How to build a $83 billion company in 7 years: advice from Solana founder Raj Gokal

I recently talked to a billionaire, Raj Gokal, co-founder of Solana - a project valued at an incredible $73 billion, trading billions in assets every day.

If you want to hear the main takeaway from this interview, here it is:

“I will not stop starting companies until I’ll find a billion dollar idea. If it takes starting 100 companies and I’m 90 years old, I’ll still start the next one.”

The more I talk to millionaires and billionaires, the more I realize they are all about not quitting.

Let me share six more insights from our conversation:

1. The co-founder dynamic is everything

Raj was straightforward about it: “I could never see myself being a solo founder,” he told me. Why? Because when things inevitably get tough (and they will), you need someone who believes in the vision as much as you do.

He compared finding a co-founder to finding a life partner. “It’s all about the journey together.”

2. Failing fast - and often

Raj spent a year starting nine companies, one after another. He had a simple rule: If he couldn’t imagine dedicating 10 years to an idea - or if the team didn’t feel right - it was time to move on.

“Every time, I’d tell myself, ‘I’ll give this six months.’ If it didn’t work, I moved on to the next.”

3. Why Crypto?

After years in healthcare, Raj jumped into crypto, despite its wild volatility. “Crypto is about rebuilding industries like finance and healthcare from the ground up,” he said.

Unlike healthcare, crypto allows for peer-to-peer relationships that remove intermediaries. “It’s a global phenomenon. If it’s not growing in the U.S., it’s booming in Dubai or Singapore.”

4. NFTs as communication?

Raj shared a fascinating idea: NFTs and tokens could become new ways to connect with audiences. “It’s like sending a letter,” he said, “but the audience owns the message.”

What’s more, creators can earn 100% of the revenue - no intermediaries, no platforms taking a cut.

5. Turning negativity into motivation

When Solana faced criticism, Raj found a surprising source of energy: the negativity itself. “I could open my phone and see thousands of comments saying Solana is dead,” he admitted.

But instead of letting it crush him, he saw it as a signal. “The worst thing isn’t hate - it’s indifference. If people care enough to criticize, it means you’re doing something that matters.”

6. The idea behind Solana

What makes Solana special? It’s all about scalability. Raj explained how their focus on speed and affordability made it possible to attract major players like Visa and PayPal.

And here’s the surprising part: “I only committed to Solana for six months at first,” he said. “I just wanted to help my co-founder get it off the ground.”

Six years later, he’s still all-in.

So…

Raj didn’t just wake up one day and find success. His journey is filled with failures, pivots, and hard lessons learned. His story is a powerful reminder that persistence and resilience can turn any vision into reality.

Inspired by Raj? Let me know if you’d like to see more amazing guests! 🙂