Elon Musk became synonymous with Tesla's brand image

Elon Musk is often seen as the driving force behind Tesla, but he was not one of the original founders. Tesla was actually founded in 2003 by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. They aimed to create high-performance electric vehicles. Musk joined the company in 2004, leading a $6.5 million investment and becoming chairman of the board. Despite not founding Tesla, Musk wanted to be recognized as a co-founder. He used strategic moves to change the narrative. Initially, Eberhard was the face of the company, gaining media attention. However, Musk felt overlooked and demanded more recognition. He published the "Top Secret Tesla Master Plan" in 2006, which helped position him as a key leader in Tesla's strategy. As Tesla grew, tensions rose between Musk and Eberhard. Musk’s aggressive management style led to Eberhard being removed as CEO in 2007. This change sparked a legal battle where Eberhard accused Musk of trying to erase him from Tesla's history. The lawsuit ended in a settlement that allowed Musk to officially call himself a co-founder. After gaining this title, Musk worked to solidify his image. He leveraged interviews and speeches to emphasize his role in Tesla's founding. Over time, the public began to accept Musk as the creator of Tesla, rather than simply an investor. Musk’s actions highlight the importance of perception in business. Through clever storytelling and legal strategies, he shaped how people view Tesla's origins. Whether one admires him or not, Musk’s strategy shows that being seen as the founder can be just as powerful as actually starting the company.