MEET THE FOUNDER OF UBER, CURTIS CHAMBERS
PART 1 OF THE CAREER AND INDUSTRY LEADER HIGHLIGHT SERIES
Everyone knows Uber. It’s practically become its own verb, often used to refer to any activity involving getting a ride somewhere from an anonymous person. As one of the only juniors in college that still doesn’t have a car, I’ve “ubered” all over San Diego and have encountered a unique range of people through these rideshare experiences. But, have you ever thought about how Uber has grown into the empire it is today? Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with one of Uber’s initial founders: Curtis Chambers. As a former USD student with a passion for computer science, Curtis played an integral role in bringing the vision of Uber to life. In its early stages, Uber was completely different from the online, app-based platform it is now. And the road to establishing a minimum viable product from nothing wasn’t a smooth, easy path either. Learn from Curtis as he shares his entrepreneurial endeavors in his involvement with the company, and gives advice for anyone inspired and driven by entrepreneurship and innovation.
Why was Uber Developed?
Uber started off as a small-scale solution to a problem many in San Francisco were experiencing at the time. Hailing a taxi in 2006 was often a long and difficult process, and part of the reason for this was the shortage of medallions issued by the government. Demand for taxi services was high, but taxi drivers needed to have government-issued taxi medallions to operate. The supply of taxis had been artificially restricted for years due to the decline in medallions being issued, so this presented an opportunity for a new system of ride-sharing to develop to make transportation easier and more efficient. The concept was initially intended to just be used by the founders as a small-scale solution to the problems they experienced in having reliable and easy access to transportation. The original idea was to hire a driver, buy a Mercedes S Class, and have the driver pick them up wherever and whenever they needed. A phone app was intended to help streamline the process, but at the time, the iPhone had only been out for 2 years - smartphones then were certainly not what they are today.
What did the Investment and Capital Raising Process Look Like?
Uber is an example of a company that was able to successfully transition from an unconventional start-up idea to a well-known and commonly used business. However, the early stages of the venture were not without challenges. Uber struggled to get any outside investments. Their idea was shot down by countless venture capital firms and angel investors. They ended up getting a majority of the funds from friends and family. Also, the founders all had strong network ties throughout Silicon Valley, allowing them to negotiate with these connections to scrape for limited resources.
What are Some of the Biggest Takeaways from your Entrepreneurial Pursuits?
Market research is extremely valuable, so when designing something for your target market, be sure to have an extensive understanding of who you are serving, what they would most benefit from, and what they perceive to be something of value
Don’t get caught up in the small details, you must be able to look at the problem and your proposed solution on a holistic level first
Exposure to different roles within a company is very valuable, but if possible, try to recruit members on your team who might be able to do that task better
What are Some Important Skills for Entrepreneurs to Have Today?
The ability to learn new things and be adaptable are one of the most important skills. Successful entrepreneurs are able to be open-minded, flexible, and able to pivot in the face of adversity. Without this skill, even the best ideas can suffer fatal consequences.
Hope you enjoyed hearing the highlights from my conversation with Curtis Chambers, and learned as much as I did from his insights. As someone who is always looking to learn about different career paths and opportunities as I attempt to navigate my own life, these interviews never fail in providing invaluable information. Stay tuned for future interviews with other industries and career paths in the Career and Industry Leader Highlight Series. And feel free to leave suggestions for future questions or speakers who you’d like to hear from in the comments below. That’s it for now!
Gianna
