Brian Chesky

We slept on air mattresses. We lived the product. We only ate ramen. And eventually we got the company going. It was during the financial crisis. 2009, people are losing their homes. Paul Graham, our first advisor and investor said, make something people want. And we thought, what's better than making something people want? Making something they need.

We slept on air mattresses. We lived the product. We only ate ramen. And eventually we got the company going. It was during the financial crisis. 2009, people are losing their homes. Paul Graham, our first advisor and investor said, make something people want. And we thought, what's better than making something people want? Making something they need.

We slept on air mattresses. We lived the product. We only ate ramen. And eventually we got the company going. It was during the financial crisis. 2009, people are losing their homes. Paul Graham, our first advisor and investor said, make something people want. And we thought, what's better than making something people want? Making something they need.

People need to make money because their home is about to get taken from them.

People need to make money because their home is about to get taken from them.

People need to make money because their home is about to get taken from them.

And it happened during this new generation, the same generation that were the community mobilizers during President Obama's campaign. We were a new generation. And we wanted to connect and travel different than our parents. And we wanted to have a more authentic way of traveling. We wanted to live like a local. And so this feel totally new to us, even though it was weird to others.

And it happened during this new generation, the same generation that were the community mobilizers during President Obama's campaign. We were a new generation. And we wanted to connect and travel different than our parents. And we wanted to have a more authentic way of traveling. We wanted to live like a local. And so this feel totally new to us, even though it was weird to others.

And it happened during this new generation, the same generation that were the community mobilizers during President Obama's campaign. We were a new generation. And we wanted to connect and travel different than our parents. And we wanted to have a more authentic way of traveling. We wanted to live like a local. And so this feel totally new to us, even though it was weird to others.

It was actually probably at RISD. The school was like very much like self-directed. You would like, I mean, first of all, like artists are all entrepreneurs, basically. I mean, they're sole proprietors, but you don't really work for somebody. There was this great quote at RISD. Art is a question of the problem of the world and design is the answer.

It was actually probably at RISD. The school was like very much like self-directed. You would like, I mean, first of all, like artists are all entrepreneurs, basically. I mean, they're sole proprietors, but you don't really work for somebody. There was this great quote at RISD. Art is a question of the problem of the world and design is the answer.

It was actually probably at RISD. The school was like very much like self-directed. You would like, I mean, first of all, like artists are all entrepreneurs, basically. I mean, they're sole proprietors, but you don't really work for somebody. There was this great quote at RISD. Art is a question of the problem of the world and design is the answer.

I started in art because I wanted to ask interesting questions about the world. And I kind of moved to design because I thought I really want to help people and try to design answers. And I thought to myself... I think this is for me. Like I kind of knew. And funny enough, my mom said, you got to get a real job one day. And I said, what's a real job?

I started in art because I wanted to ask interesting questions about the world. And I kind of moved to design because I thought I really want to help people and try to design answers. And I thought to myself... I think this is for me. Like I kind of knew. And funny enough, my mom said, you got to get a real job one day. And I said, what's a real job?

I started in art because I wanted to ask interesting questions about the world. And I kind of moved to design because I thought I really want to help people and try to design answers. And I thought to myself... I think this is for me. Like I kind of knew. And funny enough, my mom said, you got to get a real job one day. And I said, what's a real job?

She's like, a real job is one that has health insurance. That sounds like a parent. That sounds like our mom. So I ended up getting a real job of health insurance in Los Angeles. I'm like a designer. We have all these like little clients. Like my first project was like designing a toilet seat. So you got to start somewhere.

She's like, a real job is one that has health insurance. That sounds like a parent. That sounds like our mom. So I ended up getting a real job of health insurance in Los Angeles. I'm like a designer. We have all these like little clients. Like my first project was like designing a toilet seat. So you got to start somewhere.

She's like, a real job is one that has health insurance. That sounds like a parent. That sounds like our mom. So I ended up getting a real job of health insurance in Los Angeles. I'm like a designer. We have all these like little clients. Like my first project was like designing a toilet seat. So you got to start somewhere.

And then one day, you know, when I quit my job, I remember going home for Christmas and one of our family members asked, what are you doing? And I remember telling them, oh, I'm an entrepreneur. And I could hear my mom cross the room saying, he's actually unemployed.

And then one day, you know, when I quit my job, I remember going home for Christmas and one of our family members asked, what are you doing? And I remember telling them, oh, I'm an entrepreneur. And I could hear my mom cross the room saying, he's actually unemployed.