True founders rarely start by thinking about money. They are driven not by the desire for profit, but by a deep, personal pain they cannot ignore. They feel it in their bones — and they know: as long as this problem exists, they can’t look the other way.
We often ask the same question: “If someone gave you $10 million right now, would you still work on this project?” And if the person pauses, then says: “No, I’d probably stop” — that says a lot. It means the idea wasn’t about solving a problem, it was about the money. A truly engaged entrepreneur cannot stop. Because they’re not doing this for the profit — they’re doing it because they simply can’t stay silent, turn a blind eye, or walk away. Their why is stronger than any circumstance.
True Motivation Can’t Be Bought
You want to solve this problem — even if you don’t get a cent for it. Because you’ve been through it yourself. Because you know what it feels like.
This doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice everything or work at a loss. It means that your purpose is greater than profit. A purpose that will stand strong in the face of hardship, rejection, and silence. It becomes the foundation that gives you endurance, energy, and true belief.
A billion-dollar business, contrary to popular belief, is a byproduct. The result of setting the right course, driven by deep personal motivation. It’s the outcome of strength directed at solving a truly meaningful problem.
How Does This Manifest?
When you sit across from such a person, you often don’t need flashy words. They might speak simply, without drama, but their voice has gravity. They have a mission. And you feel — they will make it. Because they don’t come with a PowerPoint presentation. They come with pain. And with a plan to solve it.
A Business Born from Pain
A perfect example of true motivation is the story of Othman Laraki, one of the co-founders and CEO of Color Health. His journey to creating the business began with a personal tragedy. His sister died of cancer because the diagnosis was made too late. This loss became the catalyst for Othman’s drive to solve a problem — making early-stage diagnostics more accessible.
When Othman realized how important it was to give people the opportunity to take cancer and other disease tests in an easy and early-stage manner, he decided to change the healthcare system. Instead of accepting the loss and continuing his career in other fields, he channeled all his energy into creating Color Health — a startup offering affordable genetic testing and diagnostics, including tests for cancer and other diseases.
Color Health quickly became a leader in the field of genetic testing. But for Othman, it wasn’t about money. It was about solving a problem that hit home for him, and he couldn’t ignore it. His motivation was driven by the desire to prevent such tragedies for others and give them the opportunity to identify dangerous diseases early on.
It was this mission that led the company to success. When a business is built around personal pain and the desire to make the world better, it becomes not just financially successful, but truly meaningful.
What if You Haven’t Found Your Problem Yet?
That’s okay too.
You may have built a career, launched a startup, scaled a business — and only later realized it wasn’t the right thing. And that’s normal.
Purpose doesn’t always come at 25. Sometimes it comes at 40 — in the silence, when you finally allow yourself to ask honestly: “Why am I here?”This is exactly why we create a space.
A space where you can ask yourself that question.
No one will give you the answer. But you’ll get a push to start searching for it on your own.
A Billion is Energy Directed Toward a Solution. Not Just a Market.
You don’t have to save the world.
But you need to understand what exactly you’re saving: yourself? Your past? The future of others?
When you find your “big problem,” everything else begins to fall into place. Team. Product. Investors. Yes, and money.
But don’t start with the market.
Start with yourself.
Join the San Francisco Innovation Hub Bootcamp
This is not just an intensive.
It’s a space where you can be yourself, hear your true “why,” and connect with people for whom depth matters more than form.
We gather not spectators, but bearers of fire. Those who seek the honest path and are ready to create something real.
If this resonates with you — reach out.
We’ll meet in a conversation. And it will be just a little bit easier to hear yourself.
