Christopher Vasilakis, originally from Brooklyn, New York, is the CEO and Founder of REZL, an innovative mobile application that coordinates apartment tours between residents and prospects. With over two decades of diverse career experience, he is an American Mensa member and Marine Corps combat veteran. His journey includes serving as a Marine Corps Sergeant and owning various ventures, including REZL.
Beyond his role as a technology visionary, Vasilakis is dedicated to helping children through his 501c3 organization, The Virtual Recess Foundation. This foundation aims to provide virtual adventures through VR Viewers for ailing children facing lengthy hospital admissions.
Vasilakis grew up in Brooklyn with his Dominican mother and Greek Father. He left New York in the early 1990’s to move to Florida.
After high school, he joined the Marine Corps which took him all over the world. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan as well as Camp Pendleton, California.
After 9/11, Vasilakis volunteered to join the 1st Marine Division during the invasion of Iraq. He served in combat until the end of his enlistment. After leaving the Corps, he felt the drive to start a business and thought getting a degree was the place to start.
Chris got out of the service and went to school, but didn’t stay in and finish. He felt like he was waiting around for something to happen—that his professors were out of touch with the evolving business world. He needed a hands on approach to business and wanted to figure things out for himself.
Without hesitation, Chris started one business after another while finally settling in the music business, working with hip-hop stars such as Ludacris, Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar and other notable performers. He acknowledges that while there was a great deal of excitement pursuing the event production end of the music industry, the volatility of that business wasn’t aligned with his aspirations.
As an early trend spotter, Chris' brother exposed him to virtual reality before it was mainstream. Then he saw his first 360 camera in Best Buy. Suddenly everything clicked for him and he saw an opportunity for business. He started a company with his friend from college and became obsessed. Since he was pioneering in a new technology, he found his niche in developing innovative solutions.
As his company grew, he became passionate about personal development and growth. He found mentorship from some of the industry's greatest leaders. Spending countless hours around these individuals, Chris was able to develop the skills needed to create his biggest venture to date, REZL.
REZL is a mobile application designed to revolutionize the way apartment complexes conduct property tours. Unlike traditional methods that rely on leasing agents, REZL leverages the residents themselves to give tours to prospective tenants. The core concept is simple: residents who participate in tours are rewarded if the prospect ends up signing a lease. This innovative approach not only cuts down on the need for dedicated leasing staff but also creates a more authentic and personalized experience for potential renters. By tapping into the local knowledge and enthusiasm of residents, REZL aims to improve the apartment hunting process and benefit both property managers and tenants.
While volunteering for a children's hospital charity event, Chris fell in love with the fighting spirit of the children. He founded the Virtual Recess Foundation to provide an escape for these brave children.
The Virtual Recess Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit that provides fun life experiences to sick children in hospitals. Where some foundations can give one wish to one child, the Virtual Recess Foundation can give every wish to every child using virtual reality! These experiences are being used for distraction during treatments and other applications.