Rand Fishkin, an internet entrepreneur, faced immense pressure to deliver exponential growth for his first venture, SEO Moz, which yielded $30 million in revenue in 2014. Despite the company's success, the slow and steady growth was insufficient for investors. This, along with struggles to launch a new product, led to his departure as CEO and the company's subsequent sell-off. 

He experienced significant mental and emotional turmoil during this period, yet it shaped his future approach to entrepreneurship. With his next venture, SparkToro, Fishkin prioritized health, relationships, and meaningful work, demonstrating that success isn't always synonymous with becoming a billion-dollar company.