Lyft Founder John Zimmer: On the Brink of IPO

Boss Files with Poppy Harlow

CNN

Business, Entrepreneurship

4.6 • 538 Ratings

🗓️ 18 February 2019

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As the race for ride-hailing services Lyft and Uber to go public, Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer believes there is nothing for his company to admire about rival Uber. He admits eliminating car ownership is their biggest business goal, explains why expanding to China is a risky market, and share how the company is committed to improving safety for all its passengers and drivers. He also opens up about the personal struggles he has faced as a Silicon Valley leader. Produced by Haley Draznin, CNN.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	In this episode of Boss Files, going public brings a certain amount of proper accountability to businesses.
0:08.5	Lyft co-founder and president John Zimmer, as the ride hailing service, it's on the brink of an IPO.
0:14.8	Competition with its rival Uber heating up in the race to go public.
0:18.9	Is there anything you admire about Uber?
0:25.6	I think I'm going to say no. Nothing.
0:26.6	That's a really, there's a lot of levels to that experience over the last few years,
0:32.6	so it would be hard for me to say anything but that.
0:35.6	Why he thinks they can eliminate car ownership
0:39.0	and how self-driving cars will change all of it.
0:42.9	And I want to provide customers with the best transportation
0:47.1	that allows them to save money, enjoy the experience more,
0:51.7	eliminates traffic, eliminates pollution, and has our cities as a more enjoyable place to live, Enjoy the experience more. Eliminates traffic. Eliminates pollution.
0:54.8	And has our cities as a more enjoyable place to live rather than parking lots and traffic.
1:00.6	Plus, China. Does he think the risk is worth it to dive in there?
1:05.5	And his personal battle with depression, his message to anyone struggling with it.
1:10.9	Here's my conversation with Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer.
1:15.1	John Zimmer, good to be with you.
1:16.7	Thanks for having me.
1:17.5	Thank you for joining me.
1:19.0	We sat down a few months ago at a conference, and I have even more questions for you since then.
1:24.2	And your business has grown so much and changed in just a few months as well.
1:28.3	I would note you did not take a lift here. I took the subway. The good old New York City
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