Lucy Guo, Billionaire CEO, Stays Grounded Amid Success and Controversy

BEVERLY HILLS, California — Lucy Guo, the founder and CEO of Passes, has achieved billionaire status at just 30 years old. Her journey took a major turn in April when her net worth climbed to $1.3 billion, following a successful sale of her first business, Scale AI, which was valued at $25 billion. Guo was honored with the title of ‘Youngest Self-Made Female Billionaire,’ previously held by pop star Taylor Swift.

“Honestly, I still feel the same as that little girl, like my life pre-money and post-money hasn’t really changed that much,” Guo shared in an interview with CNBC Make It.

Guo co-founded Scale AI, an artificial intelligence data labeling company, in 2016. After playing vital roles in operations and product design, she left the company in 2018. Conflicts over product prioritization with her business partner Alex Wang prompted her departure.

Despite leaving Scale AI, Guo retained a stake of just under 5%, which skyrocketed to about $1.25 billion when Meta acquired 49% of the company.

As a serial entrepreneur and Thiel Fellowship graduate, Guo quickly got back into the game, founding Backend Capital, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech startups, in 2019. In 2022, she launched Passes, a content creator monetization platform, which has raised significant investment since its inception.

Guo’s relentless work ethic hasn’t wavered since becoming a billionaire. “I am still working very long work days,” she stated. Her daily routine exemplifies a commitment to maximizing productivity despite her newfound wealth.

Each day starts at 5:30 a.m., leading into back-to-back workout sessions at Barry's Bootcamp. Guo often eats lunch during meetings, citing her packed schedule.

“I think most people could have work-life balance if they cut out what most people waste their time on when they get back home,” she remarked, adding that mindless scrolling or watching TV can detract from productivity.

On weekends, she allows herself time off, spending hours with friends before returning to work later in the evening.

While Guo embodies the Silicon Valley work ethic, she acknowledges that opinions on work hours vary. Critics have described the 996 work schedule—working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week—as outdated and detrimental to employee retention.

“In general, when you’re first starting your company, it’s near impossible to do it without doing that [996],” Guo noted, while also emphasizing that once a company stabilizes, working less is possible.

Her latest venture, however, faced controversy in February when a lawsuit was filed against Passes, alleging the distribution of inappropriate material. Guo firmly denied the allegations, stating, “I think it’s a total shakedown. I never met this person, never talked to this person.” A spokesperson from Passes maintained that the claims are baseless and retaliatory.

As of now, the firm representing the lawsuit has not responded to requests for comment.