Airbnb CEO: Start your own company, if you want ….

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky challenged conventional workplace wisdom, saying that employee autonomy is "a giant misnomer" in corporate America and suggesting that workers who seek complete independence should venture into entrepreneurship instead.

"If you want to be autonomous, start your own company," Chesky said in a recent interview discussing his management philosophy. The statement comes as the home-sharing platform prepares for what Chesky calls "the biggest moment in the company's history since its founding" in 2024.

The CEO argues that most employees prefer integration over independence, noting that worker retention and engagement peak when staff members collaborate effectively with colleagues. "I don't think people for the most part want to be disintegrated, they want to be integrated," Chesky explained.

Defending his hands-on leadership approach, dubbed "founder mode," Chesky revealed he now reviews all work before release, describing himself as "the chief editor of the company." This management style, which he shares with tech leaders like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk , emerged from lessons learned during Airbnb 's pandemic-era crisis when the company lost 80% of its business.

The strategy appears to be working. Since implementing this approach, Airbnb has achieved profitability for the first time in 2022, with $1.9 billion in earnings. The company also made its Fortune 500 debut in 2023, ranking 450th with $8.4 billion in revenue.

Chesky emphasises that his involvement in company details differs from micromanagement: "You can be in the details with people without telling them what to do, working through problems with them."