Running out of money and collecting extensive debt, Chesky and Gebbia entered the “Trough of Sorrow,” where a new business idea runs out of novelty and needs to start performing. They countered with a breakfast cereal for guests linked to the presidential campaign. There were boxes of Obama O’s, the breakfast of change, and Cap’n McCains, a maverick in every bite. They sent a sample to every media company, and the resulting exposure generated enough sales to recoup their costs and pay off most of their credit cards