# John Garner

> John Garner is the Co-founder and CEO of Freemodel, a San Francisco Bay Area proptech startup that pre-funds and manages presale home renovations so sellers can sell for more without paying a dime upfront. A seven-time Silicon Valley founder with a career spanning data networking, voice tech, vehicle safety, utilities, mortgages, and now real estate, Garner turned a fundraiser barbecue for his kids' school Dad's Club into a business partnership that raised $27.3M and built a team where over 90% of field project directors are women - a stat he considers the company's defining feature, not a footnote.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Freemodel
- **Organizations:** Freemodel, Rise 8 Properties, LendingHome Corporation, Silver Spring Networks, SmartDrive Systems, Tellme Networks, Excite@Home, @Home Network
- **From:** Southern California, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts, Political Economy, University of California, Berkeley, Master of Business Administration (MBA), UCLA Anderson School of Management
- **Known for:** Founded seven Silicon Valley startups across multiple technology industries, Raised $27.3M in total funding for Freemodel, including a $19.5M Series A from QED Investors, Grew Freemodel to 500% year-over-year revenue growth

## Career timeline

- **1988-1992** — Early career after UC Berkeley; pursued MBA at UCLA Anderson
- **1996** — Joined @Home Network as Director of Business Development
- **1999** — Became Country Manager for Excite@Home Australia
- **2000** — Joined Tellme Networks as VP of Sales
- **2004** — Founded Rise 8 Properties, a real estate investment firm
- **2008** — Joined SmartDrive Systems as VP of Sales
- **2009** — Joined Silver Spring Networks as VP of Sales
- **2012** — Became Country Manager for Silver Spring Networks in Australia & New Zealand
- **2014** — Joined LendingHome Corporation as VP of Loan Origination
- **2020** — Co-founded Freemodel with Jesse Lindeman in February 2020
- **2021** — Freemodel coverage in San Mateo Daily Journal; company gains traction in California
- **2023** — Led Freemodel's $19.5M Series A funding round led by QED Investors
- **2023** — Expanded Freemodel operations into Texas and Florida
- **2024** — Freemodel reaches 500% year-over-year growth; covers 90% of California real estate market

## Achievements

- Founded seven Silicon Valley startups across multiple technology industries
- Raised $27.3M in total funding for Freemodel, including a $19.5M Series A from QED Investors
- Grew Freemodel to 500% year-over-year revenue growth
- Built a team where 90%+ of field project directors are women
- Generated $33M+ in additional profit for agent and homeowner clients
- Expanded Freemodel to cover 90% of California's real estate market
- Partnered with 60+ leading real estate brokerages
- Featured as RISMedia Newsmaker 2023
- Expanded Freemodel into Texas and Florida in 2023

## Latest updates

- **2024-07** — Appeared on the 'Live for Today, Plan for Tomorrow' podcast discussing Freemodel's approach to transforming real estate
- **2023-06** — Freemodel operational in California, Texas, and Florida after Series A expansion
- **2023-01** — Led $19.5M Series A round with QED Investors as lead investor
- **2023-01** — Named RISMedia Newsmaker for 2023

## Links

- Website: https://freemodel.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngarner
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/johngar19936936
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGsAiPZZ3cA

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/john-garner
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-12