Farewell, Tesla.

I very truly never thought this day would come. I’ve been “jokingly” saying for years that the only way I was ever leaving Tesla is if they forced me out, but I sincerely meant it when I said it. That all changed today, as I handed in my resignation in preparation for my next adventure. This post is not about my next adventure, though. It is about recognizing and thanking the people at Tesla for all they’ve done for me and my family over the last decade.

When I joined the company we were producing almost 500 cars per year. PER YEAR. I took on the challenge with the mindset that if the company did not make it and I was out of a job in a year or so (which I thought was very likely at the time), at least I would have some really solid experience with Electric Vehicles that would look great on my resume and make me marketable as the established automakers tried to get into the EV space. I’m not sure if that thought could have been any further from reality. 

What happened instead was I embarked on an absolutely insane, challenging, rewarding and unforgettable 10 year journey. I’ve had some unbelievable opportunities in that time, from working on the actual Roadster that is now somewhere in outer space to helping launch four new, revolutionary products. It would take me a 500 page novel to even scratch the surface of the exciting things that I got to participate in. I visited over 150 Service Centers in 11 countries across 4 continents. I met thousands of Technicians that inspired me to be better, for them, every single day. 

I think the most surprising aspect to me about this entire thing was how much Tesla became a part of my life. When I worked for BMW I had pride, I liked the product and I enjoyed my work and colleagues greatly. But Tesla is just a whole different animal. It became a part of me. It was as if “Mat” didn’t exist without Tesla. I can’t even really explain it. I happily participated in the early owners groups, I eagerly chatted with random people at superchargers while driving one of the first Model 3s across country, and so much more. In the beginning, I’d wear my work clothes and people would ask what Tesla is, and even yell from their car, “WHAT THE HELL IS A TESLER!?” even though it says TESLA in huge letters on the side of the truck. People would yell, “Sweet Porsche!” as I drove by in a Roadster. In the end, I didn’t even wear company clothes when I traveled because I didn’t have time for all of the people who would stop and want to chat about my work, Elon, how we’re going to go bankrupt next week, etc. Not a day goes by where I don’t get into some conversation about Tesla with some person. And I love every second of it. Hell, it might be a sickness. I don’t know. I do know I’ll miss it, though.

While leaving the company is the hardest decision that I’ve ever had to make, by far the hardest part of it is leaving my team. For the last almost 4 years, I have had the distinct honor of leading the most incredible, inspiring and downright awesome group of people I’ve ever been around. You all truly became family, and some of my best friends that I hope are in my life for a long time to come. You pushed me every day to be better, work harder, care more. If I didn’t you would have left me in the dust. You’re an unstoppable force. Your passion, your ingenuity, your drive and your never ending pursuit of perfection was a sight to behold. You all (you know who you are) made my life easy, because no matter how badly I screwed up (which was pretty bad sometimes) you still somehow made me look good. I can never thank you enough for the impact that you’ve had on my career, and my life. 

Most people have some complaints, or bad things to say when they quit a job. That is not the case with me. The people that I work for are incredible leaders. They supported, empowered and trusted me more than I’ve ever had before. The people that I work with are driven, brilliant and collaborative. The people who work for me are simply… incredible. Things were as good as they’ve ever been for me at work, which made this decision so much harder. To be perfectly honest, I am still not 100% certain it’s the right choice and I probably won’t be for some time.

I’m feeling a lot of things right now. Sadness, excitement, betrayal, fear. I’m literally in tears as I write this. Most of all, I feel gratitude. To all of the people who made the last 10 years what they were, Thank you. Thank you so much.

I will continue to cheer you on as an investor, customer, fan and advocate. But no longer as an employee.

I will miss you.