Meet former Google engineer Aashna Doshi who quit her high-paying job to start a podcast and a startup

Aashna Doshi, a 23-year-old former Google software engineer, walked away from her coveted tech job earlier this year to launch her own AI startup, Bounty. The New York City-based entrepreneur said the decision came after months of reflection on her career goals, growing interest in entrepreneurship, and a desire for greater creative freedom.

Doshi, who joined Google after securing a full-time role in 2024, described leaving the tech giant as another major risk in her professional journey.

"I took a big risk to get my Google job. Now I'm taking another one by leaving it," she said.

From Google Engineer to AI Startup Founder

While working at Google, Doshi valued the opportunity to learn from talented colleagues and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds. However, she felt that software engineering alone was not fulfilling her creative ambitions.

To explore those interests, she launched a podcast called "0 to 1" in early 2025 alongside a fellow tech professional. The show featured conversations with founders, engineers, executives, and content creators, focusing on their personal and professional journeys.

Explaining the inspiration behind the podcast's name, Doshi said:

"The name for the show, in addition to being a nod to our backgrounds in software engineering, came from the idea that there's so much value between zero — where someone started — and one — who they are today."

Podcast Success Opened New Opportunities

What started as a side project quickly gained momentum, attracting more than 100,000 YouTube views within its first year. The podcast also helped Doshi build relationships with senior leaders from major companies, including Amazon and Microsoft.

Many of the early guests were secured through cold outreach and personal connections. According to Doshi, the platform became a powerful networking tool that gave her access to people she might not have met otherwise while working in a large corporation.

Why Aashna Doshi Left Google

As the podcast audience expanded, Doshi began rethinking her own career path. In May, she decided to leave Google and focus full-time on building Bounty, an outcome-based AI marketplace she co-founded with her podcast partner.

Bounty allows businesses to outsource tasks such as lead generation, customer outreach, and recruitment sourcing, with payments tied to successful results rather than effort alone.

"It felt like the right time to leave Google," Doshi said.

She explained that while her experience at the tech giant was invaluable, it also highlighted the limitations of working within a large organization.

"At a Big Tech company, you're one piece of a very large machine, and I craved the ability to make decisions, move fast, and see the direct results of my work."

AI Boom Encouraged Entrepreneurial Leap

Doshi said the rapid rise of artificial intelligence also influenced her decision to become a founder. Despite leaving behind the financial security of a Google salary, she believes the opportunity was worth pursuing.

Bounty is currently pre-revenue, and Doshi is drawing a founder's salary while working to scale the business.

"Leaving Google was a risk, but I've always believed that if you feel a strong enough pull toward something, you have to be willing to walk away from good in pursuit of something that could be great."