Airbnb的逆襲HOW AIRBNB GOT ITS START
付不出房租的男子，創造「共享經濟」 It all happened because two guys couldn’t pay their rent
這次全代會讓科羅拉多州丹佛市的飯店全都被訂滿。
為了增加曝光度，切斯基、傑比亞和布萊察席克賣起了盒裝麥片，以主要兩黨的總統候選人命名：歐巴馬及馬侃；從而引起新聞媒體報導他們的飯店替代方案，帶來了三萬美元的進帳。
翌年，「充氣床加早餐」變成了Airbnb；同年，更從Y Combinator這家創業加速器公司獲得了第一筆投資。
但是，Airbnb這家新公司的發展仍舊停滯不前。
原來問題出在住房的照片拍得太糟糕，於是這幾個合夥人替自己的網站拍攝了高品質的照片。
結果，他們的每週營收翻漲了一倍。
他們開始羅列出不同類型的住宿選擇，並且推出Airbnb應用程式。
他們還要求房客替住房評分，然後房東替房客評分。
Airbnb的事業於是開始起飛。
到了二○一一年，Airbnb已遍布八十九個國家，創下一百萬訂房夜數。
有些城市想辦法禁止Airbnb租賃事業，但該公司的生意仍舊持續成長，而且使用過的房客表示自己再也不會投宿飯店了。
這幾個如今已是億萬富翁的共同創辦人付得起房租了，但他們卻沒有滿足於現狀。
Airbnb持續進化升級，要以各樣新創點子滿足市場需求。
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Cap’n Crunch
For the convention, all hotels in Denver, Colorado, were booked. Needing exposure, Chesky, Gebbia and Blecharczyk marketed boxes of cereal named after two main political parties' top candidates: Obama and McCain. The resulting news coverage for their alternative to hotels led to $30,000 in sales.
The following year Air Bed and Breakfast became Airbnb. That same year Airbnb also obtained its first investment money from Y Combinator, a startup accelerator. But the new company's growth remained stagnant. After realizing the terrible pictures of
the accommodations were at fault, the partners took high-quality pictures themselves for their website. This resulted in their weekly revenue doubling.
They began listing different kinds of accommodations and launched the Airbnb app. They also asked for users to rate their accommodations and providers to rate the users. The company took off. By 2011, Airbnb was in more than 89 countries and had 1 million nights booked. And while some cities tried to ban Airbnb rentals, business grew with users saying they would never return to a hotel.
These now billionaire cofounders can pay their rent, but they are not resting on their laurels. Airbnb continues to change to meet market demands with innovations.
coverage（n.）新聞報導
The media coverage of the robbery was so broad that the police were able to catch the robber quickly.
Fans of the soccer team watched live coverage of the team’s last game of the season. 直播
coverage（n.）針對某個主題的涵蓋範圍
If you want extensive coverage of the events leading up to the last world war, read this book. 廣泛的了解
stagnant（adj.）停滯不前的
The government is finding it difficult to bring an end to the stagnant economy. 停滯的經濟
Ticket sales to hear the popular band are never stagnant.
No fish can live in this stagnant pond of water.
exposure
So when a company or a person has exposure, uh, that means some people on different media platforms are talking about it. When you are especially starting off a new business or you have a new product, it is important to have exposure, um, so that people can know... about your product, know about who you are and what you are offering.
limited edition collector’s item
closed book 形容一個人很封閉，別人很難了解
Tony is a closed book to people around him.
closed book 形容一個人很難了解的主題
Accounting has always been a closed book to me.
open book
My life is an open book.
ban（v.）禁止
Smoking is banned in all public buildings.
Rico is banned from flying on that airline because he caused trouble the last time he flew with them.
ban（n.）官方的禁令
Is there a ban on food in the classroom. 禁食的規定
innovation（n.）創新；改革
Fred’s innovations in the field of computer science have saved people time and money.
Electricity is one of the biggest innovations that changed the way people live.
innovative（adj.）創新的
Sharon uses very innovative ideas to solve problems.
contraband
That is referring to anything that might be illegal in a certain place, at least for a certain time, right?If something is taking off, that means more and more people are aware of it, are using it.
to take off
become popular
If something is taking off, that means more and more people are aware of it, are using it.
to rate vs. review
always improving
startup accelerator
entrepreneurshandbook.co
customer service/ go above and beyond
You know, that sounds like really good customer service because something about excellent customer service is that you go above and beyond what is, you know, basically expected of you.
rest on one's laurels 自滿、滿足於現有成就
