<\/p>\n
The Founder\u2019s Passion for Work<\/h2>\n
The co-founder of Scale AI and CEO of Passes<\/a> since 2022 holds a controversial perspective: she does not believe in a \u00a0work-life balance\u00a0. In an interview with Fortune<\/em>, Guo stated, “I probably don’t have a good balance between my work and personal life. For me, work is not really work; I love what I do.” This belief has led her to advocate for workweeks that stretch up to \u00a090 hours\u00a0, claiming that it should become the new standard for aspiring startup leaders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Guo argues that if someone looks forward to 5 PM to clock out, “you may not have the right job.” To her, true motivation stems when work feels like a \u00a0natural extension of life\u00a0, rather than an obligation to escape from once the clock strikes six.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to her testimony to Fortune<\/em>, Guo starts her day at \u00a05:30 AM\u00a0 with an intense workout. By the time the clock hits 9 AM, she is already at her office with her lunch on her desk. Her workday often concludes around midnight when she finally closes her laptop and heads to bed. Even with her intense schedule, she mentions finding “one or two hours” to spend with family and friends: “You always have to make time for that, no matter how busy you are.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One reason Lucy Guo maintains this “always available” state is her obsession with delivering the best \u00a0customer service\u00a0 for her startup. She allows her team only five minutes to respond to customer inquiries before stepping in herself: “Offering exceptional customer service distinguishes startups from larger tech firms. Even if you have fewer customers, the executive director should respond to everything, which enhances customer loyalty. Today, it is impossible for an executive director like Uber\u2019s to engage directly. That is my mentality,” she explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While this approach might seem extreme, Guo is not alone in advocating such a rigorous \u00a0work ethic\u00a0. An increasing number of Silicon Valley CEOs are embracing models that demand \u00a0over 80 hours\u00a0 of work per week, convinced that passion and total dedication are the \u00a0keys to success\u00a0 in the current tech landscape.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The traditional work culture in countries like \u00a0China\u00a0 and \u00a0Japan\u00a0 has long linked work to values such as \u00a0honor\u00a0, \u00a0respect\u00a0, and \u00a0loyalty\u00a0, ultimately leading to a culture where employees have collapsed under the strain of \u00a0grueling hours\u00a0. Many adhere to the “996 model,” which leaves little to no time for rest, socializing, or personal life\u2014\u00a0work becomes everything\u00a0.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This philosophy, which has begun to face scrutiny in the countries that first embraced it due to its \u00a0social and demographic\u00a0 impact, is now being openly advocated again by certain Silicon Valley founders and CEOs who maintain that this is the only way to stand out in an increasingly globalized and competitive market.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The trend within Silicon Valley towards this model of extended workdays is not new. In 2018, \u00a0Michael Moritz\u00a0, president of Sequoia Capital, vocalized this sentiment in the Financial Times<\/em>, stating that Chinese tech companies had taken the \u201chard work\u201d concept to unprecedented levels for their West Coast counterparts. \u201cHere, senior managers arrive around 8 AM and often don\u2019t leave until 10 PM. Most do this six days a week,\u201d Moritz noted approvingly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Major companies like \u00a0Google\u00a0 and \u00a0Microsoft\u00a0 are tightening performance assessments to \u00a0encourage employees\u00a0 to work harder. This approach starkly contrasts with firms in regions familiar with the adverse impacts of such extreme work schedules.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The “996” wave is also expanding into \u00a0Europe\u00a0, where some tech founders are embracing this new labor philosophy, arguing that Europe risks falling behind if workers do not increase their hours. Some countries are buying into this narrative.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <p>Joel Hellerk<\/strong>, CEO of Sana Labs<\/strong>, expressed to his employees that "60 hours per week is the ideal point," reflecting a mindset previously enforced by Sergey Brin<\/strong> at Google. Harry Stebbings<\/strong>, founder of a significant venture capital fund, has similarly endorsed the "996" work model. He stated, "7 days a week is necessary to win right now. There\u2019s no room for error. It\u2019s not about competing against any German company, but against the best in the world," he wrote on his LinkedIn profile.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, \u00a0not all voices are in agreement\u00a0 with this shift towards longer working hours in Silicon Valley and Europe. \u00a0Suranga Chandratillake\u00a0, a partner at \u00a0Balderton Capital\u00a0, argues that such an approach undermines startup growth: “Many of the venture capital investors promoting these ideas have never created a tech company. Listen to someone who has been in your position,” he advised in an interview with Fortune<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Similarly, \u00a0Amelia Miller\u00a0, co-founder of \u00a0IVEE\u00a0, remarked that endorsing such a work ethic is a \u00a0red flag\u00a0 for investing in a startup. “Only poor time management leads one to work seven days straight. Exhaustion is a leading cause of startup failure,” she stated on her LinkedIn profile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As the conversation continues, it remains clear that tension exists between differing workplace philosophies, especially across various cultures and economic landscapes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image | LinkedIn<\/a> Unspash (Annie Spratt<\/a>, Aluminum Disemboweler3000<\/a>, Israel Andrade<\/a>)<\/p>\n![\"Offices](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267427_911_If-you-want-to-leave-at-5-this-isnt-the.jpeg\")
\n ![\"Offices\"](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267427_911_If-you-want-to-leave-at-5-this-isnt-the.jpeg\"\/)
\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267427_501_If-you-want-to-leave-at-5-this-isnt-the.jpeg\"\/)
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe \u201c996\u201d Takes Over Silicon Valley<\/h2>\n
![\"Office\"\/](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267427_199_If-you-want-to-leave-at-5-this-isnt-the.jpeg\")
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\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\nEurope Joins the Wave<\/h2>\n