White Walls

Our San Francisco office has very clean white walls. One day I asked why no one dared to paint them. We never told people they couldn’t…Continue reading on Medium »

Feb 2017

Brian Chesky: What a Professor Told Me in College That Still Gives Me Strength

“When times are tough it’s easy to convince ourselves that something isn’t possible.”When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives...

Nov 2016

The Eternal Treehouse

At the beginning of each year, I like to write an email to our company about what I think is important for the year ahead. This year, I…Continue reading on Medium »

Jan 2016

The Eternal Treehouse

At the beginning of each year, I like to write an email to our company about what I think is important for the year ahead. This year, I…Continue reading on Medium »

Jan 2016

Tiendung, you were the first Airbnb host I ever stayed with.

Thank you so much for believing in us and having an open mind when we started.Continue reading on Medium »

Jan 2016

Don’t Edit Your Imagination

As children, we have vivid imaginations. We stay up late waiting for Santa Claus, dream of becoming President, and have ideas that defy…Continue reading on Medium »

Jan 2016

How to Time Travel

I once met a traveler named Charlie. He came up to me and said something I will never forget. He said,Continue reading on Medium »

Dec 2015

A Week in the City of Light and Love

Yesterday I arrived back in San Francisco, along with 200 of us, from one of the longest and most emotionally draining weeks since we…Continue reading on Medium »

Dec 2015

7 Rejections

On June 26, 2008, our friend Michael Seibel introduced us to 7 prominent investors in Silicon Valley. We were attempting to raise $150,000…Continue reading on Medium »

Dec 2015

Belong Anywhere

Introduction ¶ In 2007, Joe and I opened our home up to the first Airbnb guests.Continue reading on Medium »

Dec 2015