Scott Gorlick

Everybody at the company could see exactly what city was doing what, who is growing fastest. And it became like a really competitive dynamic that all just kind of like pushed each other forward, which was a really interesting approach.

I think there were definitely cities that fell behind. But in a lot of cases, like the teams were just incredible. It was more function of the regs. So a lot of times, you know, if a city was struggling, it would be due to the regulations and the laws. So, you know, they would make it really difficult. to operate, they would take in drivers, they would try to shut us down.

I think there were definitely cities that fell behind. But in a lot of cases, like the teams were just incredible. It was more function of the regs. So a lot of times, you know, if a city was struggling, it would be due to the regulations and the laws. So, you know, they would make it really difficult. to operate, they would take in drivers, they would try to shut us down.

I think there were definitely cities that fell behind. But in a lot of cases, like the teams were just incredible. It was more function of the regs. So a lot of times, you know, if a city was struggling, it would be due to the regulations and the laws. So, you know, they would make it really difficult. to operate, they would take in drivers, they would try to shut us down.

And over time, that regulatory situation cleared up where we were able to operate more freely, or we ended up moving the teams to other cities or working on other projects. But I would say it wasn't like certain markets were underperforming because of underperformance. It was more like external factors that people couldn't control.

And over time, that regulatory situation cleared up where we were able to operate more freely, or we ended up moving the teams to other cities or working on other projects. But I would say it wasn't like certain markets were underperforming because of underperformance. It was more like external factors that people couldn't control.

And over time, that regulatory situation cleared up where we were able to operate more freely, or we ended up moving the teams to other cities or working on other projects. But I would say it wasn't like certain markets were underperforming because of underperformance. It was more like external factors that people couldn't control.

South by Southwest, Austin 2014. The mecca for all things tech. In Austin, we were not allowed to operate because there were two rules in Austin that prevented us from doing so. If you ordered a black car in Austin... The minimum fare, whether you're going a block or a mile, was $55.

South by Southwest, Austin 2014. The mecca for all things tech. In Austin, we were not allowed to operate because there were two rules in Austin that prevented us from doing so. If you ordered a black car in Austin... The minimum fare, whether you're going a block or a mile, was $55.

South by Southwest, Austin 2014. The mecca for all things tech. In Austin, we were not allowed to operate because there were two rules in Austin that prevented us from doing so. If you ordered a black car in Austin... The minimum fare, whether you're going a block or a mile, was $55.

If you ordered a car and it showed up in one minute, you had to legally stare at it for another 29 minutes before being allowed to get in. It made absolutely no sense, Harry. So what we did in 2014 was we decided that we were going to do South by Southwest, as we'd done the previous years. And this year, we decided to do black cars. And we actually did the $55 minimum fare, which was a bonanza.

If you ordered a car and it showed up in one minute, you had to legally stare at it for another 29 minutes before being allowed to get in. It made absolutely no sense, Harry. So what we did in 2014 was we decided that we were going to do South by Southwest, as we'd done the previous years. And this year, we decided to do black cars. And we actually did the $55 minimum fare, which was a bonanza.

If you ordered a car and it showed up in one minute, you had to legally stare at it for another 29 minutes before being allowed to get in. It made absolutely no sense, Harry. So what we did in 2014 was we decided that we were going to do South by Southwest, as we'd done the previous years. And this year, we decided to do black cars. And we actually did the $55 minimum fare, which was a bonanza.

A lot of drivers did very well. And we brought in drivers from Austin, from Dallas, from Houston, from San Antonio. And it was incredible. Authorities weren't super concerned about the pre-reservation, like get a car, and then it shows up 29 minutes later. et cetera. But what we did on UberX really inflamed them. So what we decided to do was we decided to do free UberX for all itself by Southwest.

A lot of drivers did very well. And we brought in drivers from Austin, from Dallas, from Houston, from San Antonio. And it was incredible. Authorities weren't super concerned about the pre-reservation, like get a car, and then it shows up 29 minutes later. et cetera. But what we did on UberX really inflamed them. So what we decided to do was we decided to do free UberX for all itself by Southwest.

A lot of drivers did very well. And we brought in drivers from Austin, from Dallas, from Houston, from San Antonio. And it was incredible. Authorities weren't super concerned about the pre-reservation, like get a car, and then it shows up 29 minutes later. et cetera. But what we did on UberX really inflamed them. So what we decided to do was we decided to do free UberX for all itself by Southwest.

But what ended up happening was that we paid the drivers a set dollar amount per hour. So the drivers were paid. And then we basically said, okay, cool. We're going to let the riders ride for free. So what ended up happening was the regulators ended up targeting some of the cars and requesting specific cars to come to specific places.

But what ended up happening was that we paid the drivers a set dollar amount per hour. So the drivers were paid. And then we basically said, okay, cool. We're going to let the riders ride for free. So what ended up happening was the regulators ended up targeting some of the cars and requesting specific cars to come to specific places.

But what ended up happening was that we paid the drivers a set dollar amount per hour. So the drivers were paid. And then we basically said, okay, cool. We're going to let the riders ride for free. So what ended up happening was the regulators ended up targeting some of the cars and requesting specific cars to come to specific places.

And on the way out of the car, the ride would proceed as normal. And on the way out of the car, the rider that was their plant actually left a $20 bill in the car just in the backseat. And then after the driver let the rider out of the car, the cops would come up and cite the driver. So that was an incredibly frustrating experience with regulators among laws that just didn't make sense.