Earlier this year, Nvidia Corp (NVDA) reached a historic milestone, becoming the world’s most valuable company, thanks to the skyrocketing demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) chips.
Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, who founded the multi-billion-dollar chip company more than 30 years ago, recently opened up about the challenges of turning expectations into reality and what it might take to do it all over again.
Starting a successful company is “extremely difficult,” Huang shared last year on the tech podcast Acquired.
“I know how unbelievably hard it is, so when I see incredible companies being built, I feel nothing but admiration and respect,” he remarked. “You can fail even if you do everything correctly.”
Huang revealed that building Nvidia was “a million times harder” than he ever anticipated. Reflecting on his journey, he admitted that knowing what he knows now, he might hesitate to do it again. For aspiring entrepreneurs, he offered a thought-provoking piece of advice: don’t overestimate the challenge.
To succeed, Huang suggested that entrepreneurs need to “trick their minds” into believing the task is simpler than it actually is.
“You need to persuade yourself that it’s not as difficult as it appears because it’s much more difficult than you think,” he said.
He said that keeping the attitude of “How hard can it be?” gives you the tenacity you need to get through tough times.
“I don’t think I’d have the strength to go back and relive that journey with all of my knowledge now,” he said.
Huang credited much of Nvidia’s success to the dedication of his team, many of whom have been with the company since its earliest days.
He stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with people who share your vision and never waver in their commitment. However, he reiterated the need to constantly reframe the challenge as less daunting.
“I’m fortunate to be surrounded by people who never gave up—not even once—and who never gave up on me. That’s the essence of it all,” Huang said.