# Lyft: John Zimmer

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-02-13
- Length: 39m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer

## Summary

John Zimmer, co-founder of Lyft, explains how he and Logan Green pivoted from Zimride, a university carpooling network, to Lyft, a on-demand ridesharing platform, after recognizing the potential of smartphones for instant transportation. Zimmer details the intense regulatory battles in California, where they faced cease-and-desist orders and had to negotiate a new legal category for peer-to-peer ridesharing by exceeding existing safety standards. He discusses the strategic decision to sell Zimride to Enterprise Rent-A-Car to focus entirely on Lyft, the competitive dynamics with Uber, and the long-term vision of integrating autonomous vehicles into a subscription-based mobility service.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=0) Introduction: John Zimmer and the Origin of Lyft
- [2:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=174) From Lehman Brothers to Zimride: The Carpooling Start
- [7:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=450) Building the Zimride Marketplace and Early Marketing
- [14:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=840) The Pivot to Lyft: Leveraging Smartphones for On-Demand Rides
- [24:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=1458) Navigating Regulatory Cease-and-Desist Orders in California
- [28:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=1688) Competing with Uber and Defining Lyft's Culture
- [32:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer#t=1966) The Future of Mobility: Autonomous Vehicles and Subscription Models

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Lyft (company)
- Uber (company)
- Zimride (company)
- Lehman Brothers (company)
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car (company)
- Cornell (other)
- UC Santa Barbara (other)
- Airbnb (company)
- ZipCar (company)
- ACLU (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [6 River Systems talks Shopify acquisition; Gatik on autonomous vehicle development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-06-24-6-river-systems-talks-shopify-acquisition-gatik-on-autonomous-vehicle-developmen) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Keenan Wyrobek (Co-founder/CTO, Zipline)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-07-29-keenan-wyrobek-co-founder-cto-zipline) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [Garrett McCurrach and Canon Reeves (Co-Founders, Pipedream Labs)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2025-12-17-garrett-mccurrach-and-canon-reeves-co-founders-pipedream-labs) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [Founder Feature: Todd Harris of Plift](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-07-19-founder-feature-todd-harris-of-plift) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Lessons from a Recovering Hardware Founder | Bluesmart, ROOM, Kite Compliance | Brian Chen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tradeoffs/2026-06-09-lessons-from-a-recovering-hardware-founder-bluesmart-room-kite-compliance-brian) (TRADEOFFS)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-13-lyft-john-zimmer. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.