A 22-year-old graduate from the prestigious Wharton School has ignited a widespread conversation about ambition, success, and personal well-being after making the bold decision to walk away from a high-profile, high-salary position at an artificial intelligence startup.
The High-Stakes Decision: Leaving a $300,000 Role
Daniel Min shocked many when he resigned from his role as Chief Marketing Officer at New York-based AI startup Cluely. His annual compensation package was a staggering $300,000, which translates to approximately Rs 2.7 crore. Min had joined the company in May 2025, almost immediately after completing his degree in marketing and operations management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. At the time of joining, he was merely 21 years old.
In a candid video shared on his Instagram account, Min clarified that his choice was not a spur-of-the-moment reaction but a carefully considered move. He described how the initial excitement of the demanding role gradually faded, replaced by a sense of monotony and personal sacrifice.
Missing Life Beyond the Grind
Min opened up about the internal pressure he felt to embody the "hustle" mentality. "I thought working all day, grinding 12 hours a day was what you should be doing when you're at the age of 21," he reflected. However, the reality of that lifestyle soon took its toll.
He began to profoundly miss what he termed "small freedoms"—simple pleasures like sharing a spontaneous dinner with friends or being able to surprise his younger brother on his 12th birthday. As the head of marketing, he felt an unspoken duty to devote his entire energy to the company, which left virtually no space for a personal life. This growing imbalance led to visible unhappiness, a change that did not go unnoticed.
A Compassionate Exit and Viral Reaction
The turning point came when Cluely's CEO, Roy Lee, approached him for a conversation. "I mustered up the courage to tell Roy that I'd been thinking for a while of leaving," Min recounted, admitting he broke down during the talk. He expressed deep gratitude for Lee's understanding, calling him someone who genuinely cared for his team's personal interests.
Despite this supportive environment, Min realized the path he was on was not for him. "But it broke me to realise that being at Cluely — this little brotherhood that I spent literally 12 hours a day living with — wasn't the ladder that I wanted to climb," he stated. He acknowledged the financial strain of stepping away but concluded that the personal cost of staying was far greater.
The Instagram video detailing his journey quickly went viral, amassing thousands of reactions. Comments ranged from supportive and admiring to humorous, with users applauding his courage to prioritize happiness over a hefty paycheck. The story resonates deeply in a global, and particularly Indian, context where high-pressure, high-reward careers are often glorified without considering their human cost.
Daniel Min's story is more than a personal anecdote; it's a potent reminder for professionals and companies alike to evaluate the sustainable balance between ambition and well-being in the modern workplace.
