#57: Emil Michael — He built Uber to $170B (Travis Kalanick's right-hand man)

In this interview, Emil Michael discusses Uber's challenging entry into Italy, highlighting the resistance from the taxi industry and the extreme measures taken to impede Uber's operations. He explains Uber's strategies for launching in new cities, including the use of launch teams and a detailed playbook. The conversation shifts to dealing with negative press and the importance of founders building their own direct channels. Emil also shares his current focus on advising and investing in AI startups, particularly Perplexity AI, and offers advice on evaluating startup investments, emphasizing the need for a personal investment philosophy and the long-term nature of such investments. He concludes by reflecting on the unique, collaborative culture of Silicon Valley and the importance of paying it forward.