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  3. How Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Went From Sleeping In His Parents' House To Owning A Multi-Billion Dollar Empire

How Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Went From Sleeping In His Parents' House To Owning A Multi-Billion Dollar Empire

Kalanick grew up in Northridge, Calif., a suburb outside Los Angeles. When he was a kid, he wanted to be a spy.

How Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Went From Sleeping In His Parents' House To Owning A Multi-Billion Dollar Empire

However, Kalanick would eventually follow in the entrepreneurial footsteps of his mom, a retail advertiser. He went door-to-door, selling knives for Cutco as a youngster. He started his first business at age 18, an SAT-prep course called New Way Academy.

However, Kalanick would eventually follow in the entrepreneurial footsteps of his mom, a retail advertiser. He went door-to-door, selling knives for Cutco as a youngster. He started his first business at age 18, an SAT-prep course called New Way Academy.

He went to UCLA to study computer engineering. He'd drop out in 1998, but with good reason.

He went to UCLA to study computer engineering. He

Kalanick dropped out of college to work on Scour, a peer-to-peer search engine, with classmates Michael Todd and Vince Busam. He collected unemployment while working full-time for Scour, which was run on angel funding obtained by one Scour co-founder's friends and family.

Kalanick dropped out of college to work on Scour, a peer-to-peer search engine, with classmates Michael Todd and Vince Busam. He collected unemployment while working full-time for Scour, which was run on angel funding obtained by one Scour co-founder

After being sued by several entertainment companies to the tune of $250 billion, Scour filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

After being sued by several entertainment companies to the tune of $250 billion, Scour filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Kalanick rebounded with RedSwoosh, a networking software company. But he butt heads with his new cofounder, Scour cofounder Michael Todd. Between the post-9/11 stock market crash, pushing legal boundaries by not withholding their employees' income taxes, and a final falling-out between the cofounders, RedSwoosh almost never made it to exit. But in 2007 Kalanick sold RedSwoosh to Akamai for $23 million.

Kalanick rebounded with RedSwoosh, a networking software company. But he butt heads with his new cofounder, Scour cofounder Michael Todd. Between the post-9/11 stock market crash, pushing legal boundaries by not withholding their employees

Now a millionaire, Kalanick owned a big house with a personal chef. He called his home the "jam pad," because it was where tech entrepreneurs would get together and jam on business ideas. Box's Aaron Levie and marketing mogul Gary Vaynerchuk were among the house's frequent guests.

Now a millionaire, Kalanick owned a big house with a personal chef. He called his home the "jam pad," because it was where tech entrepreneurs would get together and jam on business ideas. Box

Kalanick spent his first year as a millionaire traveling around the world. He went to Spain, Japan, Greece, Iceland, Greenland, Hawaii (twice), France (twice), Australia, Portugal, Cape Verde, and Senegal.

Kalanick spent his first year as a millionaire traveling around the world. He went to Spain, Japan, Greece, Iceland, Greenland, Hawaii (twice), France (twice), Australia, Portugal, Cape Verde, and Senegal.

Late in 2008, at the LeWeb technology conference, he first heard the idea for Uber. He envisioned it as a way to lower the cost of black car service at the touch of a button.

Late in 2008, at the LeWeb technology conference, he first heard the idea for Uber. He envisioned it as a way to lower the cost of black car service at the touch of a button.

Garrett Camp, Oscar Salazar and Conrad Whelan built the first version of Uber, a black car service called UberCab. Kalanick served as a "mega advisor," though he's previously said his title then was "chief incubator." With UberCab, which cost about 1.5 times as much as a cab, you could request a car in San Francisco by sending a text or pressing a button.

Garrett Camp, Oscar Salazar and Conrad Whelan built the first version of Uber, a black car service called UberCab. Kalanick served as a "mega advisor," though he

Early in 2010, Ryan Graves was brought onboard as UberCab's general manager. Soon, he'd be named CEO. UberCab launched in June 2010 in San Francisco. It was a huge hit in San Francisco, though investors weren't initially knocking down Uber's door to invest.

Early in 2010, Ryan Graves was brought onboard as UberCab

In summer 2010, Uber raised money from investors: a $1.25 million seed round from First Round Capital, Kalanick's friend Chris Sacca, and Napster cofounder Shawn Fanning.

In summer 2010, Uber raised money from investors: a $1.25 million seed round from First Round Capital, Kalanick

In December of that year, Kalanick became CEO, and Graves became Uber's general manager again. According to both, the re-arrangement was friendly.

In December of that year, Kalanick became CEO, and Graves became Uber

Source: TechCrunch



Kalanick's personality — described by those who know him as reckless and arrogant, at times — has been the reason Uber has found so much success. After San Francisco, Uber rapidly expanded its services. Today it operates in more than 130 cities across 45 countries.

Kalanick

Source: Business Insider and Uber

In June, Uber was valued at an astounding $18 billion. It's raised $1.5 billion in funding. Its recent valuation would make Kalanick a billionaire.

In June, Uber was valued at an astounding $18 billion. It

Source: Forbes

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