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Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky's journey from art school to $112B valuation

Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb, started the company with three air beds in his San Francisco apartment when hotels were fully booked due to a conference. Initially facing investor skepticism due to his design background, Chesky and his co-founders eventually gained traction by creating presidential-candidate-themed cereal boxes, which attracted the attention of Y Combinator. Despite significant challenges, including an 80% business loss during the pandemic, Airbnb has grown to over 9 million listings and a market capitalization of $112 billion, though it continues to navigate regulatory hurdles in various cities. AI

RANK_REASON Article focuses on the origin story and business philosophy of Airbnb's CEO, rather than a new product release or significant company event.

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Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky's journey from art school to $112B valuation

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COVERAGE [1]

  1. Fortune TIER_1 English(EN) · Sasha Rogelberg ·

    Billionaire Brian Chesky’s social-worker parents told him to pick a high-paying career. He went to art school—and started Airbnb with 3 air beds

    Chesky’s mother, herself a social worker, was worried when he became an art student. He started Airbnb when he was barely making rent.