50X
Episode 3 Asurion: Retracing the Path to 100 times 50x with Irv Grousbeck
50X

Episode 3: Asurion: Retracing the Path to 100 times 50x with Irv Grousbeck

50X

Episode 3

Asurion: Retracing the Path to 100 times 50x with Irv Grousbeck

Irv Grousbeck is a legendary entrepreneur and longtime director of Asurion. We cover his entrepreneurial journey from cable TV to Road Rescue, the crucial strategic decisions that underpinned Asurion's explosive growth, and why it's imperative to invest in top talent regardless of price.

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Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to 50X

(00:04:08) Irv Grousbeck Introduction

(00:06:53) Irv’s Background with Continental Cablevision

(00:12:39) Meeting Kevin and Jim

(00:16:52) Investing in Road Rescue

(00:23:06) Early Success: Hold or Sell — Pivotal Moment?

(00:27:30) TA Investment

(00:30:29) Building the Team

(00:35:49) Capital Allocation in the Search Fund Period

(00:38:53) The Lock/line Acquisition

(00:45:07) 2007 Equity Recap

(00:47:22) Board Dynamics

(00:52:23) Irv’s Asurion Investment

(00:53:43) Lessons in Management

(00:55:28) Comparing Continental and Asurion

Asurion: Retracing the Path to 100 times 50x with Irv Grousbeck

Introduction

Will
As I mentioned before, there have been two constants at Asurion over the last 28 years: co-founder, CEO, and Chairman Kevin Taweel, whom we met last time, and Irv Grousbeck, a lead board member and investor. Since the original acquisition, Irv had two distinct careers. First, he was the co-founder with his partner Amos Hostetter, of Continental Cablevision, a pioneering cable television company where he was the president of Continental from 1964 to 1980 and remained a director, serving as chairman for a time after that.

And so, just to take a minute on Continental, basically everyone in the cable television business in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s did well. However, there are two records that stand out: one public and one private. The public one belonged to John Malone at a company called TCI. The other one was lesser known and belonged to Irv and his partner Amos at Continental. The company had a reputation as the best run in the industry, and it also had phenomenal returns.

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