Brent Underwood | |
---|---|
| |
Born | 1987 (age 36–37) |
Occupation | Marketer, Entrepreneur |
Alma mater |
Florida State University Columbia University |
Notable works | "Putting My Foot Down", "Ghost Town Living" |
Brent Underwood is an American entrepreneur and owner of Cerro Gordo Mines. [1] [2]
After graduating from Columbia University, Underwood worked briefly for an investment bank in New York City. [3] [4] [5] After one month, he quit and backpacked across Central and South America. [6] Upon returning to New York, he founded a hostel in Brooklyn. [7] [8] In December 2014 Underwood founded HK Austin, a hostel in Austin, Texas, with investors including Matthew Kepnes, after staying in 150 hostels across 30 countries. [3] [9] [10] [11] For 2015, HK Austin was the highest rated hostel in the United States. [3] [6] [12] Underwood later became a partner in the marketing firm Brass Check. [4] [13] [14]
In February 2016, Underwood published a photo of his foot on Amazon as a book titled Putting My Foot Down. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] The resulting article in the New York Observer received attention from a variety of media outlets and from authors including Neil Gaiman and Nick Bilton. [13] [20] [21] Underwood was then offered a publishing contract from Thought Catalog to turn Putting My Foot Down into an expanded paperback version. [18] The paperback version received attention from a variety of news outlets. [16] [17] [18] [22] [23] [24] [25]
In July 2018, Underwood purchased the former mining town of Cerro Gordo alongside the Cerro Gordo Mines for $1.4 million with a group of investors. [26] [27] The purchase included over 360 acres and 22 structures. [28] Underwood stated plans to develop the town into an artist destination for tourists and group events, while maintaining the historic nature of the property. [29] [30]
Since March 2020, Underwood has been living at Cerro Gordo full-time [31] and has regular visitors. [32] Visitors have included Jeff Goldblum, Cole Sprouse, G-Eazy, and others. [33] The town's hotel burned down on June 20, 2020, in a fire of undetermined origin but possibly electrical wiring failure, during a heat wave. Underwood has plans to rebuild it. [34] He was isolated there for ten weeks in 2020, unable to leave due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a heavy snowstorm. [35] As of February 2024, Underwood still resided in Cerro Gordo. [36] His book "Ghost Town Living" was published in March 2024 [37]
In 2024, Penguin Random House published Underwood’s book, Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley, about his time living at Cerro Gordo. [38] The audiobook version of the book was recorded 900 feet underground in Cerro Gordo’s Union Mine. [39]
The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list. [40]
Brent Underwood | |
---|---|
| |
Born | 1987 (age 36–37) |
Occupation | Marketer, Entrepreneur |
Alma mater |
Florida State University Columbia University |
Notable works | "Putting My Foot Down", "Ghost Town Living" |
Brent Underwood is an American entrepreneur and owner of Cerro Gordo Mines. [1] [2]
After graduating from Columbia University, Underwood worked briefly for an investment bank in New York City. [3] [4] [5] After one month, he quit and backpacked across Central and South America. [6] Upon returning to New York, he founded a hostel in Brooklyn. [7] [8] In December 2014 Underwood founded HK Austin, a hostel in Austin, Texas, with investors including Matthew Kepnes, after staying in 150 hostels across 30 countries. [3] [9] [10] [11] For 2015, HK Austin was the highest rated hostel in the United States. [3] [6] [12] Underwood later became a partner in the marketing firm Brass Check. [4] [13] [14]
In February 2016, Underwood published a photo of his foot on Amazon as a book titled Putting My Foot Down. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] The resulting article in the New York Observer received attention from a variety of media outlets and from authors including Neil Gaiman and Nick Bilton. [13] [20] [21] Underwood was then offered a publishing contract from Thought Catalog to turn Putting My Foot Down into an expanded paperback version. [18] The paperback version received attention from a variety of news outlets. [16] [17] [18] [22] [23] [24] [25]
In July 2018, Underwood purchased the former mining town of Cerro Gordo alongside the Cerro Gordo Mines for $1.4 million with a group of investors. [26] [27] The purchase included over 360 acres and 22 structures. [28] Underwood stated plans to develop the town into an artist destination for tourists and group events, while maintaining the historic nature of the property. [29] [30]
Since March 2020, Underwood has been living at Cerro Gordo full-time [31] and has regular visitors. [32] Visitors have included Jeff Goldblum, Cole Sprouse, G-Eazy, and others. [33] The town's hotel burned down on June 20, 2020, in a fire of undetermined origin but possibly electrical wiring failure, during a heat wave. Underwood has plans to rebuild it. [34] He was isolated there for ten weeks in 2020, unable to leave due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a heavy snowstorm. [35] As of February 2024, Underwood still resided in Cerro Gordo. [36] His book "Ghost Town Living" was published in March 2024 [37]
In 2024, Penguin Random House published Underwood’s book, Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley, about his time living at Cerro Gordo. [38] The audiobook version of the book was recorded 900 feet underground in Cerro Gordo’s Union Mine. [39]
The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list. [40]