Yousuf Imran left Google even after earning nearly US$ 1 million in a year. At 41, he set aside US$ 350,000 to fund the new phase and created an AI company focused on sales tools
A former Google executive left an annual compensation of nearly US$ 1 million to create his own AI company, a decision that draws attention due to the size of the salary abandoned and the timing of strong competition in the tech sector.
Yousuf Imran, 41, worked as an account executive in the San Francisco Bay Area, United States. He joined Google in 2020 and left the company in April 2026 to found Mangosteen Studio.
The new company is an AI product lab focused on creating market entry tools for account executives. The idea was born from Imran’s own career, having spent about 20 years working in sales.
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Ex-Google traded high salary for a bet on AI
In the year prior to his departure, Imran had a base salary of approximately US$ 170,000. With commissions, his reported compensation on the W-2 form reached about US$ 986,000.
Despite the high earnings, he felt he might be missing out on the stronger advancement of AI. This perception was influenced by the stock packages offered by companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
For Imran, a three or four-year contract with equity in one of these companies could represent a significant financial change.
This comparison was part of the calculation to venture. If the most relevant return from the AI race was in equity, he began to consider that this equity could be in his own company.
Career began far from Silicon Valley
Imran grew up in Queens, New York, after moving from Bangladesh with his family when he was five years old. He entered the sales field seeing the profession as a path where talent could surpass formal credentials.
At Google, his work involved helping clients solve business problems with artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.
Curiosity played an important role in his career. He dedicated time to understanding clients’ businesses, the problems they faced, and ways to apply AI usefully.
Over time, his interest extended beyond working hours. During the day, he sold AI products. At night and on weekends, he tested tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Even without a background as a software developer, he began creating small projects using AI platforms. After trials and adjustments, he was able to turn ideas into functional solutions.
Layoffs at Google also weighed in the decision
The departure was not just enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. Imran also considered job security, especially after observing previous layoffs at Google that affected professionals considered talented.
This uncertainty helped reinforce the decision to bet on his own business. Still, leaving the company meant giving up resources, structure, and access to teams working with advanced artificial intelligence.
To reduce the risk, he prepared financially before leaving. He set aside $200,000 to finance the company for two years and another $150,000 to cover mortgage and personal expenses during the period.
The goal is to keep Mangosteen Studio self-funded for as long as possible. In this way, he avoids quickly relying on investors and reducing his stake in the business.
Currently, Imran manages the company with a small team of engineers, marketing professionals, and collaborators. The AI tools have already been used for free by many sales professionals, which increased his confidence in the project.
His bet shows how AI is changing not only products and companies but also individual career decisions in large tech companies.
Why this change draws attention
Generative AI has facilitated the creation of prototypes, tools, and automations by professionals who are well-acquainted with a problem, even without technical programming training. This makes practical experience more valuable in sectors like sales, marketing, and customer service. In Imran’s case, the differential is not just in technology, but in the years dealing with goals, clients, and real challenges faced by salespeople. This type of movement helps explain why professionals from large companies have started to see AI entrepreneurship as a chance to transform accumulated knowledge into their own product.
