This AI founder walked away from a $300,000 life in San Francisco: ‘No money could make me stay here’
Koby Conrad, the founder of AI sobriety companion Sunflower, says moving from San Francisco to Buenos Aires has helped him focus on both his company and his personal life. While he still believes San Francisco is one of the best places for technology startups, he says Argentina offers him a better environment to build a family.Speaking to Business Insider in an interview, Conrad said he is happier, more productive and less worried about the high cost of living than he was in California.Conrad, 32, grew up in Boise, Idaho, and moved to San Francisco at the age of 26 after his younger brother encouraged him to join the city’s startup ecosystem. He said the move came as a major change in lifestyle.“At the time, I had this 2,000-square-foot house, and my mortgage was like $900 a month. In San Francisco, I moved in with nine roommates, where I was paying $1,600 for this tiny little room,” he said.He also recalled how he entered startup accelerator Y Combinator after his brother listed him as a co-founder on an application.Despite leaving, Conrad said he still admires San Francisco and believes it remains unmatched for technology innovation.“I love San Francisco. It’s one of the most gorgeous cities on the face of the planet,” he said, adding that being there feels like “peaking over the edge of the universe and seeing what’s coming next.”However, he also felt that the city revolves heavily around the tech industry. “If you’re in SF, you’re around a specific type of person all the time. Highly technical humans who work at tech companies is 90% of the circle. I think it’s really good for early-career humans,” he said.After considering both New York and Buenos Aires, Conrad chose Argentina. He said he enjoys the city’s culture, food and lower living costs.“I love the food, I love the culture, and I love the fact that my rent is 10x cheaper,” he said. “In SF, if I’m making $300,000, I’m still stressed about money. Here, you can make $100,000 and think: ‘Cool, I’m set for the rest of my world.'”Conrad acknowledged that safety can be a concern in parts of Latin America and said he once almost got kidnapped while visiting Medellín. He believes Argentina offers a different experience.“Argentina is one of the safest places in Latin America,” he said, adding that he finds people friendly and feels comfortable living there.Although he now spends most of his time in Buenos Aires, Conrad still travels to San Francisco regularly and said he is applying for a nomad visa in Argentina.He also plans to grow his company from the city. According to Conrad, the technical team will remain in San Francisco and New York, while the go-to-market team will be based in Buenos Aires.Conrad said the quieter lifestyle has made him more focused. “When I’m in Argentina, I have nothing to do but work 24/7,” he said, explaining that he has a full-time house manager who takes care of daily chores so he can concentrate on work.The move has also come at an important time in his personal life. Conrad said he and his girlfriend are expecting a baby, and that starting a family was one of the reasons for leaving San Francisco.“It’s really hard to be able to have a house or apartment that’s big enough to have a baby in San Francisco,” he said, adding that raising children there would be far more expensive.Conrad believes founders should not have to choose between building successful companies and having families.“Our ambitions should include kids and family,” he said. “I want to build massive things, have kids, and leave it all to them.”
