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March 25, 2025 58 mins

💥 It doesn’t get grittier than Jesse Lucas. From hustling his way into Napster, waiting tables at Olive Garden to stay afloat, and nearly getting fired at Uber before he even had the job... he ultimately helped scale one of the most iconic startups ever. Jesse’s story is one of resilience, persistence, and sheer determination.


In this episode of The Early Podcast, Jesse sits down with Max Crowley to talk about:

🔥 The scrappy hustle that got him into Napster and later into Uber

🔥 Getting brutally rejected by Travis Kalanick—and how he earned his job back

🔥 The chaotic early days of Uber and how they built its financial foundation

🔥 Near misses, setbacks, and what kept him in the game

🔥 Hard lessons from hypergrowth startups and the long road to success


Jesse’s journey is a masterclass in perseverance. If you’re grinding through challenges, navigating career uncertainty, or trying to break into startups, this episode is for you.


🎧 Listen to the full episode here:

🔹 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/e6FUf

🔹 Apple Podcasts: https://shorturl.at/Crg2V


Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe—new episodes every Tuesday!



🚀 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Let’s build this together!!!!


👉 Like, Subscribe, and Drop a Comment—I want to hear from you!

📩 Email me at max@earlypod.com with your thoughts or guest recommendations.

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#EarlyPodcast #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Uber #Founders #TechStartups #StartupStories #Podcast #EarlyPod

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