Airbnb, also called “Air Bed and Breakfast”, is a well-known company that allows people to rent out people’s living spaces to travelers. In 2007, two men, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, founded Airbnb. The company started off an email, from Gebbia to Chesky, about a design conference convention happening in their town. Chesky and Gebbia were roommates in San Francisco and could not afford rent at their apartment. Gebbia knew hotels would be booked out for the convention and many designers would need a place to stay. He emailed Chesky and decided to create a space in their apartment for an air mattress, a small desk, wireless internet, and breakfast every morning. Two men and one woman paid $80 to sleep on an air mattress in Gebbia and Chesky’s apartment. After realizing how much potential this idea had, they welcomed their old roommate, Nathan Blecharczyk, into their business. That’s how airbedandbreakfast was born. After founding Air Bed and Breakfast, they tried to create Roommates.com but it was already founded by Bryan Peters. Air Bed and Breakfast was changed to Airbnb because people were confused with the air mattress concept.
In April 2009, they received a $600,000 seed investment to help build their company. In 2011, Airbnb was in 89 countries and surpassed 1 million nights booked. There were some downsides of people renting their houses or apartments to strangers. Some would come home to find their place trashed and have to clean up the mess. They implemented a coverage policy and a cleaning fee when booking a rental property. They provide rentals all over the world and have over 30,000 tiny houses, 5,000 castles, and 3,000 tree houses to rent. Who knew?!
Their multimillion-dollar business started from not being able to pay rent. They have transformed their business into letting others rent out their own apartments, townhouses, houses, etc. to strangers.
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-airbnb-was-founded-a-visual-history-2016-2#they-created-a-simple-site-airbedandb
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AirBnB is such a cool business! My family likes to use their site when we go on vacation. I think it is pretty neat how great ideas some from the simplest ideas- like paying rent. They weren’t looking to start a business, but it all came together and its great that they are so successful now!
I love that this company was able to see the trend of hotel prices going up and the new wave of how people want to travel and stay in places and launched a site to allow people to have new travel experiences. There idea doesn’t;t only help them profit money but allows for other to make profit off of their site as well. People are able to make money by simply going on vacation or leaving their house for a few days. It’s a great business idea especially with how society is looking for newer ways to travel and experience trips.