Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the world’s richest man and co-founder of the most valuable public company, has seen an extraordinary rise in his career. On June 18, Huang’s wealth surged by over $4 billion in a single day, thanks to a 3 percent increase in the company’s shares, boosting his net worth to nearly $119 billion. Since 2019, Nvidia’s stock has skyrocketed by an impressive 3,776 percent, driven by the soaring demand for its crucial chip used in artificial intelligence technologies. With such immense wealth, Huang’s surprising early jobs, as listed on LinkedIn, have recently stunned the internet.
Huang’s past jobs listed on LinkedIn have recently captured the attention of social media users, creating quite a buzz. Huang co-founded Nvidia with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem in 1993, but before that, his LinkedIn profile reveals he worked as a dishwasher, busboy, and waiter. He spent five years working at a diner-style restaurant called Denny’s, from 1978 to 1983.
Social media users are impressed by Huang’s career journey. One user on X commented, “When I was in banking, I nearly hired this waiter as a junior analyst because he was great at multitasking—taking orders while listening attentively—and showed exceptional emotional intelligence with customers. Everyone loved him.” They added, “Unfortunately, he was not even interviewed because he wasn’t from an Ivy League school. The key takeaway is that if you can’t excel in the small things, how can you achieve greatness? Let go of the ego, keep learning every day, and stay hands-on. It’s never too late.”
Jensen Huang has frequently shared stories about his early experiences working as a busboy, waiter, and dishwasher. In an interview with Stanford Graduate School of Business earlier this year, he credited his success and strong work ethic to his time at Denny’s, where he proudly declared himself “the best dishwasher” before being promoted to busboy and excelling in that role as well. Huang notes that these humble jobs taught him invaluable lessons in discipline, hard work, and resilience.
“I never left the station empty-handed. I never came back empty-handed. I was very efficient,” Huang said. “Eventually, I became a CEO. I’m still working on being a good CEO,” he added. Huang has spoken about how these roles, often involving long hours and physically demanding tasks, shaped his work ethic and leadership style. He learned to appreciate every opportunity, no matter how small, and developed a deep respect for the effort required in every job.