--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We did a year of Uber in San Francisco…" description: "\"We did a year of Uber in San Francisco before we went to a second city. You get those processes down, then you really get started.\" — Travis Kalanick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/travis-kalanick-3911_city_we-did-a-year-of-uber-in-san-francisco-b_1720605.jpg" --- # We did a year of Uber in San Francisco before we went to a… ![“We did a year of Uber in San Francisco before we went to a second city. You get those processes down, then you really get started.” quote by Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/travis-kalanick-3911_city_we-did-a-year-of-uber-in-san-francisco-b_1720605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/travis-kalanick-3911_city_we-did-a-year-of-uber-in-san-francisco-b_1720605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/travis-kalanick-3911_city_we-did-a-year-of-uber-in-san-francisco-b_1720605.jpg) > “We did a year of Uber in San Francisco before we went to a second city. You get those processes down, then you really get started.” [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pilot a model in one market, refine processes, then expand confidently. **In simple terms:** Test, refine, then scale. Key Takeaway Validate locally before global growth. Themes iteration scalability process improvement Mood strategic pragmatic Type business practical When to use this quote - startup launch - expansion planning - operations management Key Concepts lean startup market validation Questions to Reflect On - What core processes need refinement? - How will you adapt them for new markets? A Different Perspective Scaling may fail if market conditions differ. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) ## Related quotes > [When I published a book earlier this year about Uber, the most common question I got about it was how many of the tumultuous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/when-i-published-a-book-earlier-this-year-about-uber-the-most-common/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [“The bill, AB2293, addresses the insurance coverage during the period when drivers log in to a smartphone app but have not yet been matched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bill-ab2293-addresses-the-insurance-coverage-during-the-period/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Safety is number one at Uber... so we make sure the system is in place so riders get the safest ride possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/safety-is-number-one-at-uber-so-we-make-sure-the-system-is-in-place/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [There's hundreds of millions of people that are card members at AmEx - all of them should be using Uber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/there-s-hundreds-of-millions-of-people-that-are-card-members-at-amex/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [We like to think of Uber as the cross between lifestyle and logistics, where lifestyle is what you want and logistics is how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/we-like-to-think-of-uber-as-the-cross-between-lifestyle-and-logistics/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Uber riders are the most affluent, influential people in their cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/uber-riders-are-the-most-affluent-influential-people-in-their-cities/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Uber exists because of mobile telephones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/uber-exists-because-of-mobile-telephones/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [I've never been derogatory towards taxi drivers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/i-ve-never-been-derogatory-towards-taxi-drivers/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [If Uber is lower-priced, then more people will want it. And if more people want it and can afford it, then you have more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/if-uber-is-lower-priced-then-more-people-will-want-it-and-if-more/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Our whole goal is to drive the cost of taking an Uber BELOW the cost of owning a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/our-whole-goal-is-to-drive-the-cost-of-taking-an-uber-below-the-cost/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Uber is a global business. We don't think just in terms of the U.S.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/uber-is-a-global-business-we-don-t-think-just-in-terms-of-the-u-s/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Uber is efficiency with elegance on top. That’s why I buy an iPhone instead of an average cell phone, why I go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/uber-is-efficiency-with-elegance-on-top-that-s-why-i-buy-an-iphone/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [When theres no other dude in the car, the cost of taking an Uber anywhere becomes cheaper than owning a vehicle. So the magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/when-theres-no-other-dude-in-the-car-the-cost-of-taking-an-uber/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [There's been so much corruption and so much cronyism in the taxi industry and so much regulatory capture, that if you ask for permission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/there-s-been-so-much-corruption-and-so-much-cronyism-in-the-taxi/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [I think Uber is just very different; there's no model to copy. It may be the reason why we've been a lightning rod in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/i-think-uber-is-just-very-different-there-s-no-model-to-copy-it-may/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) ## More by Travis Kalanick > [Hamilton is my favorite political entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/hamilton-is-my-favorite-political-entrepreneur/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [In my first start-up, I didn't get any salary for four years, so I had to move back with my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/in-my-first-start-up-i-didn-t-get-any-salary-for-four-years-so-i-had/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Safety is number one at Uber... so we make sure the system is in place so riders get the safest ride possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/safety-is-number-one-at-uber-so-we-make-sure-the-system-is-in-place/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [There's been so much corruption and so much cronyism in the taxi industry and so much regulatory capture, that if you ask for permission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/there-s-been-so-much-corruption-and-so-much-cronyism-in-the-taxi/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [There's a harsh reality to situations where demand outstrips supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/there-s-a-harsh-reality-to-situations-where-demand-outstrips-supply/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [I am from Los Angeles, and my parents are from Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/i-am-from-los-angeles-and-my-parents-are-from-los-angeles/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [I'm an engineer by trade, and what engineers do is they go and build, and they don't think a lot about storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/i-m-an-engineer-by-trade-and-what-engineers-do-is-they-go-and-build/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Competition is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/competition-is-good/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [When theres no other dude in the car, the cost of taking an Uber anywhere becomes cheaper than owning a vehicle. So the magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/when-theres-no-other-dude-in-the-car-the-cost-of-taking-an-uber/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [I really love numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/i-really-love-numbers/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [I think the stress will kill me. I think it will be the stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/i-think-the-stress-will-kill-me-i-think-it-will-be-the-stress/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [If Uber wants to catch up to Google and be the leader in autonomy, we have to have the best minds. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/if-uber-wants-to-catch-up-to-google-and-be-the-leader-in-autonomy-we/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [We have this culture valued at Uber, which we call the champions' mind-set. And champions' mind-set isn't always about winning. It's about putting everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/we-have-this-culture-valued-at-uber-which-we-call-the-champions-mind/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [When you start to automate, you start to do the self-driving thing, you make it much more efficient. When these cars go into self-driving,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/when-you-start-to-automate-you-start-to-do-the-self-driving-thing-you/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [Uber is efficiency with elegance on top. That’s why I buy an iPhone instead of an average cell phone, why I go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/uber-is-efficiency-with-elegance-on-top-that-s-why-i-buy-an-iphone/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) [Explore all 119 Travis Kalanick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) ## More City quotes > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. 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It was a very conducive place for artists when I was growing up, and now it's definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/we-all-got-driven-out-of-manhattan-it-was-a-very-conducive-place-for/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [We have an obligation at the local level to do everything we can with the resources we have. 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