Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned

Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by rurounijones on Thursday May 30, 2013 @12:47AM (#5790978)

I love the usual weaselly worded "We apologize if our changes caused you distress" automated response to her second email.

That kind of corporate lingo is what I expect from soulless corporations.

[EDIT]

To make it clear. She offered lots of suggestions on what other services they could use and instead of a personal "Thanks for that, we will investigate" they gave her the brush-off with an obviously automated email.

Pretty shoddy customer relations.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by hkmurakami on Thursday May 30, 2013 @12:53AM (#5790995)

Wasn't Airbnb the company where the founders took a special dividend using funds from one of the later VC rounds (which Ron Conway publicly objected to)?

That sounds like something leaders of soulless corporations would do.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by kiyoto on Thursday May 30, 2013 @01:12AM (#5791036)

No, it was Chamath who called them out (They later reconciled). http://allthingsd.com/20111001/vcs-unite-chamath-palihapitiy... and http://allthingsd.com/20111002/airbnb-investor-chamath-palih...

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by hkmurakami on Thursday May 30, 2013 @01:19AM (#5791062)

Thx for the correction :)

Did not know that they arranged to give employees liquidity after the initial news.

>Brian and I have spoken at length and based on our discussions, I’ve learned some new items that have proven to me that everyone is paying serious and thoughtful attention to the needs of all shareholders including employees. Specifically, the company has developed a strategy about their next financing round where all employees who have been with the company for some length of time will participate in a structured liquidity program. While the details haven’t been finalized, I know Brian and completely trust that he will execute on his commitment.

http://allthingsd.com/20111002/airbnb-investor-chamath-palih...

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by nitrogen on Thursday May 30, 2013 @11:27AM (#5793083)

PG himself suggested that investors should let founders cash out partially during investment rounds, so they're less uncomfortable about swinging for the fences: http://www.paulgraham.com/vcsqueeze.html

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by cmbaus on Thursday May 30, 2013 @12:56AM (#5791003)

I hadn't heard this. Dividends are a great way to screw over option holders, who are often employees.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by DHowett on Thursday May 30, 2013 @06:27AM (#5791707)

There were certainly other ways they were trying to screw over option holders (lit. employees), too.

(EDIT: Source: Prior working relationship with the company. Fought "tooth and nail" against this Verified ID junk.)

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by e_w on Thursday May 30, 2013 @08:19AM (#5792010)

Can you expand on that?

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by triplesec on Thursday May 30, 2013 @01:12AM (#5791039)

I think that was also Groupon, famously.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by hkmurakami on Thursday May 30, 2013 @01:15AM (#5791048)

Wasn't groupon just a straight equity cash out by the founders and some of the early investors? I don't remember hearing about a dividend.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by triplesec on Thursday May 30, 2013 @01:27AM (#5791086)

oh yes, I'm not au fait with the details of higher finance, so I'm sure you're right, but it still looked really dodgy to many given other aspects of the business

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by hkmurakami on Thursday May 30, 2013 @02:01AM (#5791164)

No worries. FYI the reason a dividend is worse is because you don't even give up any of your equity, as is the case when you sell your shares early (Groupon).

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by khuey on Thursday May 30, 2013 @02:03AM (#5791169)

And it screws over employees with options.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by ryguytilidie on Thursday May 30, 2013 @10:25AM (#5792661)

I love how people think this is rare.

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Re:Let’s help Airbnb rebuild the bridge it just burned by pvnick on Thursday May 30, 2013 @09:30AM (#5792332)

Is it possible that, being stuck between a rock and a hard place, they're trying to toe a thin tightrope (did I use that phrase correctly?) and, while well-intentioned, they may come off as a bit corporate?

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