This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ahmed Ahres, a 27-year-old Product & GTM at a tech startup based in San Francisco. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I hold the belief that if you want to become the best in the world at something, you’ve got to surround yourself with the best in the world. For technology, the place to do that is San Francisco.
When I moved here from London a year ago, I came on an O-1 visa, a pathway for foreigners with exceptional abilities to live and work in the US. I came here willing to sacrifice things like closeness to my family in Tunisia because my priority is my tech career.
“What are you building?” is the first question someone might ask me if I stumble into a conversation at a bar or coffee shop here in San Francisco; not my name, or my job. Your career seems to matter more than who you are here.
The sheer amount of ambition and innovation in San Francisco is motivating, but this isn’t an easy place to live in when your career is not thriving. Still, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.
I’m so much more ambitious in San Francisco
I was granted an O-1 visa last year after raising funding from a US investor for my AI startup. My visa lasts three years, and I can work in any job related to AI. Since moving, my cofounder has taken over the majority of the company, and I now work in product for a company building the future of video AI.
I’ve always been an ambitious person, but my level of ambition has increased massively since being surrounded by people who are basically telling me, whatever you’re dreaming, you can dream of a vision that’s one thousand times bigger.
I feel like I can do things here. I had an idea to start a podcast in January, and a week later, I recorded my first episode. Our environment defines us, and seeing everyone here put things into action has inspired me to embody that same level of ambition.
San Francisco feels like a place where anything is possible
I see San Francisco as an environment that not only defines who I am today, but who I want to become: this ambitious person who can do anything he sets his mind to.
Since being here, people have told me, “Ahmed, you’ve become a bit crazy.” And I’m like, “Yeah, I love it.” Being here makes me believe everything is possible.
I don’t want to be in a job where I’m thinking about how to increase revenue little by little. No, I want to do something that completely changes the world.
That’s just the nature of being surrounded by people who think like that.
There’s pressure to act like everything is OK all the time
I had a transition period in late 2025 when I knew I wanted to step back a little from the company I had built; I felt completely lost. In that time, I stopped going to events or even meeting up with people because I knew I’d get asked about what I was building.
There’s this expectation in San Francisco to be starting a company or doing something big at all times, so it was very hard to be open about my uncertainty. I think a lot of people are pretending to be doing well out here when they’re not. I did too.
At certain dinners and events, despite the fact that I was realizing I didn’t want to continue down my path as a founder, I’d often answer “the company is doing super well,” and “I’m excited about the future” when I wasn’t.
It was hard being in a low place when it felt like I was the only one. Thankfully, I have a great support system around me. They were extremely supportive and encouraged me to pursue my passion and work on something that I absolutely love and believe in.
It’s hard to escape conversations about technology
I’m very passionate about technology, so I love talking about it, but there are times when I’m out doing something for fun, and I have to plainly say I don’t want to talk about work. Back in London, people work hard, protect their personal time, and rarely talk about work outside of office hours. At 5 p.m., pubs and bars are full. The mentality is more “work to live” than “live to work.”
It’s hard to escape talks about tech, but I’m lucky to have friends I already knew before moving and my brother here. I can have deep conversations with them about anything.
When I first moved, I struggled to meet people outside of those few, but I’ve gotten into hobbies like tennis, where I’ve met some good friends who have nothing to do with work, and that has helped me settle in.
Building genuine relationships is the key to boundaries
In the San Francisco tech scene, your status isn’t defined by what car or home you own; it’s defined by who you know, what you’re building, and how much money you’ve raised. People really care about that, and it can be hard to make genuine relationships.
I’ve realized that it’s OK to go to events and try to get customers and grow your company. At the same time, it’s very important that I create, build, and nurture relationships that are bigger than just work for my long-term happiness.
Making sure I’m having deep conversations with friends about things outside of our jobs is really important to me and helps me find balance in my life here.
Do you have a story to share about what it’s like living in San Francisco? If so, please reach out to the reporter at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com.
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