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My First Million

My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

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Host Exchange Network

For: Airbnb hosts with unused nights who want to travel affordably

Buildability

The Problem

Airbnb hosts typically have 40% unused nights but still want to travel. Paying for accommodations while owning unused rental property feels inefficient.

The Solution

Platform where hosts trade unused nights based on property values. Higher-value properties share fewer nights, lower-value properties share more, but all hosts get equal travel credits (e.g., 21 days per year).

Why Now?

4 million Airbnb hosts globally provide large addressable market. Remote work trends increase demand for location flexibility. Sharing economy acceptance established.

Build MVP in 7 Days

Day 1

Survey Airbnb hosts about travel habits and unused nights

Day 2

Create simple matching algorithm for property swaps

Day 3

Design trust/verification system

Day 4

Build basic landing page and signup

Day 5

Recruit 20 pilot hosts in different cities

Day 6

Test one actual exchange

Day 7

Calculate unit economics

How to Validate

Post in Airbnb host Facebook groups asking about interest
Interview 50 hosts about travel spending vs unused nights
Research existing home exchange services for lessons
Test pricing sensitivity through surveys
Analyze geographic distribution of potential users

Revenue Model

Annual membership fees ($500-1000), transaction fees on exchanges, premium services for property management, insurance partnerships

Competitive Moat

Network effects (more hosts = more destinations), trust and reputation systems, relationships with property management companies

Risks to Consider

Chicken-and-egg problem getting initial hostsTrust and safety incidentsProperty damage and insurance complicationsSeasonal mismatch in demand/supplyCompetition from existing home exchange services