Brian Chesky (part one): The Hero's Journey

I have been lucky to call Brian Chesky a friend for a long time now. So, when the crisis hit, I knew how hard it was going to be for him and Airbnb. He and the Airbnb team have been working furiously to make sure what they have built will not only weather this storm, but be defined by it.

This is one of Brian's first public conversations since the pandemic hit. It is also the first time Brian publicly discusses the layoffs and why they took the approach they did. We also discussed Brian's approach to crisis leadership and the importance of love and compassion. There was a lot to cover, so I decided to release this in two parts.

Links and resources we discussed:

Andy Grove: https://venturebeat.com/2020/04/23/intel-ceo-bad-companies-are-destroyed-by-crises-great-companies-are-improved-by-them/

RISD Industrial Design Program: https://www.risd.edu/academics/industrial-design/

Extenuating circumstance policy: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2701/extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-the-coronavirus-covid19

Airbnb grant to Hosts: https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/30/airbnb-commits-250-million-to-helping-hosts-cover-cancellations-due-to-covid-19/

Brian's note about layoffs: https://news.airbnb.com/a-message-from-co-founder-and-ceo-brian-chesky/

Joseph Campbell's The Hero of A Thousand Faces: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1577315936/?tag=CSSF-20

Frontline Stays program: https://news.airbnb.com/frontline-stays-global-program-update/

Hosted on Breaker.

Om Podcasten

Out of the Crisis, a podcast hosted by myself, Eric Ries, highlights leaders from all sectors who are providing and coordinating relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. No one is more heroic than the healthcare workers and those on the frontlines treating the sick. But there’s also a role for others, particularly those in positions of privilege, to play in this crisis. As I’ve worked to make my own contributions, I’ve crossed paths with many different people and organizations offering their skills, expertise, and resources to get aid to essential workers and the sick. I created this podcast to share these inspiring stories in real-time, but also as a call to action. If you think you can help, do. If you want to help but don’t know how, the people in these episodes will guide you towards ways to get started. They’re helping to lead us through and eventually out of the crisis and offering tools for joining the effort.