When I worked at Expedia, I worked a bit with Barry Diller on the project to spin the travel companies out of IAC. This led to the creation of Expedia Inc. Barry is married to Diane von Furstenberg and is estimated to be worth $1.5 billion dollars. He’s known for his extravagances such as his boat, EOS, the longest sailing yacht in the world at 305 feet, private jet, etc, etc.

Barry had a private meeting room in the former IAC HQ – he tricked it out with technology and he created a back lit, well-branded seat for himself (he’s a big fan of video conferencing).

The first time I met with Barry in the room, I was ushered in. It was just me and him so when I walked in, I immediately turned to close the door.

“DON’T TOUCH THE DOOR,” he barked aggressively. “IT’S REMOTE CONTROLLED AND I HAVE A BUTTON FOR IT HERE. YOU’LL BREAK IT!”

Other executives tell the exact same story. Many of them in fact. I heard the door was repaired frequently.