#51 Zach Resnick, Founder & CEO of Ascend

Zach Resnick’s journey began with an obsessive focus on credit‑card points, turning manufactured spending into a multi‑million‑dollar arbitrage engine that funded countless free business‑class tickets. After a brief stint running a solo crypto prop‑trading operation and launching a hedge fund that raised about $1 million across two funds, he recognized a larger opportunity in travel. Leveraging the same analytical mindset, Resnick built Ascend, a white‑glove concierge that transforms complex booking decisions into savings and convenience for high‑net‑worth investors and founders.

Ascend’s product‑market fit is evident in its referral‑driven growth, a 94 % twelve‑month retention rate, and profit margins that comfortably exceed industry averages. The service targets venture capitalists, private‑equity partners, and other capital allocators who value time as much as cost savings, offering everything from commercial flights to private jets, villas, and ground transport. While the front‑end relies on a 70‑person concierge team delivering sub‑minute responses, the back‑end is powered by proprietary software that automates price discovery and inventory optimization, turning a traditionally low‑margin service into a scalable, high‑value business.

Looking ahead, Resnick sees human‑centric service remaining essential for at least a decade, even as large language models reshape travel search. Ascend plans to layer a Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) chat interface on top of its curated data, allowing AI to assist while concierge agents retain final judgment. This hybrid approach addresses the looming threat to OTAs by delivering a personalized, chat‑first experience that scales with technology. For founders weighing a pivot, Resnick’s story underscores the importance of listening to market signals—strong referrals, retention, and margin—before abandoning a stable venture for a higher‑impact opportunity.