Andrew Feldman, the co-founder and CEO of the $8.1 billion AI hardware company Cerebras, has stated that the idea of achieving extraordinary success while working a standard 38-hour week is “mind-boggling.” His comments add to a growing chorus of technology and business leaders who argue that building a significant enterprise requires a level of dedication that extends far beyond traditional office hours.
Speaking on a recent podcast, Feldman challenged the popular notion that a healthy work-life balance is compatible with the demands of creating a groundbreaking company from the ground up. This perspective aligns with a long-standing Silicon Valley ethos that prioritizes intense work schedules as a key ingredient for innovation and market leadership.
Key Takeaways
- Andrew Feldman, CEO of Cerebras, believes building something “extraordinary” is incompatible with a 38-hour work week and work-life balance.
- His view is shared by other prominent figures, including LinkedIn's Reid Hoffman and Zoom's Eric Yuan, who advocate for deep commitment from founders.
- Some leaders have suggested specific work targets, such as Google co-founder Sergey Brin's mention of a 60-hour week as a “sweet spot” for productivity.
- Feldman clarifies the goal isn't just logging hours, but being passionately consumed by the work and driven to achieve a mission.
- This debate highlights a cultural divide between traditional "grindset" culture and a newer workforce emphasis on sustainable work-life integration.
The Case Against a Standard Workweek
In a recent appearance on the 20VC podcast, Andrew Feldman directly addressed the ongoing conversation about work culture. He expressed disbelief at the idea that monumental achievements can come from a limited work schedule. “This notion that somehow you can achieve greatness, you can build something extraordinary by working 38 hours a week and having work-life balance, that is mind-boggling to me,” Feldman said.
He argued that this principle applies to any field where excellence is the goal. Feldman made a distinction between having a good life and building a world-changing company. He acknowledged that many paths can lead to happiness and fulfillment with a standard work schedule.
“You can have a great life. You can do many really good things, and there are lots of paths to happiness,” Feldman explained. “But the path to build something new out of nothing, and make it great, isn’t part-time work. It isn’t 30, 40, 50 hours a week. It’s every waking minute. And of course, there are costs.”
Company Valuation
Andrew Feldman's company, Cerebras, specializes in developing large-scale AI chips and systems. The company is valued at approximately $8.1 billion, positioning it as a significant player in the competitive AI hardware market.
Feldman’s comments resonate with a philosophy common among founders and executives in high-growth industries. This perspective suggests that the initial stages of building a company, particularly one aiming for unicorn status, require a level of sacrifice that makes a conventional work-life balance nearly impossible.
A Shared Philosophy Among Tech Leaders
Feldman is not alone in his assessment. Numerous other successful entrepreneurs and executives have publicly shared similar views, effectively challenging the modern ideal of separating work from personal life for those with ambitions of reaching the C-suite.
The 'Grindset' Culture
The term "grindset" or "grind culture" refers to a mindset that champions relentless hard work, long hours, and an intense focus on professional goals, often at the expense of leisure and personal time. This ethos has been particularly prevalent in startup ecosystems and high-finance environments.
Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, has been a long-time proponent of this idea. During a class at Stanford University, he was unequivocal about the commitment required from founders.
“If I ever hear a founder talking about, ‘This is how I have a balanced life,’ they’re not committed to winning,” Hoffman stated. He added that great founders are those who are willing to put “literally everything” into their venture.
Similarly, Eric Yuan, the CEO of Zoom, has dismissed the concept of work-life balance. He told employees that achieving harmony between the two is not feasible, suggesting a more integrated view: “work is life, life is work.” This sentiment is echoed by leaders outside of the tech industry, including former U.S. President Barack Obama, who noted that being “excellent at anything” often requires a one-track mind during certain periods.
Searching for the 'Magic Number' of Hours
While there is a general consensus among these leaders that more than 40 hours are required, the exact number is a subject of debate. Some have offered specific figures, while others focus more on the underlying principle of dedication.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly told his Gemini AI team that he believes “60 hours a week is the sweet spot of productivity.” This specific number provides a tangible, albeit demanding, target for professionals aiming for rapid career growth.
Others, like Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, use hyperbole to make a similar point. O’Leary advises founders to “forget about balance,” claiming they must be prepared to work “25 hours a day, seven days a week, forever.” While not literal, his statement underscores the expectation of total immersion.
Khozema Shipchandler, the CEO of the $17 billion company Twilio, offered a more concrete example of his own schedule. He told Fortune that he allows himself only eight hours on Saturdays to not think about work. According to Shipchandler, he has “never spoken to a peer” in a similar leadership position who does not maintain a comparable schedule.
Passion Over Time Tracking
Despite the focus on long hours, some leaders, including Feldman, emphasize that the motivation behind the work is more important than the hours themselves. The argument is that the intense schedule should be a byproduct of passion and mission, not a goal in itself.
“It’s not about logging hours,” Feldman later clarified to Fortune. “It’s about being passionate and being consumed by the work. It’s about being driven to change the world, to be the best you can be, and to help your team be the best it can be.”
This perspective reframes the debate from one about time management to one about purpose and drive. The long hours are seen as a natural consequence of being deeply invested in a project's success. Workplace experts agree that the focus should be on completing the necessary work, whatever it takes.
Dan Kaplan of ZRG Partners suggested that the discussion around a 60-hour workweek misses the point. “The lesson for most young professionals is if you want to get ahead, you’re not going to get there [with] 40 hours a week,” he said. “Part of the danger of the comment [about] the 60-hour workweek is it’s actually not about 60. It’s about working extra until the work is done.”
Ultimately, the message from these business leaders is consistent: while a standard workweek can provide a comfortable and happy life, the path to building a generation-defining product or a multi-billion dollar company demands a fundamentally different level of commitment—one that inevitably blurs the lines between work and life.