When people think of Elon Musk they often picture him as Tesla’s CEO and co-founder as well as one of the richest people in the world. However few know that Tesla was originally founded by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003. Musk was not part of the company’s early days but later became deeply involved. Through a series of strategic moves he gained influence eventually securing the legal right to be recognized as a co-founder. Here’s how Musk starting as an investor transformed himself into the face of Tesla and redefined its entire narrative. The beginning of Tesla Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. The company was named after Nikola Tesla the famous inventor as a tribute to his contributions to electricity and innovation. The founders had a clear vision: they wanted to create a high-performance electric car that could transform the automobile industry. Like many startups they were seeking investors to bring their idea to life. Elon Musks entry in 2004 Elon Musk entered the scene in February 2004 investing USD 6.5 million in Tesla. Following this he became the chairman of the company’s board. After the success of PayPal Musk had a significant amount of capital and was eager to play a key role in Tesla’s growth. However he didn’t just want to be an investor—he aimed to become the driving force behind the company. Elon Musk redefined Tesla narrative In the early days of Tesla its co-founders and engineers received most of the credit. Martin Eberhard was widely recognized as the face of the company while Elon Musk remained in the background. This reportedly didn’t sit well with Musk. When Tesla started gaining media attention his name was often missing from the coverage. Leaked emails even revealed Musk’s frustration over being left out of Tesla’s branding. Elon Musks new strategy In response Musk devised a new plan. In 2006 he published a blog post titled The Secret Tesla Master Plan. In this post Musk positioned himself as the mastermind behind Tesla’s overall strategy. This marked the first time he actively tried to reshape the narrative and establish himself as the key figure behind the company’s vision. Rising tensions with Eberhard As Tesla’s business grew tensions between Musk and Eberhard also escalated. Musk’s aggressive management style clashed with Eberhard’s leadership. Musk who wanted more control over the company started pushing out individuals he saw as obstacles. In 2007 Tesla underwent a significant leadership change. Eberhard was removed as CEO. Following this he filed a defamation lawsuit against Musk. The legal battle eventually ended in a settlement. Musks legal victory as co-founder As part of the settlement Musk secured the legal right to be recognized as Tesla’s co-founder despite not being one of the original founders. After this he officially began using the title Tesla Co-founder alongside his name—a designation that is now globally associated with him.