CEO Loses Job After Reportedly Microdosing LSD

Justin Zhu, CEO of Silicon Valley based startup Iterable, reportedly lost his job after microdosing LSD. He claims this occurred after taking the substance during a meeting in 2019 to amplify his focus. This practice is somewhat popular in Silicon Valley, and studies have shown that microdosing, defined in a recent study as “regular ingestion of very small quantities of psychedelic substances”, can have positive effects.

Iterable focuses on email marketing, and is worth $2 billion. Founded in 2013, the organization attracts big names like Zillow and DoorDash. The company’s board replaced him with co-founder Andrew Boni. Additionally, Boni noted that Justin’s “behavior also undermined the board’s confidence in Justin’s ability to lead the company going forward”.

While Boni also notes that Zhu is a “world-class innovator and creative thinker [whose] vision, creativity and passion will remain a core part of our culture,” he is now taking Justin’s place. This board decision ultimately sparks an interesting conversation around the act of microdosing – especially since it is becoming increasingly popular.

To learn more about microdosing and the effects it can have, you can read more here.