TED2016Joe Gebbia at TED.At this week’s TED conference in Vancouver, Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia revealed the email that launched the home-sharing juggernaut.
In 2007, Gebbia and cofounder Brian Chesky learned a design conference was coming to San Francisco, and all of the hotels were sold out. Gebbia pitched Chesky (his best friend and roommate) on renting out a space for these people to stay in.
Here’s the email he sent:
Here is the email that started Airbnb. Shown onstage at #TED #TED2016 pic.twitter.com/A2ZF9Epcxj
— Bill Gross (@Bill_Gross) February 16, 2016
The text: “brian, I thought of a way to make a few bucks — turning our place into “designers bed and breakfast” — offering young designers who come into town a place to crash during the 4 day event, complete with wireless internet, a small desk space, sleeping mat, and breakfast each morning. Ha!”
That idea ultimately spawned the Airbnb we know and use today.
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