Cyan Banister

If somebody's coming to you and they have a really good argument, they can talk me out of things for sure. Maybe it's something that I didn't see. But sometimes I weigh that piece of advice and I'm like, hmm, I still think that they can overcome that hurdle.

If somebody's coming to you and they have a really good argument, they can talk me out of things for sure. Maybe it's something that I didn't see. But sometimes I weigh that piece of advice and I'm like, hmm, I still think that they can overcome that hurdle.

Uber. Uber. I lived in a hotel for a period of time. It was a nice hotel in San Francisco. And the front desk would arrange cars for me to get to the airport. And this was before Uber was even a thing. And so there was this livery driver that was my livery driver. And I really took a liking to him. So I got his card and I said, why don't I just start booking you directly?

Uber. Uber. I lived in a hotel for a period of time. It was a nice hotel in San Francisco. And the front desk would arrange cars for me to get to the airport. And this was before Uber was even a thing. And so there was this livery driver that was my livery driver. And I really took a liking to him. So I got his card and I said, why don't I just start booking you directly?

And I'll just ride with you. You're just an amazing person. And he was an immigrant from Brazil and just a really good driver. And just, I really liked talking with him in the car. One day I was going to the airport and he says, you know, I'm not an investor, but if I was, I would invest in this thing called Uber cab. Have you heard of it? And I said, no, I haven't.

And I'll just ride with you. You're just an amazing person. And he was an immigrant from Brazil and just a really good driver. And just, I really liked talking with him in the car. One day I was going to the airport and he says, you know, I'm not an investor, but if I was, I would invest in this thing called Uber cab. Have you heard of it? And I said, no, I haven't.

And he said, well, I'm their only driver. to me how Uber cab worked. And I said, okay, so they're paying you by the hour to drive around and pick up people who are texting some phone number. Keep in mind, there was no app at that time. It's just a phone number and you show up. And he's like, yes. And I said, huh, well, let me know when they're not paying you by the hour anymore.

And he said, well, I'm their only driver. to me how Uber cab worked. And I said, okay, so they're paying you by the hour to drive around and pick up people who are texting some phone number. Keep in mind, there was no app at that time. It's just a phone number and you show up. And he's like, yes. And I said, huh, well, let me know when they're not paying you by the hour anymore.

And the reason why I said that was for years prior, I was thinking about how Uber why is it that I go out and I try to hail a taxi and I can't get one, especially if it's raining or if there's a big conference going on, you'd think that there'd be more taxis that would come online to meet the market demand. So I started talking to taxi drivers about

And the reason why I said that was for years prior, I was thinking about how Uber why is it that I go out and I try to hail a taxi and I can't get one, especially if it's raining or if there's a big conference going on, you'd think that there'd be more taxis that would come online to meet the market demand. So I started talking to taxi drivers about

When you go get your car, what's the first thing that happens? And they say, well, I have to pay $100, $150 just to get the car to leave the yard. So they're already in the hole $150, right? So they're out there hustling, trying to get that $150 back just so they can be in the money.

When you go get your car, what's the first thing that happens? And they say, well, I have to pay $100, $150 just to get the car to leave the yard. So they're already in the hole $150, right? So they're out there hustling, trying to get that $150 back just so they can be in the money.

So they're zooming around like crazy acting like, because everybody says I get in a taxi and they drive super fast. Well, that's why they drive super fast is they're trying to get to the next fair and the next fair and the next fair. So then I said, well, how do you become a taxi driver? And they explained the medallion system to me. And I was like, wow, what a racket that is.

So they're zooming around like crazy acting like, because everybody says I get in a taxi and they drive super fast. Well, that's why they drive super fast is they're trying to get to the next fair and the next fair and the next fair. So then I said, well, how do you become a taxi driver? And they explained the medallion system to me. And I was like, wow, what a racket that is.

Definitely seems like a protectionist racket. So go back to the driver that I'm in the car with. This is a livery driver. It's not a taxi. They are regulated by TCP licensing, which means they have to be drug tested and they have to go through proof of insurance and all sorts of things like that in order to be a livery driver. So they started with those for a reason.

Definitely seems like a protectionist racket. So go back to the driver that I'm in the car with. This is a livery driver. It's not a taxi. They are regulated by TCP licensing, which means they have to be drug tested and they have to go through proof of insurance and all sorts of things like that in order to be a livery driver. So they started with those for a reason.

And that was the first vision. A lot of people, the first objection I heard about investing in that company was not everybody can afford a black car. And I said, well, that's a short-term vision. The long-term vision is that everybody's car becomes available and comes online to drive. And they said, oh, well, strangers won't get in strangers' cars. And I'm like, but they do all the time.

And that was the first vision. A lot of people, the first objection I heard about investing in that company was not everybody can afford a black car. And I said, well, that's a short-term vision. The long-term vision is that everybody's car becomes available and comes online to drive. And they said, oh, well, strangers won't get in strangers' cars. And I'm like, but they do all the time.

They get in a taxi. You don't know that person. And that person doesn't even own that car. So he gives me Ryan Graves' business card and he says, call Ryan Graves. And I look at the business card and the phone number I think was in like Chicago or something.

They get in a taxi. You don't know that person. And that person doesn't even own that car. So he gives me Ryan Graves' business card and he says, call Ryan Graves. And I look at the business card and the phone number I think was in like Chicago or something.