Tesla lost its CEO

Not sure if that's the grumblings of one feeling disenfranchised, or just his thinking that he needs to say something about what everyone seems to already know.
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poly just tongue in cheek. he knows the company is toast without him

 

Not sure I agree with toast...at least immediately. The rate of innovation would decline for sure. Kind of like another big company I know.

I always bristle just a little bit when people think Tesla is only Elon. It takes away and/or diminishes what hard work other people are doing in the company. What about Franz, or JB, or the other engineers that work very hard as well? What about the thousands of other employees?

Sorry, not meaning to come back at you, more of a response to the collective Elon worship that thinks Elon somehow is the only employee at Tesla, or even the only innovator there.

 

It's probably unfair.
BUT..
To the great populace, mention Tesla and about the only name they do associate with it, is Elon Musk. It's kind of face of the franchise stuff. I don't think this was by accident. For most of Tesla's evolution, Elon Musk as spokesperson and face of the franchise was used to the advantage of Tesla.

My opinion is given the uniqueness and current exclusivity of the Tesla product, it can't really operate with the freedom of anonymity afforded larger companies.
The marketable mystique of "wunderkind" status once held by Elon Musk, was a great strength.
As the face of Tesla, he could make people excited about their product and optimistic about their future and evolution.

 

Well put.
Moving forward, as the public becomes more aware of Elon, the more he "must" be put in the background, his antics and proven mistakes are overtaking any positive effect he was having.
I'm still dwelling on Elon's handling of Paypal, he was crooked then.... My personal distrust has nothing to do with the Tesla car, just the shady Aura of Elon
JMHO,YMMV

 

agree, but i'm not sure any/all of those talented people could keep the company afloat without him.
even future financing would be a huge issue.

it's one thing to have a tim cook take over a long established company like apple, and a whole nuther to have an unknown name trying to do what elon is doing right now.

i wouldn't call it worship, but you have to recognize the genius that very few people in history have had that completely changes the world. it is to easy to be dismissive.
there are lots of great engineers, managers and etc., but most toil day to day making someone else's dream come true because they don't have that one missing ingredient.

i could be wrong, but i don't see many people who have been able to do what musk has done in life.
capable maybe, but not able.

 

Definitely agree that he is the kind of genius a generation only see a few of. But I also wonder what the company would be like without the iconic designs of Franz. I think his styling is an underrated part of the company. Also, I agree that they wouldn't be able to grow very quickly since access to money would be harder. But remember, they are profitable now and can go into a mode of slow growth using only their profits. And don't forget they already sell more vehicles than other luxury automakers. So in other words, I generally agree, but I simply don't subscribe to the company is screwed without Elon philosophy. If this conversation happens even a year or more ago, then I agree. But they are past the point where every decision is as magnified or as critical.

 

Side note, I also think this is why he will only be with the company full time (well, really double full time) another 10-15 years. His genius will become more and more irrelevant in an established large company. His genius can be better served doing new startups and groundbreaking ideas.

 

all possibilities, but i'm still on the other side the fence. i don't think one q of profits means very much towards long term viability, but it is a start.
i do think they will need financing for many years, and cannot grow slowly, or even remain viable without it.
legacy carmakers have other profit centers, even while losing sales of high end vehicles.

i think most buyers want ev, range, performance and superchargers, and styling has little to do with it.

but these are all just opinions, and hopefully, we won't have to find out the hard way.

 

Probably true up to a point. I think it matters in the S and X price range, though.

 

losing Musk would be the best possible thing to happen to Tesla

 

hard to imagine, but who knows?