D
anny Haber's eyes widened as he read Steve Jobs' final words: "Oh, wow." The phrase stuck with him, inspiring a sense of wonder and surprise that would drive his entrepreneurial journey. After co-founding a company in Israel, Haber returned to the US, where he founded The Negev, a co-housing company that catered to different lifestyles. However, it wasn't until 2017 that he found an idea worthy of the oWOW name: using prefabricated panelized facades and mass timber to revolutionize the building industry.

    oWOW is now a development and design-build firm that implements this strategy through projects. Haber's goal is to standardize every element of the design, making it possible to build entire buildings like a set of Legos. The firm has built 500 units so far, including the tallest mass timber building on the West Coast, 1510 Webster in Oakland.

    Haber's days are packed with meetings and job site visits. He typically wakes up at 4:30 am, responding to emails and reading articles before heading out for a day of meetings. His schedule includes video calls with teams from around the world, daily scrums with his development team, and OAC (owner-architect-contractor) meetings on construction sites.

    Despite the demands of his job, Haber prioritizes self-care. He aims to get at least four hours of sleep each night and makes time for physical activities like running and boxing. After a workout, he often stops by a bar under his office before heading back to wrap up work. On average days, Haber leaves home at 5:30 am and returns around 10:30 pm.

    oWOW is working on a pipeline of about 1,000 units in the Bay Area, with plans to build a 28-story tower next door to its recent project, 1510 Webster. The company's goal is to automate its design process, allowing it to create efficient plans for any site. Haber's vision is to make oWOW products and platforms accessible nationwide, making construction faster and cheaper than traditional methods.