The new chief executive of Better.com, Daniel Lewis, expressed deep admiration for founder Vishal Garg, calling him a "0.01%" talent and stating "I actually love you," according to private text messages revealed in court filings. Lewis, an activist investor, sent these messages while advising Garg on strategy, only to later replace him as CEO after Garg's termination from the mortgage lender he founded.
The dramatic shift occurred in quick succession. Lewis nominated Garg for Better's board on July 27. One week later, on August 3, the board fired Garg after 12 years at the helm of the digital home-finance company. Lewis was then installed as interim CEO.
Boardroom Tumult
Currently, Better and Garg are engaged in a legal battle in Manhattan federal court. Garg is attempting to oust Lewis and four other directors, while Better accuses Garg of taking illegal actions to achieve this goal. Garg's legal team alleges that Lewis manipulated his way into power by first ingratiating himself with the founder over several months.
Lewis has defended his actions, stating that his earlier messages were from an "outside shareholder trying to coach Vishal relying solely on public information." He added that Garg had described himself as a "man child" and "emotionally unintelligent," making the affectionate tone of the messages unsurprising. Lewis claimed that once he gained insight into the company, he observed "corporate waste, the related-party dealings, the toxicity and dysfunction, and initiatives that made zero sense." He stated, "All the love died when the diligence began."
Garg's representatives have called Lewis's claims that Garg described himself as a "man child" or "emotionally unintelligent" as "straight-up false."
Better.com, founded in 2015, aimed to disrupt the traditional mortgage industry through technology. Garg led the company from its inception until his termination on August 3. Lewis began accumulating a stake in Better in 2025, developing a close relationship with Garg, as evidenced by messages from October 2025 where Lewis wrote, "I find you at a level that is in the 0.01%. I know what I see."
In March, Lewis praised Garg, stating, "I will be there for you." Further messages revealed Lewis expressing humility about Garg's speed and pace, writing, "I always wonder why people cant [sic] go as fast as I can. And you go faster. Humbling, to be honest." As recently as May 28, Lewis sent a message calling Garg "FANTASTIC today. 10/10."
Despite the praise, Lewis also issued warnings, noting Garg's reputation for aggressive projections and identifying the founder as both Better's "greatest opportunity and risk factor." By May, Lewis was reportedly proposing significant changes, including board resignations and aggressive cost-cutting.
Shareholder Dispute
The boardroom upheaval contributed to a significant drop in Better's stock price. Court documents indicate the shares fell 41.6% the day after Garg's termination, from $27.30 to a low of $15.95, and had declined nearly 60% to $11.68 by the following Friday.
Following his appointment as interim CEO, Lewis reportedly took a four-week vacation in the south of France, according to Garg's lawyers.
In the days after Garg's firing, Better allegedly offered him a role as vice chairman and an adviser to Lewis, with a compensation package valued at over $15 million. Garg rejected the offer, citing a lack of executive authority. Garg claims that board chair Harit Talwar and director Prabhu Narasimhan later acknowledged that appointing Lewis may have been a mistake and proposed an "off-ramp."
According to Garg's claims, the board suggested that if he could demonstrate shareholder opposition to the new leadership, four directors would resign. They allegedly asked him to obtain a "requisition letter" as proof of shareholder support. However, Better subsequently sued Garg on August 18, alleging federal securities-law violations, including misleading claims about his voting support and improper coordination with other investors, stemming from his efforts to gather shareholder backing.