Airbnb CEO Reflects On Early Struggles: Mom Said 'No, You're Unemployed,' Now He's Worth $9.3B

Brian Chesky is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb Inc (NASDAQ: ABNB), a platform that connects travelers with hosts who offer lodging experiences worldwide. 

Under Chesky's leadership, Airbnb has grown into a global brand and has revolutionized the hospitality industry by allowing people to rent out their homes, apartments, and other properties to travelers, offering a more authentic and personalized experience than traditional hotels.

Chesky has played a significant role in transforming how people travel and experience new places worldwide.

Speaking at a recent Stanford Graduate School of Business event, Chesky shared his story about how he conceptualized Airbnb. He said he struggled to pay rent when he was in his 20s and moved to San Francisco to live with his college friend Joe Gebbia. 

During a design conference, Chesky and his friend thought it could be a business idea to rent out their home and its three air mattresses.  

"At that point, my mom said, 'So I guess you don't have that job with health insurance anymore.'" Chesky said during the event. "And I said, 'No, Mom, I'm an entrepreneur.' And she said, 'No, you're unemployed.'"

While speaking with the students, Chesky said his mother's discomfort may have been warranted. He said his parents were social workers, and his mother wanted him to pursue work that "pays you a lot of money" instead.

Also Read: Airbnb Under Fire: Short-Seller 'The Bear Cave' Slams Platform Amid Guest 'Horror Stories'

Chesky and his co-founders, Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk, launched Airbnb in 2008 in San Francisco.

According to Forbes, Airbnb's market cap today is $75.49 billion, and Chesky's net worth is $9.3 billion.

"I never focused on making a lot of money," Chesky added. "I just focused on being efficient as possible and obsessing over the experience."

"When you're starting a company, it's mostly in your head," Chesky said. 

Earlier this year, Chesky hinted about the changing landscape in the company and said he is very upbeat about the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence.

Now Read: Couple Uses 'Huge' Airbnb Profits To Buy Time: They Only Spend 1 Hour Working Per Week

This story is part of a new series of features on the subject of success, Benzinga Inspire.

Photo: FORTUNE Global Forum on flickr