Considering Acquisition vs Competition: Airbnb's Dilemma

As Airbnb took off in the early 2010s, Brian Chesky remembers worrying, “this is just one accident away from being a dead idea.” That accident finally came in 2011 when a host’s apartment was ransacked. It set off a period of soul searching that became a turning point—the company’s efforts to rebuild trust led it to becoming the global behemoth it is today. In this episode, Brian reveals how this crisis shaped his thinking, and how the lessons would apply to the company’s next defining moments, including a pandemic that shut down global travel.

Host: Roelof Botha, Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital 

Featuring: Brian Chesky, Ellie Mertz, Alfred Lin

Transcript: https://www.sequoiacap.com/podcast/crucible-moments-airbnb/