Empowering Airbnb’s Growth Division for the Olympic Year
Airbnb's Growth Division achieved record-breaking bookings, expanded listings, and a €1 billion economic impact during the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Earlier in the year, Lina spoke to the newly formed team.
Industry: Travel & Hospitality
Background
In early 2024, Airbnb's newly formed Growth Division was tasked with a pivotal mission: to leverage the platform’s global reach to connect millions of users with the Olympic Games. This initiative marked a key milestone in Airbnb’s ongoing partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
As an Olympic athlete with a proven track record in coaching, sustainability leadership, and community engagement, Lina was invited to deliver a keynote and workshop titled "Go for Gold." The presentation served as both a rallying cry and a strategic blueprint to equip the team with a resilience mindset to address this challenge.
Objectives:
Build Resilience: Provide the Growth Division with actionable strategies to navigate the high-pressure environment of an Olympic year.
Host Empowerment: Share insights from Lina’s personal experience as an Airbnb host to inspire innovative solutions.
Cultural Connection: Align Airbnb’s mission to foster belonging with the unifying spirit of the Games.
Contributions:
Drawing on her background as a two-time Olympian and Airbnb host, Lina developed and delivered the "Go for Gold" presentation centered on "The Five Steps to Build Resilience."
This framework combined personal storytelling with actionable insights, emphasizing adaptability, innovation, and commitment — qualities critical to Airbnb’s success in scaling operations during the Olympics and Paralympics.
Key Framework Elements:
Acceptance: Lina illustrated the importance of recognizing and adapting to uncontrollable external factors — a key lesson from her Olympic journey and hosting experiences.
Responsibility: Through anecdotes, Lina emphasized the value of personal accountability in navigating challenges, inspiring the team to identify their role in shaping outcomes.
Reframing: The discussion centered on how to transform obstacles into opportunities, encouraging creative thinking to address global challenges.
Reimagining: Lina encouraged the team to envision bold, new strategies for engagement, highlighting Airbnb’s potential to make the Games accessible to a wider audience.
Recommitment: By underscoring the power of willingness, Lina reinforced the Growth Division’s ability to align with Airbnb’s long-term goals.
“Your presentation was a resounding success! The team couldn’t stop talking about how inspiring your story was and how much they learned from you. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and leaving such a lasting impact!”
”Meeting you in person was truly wonderful. Your story touched many hearts, and your humor and connection to our work resonated deeply with the team. It was a privilege to have you with us.”
”Thank you for your time, presence, and insights! Your humor and authenticity made such a difference. The feedback from the team has been amazing, and we’re excited about working with you again in Paris!”
Lina’s Reflections:
One key message that resonated deeply with the team was the importance of celebrating "gold medal moments" along the journey.
I emphasized that while challenges are inevitable, waiting solely for a big payout at the end might not sustain them. Instead, creating and celebrating small wins along the way would provide the motivation and energy needed for long-term success.
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