In recent years, Airbnb has become a popular choice for finding temporary places to stay. This has changed the way we think about booking hotels or other accommodations. What started as a small project in 2007 quickly grew into a huge company later on. Its earnings increased from $1.6 billion in 2016 to a projected $8.5 billion in 2020.

How did Airbnb’s story start? Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were two recent design school graduates struggling financially in San Francisco in 2007. Facing the possibility of having to give up on their dreams and return home, they came up with a new idea. They noticed that a big design conference was coming to their city and saw an opportunity.

To make some money, they decided to offer their own living space. It served as a short-term place for conference visitors to stay. They called their new business "AirBed & Breakfast." They promoted it on design blogs, emphasizing the unique features of their home. Likewise, they had several bookings in just a few days, which encouraged them to expand their idea. Soon, Nathan Blecharczyk joined them. He was an experienced engineer and helped them develop a website. Not only was it easy to use, but it also could handle a lot of users.

However, it wasn't all smooth sailing. At first, many people were unsure about letting strangers stay in their homes. But the team didn't give up. They used the 2008 Democratic National Convention to promote their service. This gamble worked, and they got much attention, even from major media outlets. *The New York Times* featured their company, and this publicity helped their business attract a huge number of hosts and guests. What had begun as a way to avoid financial problems, then morphed into a game-changing company. This business changed the way people travel. Read on and discover more.