Elon Musk didn't originally start Tesla.

Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla in 2003.

Musk joined as an investor and chairman in February 2004.

He led Tesla's Series A round of investment.

Over time, Musk's role expanded in the company.

By 2008, he became CEO and product architect.

Musk provided funding during financial crises.

His vision and leadership drove Tesla's product and mission direction.