My first startup aimed to solve the problem I faced as a backpacker by creating a mobile app to book hostels and bed-and-breakfasts.

Before Selfbook, no hotel could accept Apple Pay, but we introduced digital wallets into the industry to streamline the experience.

In summer 2008, we finalized the product design, allowing users to book homes directly, which was a novel concept at the time.

Airbnb was not the first to market; it faced established competitors like VRBO and Couchsurfing, which had significant user bases and brand recognition.

When we started adding travel experiences to the app, engagement increased by 70%, indicating that people were eager to learn about and book experiences, even though it was challenging to do so on the app due to a lack of proper booking infrastructure.

We aimed to create a seamless booking experience, ensuring users could book a home in three clicks, similar to the ease of using an iPod.

Airbnb is the first online marketplace that lets travelers book rooms with locals instead of hotels, which is concise and descriptive, allowing investors to understand what they're building and gauge their excitement.

We aimed to launch our improved service in three months, incorporating payments and reviews to enhance user experience, and we launched our service just weeks before a major event, listing 800 properties to help locals make extra money during the influx of visitors.

The pandemic hit just as we were launching our travel app, which was designed to allow users to easily discover and book hotels. Despite the shutdown of hotels worldwide, I focused on the future, believing that people would want to travel again.