Latest news with #Allen&Co.SunValleyConference
Business Insider
11 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
For years, I've held up posters and flown aerial banners outside Sun Valley trying to get billionaires' advice. Here's what I've learned.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dushime Gashugi, who has attended the annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference several years ago to seek advice and business opportunities from the event's billionaire attendees. It's been edited for length and clarity. In 2014, my first small business tanked, and my mentor from college died. I just kind of felt lost. I thought, I need to go find people, I need to find the best. So, what's the best conference in the world? In the first few years I went, from 2015 to 2017, I made a list of the CEOs I wanted to meet. I'd say, "Hi, my name's Dushime. I'm an entrepreneur, and I flew here to ask you about your habits of success. Do you have a moment?" Those first three years I went, it was about building my Rolodex and finding mentors in different areas. I wanted to find the best people in the world at building teams, raising money, scaling, all those things. I thought, I'm just going to swing for the fences; no one else is out here doing this. Meeting people and lessons learned Back then, the security wasn't like it is now. You could literally be on the premises and talk to 20, 25 people in a day. I've sat and talked with some people for like 15, 20 minutes before. It was just open. I stayed in an Airbnb on the property, and there were a lot of open areas, cafés, so if they were walking, I'd just stop them on the sidewalk. I met Jeff Bezos that way. I stopped him to introduce myself; he shook my hand and said, "Hey, I'd love to chat, but I have to run to a meeting." He saw me carrying a book and said it was one of his favorites and that he'd try to catch me later. It was the kindest, "I'm busy and I've got to go." He was still very present, complimentary, and really nice. I've also met other well-known people, such as NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, and Disney CEO Bob Iger. I was banned from being on-premises in 2016, so in 2017, I started holding up signs, since I couldn't get as close to the action. I didn't anticipate the publicity; that was just as close as I could get. Bloomberg actually did call me later, saying he and Gates had been told about my sign. My biggest surprise across the board was just how present everyone was. You think, "Why would they talk to you? They're busy." But the people I spoke with had a really great skill of making you feel like you were an important person. That's not necessarily advice they gave me, but something that made me say, "Man, I see why you're really successful." If you make people who you don't need feel like this, imagine how effective you'd be if you treated people you do need in the same way. Going to space? In later years, I started thinking, "Okay, it's cool to meet these people, but how do I creatively think about a situation where we can do business together?" There was no other time when all these people were in the same place. I live in California and used to work in real estate, but then pivoted into insurance. I thought, "Who's the biggest guy in California?" At the time, it was Elon Musk. He's talked about wanting to build colonies on Mars and die there. Bezos is also focusing on space with Blue Origin and has talked about a vision of a trillion people living in the solar system. I said to myself, "Listen, I'm not smart enough to figure out space, but someone's going to have to the real estate and insurance for that. I can be that guy; I just want to sell their real estate and insurance." So in 2021, I came back wearing a spacesuit and a sign targeting Bezos; the rental alone was like $1,500. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dushime Gashugi (@dushimegashugila) In 2022, I couldn't come, so I paid like $5,500 for a company to fly a plane with a banner for two hours to try to get Musk's and Bezos' attention. But it was so high up in the air people couldn't read it, so it didn't work that well. Whether we make it to space or not is fine with me. In real estate, in most sales businesses, if you're not the first or the second person people think about, you basically don't exist. I'm trying to get to a point where if you think insurance, if you think anything real estate, the first person you think about is me. Trip logistics When I go to Sun Valley, I usually go Tuesday through Thursday. Roughly, each trip might cost me $2,500, including gas, food, and incidentals. It's like 13 hours each way by car, but I drive because my signs are too big to be carry-ons if I were to fly, and I don't want them to get damaged before I arrive. But the more recent trips have cost me like $800 to $1,000; over time, locals started recognizing me, so the last two times, people reached out offering to let me stay with them. Sun Valley has become kind of a second home of sorts for me because people get used to you. They say, "Oh, the astronaut man's back. Welcome home."
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jeff Bezos debuts new hairstyle 2 weeks after wedding to Lauren Sánchez, embracing bold makeover at Sun Valley event
Source: Reuters The billionaire Amazon founder is stepping away from his signature bald look and people are taking notice. For over a decade, Jeff Bezos has been known for his clean-shaven, bald appearance, which became almost synonymous with his billionaire tech mogul image. But now, at 60, the Amazon founder is turning heads with a new look that's quite a departure from the past. Jeff Bezos' decision to embrace a new look might seem like a small shift, but in the public eye, it marks something larger: a billionaire redefining his identity in real-time. Whether it's his growing hair, commitment to fitness, or more open emotional presence alongside Sánchez, Bezos is proving that reinvention isn't just for startups; it's also for the people who built them. Jeff Bezos surprises with new hair transformation at Sun Valley event Spotted at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference on July 10, 2025, in Idaho; a gathering known for attracting the world's most powerful figures. Bezos was seen sporting a surprising feature: thick, white-grey hair around the sides of his scalp, commonly referred to as the "donor area" in hair restoration procedures. Bezos has maintained a bald appearance for over a decade, with the last public sighting of him having any visible hair dating back to 2013, when it was a dark brown hue. His new appearance, showing natural regrowth or possibly preparation for hair restoration, has reignited public curiosity around his evolving image especially as it comes on the heels of several recent lifestyle changes. This isn't the first time his changing appearance has been discussed. Over the past few years, Bezos has clearly embraced a more physically fit and wellness-focused lifestyle, a shift many have attributed to both personal growth and his relationship with Lauren Sánchez. Source: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez seen together at Sun Valley following lavish Italy wedding Source: Entrepreneur Bezos attended the Sun Valley event with his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, walking hand-in-hand to a high-profile lunch at the exclusive resort. The couple has been making headlines since their lavish June 27 wedding ceremony in Venice, Italy, attended by stars like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others. Even during their Italian wedding festivities, Bezos was spotted with subtle hair growth around the sides of his head; an early hint at the transformation that's now making waves. Jeff Bezos' transformation includes intense workouts and healthy living Bezos' appearance shift isn't happening in isolation—it coincides with his intense focus on health and fitness. In a December 2023 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Lauren Sánchez revealed that Bezos had 'stolen' her personal trainer, Wes Okerson, whose celebrity clientele includes Tom Cruise and Gerard Butler. 'Jeff is extremely dedicated to his workouts,' Sánchez said at the time. 'You have no idea. He really puts in the work.' Her comments painted a picture of a man deeply committed to personal transformation—not just physically, but holistically. Later in a November 2024 Vogue interview, Sánchez offered more insights into their relationship and Bezos' intense regimen. "We cannot do the same exercises. He's on a whole different level than I am,' she said, describing him as 'a monster in the gym. ' But it's not just about lifting weights. Sánchez also revealed that Bezos prioritises recovery, sleep, and mindfulness. The couple reportedly goes to bed by 9:30 pm after watching TV—a routine reflecting his commitment to overall wellness. Jeff Bezos' new look marks the start of a new life chapter Jeff Bezos' new hair—and his broader image overhaul—appears to symbolize more than a physical change. It's the visible manifestation of a man in a new chapter of life: newly married, physically transformed, and perhaps embracing a softer, more relatable identity beyond the realm of hard-driving entrepreneurship. The billionaire once portrayed as the cold, calculating tech leader now presents a version of himself that's more human, more vibrant, and deeply intentional—whether it's through love, lifestyle, or personal grooming. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez wedding in Venice Jeff Bezos- Lauren Sánchez wedding in Venice was not just a glamorous event but also a family affair. Sánchez's three children—Nikko (with former NFL player Tony Gonzalez), and Evan and Ella (with ex-husband Patrick Whitesell)—were present at the wedding. While it's unclear whether Bezos' four children (with ex-wife MacKenzie Scott) attended, they have remained mostly out of the public eye. Their ceremony, held on the historic island of San Giorgio Maggiore, reflected not only the couple's affluence but also their commitment to starting a life together with intention and shared values.
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Sam Altman rolled up to Sun Valley to some burning questions on Zuckerberg, Musk, and Trump
OpenAI chief Sam Altman had barely strolled into Sun Valley's billionaire summer camp on Tuesday when he found himself peppered with questions from reporters on Mark Zuckerberg's rivaling AI ambitions, Elon Musk's America Party, and his thoughts on the Trump administration. Altman, who is set to attend the annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference this week, spent a couple of minutes talking to reporters before entering the conference grounds. He was first asked about the war for talent between OpenAI and social media giant Meta. "We have, obviously an incredibly talented team, and I think they really love what they are doing. Obviously, some people will go to different places," Altman told reporters. "There's a lot of excitement, I guess you could say, in the industry. But no, I think we feel fine," he added. Zuckerberg and Meta have been aggressively poaching AI talent from competitors like OpenAI. Last month, Meta said it had made a $15 billion investment in data-labeling firm ScaleAI. It added that ScaleAI's founder and CEO, Alexandr Wang, will be joining Meta as its Chief AI Officer as part of the deal. In addition, Wang will co-lead Meta Superintelligence Labs with Nat Friedman, the former CEO of GitHub. The team also includes former top researchers from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. Altman told reporters on Tuesday that he has not spoken to Zuckerberg since Meta started poaching OpenAI's employees but is "looking forward" to seeing him at the conference. The OpenAI chief said in a podcast interview that aired last month that he found it "crazy" that Meta was dangling $100 million signing bonuses to OpenAI's employees. Altman said then that "none of our best people have decided to take them up on that." Altman said on Tuesday that OpenAI's approach toward retaining talent was to have a "great mission, really talented people, and trying to build a great research lab and a great company, too." Altman: Elon busts up with everybody Besides talking about Meta and Zuckerberg, Altman was asked about his other rival, Musk. Musk, once one of President Donald Trump's biggest backers, has publicly fallen out with the administration after he criticized Trump's " Big Beautiful Bill." The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has since announced the formation of a new political party, the America Party. Altman said he knew little about Musk's new party but wasn't surprised by Musk's new feud with Trump. "Elon busts up with everybody," Altman said on Tuesday. Altman cofounded OpenAI with Musk in 2015, but their relationship has since deteriorated since Musk left OpenAI's board in 2018. Last year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI where he accused the ChatGPT maker of violating its nonprofit mission by partnering with Microsoft. He also gave Altman a nickname: " Swindly Sam." Altman said on Tuesday that he was happy with the Trump administration's work on AI. In January, Trump and Altman announced Stargate, a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. The project is expected to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure across the US. "They really care about AI infrastructure and building it out and seeing the US succeed here," Altman said.
Business Insider
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Private jets touch down in Sun Valley for billionaire summer camp
Private jets have begun buzzing above the cattle and potato farms of Sun Valley, Idaho, for the annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference. For more than four decades, the Tuesday after July 4 has marked the kickoff of the annual summit, which has become known as billionaire summer camp. What started out as a media-focused conference for a few dozen guests has since expanded to include hundreds from all corners of the business world. Between 160 and 190 aircraft — more than double the number of an average Tuesday — typically arrive at the Sun Valley Friedman Memorial Airport, shuttling CEOs and billionaires in from places like Aspen, Colorado, and Bozeman, Montana. "That day — the entire week, for that matter, based on holiday travel, tourism season being in full swing, and the conference — makes it the busiest week of the year here in the Wood River Valley," Tim Burke, the director of the airport, told Business Insider over email. This morning, after dozens of private jets touched down, the FAA said the airport was experiencing delays. The planes included one owned by investment firm Invemed Securities, likely carrying its founder, billionaire Ken Langone, a regular attendee of the conference. Numerous other heavy hitters may be taking a page out of Apple CEO Tim Cook's book and opting for a charter plane to avoid jet-tracking websites. Over the past 24 hours, dozens of planes linked to private plane operators like NetJets and Flexjet have arrived at the Sun Valley airport. Other guests expected to arrive include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google chief Sundar Pichai, and Disney top brass Bob Iger, Variety reported. Some regular attendees including Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffett, who announced his retirement plans in May, are reportedly not expected to attend this year. The conference, which is entirely off-the-record and has a relaxed atmosphere, has become known for the dealmaking that takes place during power lunches behind lodge doors and rounds of golf. It's where the seeds for Disney's acquisition of ABC were planted, and it was pivotal in Comcast buying NBC Universal. This year, AI talent wars, the state of the energy and defense industries, and Disney's succession plan will likely be among the most talked-about topics. The current political climate, including tariffs and the Big Beautiful Bill, could also inspire plenty of discussion, especially with the politicians in attendance. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore are reportedly on the guest list. The event is organized by the boutique investment firm Allen & Company. Guests stay at the Sun Valley Lodge, where rooms run upward of $500 a night during peak summer months. While there are several panels, there are many unstructured hours during which the masters of the universe can trade their sports coats in for activewear and play tennis, stroll through the woods, or hang out at local coffee shops.
