Belinda Johnson

“Every challenge that comes up is just a problem that needs a solution.”

“In my spare time, I volunteer at my daughters' schools so I can stay involved with the activities and parent/teacher community.”

“Being an online platform, we ran into challenges with Cuba's lack of Internet accessibility. We were able to work around that by creating a program unique to Cuba where many local hosts are working with hosting partners who have Internet access and can help them manage their Airbnb requests and bookings.”

“When I learned about Airbnb, I was like, 'Wow, this is an amazing, new way to travel; it's about community, and there's a lot to figure out to clear the way,' so I was really drawn to that.”

“Persistence pushes me to be bold and seek out the opportunities I've wanted. It starts by envisioning what you want, no matter how big or small, and believing that you can achieve it.”

“There was a time when people thought our hosts weren't collecting and remitting taxes, and we've been very proactive about going out and trying to solve this.”

“The advice I give is that, tempting as it is, getting the training you can get from law firm experience is really invaluable. It teaches you not just what you know but what you don't.”

“I'm thankful to be in a position in my career where I can advocate for better policies and partner with future generations, like my daughters, to be a voice for change.”

“I don't think I get angry.”

“After law school, I put on my power suit and worked at a series of law firms. By the time I was at my third in six years, it dawned on me that a traditional law job wasn't for me.”

“It's important for anyone working at a hyper growth company such as Airbnb to embrace learning and be open in order to keep pace with the changing environment.”

“I've always liked diving into new things.”

“We want for everyone to be treated with dignity and respect in any situation. And so we've been thinking about how do we use our platform to empower women. More than half of our hosts are women, and many are using the extra income to start their own businesses.”

“Whether we work in the private, public, or nonprofit sectors, International Women's Day is a time for us to think about how we can all step up and do everything in our power to help women make real economic progress.”

“So many opportunities are born from not asking permission.”

“There's a historical view that adding process into a scrappy start-up kills innovation, but I'm a firm believer that you need process at some point to remain agile.”

“Every woman who proves that it is not about gender but about excellence paves the way.”

“Even with uncertainty around the future of work in an increasingly automated world, Airbnb will remain a way for women to achieve greater financial independence and social empowerment in the years ahead.”

“When I left Yahoo, I was really looking for an early stage company that had some complexities and things that needed to be figured out.”

“As a company grows, things get stuck at the top. It can be a bottleneck.”