Uber CEO Travis Kalanick And His Dad Open Up On Life, Love And Dropping Out Of School

"Was there ever a point when you thought I was just frickin' crazy?"
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During a candid conversation with his father, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick learned what his family really thought about his decision to drop out of college.

As part of HuffPost's new parent-child interview series Talk To Me, Travis sat down with his dad, Donald Kalanick, to ask for advice on work, love, and finding happiness later in life. During the interview, Travis also asked if his dad was concerned when he first heard his son had plans to drop out of college.

"Oh, definitely, yeah. We weren't too happy when you decided to leave UCLA without getting a degree," Donald said.

Travis said his dad had never shared those feelings with him at the time, and he learned the touching reason behind that choice.

"I respected you as a person and whatever decisions you made, I'd be behind them," Donald said. "I knew something was going to work out for you."

Donald was absolutely right, especially considering his son's accomplishments with Uber. He said he thought the ride-hailing app was a "fantastic idea," but never knew it would turn into what it is today. Travis' success with Uber didn't keep him from seeking out more advice though. When he asked his dad for words of wisdom as he entered the second half of his life, Don told him to not work too hard and to "take some time for yourself."

"Enjoy the fruits of your labors. Smell the roses once in a while instead of going rough right over them," he said. "Stop and smell them... enjoy yourself."

We’d love for you to be part of Talk To Me, and have your own conversation with your child or parent featured on HuffPost. Creating a video is simple and fun; see our tips here, or watch a compilation of great #TalkToMe moments below.

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