Storytelling is magic
Over the last few days, I've been obsessing over the story behind Airbnb. Learning about their founding as a company and how they got to be where they are today is deeply inspiring and fuels my hunger to be building companies throughout my life. One thing that really stuck out to me was Brian Chesky's extraordinary storytelling skills. I've never seen anything like it.
Brian holds a stage like no other, and this was so clear following his introduction of Airbnb's Icon experiences just a week or so ago. He captivates the audience seamlessly, and is incredibly articulate and well-spoken. His words just flow and draws people in, and that's a huge reason that Airbnb has had the success so far. Being able to make people listen to you, but importantly connect wholeheartedly is a superpower.
When he was on stage introducing Icons, it was the first time in a while that I was genuinely mind-blown. In my heart and my gut, it felt like I was witnessing the next Disney emerging or a step in a direction that didn't feel possible.
This is due to Brian's true ability to connect with people listening. If it weren't for Brian, I don't believe it would've been even nearly as magical. I see his storytelling ability as a trickle down from Steve Jobs. They just feel so similar, and that's extremely high praise that Chesky deserves.
The act of storytelling -- drawing people in, connecting with them, creating instant rapport -- is a power that I think is fundamental to making something that feels like magic. You have to have the ability to just make people thing: "this is the real deal." It's so hard to do, but so so important.
My goal is to become a sliver of a storyteller of the Jobs and Cheskys of the world. I want to clearly articulate and connect deeply with others where they believe there's a better future coming. Storytelling is everything and truly feels like art when you see it.