NYC Entrepreneur with a Passion for Adventure
John Velaoras is an entrepreneurial professional with a unique set of skills and experiences that have helped to define his career path. He is currently based out of New York City, New York, and is actively involved in managing multiple companies and endeavors.
Early in his career, John Velaoras co-founded Specialty Motor Cars in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City. He was the primary manager of the company for ten years, building an extensive knowledge base in the automotive industry, especially as it pertains to collision repair. Specialty Motor Cars was a thriving salvage vehicle dealership that primarily acquired cars from insurance companies. They then re-sold the vehicles, often for parts. Running Specialty Motor Cars helped John Velaoras develop his leadership and business skills, helping guide the company over the years as it grew. In 2006, he sold the business to pursue new endeavors.
John Velaoras’ next business venture is one he is still building today. After selling Specialty Motor Cars, John founded KOS Outdoors. This out-of-home marketing company offers unique outdoor marketing services for a wide range of companies, including big-name clients such as Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T. Their strategies include mobile billboard advertising, custom event builds, and street teams. John and his team specialize in developing creative and cost-effective messaging strategies to help their clients reach their goals. Today, the company utilizes 20 mobile billboards, a vinyl wrapping workshop, and a dedicated team that they deploy nationwide for promotional events.
With over 15 years running the company, John Velaoras has become a passionate promoter of mobile advertising. He has seen dramatic success through mobile billboards and wrapped cars when compared to static billboards, with research demonstrating almost 2.5 times more attention for mobile advertising efforts. John and his team plan strategic routes to help reach the target market effectively.
Outside of his advertising business, John Velaoras is also a Managing Partner at Hammer Group Holdings, LLC, founded in 2016. Alongside his business partner, John works to help consolidate collision repair and salvage companies in the New York metropolitan area. With his background in the automotive industry, John and Hammer Group Holdings can be an incredible resource for entrepreneurial companies as more and more salvage companies begin to consolidate with collision repair shops.
This endeavor has sparked an interest in real estate and property management for John Velaoras. He has learned a lot about the commercial real estate market in New York City and continues to be interested in acquiring commercial properties to build his portfolio.
In his personal life, John Velaoras loves the outdoors and exploring new places around the world. He is an avid traveler who believes traveling can open your eyes to life in new ways through experiencing other cultures. Additionally, he enjoys fishing in his free time. John embraces every opportunity to get out of the busyness of city life and enjoy a peaceful day on the water, catching fish and admiring the beauty of nature around him. These interests help John to balance his busy professional life and avoid burnout in his career.
