Three air mattresses on the floor. That was the entire business plan. Every VC in Silicon Valley said no.
We have more rooms than Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Wyndham combined. And we do not own a single one. That is the power of a platform.
COVID took 80% of our revenue in eight weeks. I thought we were dead. Six months later we went public. The lesson: do not count out companies that people love.
We sold cereal boxes to fund Airbnb. Obama O's and Cap'n McCains. We made $30,000. If you are not willing to look stupid, you are not willing to succeed.
Every great product tells a story. Airbnb is not about a place to sleep. It is about belonging somewhere.
Paul Graham funded us because he said: if you can convince strangers to sleep in your apartment, you can convince anyone of anything.