[maxxxxx]

" At the time, startups, as we know them today, were a rarity. Funding yourself to start one, even more so. "

Come on! Never heard of the dotcom bubble? It was all about startups.

And people have been self funding businesses throughout history.

Airbnb did what a lot of other people had been doing since eternity. Nothing new.

[krn]

I am writing from a European perspective, but my impression is, that even in 2007 starting a startup or working for one was still not as common as it is today for a recent graduate in the US[1].

[1] http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html