I left Google after making nearly $1M in a year. Fears about layoffs and missing out on the AI boom gave me the push.

• Yousuf Imran earned around $1 million at Google before leaving to start an artificial intelligence company.

• He said “AI FOMO” helped convince him Leave Big Tech.

• Imran shared how he prepared financially before betting on himself.

This article, as told, is based on a conversation with Yousuf Imran, a 41-year-old former account executive at Google who lives in the Bay Area. Edited for length and clarity.

I earned nearly $1 million last year account manager at Googlebut I felt a bit of “FOMO” around the AI ​​boom.

I think most people at Google would tell you the same thing if they were sincere.

Google pays very well but equity packages OpenAI and Anthropic We are in a different universe. A three- or four-year grant of stock in one of these companies could be life-changing money.

This math was part of my own calculus when deciding to start my own business focusing on AI sales tools. If equity is the only way to truly take off in this AI moment, at some point you ask yourself whether the equity should be in your own company.

How I built a million-dollar sales career

I grew up in Queens and got into sales because it’s a profession where talent can transcend credentials.

I joined Google in 2020 after a nearly 15-year career in sales, helping customers solve business problems using Google’s artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.

My base salary last year was roughly $170,000, but commissions made up the majority of my compensation. My W-2 income was approximately $986,000.

I think part of my success is due to what I call the immigrant rush. my family moved to new york I was in Bangladesh when I was five years old and grew up believing that if you don’t work, you won’t get results.

I also believe that my curiosity sets me apart. I spent a lot of time learning about my clients’ businesses, understanding the problems they were trying to solve, and gaining a deep understanding of AI and machine learning so I could help them use technology effectively.

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Artificial intelligence has become more than my day job

Over time, my interest in artificial intelligence expanded beyond my work at Google. I was spending nights and weekends selling artificial intelligence products during the day. experimenting with tools Like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

At first, I was doing small projects for myself. Since I’m not a software developer by trade, I try to solve problems by talking to multiple AI tools and after some trial and error, I gain. Vibe coding was kind of like a video game.

These projects have become more ambitious as artificial intelligence tools have improved. Over a period of about a year and a half, I developed various apps and side projects and began to think seriously about the opportunity to start my own business.

I also thought about my job security at Google. company layoffs in previous years. What struck me about the recent round of layoffs at Google was that they affected really talented people. The uncertainty of a potential layoff was another input into my decision to bet on myself.

In April, six years after joining Google, I left Google to start Mangosteen Studio, an AI product lab that creates go-to-market tools for account managers. The thesis is simple: I’ve spent 20 years moving quota at some of the largest companies, so I’m developing tools I wish I had.

I prepared financially before taking the leap

Leaving Google wasn’t something I did without thinking. Google is a huge organization with incredible resources and teams working on cutting-edge AI. Losing that “insider” access and becoming less visible in that world was a big point of hesitation for me.

There were also financial considerations, such as making sure I had enough savings to give the business a real shot without having to make major changes to my lifestyle.

I set aside $200,000 to fund the business for two years and another $150,000 to cover my mortgage and personal expenses during that time.

My primary goal is to launch the business for as long as possible and not feel pressured to raise money because investors buy your equity quickly. I also wanted to be financially comfortable enough to focus on building the business rather than worrying about paying my bills.

Artificial intelligence is changing entrepreneurship

Today, I run the company as the sole founder with a small team of engineers, marketers, and other contractors. It’s early days, but many sales professionals have already used our AI tools for free, which gives me confidence that we’re building something people will find useful.

For those who feel stuck or facing challenges in their careers, AI gives people the opportunity to build something of their own. The important thing is to have domain expertise you can trust. I wasn’t a software engineer, but I spent 20 years learning about the problems salespeople face.

I finally realized this I’m leaving Google It meant leaving a lot behind, both financially and professionally. But my confidence and domain expertise made me think that this was the right moment to take the risk.

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