Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang once called Abridge CEO Shiv Rao at midnight to offer leadership advice, a conversation that reshaped Rao's approach to work and leadership. According to Rao, the unexpected call came after he emailed Huang earlier that day seeking guidance on a challenge he faced as a founder of the healthcare AI startup.
The Midnight Call
Speaking on the '20VC' podcast, Rao recalled receiving the call and discussing the issue with Huang, whose company is an investor in Abridge. Rao said, as reported by Business Insider, 'He once called me at midnight, and it was like on his way home, and I knew it was him. I picked it up, and it was awesome. He wanted to unpack a challenge that I was experiencing.'
The exchange left Rao with a lesson that reshaped his approach to work and leadership. Talking about Huang's advice, Rao said, 'One of the lessons for me that day was your job is to fall in love with whatever the job is. That is something you can do, and you can convince yourself.'
How Huang's Advice Helped Rao
Rao said the advice influenced how he adapted to responsibilities he had not expected to enjoy as a startup founder, including frequent travel. 'If you caught me like five years ago, I'd be like, 'Never. We're not going to do that. We're going to find other ways to grow and scale.' But this is what the job requires, and I enjoy it,' he said.
The advice shared with Rao aligns with comments Huang has made publicly in the past about learning to enjoy work rather than searching for an ideal career. In a 2023 podcast appearance, Huang said, 'I loved it when I was a dishwasher. I loved it when I was a busboy. I loved it when I was delivering papers. I loved every single day at Nvidia that I've ever had, and I just learned to love what I'm doing.'
Huang's Philosophy on Work
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 work they already love. This philosophy has been a cornerstone of his leadership style.
About Abridge
Abridge, founded in 2018 by Rao, develops AI tools to transcribe and summarise patient visits. The healthcare startup raised a $300 million Series E funding round in June, led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Khosla Ventures, valuing the company at $5.3 billion.
