# Jan Seale

> Jan Seale is the CEO and co-founder of Out of Office, a Chicago-based travel app that turns recommendations from your own friends and trusted circle into bookable trips across thousands of cities. A Cornell grad who spent years at Gap, Trunk Club, and Havenly before building her own company, she launched a travel startup in the middle of a global pandemic - and became one of the first 100 Black women in the United States to raise more than a million dollars in venture capital. She runs on gratitude, literally: she starts every morning by naming ten things she is grateful for.

- **Role:** CEO & Co-Founder at Out of Office
- **Organizations:** Out of Office, Janine Seale Consulting, Havenly, Trunk Club, Gap
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BS, Cornell University
- **Known for:** Co-founded and leads Out of Office, a travel app with recommendations spanning 3,500+ cities., Among the first 100 Black women in the United States to raise over $1 million in venture capital., Raised over $5 million across two funding rounds in the company's first year, including a $3.5M round led by Hyde Park Venture Partners.

## Career timeline

- **~2008** — Joins Gap corporate in San Francisco, spending roughly seven years across finance, planning, and merchandising.
- **2014** — As an early employee at Trunk Club, helps guide the company through its acquisition by Nordstrom; later serves as Head of Sales.
- **2016** — Conceives the idea that would become Out of Office with Coabi Kastan, then shelves it.
- **~2019** — Serves as Vice President of Revenue at Havenly, the online interior design platform.
- **2020** — Revives the travel idea during pandemic lockdowns and co-founds Out of Office with Coabi Kastan.
- **2021** — Out of Office publicly launches; raises a pre-seed round in which Jan is among the first 100 Black women in the US to raise over $1M.
- **2022** — Raises a $3.5M round led by Hyde Park Venture Partners, bringing total raised to over $5M in the first year.

## Achievements

- Co-founded and leads Out of Office, a travel app with recommendations spanning 3,500+ cities.
- Among the first 100 Black women in the United States to raise over $1 million in venture capital.
- Raised over $5 million across two funding rounds in the company's first year, including a $3.5M round led by Hyde Park Venture Partners.
- Named a Hall of Femme honoree by Une Femme.
- Helped steer Trunk Club through its 2014 acquisition by Nordstrom as an early employee.
- Work and ventures featured in Fortune, Bloomberg, Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and The New York Times.

## Latest updates

- **2022-04** — Out of Office announces a $3.5M funding round led by Hyde Park Venture Partners, bringing total capital raised to over $5M.
- **2022-07** — Out of Office featured in Fortune's 'Startup Year One' as a standout summer travel app.

## Links

- Website: https://takemeoutofoffice.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janseale/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/takemeoutofoffice

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jan-seale
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-01