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J.J. Colao

Founder at Haymaker Group

J.J. Colao is a prominent figure in the public relations and media industry. He is the founder of Haymaker Group, a New York-based public relations firm that works with fast-growing companies.13 Colao established Haymaker Group in 2014, initially funding it with credit card debt.5

Prior to founding Haymaker, Colao worked as a staff reporter at Forbes from 2011 to 2014, where he covered entrepreneurs, technology, venture capital, and startups.1 His cover story on Snapchat was selected as one of the 18 best Forbes stories of the decade.13

As a Business Mentor at Almaworks, Columbia University's startup accelerator, Colao has been mentoring early-stage companies on various aspects of their businesses since September 2015.1 Almaworks takes no equity, IP, or fees and aims to help Columbia-affiliated entrepreneurs.4

Colao has received numerous accolades for his work in the PR industry, including:

  • PR Star of the Year (Bulldog Awards, 2019)
  • Top Public Relations Pros in the Tech Industry (Business Insider, 2020)
  • Industry Newcomer of the Year (PR Daily / The Ace Awards, 2019)
  • Public Relations Professional of the Year (Bulldog Awards, 2019)
  • Agency Leader of the Year (Bulldog Awards, 2019)1

Recently, on February 3, 2025, Colao announced that Haymaker Group was named as one of the 25 firms on the Observer PR Power List.2

Colao holds a BA in Political Science and English from Wake Forest University, where he graduated Cum Laude.1 He also studied European Politics and Italian History at New York University in Florence, Italy.1

Highlights

Jan 28 · TechCrunch
Anthropic, Apple, OpenAI CEOs condemn ICE violence, praise Trump
Anthropic, Apple, OpenAI CEOs condemn ICE violence, praise Trump
Jan 28 · TechCrunch
Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs condemn ICE violence, praise Trump
Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs condemn ICE violence, praise Trump

Related Questions

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J.J. Colao
J.J. Colao, photo 1
J.J. Colao, photo 2
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Location

New York, New York, United States