Chapter 303
The situation a while ago seed to have been a big stimulus for the Airbnb staff.
Brian Chesky muttered to himself.
“Hosts are really important. We can’t do without them.”
“Right, Brian. Treating them like family might be more effective than investing more in advertising.”
Joe Gebbia quickly grasped the sincerity in Steve’s words.
“Steve, you an that the hosts will promote Airbnb themselves?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
“I agree. Think about Emma’s case…”
Nathan Blecharczyk nodded and brought up the topic of Steve’s conversation with Emma Johnson.
Joe Gebbia found a clue to solve the problem that was hidden in his words.
“If we make them feel like real family, we won’t need any promotion. They will do it for us.”
Brian Chesky accepted his words as the answer.
“Rewards are important, but we also need an event that will make them proud of being part of Airbnb.”
Steve had only thrown a stone.
But they were using the small ripple caused by the stone as a lever to create a product.
“Then, for that part…”
“Yeah. If we change it like that…”
They boldly pointed out the flaws and suggested solutions.
They supplented the weak parts with endless ideas.
This process was very fast.
It was incomparable to the decision-making speed of large corporations.
“…”
Steve watched them with admiration.
They only needed ti to blossom, but they were all gems that would shine anywhere.
In this small and shabby office, they were showing their potential.
After the conversation was sowhat organized, it was ti.
Verbal help was important, but they needed more practical help than that.
Steve expressed his intention with his words.
“Brian, I’ll support you with a million dollars. It’s not enough, but it should cover the rent you owe here.”
“No, Steve. We can’t accept any more help from you.”
Brian Chesky shook his head, and Joe Gebbia also opposed him.
“You’ve done enough for us today. Thanks to you, I realized why I’m doing Airbnb.”
Steve had only supported them with a thousand dollars last ti.
He got 5 percent for that, which was absolutely unreasonable.
Even if he couldn’t help them, it was fair to support them with the amount they had paid for their initial expenses.
Steve said with a bewildered expression.
“Why are you doing this? I’m also a major shareholder with 5 percent.”
“We only gave you 5 percent because we couldn’t give you more.”
Then Brian Chesky, who was always gentle, looked sorry.
He appreciated his intention to help, but business shouldn’t be done like that.
5 percent of the shares were really big.
“You have to focus more on getting investnt in the future. Just take it for now.”
Steve insisted strongly, but Brian Chesky made an absurd suggestion.
“No way. Then I’ll give you another 5 percent.”
“What are you talking about? You can’t manage your shares like that if you’re doing business.”
This ti Joe Gebbia stepped in.
“Yeah, Steve. Just take it. You’re one of us too.”
Nathan Blecharczyk, who was next to him, also joined in.
“I was honestly skeptical before I t Steve, but now I agree. Steve, I hope you stay with us.”
Steve was at a loss for words, and Brian Chesky easily settled the situation.
“We can lower our shares a little bit and give you 5 percent more. It’s no problem at all. Is that how we’re going to do it?”
“This is ridiculous…”
Steve was speechless for a mont.
As always, Airbnb friends’ decisions were impulsive and fast.
As a result, Steve got 10 percent of the shares.
It sounds like 10 percent, but it will be worth at least 3 trillion won in 10 years.
Maybe even sooner than that.
It was because Steve intervened and reduced their trial and error.
Steve thought about Airbnb’s future for a mont and Brian Chesky said to him.
“Let’s have a drink.”
“Yeah. We didn’t get to drink much last ti.”
Joe Gebbia also chid in.
Steve wanted it very much too.
When would he have a chance to be with these sparkling gems?
As Airbnb grew faster, their positions would also rise faster.
He wanted to have more honest conversations with them before that happened.
But Steve shook his head.
He got up from his seat and said,
“No way. Everyone get up from your seats.”
“Why?”
Brian Chesky asked and Steve ntioned what he saw in the investnt report.
“Y Combinator (a Silicon Valley startup investnt firm) presentation is next week, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll help you out a bit.”
At Steve’s words, Brian Chesky looked nervous.
This was not on Steve’s schedule.
He ca here just to check on his friends’ well-being.
He didn’t have to intervene.
Even if Steve didn’t help them, they would eventually find the answer themselves.
The history of the past proved that.
But Steve’s mind changed when he saw their hearts.
He felt like he was getting too much for giving them shares.
This was the least he could do to help them.
Steve checked their business plan first.
He then told Joe Gebbia, who was in charge of the business plan, his thoughts.
“This is…”
“Oh, I got that feedback too.”
“Yeah. If you want to fix that part…”
They were smart, but two of them were designers and one was an engineer.
They couldn’t keep up with Steve, who had 20 years of experience in the specialized field of business planning.
Joe Gebbia’s face brightened as Steve’s words continued.
Steve pointed out the problems while listening to the presentation.
“Our Airbnb is…”
Brian Chesky’s presentation skills were reliable.
But they had so weaknesses to deal with the persistent attacks of the investors.
“Brian, let’s change that part like this. What you need to do is…”
“Ah, I see. You an to turn staying at soone else’s house into a unique experience?”
“Yeah. You can highlight the disadvantages as advantages.”
Brian Chesky quickly understood Steve’s words.
They all felt like sponges, so Steve enjoyed teaching them.
Steve also gave advice to Nathan Blecharczyk, who beca his friend late.
“Nathan, on the website, this part…”
“Okay. You an to reduce the number of clicks as much as possible.”
“Yeah. And I think it would be better to focus on the California area first. What you need to do is…”
“How about offering a service to take pictures of the houses? I need to reflect that part.”
He also pointed out the improvent points of the website.
Nathan Blecharczyk was really fast.
He composed the screen in an instant with what Steve said.
It was amazing to watch.
That’s how the work that started unexpectedly lasted until night.
That night.
Steve faced Brian Chesky on the outdoor terrace of the office.
It was a very narrow space that could fit only two chairs.
Joe Gebbia was revising the business plan, and Nathan Blecharczyk was busy changing the website.
Brian Chesky handed him a coffee and said,
“Steve, get so sleep. It’s uncomfortable, but you’ll do fine.”
“No. I’ll go in a little bit. The night air is nice, what are you talking about?”
Steve looked at the sky and said, and Brian Chesky, who was looking at the sa place, blurted out his sincerity.
“I can see the direction better thanks to you. Thank you.”
“Thank you for what?”
Steve smiled as he recalled the monts he had spent with Brian Chesky in the past.
The words of gratitude he had given him ca back after ti passed.
It was a very pleasant mont, like a cool breeze.
Zing.
Then, Steve’s phone rang.
He received a text ssage and said to Brian Chesky,
“I sent the money to your account. It will be there in a few days.”
It wasn’t that much money, but Steve hoped it would help them.
Now he was not just a grateful person, but a friend who shared a boat with them.
Then Brian Chesky asked in surprise.
“Now? How did you send it?”
“I have soone who can send it to Korea.”
“You have a secretary too?”
“Not a secretary, but sothing like that.”
“Oh, I see.”
Steve dodged the question, and Brian Chesky nodded as if he understood.
It seed like he misunderstood sothing, but it wasn’t a big deal.
At that ti.
Park Young-hoon, who was in Korea, had sent money to the account that Steve had asked for earlier.
-Transfer of $20,000 completed.
At first it was $10,000, but soon it changed to $20,000.
To send this money, he sold so of Steve’s assets.
But since cash didn’t co out right away, he changed so of the cash he was managing into dollars.
He also went to the bank to deal with the international transfer because it was hard to do it by computer.
He finished all that work and Park Young-hoon chuckled.
“I’m his secretary, what?”
Zing.
Then, a text ssage ca to his phone.
-Hyung, thank you. I’ll buy you a drink. Definitely with liquor that you like.
Park Young-hoon’s eyes widened at the word liquor.
For a mont, his mouth curled up longingly.
“That bastard has so manners after all.”
Steve closed his eyes on the folding bed in the corner of Airbnb’s office.
It was surprisingly good quality for sleeping.
He felt rather refreshed when he woke up.
“Steve, did you sleep well?”
Brian Chesky asked him as he got up and tidied up his bed.
He looked like he had stayed up all night without sleeping.
“Yeah. Did you stay up all night?”
“Yeah. Hard work pays off. Co here.”
Brian Chesky showed his unique smile and gestured with his hand.
Steve sat down and Brian Chesky quickly brought him coffee.
Then he threw him a question that he had been thinking about all night.
“When I present…”
“That’s good. It would be better if you reflected that part.”
Steve nodded and he smiled broadly.
He was such a positive and passionate man.
Squeak.
Then, the door opened and Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk ca in with sothing in both hands.
“What did you buy so much for breakfast?”
At Steve’s question, Brian Chesky said behind them as they put food on the table,
“Airbnb needs breakfast.”
“Did only I sleep?”
Steve asked incredulously and Joe Gebbia apologized as he took out bread from the plastic bag.
“I feel like I made the guest suffer too much.”
“What are you talking about? We’re all hosts.”
Steve shook his head right away.
Nathan Blecharczyk, who flopped down on the sofa, smiled and said,
“That’s right. We’re on the sa team.”
“Of course.”
Steve gave him a thumbs up with a smile.
They had a pleasant conversation with a delicious breakfast.
And now it was ti to say goodbye.
“Steve, where are you going now?”
“I need to wash up first.”
“Why? Do you have a date or sothing?”
But the answer that ca back was absurd.
Joe Gebbia, who was his close friend, pinpointed that part.
“Hey, do you have to wash up for a date?”
“It could happen.”
The two of them bickered and Nathan Blecharczyk gestured with his hand.
“Go ahead. You can’t go if you get tangled up with these guys.”
“Okay. Take care.”
Steve smiled and greeted him, and he also smiled.
“Yeah. Have a good date.”
Steve was about to turn around.
Brian Chesky, who ca to his senses, waved his hand.
“Steve, I’m looking forward to it. I’ll show you a good result.”
“Trust us once.”
Joe Gebbia also added his words.
“Then. Of course. See you again.”
Steve smiled and nodded.
And he shook hands warmly with his friends.
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