Viral Post Claims 8 Silicon Valley CEOs Went On “Psychedelic Trips”, Quit Their Jobs

Silicon Valley, the hub of technological innovation, has a lesser-known secret: the use of psychedelic drugs. From entrepreneurs to executives, some of the tech industry’s most influential minds have explored the potential benefits of psychedelics for creativity, problem-solving, and mental well-being. Recently, Austen Allred, CEO and co-founder of BloomTech talked about the profound impact of psychedelics on a person’s mental state. In a reply to a viral post, Mr Allred claimed that eight Silicon Valley CEOs quit their jobs after experiencing psychedelic trips.

The conversation began when Ashlee Vance shared a venture capitalist’s remark on X: “VC the other day told me, “We’ve lost several really good founders to ayahuasca. They came back and just didn’t care about much anymore.”

Mr Allred responded, stating he knew eight CEOs who stepped down after psychedelic experiences. ”Of the Silicon Valley founders I know who went on some of the psychedelic self-discovery trips, almost 100% quit their jobs as CEO within a year. Could be random anecdotes, but be careful with that stuff,” the tweet read.

See the post here:

Of the Silicon Valley founders I know who went on some of the psychedelic self-discovery trips, almost 100% quit their jobs as CEO within a year.

Could be random anecdotes, but be careful with that stuff. https://t.co/cxWJcaiPzD

— Austen Allred (@Austen) September 23, 2024

When asked in the comments section, how many seemed happier post-resignation, Mr Allred said four. 

The revelation sparked a lively discussion and many internet users proposed an alternative theory that the founders may have already been unhappy, and the psychedelics simply amplified their existing frustrations. One user wrote, ”Psychedelics often reveal what’s already inside; they don’t create dissatisfaction out of thin air.”

Another commented, ”If ambition makes you consistently miserable, psychedelics help you understand the price you’re paying. You lose a taste for it. Sometimes people are driven to succeed because they think success will make them “good enough,” and drugs like that shatter the illusion.”

A third stated, ”Being a CEO is meaningless if other parts of your life are not fulfilling. This becomes quite obvious when you have deep (and often traumatic) experiences. Quitting then becomes the natural next step. Life is not about status.”

A fourth added, ”I’d guess there’s some pretty significant selection bias bc leaving a co you’re founder-CEO of is so scary? so some part of them wanted to leave, but they were too scared, and so did a self-discovery trip as a way to propel them? that’s at least the common story I hear.”