Lessons from Joe Gebbia

As the co-founder of Airbnb, Joe Gebbia has shared a wealth of knowledge gleaned from his journey of transforming a simple idea into a global hospitality giant. His learnings, rooted in design thinking, perseverance, and a deep understanding of human connection, offer invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs, designers, and leaders.

On Entrepreneurship and Getting Started

Solve Your Own Problems. Airbnb was born out of a personal need for Gebbia and his co-founder, Brian Chesky, to pay their rent. [1][2] By creating a solution for their own problem, they tapped into a much larger unmet need. [1]
The Overnight Success is a Myth. Gebbia emphasizes that Airbnb's success was not instantaneous but the result of a long and arduous journey. [3] It took years of persistence and hard work to get the company off the ground. [4]
Don't Be Afraid to Do Things That Don't Scale. In the early days, the founders traveled to New York to personally photograph their hosts' apartments. [5][6] This unscalable act was a turning point, as the improved photos led to a doubling of their weekly revenue. [5]
Embrace Scrappiness and Resourcefulness. When faced with a lack of funding, the founders famously created and sold politically themed breakfast cereals, "Obama O's" and "Cap'n McCain's," to keep the company afloat. [6][7]
Persistence is Key, Especially in the Face of Rejection. Airbnb was rejected by numerous investors who thought the idea of strangers staying in each other's homes was crazy. [6] Gebbia stresses that you can't take no for an answer if you are passionate about your idea. [4]
Passion is the Source of Persistence. To endure the long hours and constant setbacks, you must be incredibly passionate about the problem you are solving. [2][4] This passion will fuel the persistence needed to overcome inevitable obstacles. [2]
Don't Focus Only on the Final Chapter. The most interesting parts of a startup's story are often the failures, pivots, and lucky breaks, not just the ultimate success. [3]
Take the Next Small Step. When feeling stuck, focus on taking the next single, manageable step to move your idea forward. [8] Gebbia even leads a storyboarding exercise to help people visualize and execute their ideas one step at a time. [8]
Find the Problem, Not the Technology. Gebbia advises entrepreneurs to "get married to the problem" and work backward to find the right technology to solve it, rather than starting with a technology and searching for a problem. [9]
Look at the World in a New Way. Innovation doesn't always mean inventing something entirely new; it can be about repackaging or reinventing existing concepts to meet modern demands. [10]

On Design and User Experience

Design is More Than Aesthetics; It's the Entire Experience. Coming from a design background, Gebbia believes design encompasses the whole user journey, from the first touchpoint to the last. [6][11]
Design for Trust. To overcome the "stranger-danger" bias, Airbnb had to meticulously design a system that fostered trust between hosts and guests. [12][13]
A Well-Designed Reputation System is Crucial for Trust. Airbnb learned that a double-blind review system, where reviews are revealed only after both parties have submitted them, encourages more honest feedback. [14]
High Reputation Overcomes Social Bias. Research conducted with Stanford showed that a high number of positive reviews (more than 10) can overcome the natural bias of trusting people who are similar to us. [11][14]
The Right Amount of Disclosure Builds Trust. The design of the messaging platform guides users to share just enough information to build rapport without oversharing, which can decrease acceptance rates. [11][14]
Become the Patient. To truly understand the user experience, you must put yourself in their shoes. [5][15] Gebbia recalls learning this in design school, where they would lie in hospital beds to understand the patient's perspective when designing medical devices. [5][15]
Make It Easy for Customers. Inspired by Tesla's online car-buying process, Gebbia emphasizes the importance of making the purchasing process, even for significant investments, as convenient as possible for the consumer. [9]
Customer Service is Your Brand. The customer service team is on the front lines and represents the brand, especially when things go wrong. [16] Investing in this team is investing in your brand.
Use Storyboarding to Map the User Journey. Gebbia used storyboarding to visualize the entire Airbnb experience, which helped identify key moments and emotions for both hosts and guests. [4]
Think Bigger. Gebbia's instinct is to push his team to "think bigger" and explore ideas at a scale of 100 times their initial conception to see where it leads. [5]

On Building a Company and Culture

Be the Author of Your Company's Culture. The founders were intentional about shaping Airbnb's culture from the very beginning, focusing on values like trust, belonging, and hospitality. [17][18]
Hire People Who Believe What You Believe. It's essential to build a team that is aligned with the company's core mission and values. [10][16]
Culture is Made by People. A great culture isn't something you create in isolation; it's the result of hiring the right people. [16] The founders were heavily involved in the interview process for years to ensure they got the people right. [16]
Create a "Creative Mecca." Gebbia aimed for Airbnb to be a place where creativity could flourish and become a competitive advantage, attracting top talent. [4]
Embed Your Mission into the Culture. Airbnb's mission of "belonging anywhere" is not just for guests but is also a core principle for its employees, fostering an inclusive workplace. [17][19]
Use Creative Language to Foster Honesty. Gebbia introduced terms like "Elephants, Dead Fish, and Vomit" to create a safe and fun way for employees to talk about uncomfortable topics: the big unspoken issues (elephants), past unresolved problems (dead fish), and things they just need to get off their chests (vomit). [20][21]
Give Employees Trust and Autonomy. Empowering employees to take initiative and own their work fosters a sense of responsibility and motivation. [19]
Create Shared Experiences. Traditions like "One Airbnb," where employees from different departments collaborate for a week, help break down silos and build a unified identity. [17][19]
Encourage Empathy Through Immersion. The "Night At The Airbnb Office" program, allowing employees to stay overnight, helps them deeply understand the guest experience. [17][19]
Everyone Ships on Day One. This principle helps new team members understand the importance of execution and contributing from the very beginning. [5]

On Creativity and Personal Growth

Art and Entrepreneurship are Deeply Connected. Both require you to imagine something that doesn't exist and have the willpower to bring it to life. [4]
Embrace a Culture of Experimentation. The best ideas often come from trial and error. [1] Fostering an environment where failure is seen as a learning opportunity is crucial for innovation. [1]
Turn Problems into Opportunities for Creativity. Gebbia's art and design background taught him to reframe challenges as creative opportunities. [1][22]
Don't Edit Yourself Too Early. In the initial stages of an idea, it's important to explore its full potential without premature criticism. [18]
Use Doubt as Fuel. Being told he couldn't do something, like when a professor doubted his ability to build full-sized chairs in design school, has consistently motivated Gebbia to prove people wrong. [22][23]
Make Uncomfortable Situations the Default. Constantly pushing your comfort zone incrementally expands your capabilities and confidence, making previously unthinkable opportunities seem plausible. [3]
Enthusiasm is Underrated. Displaying genuine enthusiasm is contagious and makes others more likely to help you and believe in your project. [3]
Use Your Surroundings to Your Advantage. When facing a challenge, step back and analyze your environment for unexpected opportunities. Airbnb's relaunch during the 2008 DNC in Denver, where hotels were sold out, is a prime example. [3]
Invest in Yourself. Gebbia shares advice he learned from Warren Buffett: the best investment you can make is in yourself. [23]
Challenges are Gifts. Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth is a powerful mindset for personal and professional development. [23]

On Leadership and Vision

Go to the Source. Brian Chesky, with Gebbia's support, pioneered a method of "hacking" leadership education by relentlessly seeking advice from the world's top experts in various fields. [16]
Acknowledge Missteps and Go Big in Response. When the company mishandled a crisis involving a host's home being vandalized, they learned the importance of taking responsibility, apologizing, and implementing significant changes to support their community. [16]
Stay Connected to Your Community. The best and most innovative ideas often come directly from hosts and guests who are using the product every day. [11]
Business Can Be a Force for Social Change. Gebbia is the chairman of Airbnb.org, a nonprofit that provides housing to people in crisis, demonstrating how a company's resources can be leveraged for social good. [2][18]
Pay it Forward. Gebbia believes in the responsibility of successful entrepreneurs to give back and create opportunities for the next generation. [2]
The Power of Imagination. The ability to envision a future that doesn't yet exist is a critical skill for any innovator or leader. [18]
Find Counterparts Who Complement Your Skills. While at RISD, Gebbia was already actively looking for people with complementary skills who he might one day start a company with. [3]
Listen to the Sound of Disappointment. The pain in a customer's voice when something goes wrong is the single greatest motivator to keep improving the product and service. [11][14]
Be a Host. A core value at Airbnb is to "be a host," which means to approach business and relationships with a sense of hospitality, care, and empathy. [17]
Dream Big. When asked for his greatest lesson learned, Gebbia's simple answer is to "dream big." [11]

Learn more:

Lessons from Joe Gebbia

On Entrepreneurship and Getting Started

On Design and User Experience

On Building a Company and Culture

On Creativity and Personal Growth

On Leadership and Vision

Written by Antoine Buteau

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