"AM I A designer first and then an entrepreneur, or vice versa?" says Joe Gebbia, carefully repeating my question. He speaks methodically, weighing each word before it takes shape. "Well, it's chicken-and-egg. The act of design is identifying a problem, then coming up with a solution. You have to envision something that doesn't yet exist and then you have to go make it."
Today, Gebbia is best known as one of America's most successful businessmen, a philanthropist and visionary who has revolutionized the hospitality industry and whose net worth last year was estimated by Forbes at $7.4 billion. Since he regards himself as extremely fortunate and wealthy far beyond his needs, he has pledged in writing to give away half his riches before he dies. Yet barely a decade and a half ago, Gebbia was asking himself a question that is all too familiar for many lower-income Americans: How am I going to pay the rent?
It was 2007 and Gebbia and roommate Brian Chesky, both 20-something designers, were gainfully employed yet barely getting by in San Francisco, a city whose housing market had reached boiling point thanks to the massive boom in Silicon Valley's tech industries. When their landlord suddenly raised their rent by an exorbitant 20 percent, they found themselves strapped for cash.
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Esta historia es de la edición July 2023 de Business Traveler US.
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Around the World in 80 Ways - Oneworld releases an Al-powered travel service for extended international voyages
A new generative artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent will leverage Google Cloud to help ambitious travelers easily book international trips with Oneworld member airlines. The alliance’s Round the World fares allow passengers to book up to 16 flights between at least three continents on a globe-spanning trip that lands back home up to a year later.
Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights
United has become the first major U.S. airline to announce a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink WiFi. Passengers will soon enjoy high-speed, lowlatency Internet service, enabling seamless gate-to-gate connectivity across domestic and international flights.
Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it
There seems to be bipartisan agreement that everything from teen suicide rates to poor mental health and more is due to social media. The obvious solution, they believe, is to impose government oversight on how such services can be provided. Congress is considering sweeping social media legislation and a number of states have already enacted such laws.
Golden Age
Porsche celebrates a half-century of its 911 Turbo with a limited-editon model
The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons
Bags that make the most of your space while providing carefree convenience
Crystal Palace
Baccarat offers sparkling cocktails in Midtown Manhattan
East Meets West
Chef Cyril Lignac fuses French and Japanese cuisine in the heart of London
Bigger.Better.
American Express relocated and improved its Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address issues with overcrowding and enhance the customer experience
High Style
A nonstop journey from Singapore to Los Angeles in Business Class