3 ms·

Worth noting that, despite recent large valuations and funding rounds, the founders of Airbnb are still driving their baby and have a massive emotional attachme

Worth noting that, despite recent large valuations and funding rounds, the founders of Airbnb are still driving their baby and have a massive emotional attachment to it. (As do all business owners.) This is their first significant black eye (the Craigslist stuff was far more limited in its audience reach), and has the potential to derail a company that's only 2 years old. Of course they're going to be responding emotionally, and unfortunately that means perhaps doing too much or doing the wrong thing (like suggesting to meet for coffee without asking how EJ is coping). Now, that emotional involvement with the business is considerably less than the emotion of coming home to discover your house has been ransacked, so I'm not trying to compare. I'm just observing that Airbnb's response (for better or worse) is not devoid of emotional triggers either. I do hope EJ is receiving the support she needs and am sure she will get through this. I similarly hope the ongoing support the Airbnb founders are receiving recognises the feelings element of running a large business through the prism of their emotional attachment.

Maro 15y ago
I donwvoted you. I don't see how what you write is relevant. Everybody is emotionally attached to their startups, including me, so?
- JacobAldridge 15y ago
  So ... I don't believe that level of emotional attachment is well understood by people who don't have their own business. There's criticism - in this thread and elsewhere - of how Airbnb have handled this whole situation, especially some of the information in the OP. I think there would be less criticism if more people understood the emotions of being a business owner - emotions lead us to do non-rational things. Edit: To add how good it was to see someone explain a downvote, so we could continue a discussion.
  - Maro 15y ago
    Yes, the emotional attachment that founders have with their startups is pretty crazy. I think that rational founders learn to normalize it over the years though, at least that's what happened to me. Criticism sucks, but with a company like Airbnb that's the deal, and the founders knew it from the get go. This is the price (one of many) they pay for their eventual big payday. Overall, it's a pretty good deal though =)
    - hack_edu 15y ago
      > This is the price (one of many) they pay for their eventual big payday. "Screw clients, acquire currency!"
- bignoggins 15y ago
  emotional attachment is especially relevant to this situation since empathy is the most important thing that airbnb can provide right now. The fact that empathy is FREE and they are not giving it to EJ just baffles me!
- M1573RMU74710N 15y ago
  You seem to be confusing what the term "relevent" means re: down-voting. (or perhaps just want down-voting is for) down-voting is a community moderation tool, to be used on comments that are off-topic, trolling, spam, etc. The article in question is about AirBnB's repsonse to the situation (or rather, about EJ's comments about their response to the situation). The comment you down voted is making a point about a possible reason they may be acting that way. It's a direct and thoughtful response to the topic at hand, it's ipso facto "relevent" in the sense that matters re: down-voting. The fact that you disagree with it, or think it is flawed is not a valid reason for down-voting; instead you would reply refuting their point. You seem to think that their comment is not "relevent" re: how one considers their actions...and that may be true...but that is not a valid reason to downvote and not the sort of relevance that matters re that. I only bring this up because many people seem to be confused about down-voting, or abuse the system and I think it's helpful to have a dialog on it occasionally.

Maro 15y ago

I donwvoted you. I don't see how what you write is relevant. Everybody is emotionally attached to their startups, including me, so?

JacobAldridge 15y ago
So ... I don't believe that level of emotional attachment is well understood by people who don't have their own business. There's criticism - in this thread and elsewhere - of how Airbnb have handled this whole situation, especially some of the information in the OP. I think there would be less criticism if more people understood the emotions of being a business owner - emotions lead us to do non-rational things. Edit: To add how good it was to see someone explain a downvote, so we could continue a discussion.
- Maro 15y ago
  Yes, the emotional attachment that founders have with their startups is pretty crazy. I think that rational founders learn to normalize it over the years though, at least that's what happened to me. Criticism sucks, but with a company like Airbnb that's the deal, and the founders knew it from the get go. This is the price (one of many) they pay for their eventual big payday. Overall, it's a pretty good deal though =)
  - hack_edu 15y ago
    > This is the price (one of many) they pay for their eventual big payday. "Screw clients, acquire currency!"
bignoggins 15y ago
emotional attachment is especially relevant to this situation since empathy is the most important thing that airbnb can provide right now. The fact that empathy is FREE and they are not giving it to EJ just baffles me!
M1573RMU74710N 15y ago
You seem to be confusing what the term "relevent" means re: down-voting. (or perhaps just want down-voting is for) down-voting is a community moderation tool, to be used on comments that are off-topic, trolling, spam, etc. The article in question is about AirBnB's repsonse to the situation (or rather, about EJ's comments about their response to the situation). The comment you down voted is making a point about a possible reason they may be acting that way. It's a direct and thoughtful response to the topic at hand, it's ipso facto "relevent" in the sense that matters re: down-voting. The fact that you disagree with it, or think it is flawed is not a valid reason for down-voting; instead you would reply refuting their point. You seem to think that their comment is not "relevent" re: how one considers their actions...and that may be true...but that is not a valid reason to downvote and not the sort of relevance that matters re that. I only bring this up because many people seem to be confused about down-voting, or abuse the system and I think it's helpful to have a dialog on it occasionally.