Tony Xu

Tony Xu, co-founder and CEO of DoorDash, shares his journey from the startup's early days to becoming the largest food delivery platform in the US. He emphasizes the importance of a long-term vision and customer obsession. The discussion includes overcoming near-death experiences, securing funding during tough times, and the critical insights gained from listening to customer needs. Xu reflects on navigating the challenges of the pandemic while expanding DoorDash into new markets and highlights the necessity of balancing digital innovation with real-world logistics.

Tony Xu, co-founder and CEO of DoorDash, shares his incredible journey from student to entrepreneur, emphasizing hard work and determination. He reveals the origins of DoorDash, illustrating the challenges faced in the early days and the importance of teamwork. Topics include navigating the complex logistics of food delivery and the balance between swift innovation and sustainable growth. Tony also touches on the evolving landscape of delivery services, AI integration, and fostering a strong company culture to nurture talent and drive success.

In 2013, Tony Xu was brainstorming ideas for a business school project when he identified a problem he wanted to solve: food delivery. For most restaurants, it was too costly and inefficient, leaving most of the market to pizza and Chinese. Tony and his partners believed they could use technology to connect customers to drivers, who would deliver meals in every imaginable cuisine. That idea grew into DoorDash, a company that's now delivered over 100 million orders from over 200,000 restaurants across the country. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," we hear from the winner of our 2018 HIBT Summit Pitch Competition: Ashlin Cook. She combined her love for dogs with an entrepreneurial itch to create Winnie Lou: a Colorado business that sells healthy dog treats in independent pet stores and from a food truck. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, and Miki Kuusi, Head of International at Wolt, share their journeys of building successful delivery platforms. They delve into the challenges of scaling operational excellence and maintaining company culture during rapid growth. Insights on navigating labor law reforms in the gig economy highlight the need for modernization. The conversation also touches on urban reorganization and the balance of physical and digital ambitions, offering a forward-looking perspective on the future of commerce in cities.

Tony Xu, the Founder and CEO of DoorDash, shares fascinating insights into how he built a delivery giant despite immense skepticism. Alongside Sequoia Capital's Alfred Lin and DoorDash's Keith Yandell, they discuss the pivotal decisions that propelled DoorDash, especially their focus on suburbia and local businesses. They explore the challenges of fundraising, navigating financial strains, and cultivating resilience during tough times. The conversation delves into how the pandemic became an unexpected opportunity for growth and innovation.

In this episode we catch up with Tony Xu, founder and CEO of the food delivery service, DoorDash. Tony and his cofounders were students at Stanford when they first launched DoorDash as a class project. Y Combinator funded them as part of its summer batch in 2013. In this episode, Tony takes us through version 1 of their idea to what is now a public company (DASH) operating in 27 countries across the globe.

Tony Xu, co-founder and CEO of DoorDash, shares his insights on solving complex logistical challenges in the food delivery space. He discusses how DoorDash began by addressing the needs of local businesses while navigating operational hurdles. Xu's perspective on the benefits of early capital constraints reveals unexpected strengths in their business model. He emphasizes the role of team collaboration and servant leadership in fostering a customer-centric culture, reinforcing how innovative solutions can drive local economic growth.

Tony Xu, CEO and co-founder of DoorDash, shares insights on leadership and entrepreneurship. He candidly discusses his 'a-ha' moment in founding DoorDash and the influence of his parents' work ethic. Tony emphasizes the importance of humility in leadership, taking blame while giving credit to his team. He outlines his decision-making process, advising on risk evaluation by reducing scope. Additionally, he reflects on hiring for cultural fit and the challenges of maintaining diversity while scaling DoorDash rapidly.

Tony Xu, the visionary behind DoorDash, shares how his platform became crucial for local restaurants during the pandemic. He emphasizes community support and adapting to consumer needs. Meanwhile, Marcia Kilgore discusses the ups and downs of her brands, particularly how Beauty Pie has thrived in the digital landscape amidst retail challenges. Both guests highlight resilience, innovation, and the importance of genuine connections in navigating business hurdles.

Tony Xu, the CEO and co-founder of DoorDash, and Christopher Payne, the COO, talk with Recode's Kara Swisher about how the delivery company's busy 2018 and why it's starting to think about delivering more than food. In this episode: (01:41) Where DoorDash is now and the delivery business; (05:25) Is Amazon a competitor?; (08:07) Xu and Payne's backgrounds; (11:32) Why DoorDash succeeded where Webvan failed; (15:10) Working with big restaurants and why they don't do it themselves; (21:03) How DoorDash makes money; (25:53) The gig economy and the future of work; (30:48) Where the business could go beyond food delivery; (34:09) Why Xu started DoorDash; (36:08) The current startup environment and the image of tech; (39:31) What does it take to be an entrepreneur now?; (43:05) Raising money from SoftBank's Vision Fund; (44:55) The future of DoorDash and the future of retail stores; (50:51) Trends in shopping and the delivery business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices