Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: No Task is Beneath Me, ‘I’ve Cleaned More Toilets than You Can Imagine’

Nvidia Corp. co-founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, often speaks about his journey from humble beginnings to leading the world’s largest chipmaking company. As the 13th richest person globally, Huang’s career includes a wide range of experiences, from cleaning toilets to washing dishes and clearing tables.

Humble Beginnings

Speaking to students at Stanford Graduate School of Business earlier this year, Huang shared his perspective on work. “No task is beneath me because I remember being a dishwasher and cleaning toilets,” Huang said, according to Moneycontrol. He humorously added, “I’ve cleaned more toilets than all of you combined, and some things you just can’t unsee.”

Leading with Humility

As the head of the world’s top AI and chipmaking company, Huang maintains a humble approach to his role. He emphasises the importance of contributing to his team’s growth, saying, “If you send me something for input and I can help you improve it by sharing my thoughts, I’ve made a contribution,” CNBC reported.

Demanding but Visionary Leader

Nvidia employees have described Huang as a demanding boss who strives for perfection. In a “60 Minutes” interview, employees mentioned he is “not easy to work for.” Huang acknowledged these descriptions, telling Business Insider, “It should be like that. If you want to do extraordinary things, it shouldn’t be easy.”

Nvidia’s Performance

Nvidia has been one of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 Index. This year alone, the company’s stock has surged 154%, following a 240% increase in 2023, despite ongoing valuation concerns from analysts.

In essence, Jensen Huang’s journey from a dishwasher to the CEO of Nvidia reflects his belief in the value of every task, no matter how small, and his commitment to achieving extraordinary things through hard work and high standards.