Bradley Tusk: The favorite fixer

When businesses have problems with industry regulations, they would be well advised to call Bradley Tusk. Best known as a consultant and lobbyist for private companies in their dealings with government regulators, 49-year-old Tusk is the founder of Tusk Strategies, which helps start-ups survive in the world of politics. He's also the CEO and co-founder of Tusk Venture Partners, a venture capital fund that invests in start-ups operating in highly regulated industries, such as transportation. Tusk has worked with lots of start-ups as well as Fortune 500 companies — including Uber, Tesla and Google.

Better call Tusk

Many start-ups disrupt industries, but established companies often have political influence they can use to protect their interests. That's why newcomers need someone like Tusk, so they won't get crushed by the heavyweights.

He's been called "Silicon Valley's political savior" by the business magazine Fast Company; "Silicon Valley's favorite fixer" by TechCrunch magazine and even "Uber's political genius" by Vanity Fair. In his 2018 book, The Fixer: My Adventures Saving Startups from Death by Politics, Tusk wrote: "When you disrupt someone in any industry, they don't say thank you. They punch you in the nose."

Although helping start-ups is his main focus, Tusk's latest business project was inspired by his love of writing. In 2020, he and a friend set up the Gotham Book Prize — an annual award of $50,000 to the author of a book about New York City. And in May 2022, Tusk opened a bookstore in Manhattan, called P&T Knitwear (named after a store his grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, had at the same location). In addition to the bookstore, there's also an event space, podcast studio and cafe. Tusk told The New York Times it was his way of giving back to his home city.

Business and politics

Although Tusk studied creative writing at university, he developed his expertise during a career in politics. After working as the spokesperson for the New York City Parks Department, he was the communications director for U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and, later, became the deputy governor of Illinois. However, it was working as the campaign manager for then New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in 2009, that motivated him to start his first company, Tusk Strategies, two years later.

In the same year, Tusk began helping Uber deal with proposed regulations in New York City and other places that threatened the company's business model. He was paid in equity, reportedly worth around $100 million after Uber went public, and used this money to start his venture capital fund. He's also created a foundation through which he supports various causes — including a campaign to enable Americans to vote by phone and several anti-hunger campaigns.

Tips for start-ups: In difficult times...

• start fundraising early on.
• look where you can cut your expenses.
• communicate with your board more regularly.
• reward your best talent with additional stock.
• cut your workforce sooner rather than later.