PAGE Video Series: Airbnb’s Brian Chesky

Brian Chesky, co-founder of Airbnb, believes that “the idea of an entrepreneur means to be empowered, to be able to create your own destiny, and to create the kind of world you want to live in.”

Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world, and it provides interesting ways for people to travel, and changes the lives of its home communities. The marketplace now includes the country of Cuba, which has nearly doubled its Airbnb locations in the span of 40 days. Under Chesky’s entrepreneurial leadership, Airbnb stands at the forefront of the sharing economy, and has expanded to over 1,000,000 listings in 190 countries. Even with this success, Chesky still constantly strives to find new ways to propel his company’s vision, strategy and growth forward. 

Brian Chesky’s passion for exposing others to entrepreneurship, especially on a global scale, led the Obama administration to select him as a new member of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative. His signature initiative will work to expand Cuba’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by increasing Internet literacy; promoting practical education in areas including photography art, and marketing; and introducing online payment systems to support Cuban entrepreneurs. Additionally, Airbnb will provide lodging and meeting-space opportunities at global gatherings and events for entrepreneurs to enhance collaboration and partnerships.

Watch Brian Chesky talk about his recent work in Cuba in collaboration with PAGE here.

To deliver the message of PAGE’s mission and discuss his new initiative, Chesky will attend the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Nairobi, Kenya with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Brian will use his voice and platform to connect with and inspire entrepreneurs at GES, alongside other PAGE ambassadors.

About PAGE:

Launched in April 2014, PAGE was created to develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and abroad. The initiative formed as a partnership among celebrated entrepreneurs, the White House, the Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of State. In the initiative’s first year, PAGE members utilized their knowledge, ideas, and talent to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and around the world to promote the program’s mission. As PAGE kicks off its second year, each ambassador has agreed to take the lead on his or her own signature initiative to address the global growing demand for engagement with America’s most respected and celebrated business creators.