Three air mattresses on the floor. That was the entire business plan. Every VC in Silicon Valley said no.
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 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.
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.