EP199: This Week in the World of Airbnb

Airbnb Experiences has not quite lived up to the fanfare that accompanied its launch a year ago, and this week Leigh Gallagher, author of The Airbnb Story, interviewed CEO Brian Chesky to ask about its slow growth.

Jasper is joined by Hostfully VP of Strategic Partnerships, Nicole Prentice Williams, to discuss whether it’s fair to compare the growth of the platform itself with the progress of Experiences. They also cover Chesky’s response to the #metoo campaign and the new responsibilities of another Airbnb co-founder, Nathan Blecharczyk as he takes over operations in China.

While business may be rocky for Airbnb in China, it is booming in Africa, and headlines this week applaud the growth on the continent and the platform’s partnership with leadership in Cape Town. Nicole and Jasper also share the heartening story of a guest who painted an epic mural in a host’s apartment in Tokyo in exchange for a free stay!

Topics Covered

Article #1: Airbnb CEO: Here’s How ‘Experiences’ are Doing So Far
•Airbnb Experiences launch one year ago
•Only 3K experiences vs. 4M homes
•Unfair comparison, keeping small on purpose
•Earned 500K from social impact experiences
•Homes business had no traction one year in
•Experiences has 3K hosts, tens of thousands on wait list
•Difference between new marketplace and established media machine
•‘Experiences’ is buzzword in industry
•Certain Experience hosts earning six figures (most earn 7K)
•Chesky expecting Experiences to be big
•Ultimate goal to become one-stop shop for travelers

Article #2: Airbnb’s China Chief Departs Abruptly Just Months Into the Job
•Head of China business gone after four months
•Search lasted longer than held post
•Unclear why, seems to have been his decision
•Airbnb not commenting

Article #3: Airbnb Head of China Operations Departs as Co-Founder Settles into New Role
•Co-founder Nathan overseeing operations
•Shows importance of Chinese market to Airbnb
•China is difficult market for startups

Article #4: This Airbnb Guest Left Behind an Incredible Mural on the Host’s Walls
•Host in Tokyo learned guest was artist
•Asked to create mural on white wall
•Epic resultsAirbnb could do coffee table book of unique stories

Article #5: Airbnb CEO: ‘We Need More Women Leaders’
•Chesky commented on #metoo campaign
•Proposed solution of having more women in leadership
•No women on board of Airbnb (6 of 8 members are white men)

Article #6: Airbnb Enjoys Spectacular Growth in Africa
•Africa is fastest growing market
•100K listings
•Cape Town most popular (17K listings)
•Mayor working with Airbnb
•2M guests in last five years
•Hosts earned $139M last year
•South Africa has most listings
•Morocco comes in second
•325% growth in Nigeria
•Airbnb conscious of social issues

Resources Mentioned
Article #1: fortune.com/2017/10/23/airbnb-ceo-experiences-new-york/
VRMA
Article #2: bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-24/airbnb-s-china-chief-departs-abruptly-just-months-into-the-job
Article #3: skift.com/2017/10/24/airbnb-head-of-china-operations-departs-as-co-founder-settles-into-new-role/
Article #4: lonelyplanet.com/news/2017/10/23/airbnb-guest-leaves-murals/
Article #5: fortune.com/2017/10/24/airbnb-ceo-no-more-hands-off-approach-on-techs-impact/
Article #6: cnn.com/2017/10/24/africa/airbnb-growth-africa/index.html

Connect with Jasper
Email: jasper@getpaidforyourpad.com
Twitter: @GetPaidForUrPad
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