Airbnb’s killer feature today is brand recognition, which helps renters and landlords recall the name of the marketplace. In many cities, you can get exactly the same room on other sites, and many are literally hotel rooms you might find on booking.com. (In most cases, the deals are better on those sites in terms of refunds and perks).

Even with strong insurances, you’ll need to attract the trust both customers and inventory. You’ll need a strong brand name, endorsements, advertisements—or even some gimmick or feature—to differentiate yourself from the pack of other wannabes.