Open letter to Elon

[bonnie]

I would not expect to actually have more than 5min of Elon's attention if that. Should his executives pick up my vision and support the idea, I would be 100% satisfied that I am on the right path. Thank you for identified some key decision makers for my opportunity.

All that information is available via google. You said you were already reaching out & had already discussed purchase of 100 vehicles - who were you contacting?

As far as having '5 minutes of Elon's attention', I wouldn't be too set on that. Your letters and appeals are vague, with no real information. I imagine he's inundated with requests daily - saying you have a great idea but not giving him information beyond that ... well, it's your call obviously.

 

[22522]

Have you demonstrated an ability to carry the brand?

The brand is a huge investment. Do you threaten it?

 

[jsrawa]

This whole presentation is just strange, whether you have an idea or not it seems like you think you will run a business alongside Tesla with their brand, good luck.

 

[Canuck]

I have been fortunate to have grown our battery company 30 times over the past 8 years.

My ability to grow 30 fold in 8 year most defiantly is.

I was able to grow 30 fold

I read your website and the company was started in 1922 so clearly it's not a company you built yourself. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but saying repeatedly you have "grown the company 30 times over the past 8 years" means absolutely nothing. I can buy a company that has one customer, get it 30 customers in one day, and I will have grown it 30 times -- but the net profits, while increasing 30 times, are still nothing to write home about.

Many of us started with nothing - we didn't grow sales - we started with no sales, and built the business from scratch. I'm not criticizing you or suggesting you haven't done well, I don't know. You could have inherited the business for all I know or started in the mail room and worked your way up. I'm just saying by telling us you have grown a company 30 times in 8 years is not telling us anything at all. Any business person will tell you that. It sounds like puffery and causes you to lose significant credibility, at least in my eyes.

I need Elon's blessing to use the brand and his support to provided added value services to his service center infrastructure along with my core business.

Sorry to break the news to you, but you will never get that. If I am wrong, please get me the salt and pepper and I will eat my hat.

 

[ICUDoc]

Wow, you already have four Teslas? That must be some kind of record! (Edit:AND a hoverboard!!)
TheBulgar is an interesting name- are you related to the Bulgarian deputy finance minister? Amazing connections to start out with, if so!
If your business ventures increase the net happiness in the world: good luck to you!

 

[theBulgar82]

Wow, you already have four Teslas? That must be some kind of record! (Edit:AND a hoverboard!!)
TheBulgar is an interesting name- are you related to the Bulgarian deputy finance minister? Amazing connections to start out with, if so!
If your business ventures increase the net happiness in the world: good luck to you!

Thanks

 

[theBulgar82]

I read your website and the company was started in 1922 so clearly it's not a company you built yourself. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but saying repeatedly you have "grown the company 30 times over the past 8 years" means absolutely nothing. I can buy a company that has one customer, get it 30 customers in one day, and I will have grown it 30 times -- but the net profits, while increasing 30 times, are still nothing to write home about.

Many of us started with nothing - we didn't grow sales - we started with no sales, and built the business from scratch. I'm not criticizing you or suggesting you haven't done well, I don't know. You could have inherited the business for all I know or started in the mail room and worked your way up. I'm just saying by telling us you have grown a company 30 times in 8 years is not telling us anything at all. Any business person will tell you that. It sounds like puffery and causes you to lose significant credibility, at least in my eyes.



Sorry to break the news to you, but you will never get that. If I am wrong, please get me the salt and pepper and I will eat my hat.

I am in no position to disclose the financial success of my companies, nor I think it is requirement to tell you I have over 14k unique customers a month

I agree with all constructive criticism but you have to admit a public forum is not the best place to disclose my financials. As to my Bulgarian heritage - I am prod to have been born there. My first visit was in 1992 for a year when my father was at Harvard. in 1993 our family went back to build a better country I didn't immigrate like 99% of Bulgarians that got somehow to the shores of the US. I have been in the US permanently since I was 16 (1998) and I am fortunate to have been given scholarship and education from Middlesex School and Bard College at the highest quality there is.

 

[theBulgar82]

National Battery is a SLA battery distributer and was started in the 1980s by Jack Sonar. National Battery purchased Keystone Battery (Established in 1922) in 2011. Betty Gangi has worked at Keystone Battery for over 35 years and you are free to call her and ask to verify.

 

[NikeWings]

A friend of mine suggested I write to the Board.

Dear Sir:
Thank you for writing to Tesla. We are very proud of our global businesses and our immensely dedicated team of outstanding employees that founded and built Tesla to be a world leader over the past thirteen years. We take exceptional pride in the brand we've built to date, and the brand that will drive our strategy to market, manufacture, sell and/or service our vehicles and energy products for many decades to come.

Tesla's market leadership is changing the world's quality of living. We are building transportation and energy alternatives that offer incomparable benefit and we are planning many unprecedented announcements ahead. We encourage you to follow us, like us, sign up for email alerts, or explore the many ways to stay in touch via our website. Introduction | Tesla Motors We also suggest you review the FAQs section for answers to commonly asked questions.

Sincerely,
Investor Relations

 

[theBulgar82]

Dear Sir:
Thank you for writing to Tesla. We are very proud of our global businesses and our immensely dedicated team of outstanding employees that founded and built Tesla to be a world leader over the past thirteen years. We take exceptional pride in the brand we've built to date, and the brand that will drive our strategy to market, manufacture, sell and/or service our vehicles and energy products for many decades to come.

Tesla's market leadership is changing the world's quality of living. We are building transportation and energy alternatives that offer incomparable benefit and we are planning many unprecedented announcements ahead. We encourage you to follow us, like us, sign up for email alerts, or explore the many ways to stay in touch via our website. Introduction | Tesla Motors We also suggest you review the FAQs section for answers to commonly asked questions.

Sincerely,
Investor Relations

Thank you! Your change to our world is appreciated every second of all of our lives.

 

[bonnie]

Dear Sir:
Thank you for writing to Tesla. We are very proud of our global businesses and our immensely dedicated team of outstanding employees that founded and built Tesla to be a world leader over the past thirteen years. We take exceptional pride in the brand we've built to date, and the brand that will drive our strategy to market, manufacture, sell and/or service our vehicles and energy products for many decades to come.

Tesla's market leadership is changing the world's quality of living. We are building transportation and energy alternatives that offer incomparable benefit and we are planning many unprecedented announcements ahead. We encourage you to follow us, like us, sign up for email alerts, or explore the many ways to stay in touch via our website. Introduction | Tesla Motors We also suggest you review the FAQs section for answers to commonly asked questions.

Sincerely,
Investor Relations

Thank you! Your change to our world is appreciated every second of all of our lives.

NikeWings isn't a board member - and afaik (speaking for NW), he isn't a Tesla employee. I think he was only sharing the form letter that goes out when people contact the Tesla board.

 

[theBulgar82]

NikeWings isn't a board member - and afaik (speaking for NW), he isn't a Tesla employee. I think he was only sharing the form letter that goes out when people contact the Tesla board.

Got it. Well I did get some direct calls from Tesla... more to follow. I have most certainly sparked interest as to what I am up to.

 

[SageBrush]

Uggh

 

[EternalChampion]

Yay, I was hoping for another "open" letter thread.

 

[deonb]

Wow, you already have four Teslas? That must be some kind of record!

No.

The guy who owns the most Teslas in the world lives in the Arctic Circle

 

[jeffro01]

Wait so you're idea is to profit off of us owners who are already frustrated by the lack of Tesla loaners? My guess is you're attempting to remove Enterprise as the standard for rental cars while an owners Tesla is in the shop. That would explain the need to masquerade yourself as Tesla hence the desire to reuse the brand. As an owner I'm not sure I care "where" my loaner Tesla comes from while my actual car is in the service center but...

Jeff

 

[ferdboyce]

As former President of a small (100 employees) company, I was adamant about refusing unsolicited approaches that offered “a tremendous new concept” or a “terrific idea for a product” from individuals unknown to me. Years before, at a different manufacturer, we received another such letter offering a product idea that we had already been working on for some months prior to receipt of this individual's letter.

When the product came to market, it was only after much threatened, costly litigation and a definitive demonstration of our “prior art” that we finally put the matter behind us. A lesson learned . . .

 

[voyager]

Funny thing is (well, if you want to call it "funny") is that ideas cannot be protected.... patents of course can. Still, there are dozens of cases in which multi-millions worth of patents proved to be worthless as others found a way around them. Design and what I call "form follows function", which may sound vague initially, may prove to be your safest bet. The multi-billion dollar struggle between Apple and Samsung regarding certain features and design details of their respective smartphones has undoubtedly created jurisprudence.

 

[Electric700]

Very interesting message. You probably know that there's little to no availability for Tesla rentals. When I need to rent a car (e.g. after flying to another state), it would be nice to be able to rent a Tesla, even a 3+ year old Tesla Model S.

Whatever the outcome of your talks with Tesla, and if you need to do something independent of them (such as buying and renting out Model X and S vehicles), there is definitely a desire for this. I've also seen other posts requesting Tesla rentals too.

 

[defthaiku]

The specs for the Model X you posted says there are Rear Facing Seats. Is that an option?