How smart is Travis Kalanick?
I always see articles about Musk, Gates, etc. and how they are super high IQ. What about the legendary TK though? Can anyone at Uber comment on his general intelligence level? Is he a bro that smart or is he actually a wizard?
How smart is Adam Neumann?
He started one of the first file sharing companies and wrote code for it, so he has engineering smarts. While that is important for a founder, a very high level of intelligence in all of the main categories (logical, social, etc) is the most important quality in a founder. Founders have to perform a number of tasks that are completely different (build a product, listen to customers, lead a team, sell a product, sell company to investors) at a very high level without much outside direction or time to learn. Having a brain with broad intelligence lets these special founders do this, and it is a rare quality.
Very well said. You sound like a founder
😉
not overly technical (more PM than EM) but smarter and way way harder working than media portrayal. probably like 1/2 a Musk. dude was down dirty knife fighting in the startup trenches for a decade before hitting on Uber. I wouldnt underestimate him and if i was 22 and had the chance to work with him I’d take it .
I’d take the chance without a second thought now, regardless of age. Imagine getting in the ground floor of a TK company. The stories alone would make it worth it.
TK is awesome. He's a badass tho. He used to have staff meetings in strip clubs. Atleast Uber didn't layoff folks with TKs leadership. I'd say he is one of the badass leaders.
He had meetings in strip clubs? You’re not making that up?
Had*
I think he’s amazing. Not necessarily in the technical department but in terms of raw hustle, work ethic, and unparalleled optimism that gets his people to work hard and achieve things they didn’t think were possible. Working in Uber 1.0 under him was amazing. He makes success happen.
Crazy smart. As in he will smash someone's face in for messing with Uber if he can get away with it. Now putting more thought into it, he might just be crazy. But he is a great leader nonetheless
TK is amazing. His fighting spirit holds no parallels, he will do anything to win. He will make any company with a product with good market fit successful.
He had more systems intelligence than Dara, for sure.
As in systems engineering?
But Travis didn’t push the “operating system for your life”. That’s the ultimate system. 🤣
Wizard no!. Lizard yes!!!!