Airbnb CEO shares the best advice he's ever received—it's 'counterintuitive to almost everything everyone says’

In this article by Megan Sauer of CNBC, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky attributes the success of his company to advice from investor Paul Graham: "Focus on 100 people that love you, rather than getting a million people to kind of like you." This counterintuitive strategy helped Airbnb stand out by creating exceptional experiences for a small group of loyal customers, leading to rapid growth through word-of-mouth marketing. Chesky also believes that location is not crucial for success, as Airbnb remains based in San Francisco despite the exodus of tech companies from Silicon Valley.

Chesky has embraced the idea of remote work, emphasizing the flexibility it offers. He criticized CEOs who called employees back to the office while they enjoyed personal vacations. This perspective aligns with Airbnb's concept of staying in someone else's home and reflects the changing attitudes toward remote work in the post-pandemic era.