Former Google executive Yousuf Imran has left a job that paid nearly Rs 9.3 crore ($1 million) annually to launch his own AI startup. The entrepreneur said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, concerns over layoffs, and the desire to build something of his own influenced the decision.
Why Yousuf Imran Left Google Despite a High-Paying Job
Imran, 41, worked as an account executive at Google after spending around 15 years in sales. While his base salary was about $170,000, commissions pushed his total annual earnings to nearly $986,000, or around Rs 9.3 crore. According to media reports, he said the AI boom made him rethink the long-term value of staying in a corporate role.
According to Imran, watching skilled employees lose their jobs during Google’s layoffs changed his perspective. At the same time, he became increasingly interested in AI, spending his free time building applications with tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini despite having no software engineering background.
In April, he left Google and launched Mangosteen Studio, a startup that develops AI-powered tools for sales professionals. Before quitting, he saved $200,000 to fund the business and another $150,000 to cover personal living expenses, allowing him to bootstrap the venture without external funding.
AI Boom Inspires More Professionals to Build Their Own Businesses
Imran believes artificial intelligence is creating opportunities for professionals with deep industry knowledge, even if they do not have a technical background. He said understanding customer problems was more valuable in building an AI business than being a software engineer.
The former Google executive added that his goal is to grow Mangosteen Studio independently for as long as possible while retaining ownership of the company. His journey reflects a broader trend of professionals leaving established technology companies to pursue AI-focused startups amid the industry’s rapid transformation.
FAQs
- Who is Yousuf Imran?
Yousuf Imran is a former Google executive who left the company to start his own AI business called Mangosteen Studio.
- Why did Yousuf Imran leave Google?
He said the AI boom, tech layoffs, and his desire to build something of his own motivated him to leave his high-paying job.
- What is Mangosteen Studio?
Mangosteen Studio is an AI startup that develops tools to help sales professionals work more efficiently.
- What does an AI startup do?
An AI startup builds products or services using artificial intelligence to solve real-world problems or automate tasks.
