This experience led us to decide to manage payments ourselves, not for profit, but to enhance the overall hospitality experience.

Initially, we thought property managers were the best source of supply for Airbnb, but we quickly learned that they often prioritized profit over guest experience, leading to poor customer service.

Instead of trying to completely replace existing hotel systems, we pivoted to work cohesively with them, integrating our solutions to enhance the booking experience.

By actively engaging with our users and improving their listings, we were able to curate quality properties, leading to increased bookings and traction for our service.

Airbnb's early communication focused on utility, but they learned that hosts must align with the company's values to create a strong culture.

We realized that as a company promoting community living, we needed to foster positive relationships with cities rather than adopt a confrontational stance.

Initially, we didn't articulate our values; we focused on who we enjoyed working with. As we scaled, we realized the need to define and communicate our values clearly.

Learning from the hotel industry, we see that companies like Hilton and Marriott have shifted from owning properties to managing them, which is a model we can adopt.

Our first client was a resort called Nemain, which believed in our vision despite us not having a full product or track record at the time; they valued our commitment to improving guest experiences.