Lead Like Elon

Erastus Kipkirui Laboso and I discuss the artificial intelligence event hosted by Tesla and Elon Musk on August 19, 2021.

Host and Producer: Tim Hampton

Guest: Erastus Kipkirui Laboso

Erastus Kipkirui Laboso and I discuss the controversial acquisition of SolarCity by Tesla.

SolarCity as a venture funded by Elon Musk with him installed as Chairman with the company run by his cousins. Later, it was acquired by Tesla in a stock swap that left Elon Musk with even more Tesla shares. Since then, the solar business has mostly languished inside Tesla, with its volume of production and installation slowing and the vaunted solar tiles looking like a failure in the marketplace.

Elon now faces accusations from Tesla shareholders in the courtroom. Will he prevail? Will solar get more attention from Tesla? 

Host and Producer: Tim Hampton

Guest: Erastus Kipkirui Laboso

Thumbnail photo credit: Mike Mozart, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeepersmedia/17032782113, CC 2.0

Erastus Kipkirui Laboso, and I discuss the challenges Tesla faces from legacy auto.

Host and Producer: Tim Hampton

Guest: Erastus Kipkirui Laboso

Articles referred to in the show

37 Years Ago, Steve Jobs Ran Apple's Most Amazing Ad. Here's the Story (It's Almost Been Forgotten)

Does Legacy Auto Really Have What It Takes To Catch Tesla & Elon Musk?

Elon Musk to legacy automakers: you’re still welcome to license Tesla’s tech

Electric Vehicle Outlook 2021

Fiat Chrysler CEO says Ram will offer electric pickup

Ford F-150 Lightning Pricing Much Higher Than Tesla Cybertruck

Here Are All the Promises Automakers Have Made about Electric Cars

Legacy Autos Claim Their EV Premium After Missing 2020 Rally

Spec Comparison: BMW i4 M50 vs Tesla Model 3 Performance

Market has already decided the winner of the electric vehicle race, trader says

The Electric Vehicles Race: Tesla vs. Legacy Car Companies

Toyota's game-changing solid-state battery en route for 2021 debut

Fellow SpaceX and Tesla enthusiast, Erastus Kipkirui Laboso, and I discuss Elon Musk’s journey from his early days in South Africa to his current prominence in industries as varied as automobiles, orbital launch and energy production and storage.

Host and Producer: Tim Hampton

Guest: Erastus Kipkirui Laboso

In this second part of my Elon vs Jeff episode I look at the ways Elon Musk could compete with Jeff Bezos’ company Amazon. 

How does Tesla Web Services sound? Or the Everything Tunnel?  

Music by Nihilore: Bush Week https://youtu.be/VAlq59rG5-k

In this first part of my Elon vs Jeff episode I look at the ways Jeff Bezos’ companies Amazon and Blue Origin are threatening Elon Musk’s ventures.

Can the richest person in the world vanquish the second?  

Music by Nihilore: Bush Week https://youtu.be/VAlq59rG5-k

On the surface Apple and Elon’s companies appear to have little overlap, but competition is brewing between these giants. 

In this episode we’re going to look at the areas where Elon and Apple might compete head-to-head.  

Should Apple build a car, or license its technology? What should Elon do to respond?  

Music by Nihilore: Bush Week https://youtu.be/VAlq59rG5-k

Sunk costs are investments you make you can’t recover. The temptation is to double down to prove you were right in the first place, but the logical course is to say that was then, this is now, let’s do the best investment now.  

Elon Musk has said he will never give up, but in truth he has, not on his goals, but on his approaches. 

What can we learn from this in our own ventures?  

Credits

In a 2018 earnings call, Elon Musk was asked if Tesla’s Supercharger network could be used as a strategic moat to protect it from competitors. Elon’s answer?  “I think moats are lame ...if your only defense against invading armies is a moat, you will not last long.”  

This flies in the face of conventional business wisdom. First you build a castle. Then you build a moat to defend it. You literally create a barrier to entry to prevent competitors from attempting to occupy the ground you have conquered.  

Elon on the other hand is constantly moving forward. There’s no point building and seeking to defend it from challengers when you are constantly seeking to build something better.  You can’t build a moat around a moving target. In Elon’s world Elon’s only competition is himself.   

Music: BushWeek by Nihilore

Tesla makes desirable cars but is it ushering a future when cars are appliances? Two technologies seal this fate - electric propulsion and autonomous driving.

Music: BushWeek by Nihilore