Ever wondered what it takes to lead a tech company? Then, look no further. Threads and Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has just listed every job he’s ever had on Meta's new Twitter competitor—and the list highlights that even successful executives have to work their way up from the bottom.
Mosseri—who was made head of Instagram following the resignation of the app’s founders in 2018, six years after Mark Zuckerberg bought it for $1 billion—has been unofficially placed in charge of Meta’s new darling, Threads.
But before joining the world of tech, he had the far less glamorous experience of washing dishes and waiting on tables. That’s according to his latest Threads posts in which he revealed his first job was a waiter. He then went on to bartending before becoming a designer, according to the post.
Post by @mosseriView on Threads
Although there are no date references or company names on the post, according to Mosseri’s LinkedIn—where his stint in the hospitality industry isn’t listed—he graduated from New York University in 2005 and started working as a product designer and UI engineer for TokBox two years later.
In 2008, Mosseri got his big break at Facebook, where he worked his way up from a product designer to head of product at Instagram over the course of 15 years.
Why is Mosseri sharing his career path on the app?
The Threads boss opened up about his path to success as part of a trend on the platform where users are summarizing the five jobs they’ve had to get to where they are.
Although it’s not clear who started the trend, Mosseri’s post has gained a lot of traction with over 800 likes in just six hours, and many others have since hopped on the bandwagon in the comments section.
Meanwhile, others said how inspired they were by his very low-tech start.
“Fantastic career from very humble beginnings. My admiration for your work and what you leave.” one user commented.
“Wow....what is the secret @mosseri ? How did you climb up that ladder so fast? You are an inspiration!,” another wrote.
But without any time stamps, the stark jump in his listed jobs can mistakenly make it look like Mosseri experienced overnight success, instead of a career spanning almost two decades.
While some were left impressed by his apparent metric success, one former Meta employee wasn’t.
“I feel like this looks different for many women and POC,” commented Nicole Wight, who left her product market lead role at Meta earlier this year.
However, it’s unclear if Wight is basing her assumption on her own experience working for the social media giant. She did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
The surprising first jobs of tech chiefs
It’s easy to assume that most leaders attend MBA programs before landing a management role and experiencing a meteoric rise to the C-suite.
But actually, Mosseri isn’t the only tech executive with a surprisingly relatable first job: Netflix’s Reed Hastings started out selling vacuums door-to-door and Jeff Bezos spent a summer working in McDonald’s during high school, according to Business Insider.
For Reddit’s former chief, his early experience at the front of house of Burger King even shaped him into the leader he is today.
“I mopped the dining room, cleaned the bathroom, and took down orders…,” Yishan Wong recalled to Fortune. “I learned that wherever you are, just try to do a really good job and you’ll stand out.”
