Google: Meet Aashna Doshi, Indian-origin Google engineer who quit her dream job at 23 to build a podcast and AI startup
At just 23, Aashna Doshi walked away from one of the most popular jobs in tech at Google to build a startup and pursue a creative idea that had been growing alongside her engineering career.Doshi is a former software engineer based in New York City. She made the decision earlier this year after joining Google and building a side project that eventually reshaped her career path. Her journey began even before she graduated from Georgia Tech, when she received a full-time offer from the tech giant in February 2024.At the time, the role was based in California, but Doshi had her sights set on New York. Faced with a competitive job market, she made a bold call.In a coversation with the Business Insider, she explained the turning point:“I took a big risk to get my Google job. Now I’m taking another one by leaving it.”She turned down the initial offer, a decision that soon paid off. Two months later, she secured a software engineering role at Google based in New York City, allowing her to move to the city she wanted.She enjoyed her time at Google and valued the learning experience, but Doshi said she gradually felt the need for something beyond her day-to-day technical work.“I really enjoyed my experience at Google. I was learning every day and meeting a lot of smart people from diverse backgrounds.”However, she said engineering work alone did not fully satisfy her creative interests. That led her to start a podcast in early 2025 called “0 to 1”, alongside a co-host who also worked in big tech.The podcast focused on conversations with founders, engineers, executives and creators, exploring personal journeys.“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.”It began as a side project, but quickly gained traction. The podcast passed 100,000 YouTube views in its first year and helped the duo connect with senior leaders from companies such as Amazon and Microsoft. Many early guests came through cold messages and personal networks.Doshi said the platform became a tool for career growth and networking.Without the podcast, it was hard to imagine how we might go about connecting with someone high up in a big company.As the audience grew, so did the ambition behind it. Eventually, Doshi said the experience changed how she viewed her own career trajectory.In May, she made the decision to leave Google and focus full-time on building an AI startup called Bounty with her co-host. The company is designed as an outcome-based AI marketplace where businesses can assign tasks such as lead generation, outreach, or recruitment sourcing, and pay only when results are delivered.“It felt like the right time to leave Google.”She explained that working inside a large tech company gave her valuable experience, but also made her want more independence and faster execution.“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.”Doshi also said the current wave of AI tools influenced her decision. Leaving Google meant giving up financial stability, something she acknowledged was not easy. Her startup is still pre-revenue, and she is currently on a founder salary.“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.”
