Every day counts
At most billion-dollar startups, founders track revenue, headcount, or market share. For Ramp’s CEO, however, there’s another metric that matters just as much: the number of days his company has existed. Since its founding, the leader of the $22 billion fintech unicorn has kept a daily count, a reminder of how much progress has been made, and how much work remains.
This unusual practice reflects a founder’s mindset that every day is both a milestone and an opportunity. In a high-stakes industry where competition is relentless, it serves as a grounding ritual for a company that has grown at breakneck speed.
The startup that redefined expense management
Ramp, valued at $22 billion, has quickly established itself as one of fintech’s breakout successes. The company disrupted the expense management space with software that helps businesses track and reduce spending, a pitch that resonated with cost-conscious CFOs and founders alike.
By combining corporate cards with AI-driven insights, Ramp positioned itself as a tool for efficiency rather than just another payment solution. That strategic differentiation has fueled its rise, putting it in direct competition with incumbents and fellow fintech unicorns.
Tracking days creates discipline
For Ramp’s CEO, the act of counting each day is more than symbolic. It instills discipline across the leadership team, reminding them that startups are defined by urgency. Each day lost to hesitation or inefficiency is one the company cannot get back.
In interviews, he has explained that the practice helps frame progress against time. A new product launch isn’t just a milestone, it’s something accomplished by Day 900, Day 1,200, or Day 2,000. By marking time this way, Ramp’s culture stays anchored in accountability and speed.
Building a $22 billion culture
Beyond financial success, the daily-tracking ritual reflects Ramp’s unique culture. Unlike many unicorns that celebrate valuation milestones, Ramp emphasizes operational rigor and long-term execution. Employees are reminded that valuation is only the outcome of countless days of hard work, decision-making, and resilience.
This philosophy aligns with the broader narrative of fintech in 2025: companies must balance growth with efficiency, scale with discipline. Ramp’s meteoric rise may grab headlines, but its CEO’s daily count shows that sustainability is just as important as speed.
Why it matters
The story of Ramp’s CEO counting every day speaks to a deeper truth about entrepreneurship: time is the one resource that cannot be replaced. For startups racing to scale, tracking time isn’t about pressure, it’s about perspective.
By marking every day, Ramp’s leadership underscores the value of consistency, clarity, and discipline. It’s a reminder to employees, investors, and rivals that unicorn status doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built day by day, with every decision compounding into something bigger.
And for Ramp, those days have added up to a $22 billion success story.
