Note: This article originally appeared in CodeRag.
Gavin Belson’s name has long been synonymous with innovation—but beyond his work at Hooli, do we even know the man behind the rampant success? In a Code/Rag exclusive, Belson revealed to us 10 things about himself that aren’t common knowledge.
- He’s a nature fanatic! “It’s important to me that Hooli has an effective recycling program, and a personal passion of mine is donating to elephant sanctuaries. In fact, I’ve recently spearheaded the creation of Hooli’s newest charity: the Hooli Elephant Wildlife Trust.”
- He likes to go analog! His company may have been founded on email, but Belson has a soft spot for the written word. “There’s something nostalgic about receiving a letter—it’s a message from the past.”
- He’s an honorary shaman! “I studied at the Institute of Spiritual Therapy and Vision Quests, where I was honored with the title of shaman. The Institute has fundamentally furthered my understanding of the world and its capacity for greatness.”
- His favorite pizza topping is pepperoni! “Uncured, preferably, with some aged parmesan.”
- He drives a Tesla! “Black. I try not to bee too conspicuous. And of course, the benefit to the environment is incomparable.”
- His health is important to him! “I eat at least one piece of unprocessed fruit a day.”
- He has bad habits too! “I never reboot my laptop. I know it’s bad, but I’m always in a hurry.”
- He doesn’t have a Nobel Peace Prize…yet! “It’s a common misconception, especially with the amount of charity work I do with Hooli, and sometimes people associate my status as a shaman with working towards world peace, which of course is something I’m striving for.”
- He’s loyal to his barber! “I’ve been going to the same barber for years—he was based in Palo Alto, but I’ve convinced him to move to the South Bay.”
- He really, really loves animals! “I would say I’m a cat person. And a dog person. I’m an animal person, and I don’t just mean that human beings are animals. Did you know the African bush elephant is still an endangered species? Programs like the Hooli Elephant Wildlife Trust won’t save them immediately, but it’s a start.”