Uber IPO, Trusting Autopilot, and High-End Cannabis Services
Is Uber Going Public a Big Deal?
Uber will start trading officially on Friday, May 10th, making it one of the “largest ever tech I.P.O.s”.
But how big is Uber really going to get?
Yes, Uber is a highly-recognized, highly-valued tech company and its decision to go public seems to be following a trend started by companies like Lyft and Pinterest (Slack and WeWork are expected to be joining in next). But when a company has grown so quickly and so big in the private sector for so long, is it safe to assume that it’s full potential has already been tapped?
Like other successful tech start-ups, Uber has managed to do a lot in a short amount of time - and all of it happening away from the scrutiny of the public eye. This private vs. public separation is the ecosystem they’ve learned to thrive in. So, now that they’re “crossing borders”, what happens to that carefully crafted habitat?
While many shareholders are still banking on getting in early and reaping big gains (a la Facebook’s first three years public), it’s a decidedly new quest for Uber and its other privately-funded tech start-up pals, one with a questionable return.
How Good Does Auto Pilot Need to Be Until You Can Trust It Completely?
Imagine, your car cruising down the freeway, weaving in and out of traffic safely and smoothly on your way home from work, all while you relax in the driver’s seat, hands off the wheel and a great read in your lap. Sound too good (or too scary) to be true?
Get used to it because the latest versions of auto pilot are here - and they’re better than ever.
Tesla, a well-known innovator in the auto industry, recently released its Navigate on Autopilot technology, offering an intricate system of perfectly orchestrated cameras, sensors and computer brains that are promising to transform the way we all drive in the future. Impressively good, Tesla’s new auto pilot software handles (almost) all of the driving tasks we’re used to, like changing lanes completely on its own and navigating highway interchange ramps. While a driver’s hands is sometimes required on the steering wheel in order for the car to perform certain tasks, it’s surprising how little actually needs to be done.
But, then again, that’s when you’re not expecting the car to drive itself.
Yes, cars with advanced auto pilot systems like Tesla’s Model 3 can hold its lane on the highway, change lanes, take exits, and navigate onto entrance ramps on their own - and with your feet completely off the pedals and hands (occasionally) off the wheel - but it’s still not a self-driving car. And, remembering that, is the only way to make sure that you, along with everyone else on the road, stays safe.
How One High-End Cannabis Brand Is Changing the Way They Sell
California is a great place for a lot of new ideas, especially if those ideas mirror the laid-back, beach-vibes most inhabitants possess. Chill and easy-going, the popular cannabis brand dosist is fitting right in from the top of the Golden State to the bottom, and not just because of what they’re selling.
Known for their critically-acclaimed accurate dosing pens, dosist provides a world-class experience for its customers by transforming its vibe into more of a wellness center than a standard weed shop. Focusing more on the customer experience than the product, the dosist shop features dedicated concierges that help guide you from the street entrance down a trellised walkway and into the surprisingly tranquil store.
Anything but pushy, dosist’s CEO Gunner Winston says that the brand is refocusing on customer service, pulling out of many of the dispensaries their products were once sold in so that they can regain the reins. Wanting to remove itself from the world of mass consumption, Winston says that dosist is putting all of its energy in focusing on three main things: “inspiration, education and engagement”. Sales, according to Winston, “are a distant fourth”.
Rather than having the staff at dosist stores trying to convert everyone who walks in into a sale, the brand is focusing on making sure everyone has a wonderful experience. By removing commission goals and team targets, the entire vibe of the store is completely customer-centric. And, because the staff is a great cross-section of diverse professional backgrounds, there’s someone on the floor you can relate to.
Known as “guides”, dosist employees are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful - everything you would want when exploring the potentially new (and sometimes misunderstood) world of THC and CBD. By changing the way they interact with customers, the brand is proving that sometimes the best marketing really is as simple as making a real, honest connection with your audience - and then letting them make the final decision.