SM: What was your strategy for entering a market that was already dominated by HomeAway? TM: Before leaving Compete, I had actually asked them if they would help sponsor some research for the industry. They helped conduct some surveys for us, and we released some market research for the vacation rental industry.
SM: What roles did you hold at Compete? TM: Initially I was their founding consultant. Compete has a dedicated consulting practice, which is how they make the majority of their money. I was one of the first consultants who helped to develop some of their vertical categories. In 2005, I helped launch Compete.com as a
T.J. Mahoney is the founder and CEO of FlipKey, a leading vacation rental service with verified vacation guest reviews. Prior to founding Flipkey he worked at Compete.com, Zefer, and Accenture. He is a graduate of Macalester College. SM: Can you take us back to the beginning of your story? Where do you come from? TM: