Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang once called Abridge CEO Shiv Rao in the middle of the night to offer leadership advice. Rao said the conversation happened after he emailed Huang earlier in the day seeking guidance on the challenges he was facing as the founder of a healthcare AI startup.speak at “20VC” Mr. Rao recalled on his podcast that he received an unexpected phone call and discussed the issue with Mr. Huang, whose company is an investor in Abridge. Rao said (as reported by Business Insider). “He called me once in the middle of the night and I knew it was him because he was like on his way home. I picked up the phone and it was great. He wanted to help me figure out a challenge I was going through.”Rao said the interaction taught him a lesson in reshaping his approach to work and leadership. Regarding Mr. Huang’s advice, he said: “One thing I learned that day is to love your job, no matter what it is. You can do it, and you can convince yourself of it. ”
how Nvidia CEO jensen fan Helpful advice from Abridge CEO Shiv Rao
Rao said this advice influenced how he adapted to responsibilities he didn’t expect as a startup founder, such as frequent travel.“If you caught me like five years ago, I’d be like, ‘No way. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to find other ways to grow and scale.’ But this is what this job requires, and I enjoy it.” he said. The advice shared with Mr. Rao is consistent with comments made publicly by Mr. Huang in the past about learning to enjoy work rather than searching for the ideal career.In a 2023 podcast appearance, Hwang said: “I loved it when I was a dishwasher. I loved it when I was a busboy. I loved it when I delivered newspapers. I loved every day I spent at Nvidia, and I’ve come to love what I do.”Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993, has repeatedly argued that people can develop a passion for their work over time, rather than relying solely on finding a job they already love.For those who don’t know, Abridge, which Rao founded in 2018, develops AI tools to transcribe and summarize patient visits. The healthcare startup raised $300 million in a Series E funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz in June, with participation from Khosla Ventures, valuing the company at $5.3 billion.
