And nobody knows me now.
This is the story of Travis Kalanick, Uber’s original co-founder who scaled it globally.
But in 2017, he faced growing scrutiny over lawsuits, scandals, and a toxic work culture.
And after a couple of months of pressure from major investors, the board demanded his resignation.
So despite owning significant shares, Travis lost control of Uber and got pushed out
He still walked away a billionare, but not as the man leading the $70B company he built.
His story highlights that the power isn’t permanent, even for founders
So if you’re an app founder, remember this:
1️⃣ Set up dual-class shares early to retain voting control.
2️⃣ Carefully structure your board so it can’t turn against you.
3️⃣ Install founder control clauses early (e.g. supervoting shares or veto power on CEO replacement).
4️⃣ Avoid over-raising too early (too much investor power too soon can cost you control)
The smartest move? Set the rules while you still have leverage.
Because if you wait too long, someone else will write them for you.
startups venturecapital saas tech founders
This post was originally shared by on Linkedin.