IPO

Gary834
Level 2
Bend, OR

IPO

How many other hosts think ABNB should allow us to participate in the IPO before trading? We are the backbone of the company!

32 Replies 32
Matthew1016
Level 2
Overland Park, KS

As a keystakeholder we would agree with your statement and per Airbnb's own statements this would make sense.  If they want to treat us as partner's they should allow for us to participate in the IPO at a minimum at the listed IPO offering price (or I would think a discount to IPO similar to their employees or other shareholders who have equity or stock grants and RSUs).  Hopefully they don't prioritize Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sach clients over Airbnb hosts who helped build the business. @Brian @CatherinePowell

 

1. Identify our stakeholders.

The stakeholders who make up the Airbnb community are Guests, Hosts, Communities, Shareholders, and Employees. The design challenge is to create a company that considers the needs of all stakeholders. Hosts provide Guests with unique, authentic experiences so they feel like they belong, and Communities are where our business takes place. Unique and authentic, community-based experiences inspire people to want to travel. Finally, our Employees and Shareholders help power this work and grow this incredible community. 



Hosts

  • We treat our hosts as partners.
  • We enable the creation of millions of entrepreneurs.

Good morning. I completely agree with Jim Cramer’s assessment on the upcoming IPO. Done right, Airbnb has distinctive safety and healthy advantage over traditional hotels.


With that said, does AirBnB have plans to offer Super Hosts, aka “stake holders” access to the Offering or strike price, not the “first day on market” price??? @Brian @CatherinePowell

 

@Rebecca-and-Kevie0  Why would someone who is not a Super Host not be considered a "stake holder" ?    I don't particularly care for Super host status, but I would have got mine back several quarters ago, were it not for the automatic "freeze" on updating the assessment. 

 

A non-superhost works hard, offers their home as assets to the company, has often been a long-time participant in Airbnb, longer than many new Superhosts, but may have suffered a couple of unfair reviews. 

 

Enough with the "Superhost" entitlement, please, when it comes to the IPO, particularly.  Plenty of non-superhosts have been working inordinately hard the last few months, trying to accommodate guests under Covid-19 cleaning rules and travel restrictions, while many Superhosts have been unable (or unwilling) to host at all, but have kept their status. 

 

If any consideration is given to the hosting community for an IPO offering, it should be to all hosts. 

@Michelle53  Totally agree. I only have maintained Superhost status cause I get lovely guests who have all left 5* reviews. (Of course I answer requests and messages ASAP, have never cancelled a booking, but those are things I have control over, and I'm sure you and most other non-Superhosts do the same). As long as Airbnb refuses to remove retaliatory or just ridiculous complaining reviews, or reviews from guests who never even showed up, Superhost really means nothing, because hosts aren't in control of one of the major factors used in assessing that status. 

 

Aside from that, you couldn't pay me to invest in Airbnb. Their behavior is unethical, and their so-called customer service is ludicrous. 

Agreed it is hard work hosting - just as hard as traditional employees who are almost always allowed to participate in the offering and usually at a discount.

I am, in the same boat as most others. I cant believe I got left out of IPO. That sucks... I been a super host for 2 years and had no idea I could get in on this. I never got an E-Mail...

May I just enquire, @Matthew1016  - could you honestly evaluate that you feel treated as either a trusted, valued partner or a key stakeholder by Airbnb?

 

If yes, I do believe you may be in a rather tiny minority. And if no, that will perhaps give a more realistic indication of the chances of Airbnb making any favourable considerations anytime soon in relation to the needs or wishes of its host community - be it in connection with the IPO or anything else.

 

A leopard tends not to change its spots. 

Penelope
Marty5
Level 2
Santa Monica, CA

GoPro years ago did a similar pre-offering.  That would be a good gesture of commitment to the host community.  

Good morning. I completely agree with Jim Cramer’s assessment on the upcoming IPO. Done right, Airbnb has distinctive safety and healthy advantage over traditional hotels.


With that said, does AirBnB have plans to offer Super Hosts, aka “stake holders” access to the Offering or strike price, not the “first day on market” price???

@Rebecca-and-Kevie0

 

Mr Cramer also strongly encouraged viewers of his CNBC "Mad Money" show to buy stock in Bear Stearns just days before it collapsed, spoke freely in a televised interview of fooling the S.E.C while he ran his hedge fund and boasted about how easy it was to manipulate stock prices by using malleable reporters to broadcast and publish certain information "to create a level of activity beforehand that would drive futures" 

 

His prediction this week of Airbnb's IPO potentially turning out  to be "the steal of the century" has been met with a certain level of scorn and derision in some quarters, even amongst a number of his own followers. 

https://twitter.com/MadMoneyOnCNBC/status/1298096616063283200?s=20

 

The coronavirus effect, an extremely vague and uncertain path to profitability, a heavily fractured relationship with its own host community on foot of the COVID-19 refund debacle and global regulatory issues that are inevitably going to intensify as municipalities, communities and and local residents around the world have greatly benefitted from the colossal pandemic-induced return of former Airbnb-listed properties  to the long term rental markets, will all cast a very dark shadow on proceedings. 

 

And it's been quite some time, sadly, since anyone could truthfully describe many of Airbnb's activities as "done right"

 

Some will be betting on zero.

Penelope
Christina495
Level 1
Fort Collins, CO

Square also gave their merchant users access to buy before going public. I'm really surprised Airbnb hasn't done the same.

I am in the same boat as most others. I cant believe I got left out of IPO. That sucks... I been a super host for 2 years and had no idea I could get in on this. I never got an E-Mail. I am so sad this was not handled better then it was.

Paige175
Level 2
Queen Creek, AZ

I couldn't agree more with Airbnb offering their hosts the option to purchase IPO shares.  Airbnb's long term success depends heavily on their hosts.  This offering would be an amazing way to reward hosts and give them a much deeper sense of loyalty and partnership.  Both parties have an amazing chance to flourish together.  

Hello6
Level 10
Canary Islands, Spain

@Paige175 , & @Brian  if you have a chance to opt us in to buying even fractions of shares (like mutual fund idea) via a percent deduction from our bookings this would be a nice way to let us hosts into the market who are not in a position to buy big as our finances tied up elsewhere.  Like say maybe the company WestJets model (minus the risk of an airline stock) where employees can buy a stake in the company.  Understanding we are not employees we would like a chance to buy and your platform and payments system already shows it could be an online digital leader in website buy-in.  Then you would have access to the millions of other angel investors who are happy to buy percents of shares even.  Thanks for listening.  Good luck with the IPO and thank you for making Airbnb as it has helped us for sure  to live better in our small slice of paradise in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.