Lyft’s new CEO on differentiating from Uber, doing his part to address climate change, and boosting the experience for drivers and customers.
When David Risher joined the board of Lyft in 2021, he didn’t expect to be tapped to run the company a year and a half later. But consultants and the board’s search committee decided that the former Amazon and Microsoft executive, who’s been running the nonprofit Worldreader for more than decade, was the right leader to supercharge Lyft as it tries to compete with its larger rival Uber in a tougher economic climate.
Risher says he has plenty of ideas for elevating the Lyft experience to drive more growth, starting with differentiating what customers want from a ride.
“Taking a Lyft home at five o’clock in the evening as a commuter doesn’t need to be the same experience as going out at nine o’clock on a Saturday night to a party or going to the airport on a Sunday morning,” says Risher. “I don’t think anyone has done a great job in distinguishing among those scenarios so that every one of them is a great experience” that looks different.
The key to success is likely to be less about technology than talent. Engaging Lyft drivers, and creating conditions for their success, is a critical priority.
The first message Risher received, waking up on day one of the job, was from an elementary-school friend named Adam who said he was considering going full time as a Lyft driver and offered to give feedback. Risher says he responded enthusiastically because he wants the experience of driving to be as fulfilling for a man in his 50s as it is for someone in their 20s.
At any age, most people sign up as drivers because they need to make a living. Risher knows that he has to navigate issues like pay, dispute mechanisms, regulatory shifts and environmental impact.
What better way to start than to drive people around on a Saturday night before he stepped into the role. Click on the video above to check out how much he made and what he learned from the experience.