Witnessing the growth of Airbnb from a small team to a large organization illustrates the potential for startups to scale significantly over time.

The startup journey often resembles a curve where you have an exciting launch, followed by a trough of sorrow, and then some wiggles of hope before reaching success.

When you launch your company, you hope to see hockey stick growth in the first year, which is what we experienced at Airbnb with the number of guests booking through our platform.

Startups often experience dramatic ups and downs, akin to a roller coaster, and founders should be prepared for the emotional challenges that come with it.

The portrayal of startup life in the media often overlooks the harsh realities. Many successful companies have faced significant struggles, and it's important for early-stage founders to understand that the journey is often filled with challenges, not just success stories.

As young founders, our naivety allowed us to explore ideas without preconceived notions, leading us to discover the unique experience that Airbnb could offer. When we started Airbnb, we were in a very different position compared to Uber; the founders of Uber were already wealthy, while we were just trying to survive.

The experience of managing a crisis like the Paris attacks reminded me of the early chaotic days of Airbnb, highlighting the constant challenges of running a startup.

Airbnb's evolution from renting airbeds to entire homes illustrates the necessity of adapting your startup's approach to meet market demand.

Airbnb's growth was significantly driven by founders engaging in customer support, which helped them understand user needs and improve their service.