also serves as an informal advisor to other food startups, including popsicle maker Ruby’s Naturals as well as egg substitute manufacturer Beyond Eggs. Before making the entrepreneurial leap, Chris was a consumer staples analyst with Chicago-based hedge fund Citadel Investment Group. He began his career at the investment banking firm of JPMorgan Chase & Co, which he joined following his graduation from Georgetown University, where he was enrolled in the McDonough School of Business.