Brian Chesky

Brian Joseph Chesky was born on August 29, 1981, in Niskayuna, New York, to Deborah and Robert Chesky, both social workers. He developed an early interest in art, drawing replicas of paintings and redesigning toys and shoes. He graduated from Niskayuna High School in 1999 and went on to study industrial design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2004. During his time at RISD, Chesky was influenced by designers like Charles and Ray Eames, and Walt Disney. He also captained the RISD hockey team and was involved in competitive bodybuilding.

After graduating, Chesky moved to Los Angeles to work as an industrial designer for 3DID, where he designed various products including toys and medical equipment. In 2007, he moved to San Francisco and lived with his RISD classmate, Joe Gebbia. Facing challenges with rent, Chesky and Gebbia began offering short-term lodgings in their apartment, featuring air mattresses and Pop-Tarts, particularly during events where hotel rooms were scarce. This initiative evolved into Airbed & Breakfast, later known as Airbnb. They recruited Nathan Blecharczyk to develop a website for the company. The platform was successfully relaunched before the 2008 Democratic National Convention, gaining attention from publications like TechCrunch and The New York Times, which helped drive significant traffic and bookings.

In 2009, Chesky and his co-founders participated in a Y Combinator startup course, securing seed funding and later substantial investment from Sequoia Capital. Chesky became the chief executive officer of Airbnb in fall 2010. The company expanded internationally, notably in Europe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Airbnb underwent significant restructuring, including layoffs and departmental changes, with Chesky taking a more direct role in daily operations. In December 2020, Airbnb became a public company through an initial public offering. Chesky has been recognized for his leadership and innovation, appearing on Forbes and Time lists, and was named a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship by President Barack Obama in 2015. He has also committed to philanthropy, joining The Giving Pledge and establishing a scholarship program with the Obama Foundation.