The $25K Uber Bet That Became $135 Million

Eric Cox (0:13)

Hi, welcome in. My name is Alyssa.

Joseph Shalaby (0:16)

Eric.

Eric Cox (0:16)

Pleasure to meet you, Alyssa. Eric.

Joseph Shalaby (0:17)

Welcome to Coffeez with Joe Shalaby.

Eric Cox (0:19)

Happy to be here. Amazing. What can I get you? Do you like coffee?

Joseph Shalaby (0:22)

Do you like tea?

Eric Cox (0:24)

What are we feeling today? Well, this late in the evening, I'm going to stick with tea. Let's go with a soy matcha latte please.

Joseph Shalaby (0:28)

Soy matcha latte. I like your style. I love my matcha, so.

Eric Cox (0:32)

You and me both.

Joseph Shalaby (0:34)

Yes, absolutely.

Eric Cox (0:35)

Do you like chocolate by any chance? Couldn't hurt. Okay, beautiful. Yes, yes. I'm so happy to hear that.

Joseph Shalaby (0:40)

Okay.

Eric Cox (0:41)

I have an assortment of chocolate here. We've got Dubai chocolate. We've got Lindor.

I live in the Bay Area too long to not go Ghirardelli down here at the bar. So I think it's going to be seesaw caramel for your boy. Okay. Open it up. Give it a try.

Joseph Shalaby (0:54)

So I hear you are a lawyer.

Eric Cox (0:56)

Is that right? But don't hold it against me.

Joseph Shalaby (0:59)

Okay.

Eric Cox (1:00)

So are you who I call if I get in trouble for like... That's exactly wrong.

For laundering money? No, not like that. Oh, okay. Because I don't do that anyway. So we're safe. You would never.

Joseph Shalaby (1:10)

Nope.

Eric Cox (1:10)

I'm on the corporate side. I help people most of the time acquire and sell businesses. So most of my clients are happy with me and they're not going through too tough. I love that.

Joseph Shalaby (1:18)

Okay. Good.

Eric Cox (1:19)

It's a good time in the world right now. How's that doing for you? Delightful. It's compared great with matcha.

Joseph Shalaby (1:24)

Absolutely.

Eric Cox (1:24)

Let's bring you over to Joe. Come on.

Joseph Shalaby (1:27)

Thanks, Alyssa. Come on over.

Joe, we have Eric.

Eric Cox (1:32)

Eric.

Joseph Shalaby (1:32)

Joe.

Eric Cox (1:33)

Thanks for coming, man.

Joseph Shalaby (1:34)

I know it wasn't much of a drive right here in Irvine, but I appreciate you coming.

Eric Cox (1:37)

I know. Sometimes it takes things like this to meet your neighbors. So thanks for having me.

Joseph Shalaby (1:41)

You're the first guy to take our chocolate today.

Eric Cox (1:44)

Oh, yeah. Oh, everybody's passing? Yeah.

Joseph Shalaby (1:46)

We have professional athletes here.

Eric Cox (1:48)

Oh, that'll do it. No, no, no.

Joseph Shalaby (1:51)

What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Coffeez. I am your host, Joe Shalby, and today we are sitting down with Eric Cox, a brilliant attorney and the COO of NetCapital, a mega company that is taking companies public business and acquisitions and mergers. Also the head council for Story Law. Please welcome the one, the only Eric Cox.

Eric Cox (2:15)

Thank you so much for having me, Joe.

Joseph Shalaby (2:16)

Appreciate you, brother. Let's go.

Eric Cox (2:18)

All right.

Joseph Shalaby (2:19)

Hey, I know it wasn't much of a drive, but I appreciate you.

Eric Cox (2:21)

No.

Joseph Shalaby (2:22)

Good coming here today.

Eric Cox (2:23)

Thanks for having me. My neighbor.

Joseph Shalaby (2:25)

We're going to make some magic happen. Eric, I like to start the show off with the same thing. I ask everybody, what's your morning routine?

Eric Cox (2:32)

Oh, so I am. I was never a morning person, but I had to become one like a lot of people that listen to the show. I imagine I like to get to the gym early and I try to get a little bit of a green tea in. I have my matcha right next to me for Coffeez with Joe.

So yeah, usually just try to get to the gym first and then straight to straight to business. I do also try to get a little bit of the word in there, kind of sit down and get, kind of make sure that I'm centered. But as best I can, it's a little bit of gym, a little bit of quick prayer and then straight to business.

Joseph Shalaby (3:01)

Right into it. Now, you work out at Lifetime or what do you train?

Eric Cox (3:05)

Oh, I'm a home. If I had to go a single mile, I wouldn't make it to the gym. So I'm a garage gym guy.

Most of the time, it's honestly largely a similar routine. My brother, Pobian, he's a physician. So most of the time, I'm doing the same routine that he recommends for himself.