# Howard Lerman

> Howard Lerman is the founder and CEO of Roam, a virtual office platform for distributed teams. A Duke history graduate and serial entrepreneur, he cofounded Yext in 2006 and led it through its 2017 NYSE listing before stepping down in 2022. His ventures also include JustATip.com, Intwine, and confidential messaging app Confide. His current work focuses on spontaneous collaboration, AI coworkers, and making ambitious work compatible with family life.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Roam
- **Organizations:** Roam, Yext, Confide, Intwine, JustATip.com
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in History, Duke University, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
- **Known for:** Cofounded Yext and led it from 2006 through its 2017 IPO until March 2022., Yext reported $391 million in fiscal 2022 revenue and more than 2,700 customers worldwide in the announcement of his leadership transition., Cofounded and sold the college website JustATip.com for $150,000.

## Career timeline

- **2000** — Launched JustATip.com with Tom Dixon and Sean MacIsaac while in college.
- **2001** — Sold JustATip.com to Traffix for $150,000.
- **2002** — Graduated from Duke University; cofounded Intwine and served as COO.
- **2005** — Intwine was sold.
- **2006** — Cofounded Yext and became CEO.
- **2014** — Confide, which he cofounded with collaborators including Jon Brod, launched publicly on January 8.
- **2017** — Led Yext through its April NYSE listing under YEXT.
- **2022** — Stepped down as Yext CEO effective March 25 and moved into an advisory role; Roam emerged from stealth on November 2 with a $30 million Series A led by IVP.
- **2026** — Published essays on wardrobe systems, AI agents in virtual offices, fatherhood and remote work, and cash-generating software businesses.

## Achievements

- Cofounded Yext and led it from 2006 through its 2017 IPO until March 2022.
- Yext reported $391 million in fiscal 2022 revenue and more than 2,700 customers worldwide in the announcement of his leadership transition.
- Cofounded and sold the college website JustATip.com for $150,000.
- Cofounded Intwine and confidential messaging app Confide.
- Founded Roam; IVP led its $30 million Series A announced in November 2022.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Published Cash Machines on October 3, arguing that AI enables smaller software teams to build cash-generating businesses as an alternative to depending entirely on an eventual sale or IPO.
- **2026-08** — Published Roam Makes Remote Work for Dads on August 20, connecting his decision to build Roam with family proximity and continuing professional ambition.
- **2026-06** — Published AI Agents Need an Office on June 8, advocating shared visualization of agent activity and human collaboration in virtual workplaces.
- **2026-05** — Announced Roam’s new website and interactive product tour in The Office That Thinks on May 12.
- **2026-02** — Published RoboHoward Wardrobe Protocol on LinkedIn on February 21, detailing his clothing system.

## Links

- Website: https://ro.am/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardlerman
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/howard

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/howard-lerman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-23