Nobody Cared
Chesky: When you're starting a company, it never goes the pace you want. You imagine everything to be linear — this, then this, then this. You build it and you think everyone's going to care. And no one cares.
Our first hundred users — I was related to, or maybe Joe was related to. Those were our first users.
Being Unpopular Was a Gift
Chesky: It actually turned out to be really good that we were so unpopular in the very beginning. I had the opportunity to meet every one of our early customers.
I actually think it made us a better company. If we took off in the early days, I would have never known all of them. But we were so unpopular, we had so few users, that I got to meet every single one of them.
We were so unpopular that I got to meet every single one of our early customers. I think it made us a better company.
Living the Product
Chesky: For almost a year I literally lived on Airbnb in San Francisco. Every three to five nights I stayed in a different family, in a different neighborhood.
I learned all the issues about our website. I learned issues about the neighborhoods. I felt like I could run for mayor at the end of it. I was learning the education problems, who was angry about their water.
Your customers aren't going to email you the things that are truly important. You almost have to be with them and get that really subtle signal. It's all about living your product.
Your customers aren't going to email you the things that are truly important. You almost have to be with them.