Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs
Tesla reorganized, fired founder Eberhard upset
Michael Corleone said it best, "It's not personal, it's business." There's been a lot of turmoil in the Silicon Valley hills lately as the Tesla Motors saga continues. Departed founder Martin Eberhard reports on his blog at TeslaFounders.com that the reorganization has been a "bloodbath" and questions the wisdom of the corporate machinations. Tesla's Daryl Siry contends that the company needed to tighten up its organization and refocus on the goal of actually delivering cars versus burning investment dollars. It's a lot like what went on in the nascent personal computer industry 30 years ago: a passionate team of visionaries assembles around a common ideal, and eventually it becomes a business, at which point pain ensues prior to success, or failure occurs. Tesla intends to remain independent, and now wants to move forward with solving delivery holdups. [Source: AutoblogGreen]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
victor 12:44PM (1/13/2008)
Well said Dan, but I couldn't help but be reminded of Tucker... I'm not saying this is some master plot to sink the Tesla, but it is a little disconcerting to see the visionaries leave so soon-- and so disruptively.
Who knows? Maybe in 10 years he'll come back to save the company like Jobs did with Apple 2.0
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Dan Roth 2:00PM (1/13/2008)
Tucker had some other issues, but the main downfall of that company was Preston Tucker biting off more than he could chew. He was basically re-engineering *all* of the systems that go into an automobile all at once.
John 12:44PM (1/13/2008)
First rule of launching a successful product in Silicon Valley is to fire the inventor. Usually they have some vision that is not compatible with business realities.
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Mason Hill 4:42PM (1/13/2008)
Manufacturing means actually delivering your product. Great idea that needed a dose of reality, now on to actually keeping it all going.