Well, we can certainly speculate: Chesky - Both parents are social workers, probably would have been in a rough spot taking on that debt. Would have moved some

Well, we can certainly speculate: Chesky - Both parents are social workers, probably would have been in a rough spot taking on that debt. Would have moved somewhere else and gone back into industrial design. Gebbia - Father is/was a successful businessman in the Atlanta area, currently a city councilman. Probably would have been better off than Chesky, but the debt probably still would have stung. Would have gone back into industrial design. Blecharczyk - Upper middle class family + Harvard alum. Taking on the debt might have been painful, but he probably would have been fine eventually, especially with his technical background. I don't think their fall-back options were great. If they had "rich uncles" or something, I don't think they would have needed to max out credit cards in the first place. I think Chesky's level of conviction was simply unwavering. I'm certain there are much more affluent people who would have given up sooner.