The Journey of Starting a Business with College Friends
There was a person who enrolled in the Industrial Design Department at RISD. That person was Joe Gebbia. Passionate about design, he met Brian, who shared the same dream. Brian was the creative and people-gathering talent Joe had been looking for. Together, they set out towards their dream.
The Seed of Entrepreneurship Born from Friendship
Friends who decided to embark on the entrepreneurial path together began a new challenge in San Francisco. However, they faced an unexpected hurdle due to a sudden rent increase. It was then that an idea to turn their crisis into an opportunity struck them: they decided to put air mattresses in their extra space and offer accommodation.
The First Step of Airbnb
Their first project, Airbed&breakfast, was unexpectedly successful. In a short period, they had three guests, which allowed them to solve their rent problem. This gave them confidence in the potential of their business. However, to expand their service, they needed a platform, and they thought of their friend Nathan, who studied computer science at Harvard.
Nathan’s Joining and the Beginning of Airbnb
With Nathan on board, they developed Airbed&breakfast into Airbnb. Thanks to his technical skills, they were able to grow quickly, and eventually, Airbnb became the first company in history to go public at $101.6 billion. Through meeting various people, it established itself as a community of business.
Find the Treasures Around You
As Joe Gebbia of Airbnb said, you need to make an effort to find people who share your aspirations. With them, your dreams can also become a reality. Whether you want to start a business, dream of a career change, or want to broaden your insights, look around carefully. Someday, you might find the destined person who will become your business partner.