
In 2007 Joe Gebbia received a letter from his landlord of his San Francisco apartment telling him his rent was going up by 25%…
Joe & his roommate Brian Chesky didn’t know how they’d afford it.
Then, when looking to attend a local conference, they noticed all the hotels we’re sold out & inspiration struck. They inflated 3 airbeds & started to think about the experience they’d provide.
Should they cook breakfast for their guests? Then they had the name. It wasn’t bed & breakfast. It was airbed & breakfast.
Airbnb was born.
Their initial target market was concert goers & In the beginning they made just $200 a week. But the struggle made them more frugal and creative.
Over time people saw the potential. Alongside normal houses & rooms to rent, there are over 14,000 tiny houses, nearly 5,000 castles, and 2,500 tree houses listed on Airbnb.
Globally there are over 7 million Airbnb listings in 220 countries & 100,000 cities. On average there are over 2 million people staying in an Airbnb listed property every night.
The Airbnb team were like a lot of people. They came across a business idea they believed in. It wasn’t awe inspiring, but it had strong appeal. Still, they dreamed it could work & made it so.
Like Airbnb. Our home printing solution (Infinity) isn’t awe inspiring. But it’s got strong appeal to families, home businesses & workers. It’s not just a dream. It is providing real certainty & peace of mind.
Each of us has this ability to identify opportunities, invent products & build businesses. We can all influence how the future unfolds.
…we all can create. If we want too.