August 16, 2026
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky on what founder mode really means
Decoder with Nilay Patel · Brian Chesky · 1 hr 6 min
Why we chose this episode
A slogan got loose on the internet and this is the conversation where someone is actually pressed on what it means. Chesky is unusually specific about how he runs things, and the interviewer does not let vague answers pass. Useful whether you agree with him or not.
Listen for this question
Where are you copying a style instead of solving your own problem?
Listen to the full episode
Every link above sends you to the creator’s own platform. We respect the original work, so we never host or summarize it here — we just point you back to the people who made it.
Visit Decoder with Nilay PatelWho it’s for: Anyone who manages people, or is managed by someone who quotes founders.
Best way to listen
At a desk, while you have work of your own on your mind.
After the episode
Name one thing you delegated because it was uncomfortable, not because it was right.
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