Lucy Guo might be a billionaire, but instead of a life of luxury and comfort, she swears by a relentless work ethic and strict daily routine.

At just 30 years old, the California-born-and-raised entrepreneur has achieved what many will spend their lifetimes chasing. In April, Guo’s net worth soared to $1.3 billion after her first business, Scale AI, wrapped up a deal with tech giant Meta that valued the company at $25 billion. She was named the youngest self-made woman billionaire, a title previously held by pop star Taylor Swift.

“Honestly, I still feel the same as that little girl, like my life pre-money and post-money, it hasn’t really changed that much,” Guo told CNBC Make It in an interview.

Guo co-founded Scale AI, an AI data labeling company, alongside Alexander Wang in 2016. Guo, who headed up the operations and product design teams at the Silicon Valley startup, left the company in 2018.

“We had disagreements around products and sales,” Guo explained. “Where Alex was very sales-driven on bringing in more customers, I was very focused on like ’hey, we need to prioritize the products or helping make sure that scalers [employees] get paid on time, their hours are being counted correctly, but that wasn’t where the resources were being poured in.”

However, Guo held on to her stake, which is worth just under 5%. When Meta agreed to acquire 49% of Scale AI, the deal pushed Guo’s stake to a skyrocketing $1.25 billion.

A serial entrepreneur and a graduate of the Thiel Fellowship program, Guo wasn’t out of the game for long and founded Backend Capital, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech startups in 2019. Her most recent company, Passes, a content creator monetization platform founded in 2022, has raised over $65 million in funding.  

Since becoming a billionaire, Guo hasn’t taken her foot off the work pedal. “I am still working very long work days,” she said.

Guo belongs to a category of founders who optimize their days to be as productive as possible, and her newfound billionaire status isn’t an excuse to slow down.

An average day for Guo includes waking up at 5:30 a.m. and going to Barry’s Bootcamp for two workout sessions back-to-back. Lunches are a luxury for the startup founder, and she often eats during meetings as her schedule doesn’t always allow for a break, she said.

“I think most people could have work-life balance if they cut out what most people waste their time on when they get back home, which is, a lot of people doom scroll on TikTok, a lot of people just sit and watch TV mindlessly,” she said.

In the interest of work-life balance, Guo gives herself one day off on the weekends, where from noon to 6 p.m., she’s totally focused on spending time with her friends, and then it’s back to work straight after.

“I think I have more hours in a day because I’m gonna be honest, I’m totally blessed. I don’t need that much sleep…even though I’m working these long hours, I feel like I have work-life balance.

“I could theoretically work until midnight, and then I could go out to the club until 2 a.m., and then I could go to sleep, and then wake up at like 6 a.m. and do Barry’s.”

The young founder embodies the Silicon Valley mantra of working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, similar to China’s infamous 996 work culture, which includes working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week.

“9 a.m. to 9 p.m., to me that’s still work-life balance,” Guo commented. “At 9 p.m., you can go to dinner with your friends. You can invite them to a potluck. You don’t need to sleep from nine to nine. That’s a ridiculous amount of sleep.”

“If anyone thinks that’s not work-life balance, I don’t know what to say because you literally have 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. to hang out with your friends, and then you sleep from 2 a.m. to nine. That’s seven hours of sleep, which is more than enough.”

But not everyone agrees with the pursuit of a 996 work schedule. Some founders previously pushed back against the trend, telling CNBC that the views are outdated and unnecessary to achieve success.

An always-on culture decreases retention and creates a revolving door of talent, Sarah Wernér, co-founder of Husmus, told CNBC.”

Suranga Chandratillake, general partner at Balderton Capital, added that 996 is about “a fetishization of overwork rather than smart work…it’s a myth.”

Startup founders’ working hours are a much-contested issue. Recently, some venture capitalists were even pushing European founders to step up the work pace to keep up with their counterparts in the U.S. and China.

“In general, when you’re first starting your company, it’s near impossible to do it without doing that [996], like you’re going to need to work like 90-hour work weeks to get things off the ground,” Guo said.

As a company grows, hires more talent, and finds stability, Guo says it is possible to work less later on.

She noted that becoming a billionaire isn’t about intense working hours. If you consistently invest hundreds of thousands into the S&P 500, it could grow to billions by the end of your lifetime, according to Guo.

“I don’t think you need to work those hours to become a billionaire, per se. It’s how you opt to do it. If you opt to start a tech company, you’re gonna be working those hours in the beginning. If you’re like, main method is doing it via investing, you’re not gonna be working those hours,” she said.

Guo’s latest startup, Passes, became embroiled in controversy in February after a class action lawsuit was filed against her and the company, alleging that she distributed child sexual abuse material on the platform to paying subscribers.

“I think it’s a total shakedown. I never met this person, never talked to this person,” Guo said about the lawsuit.

A spokesperson from Passes told CNBC Make It via email: “As explained in the motion to dismiss filed on April 28, Ms. Guo and Passes categorically reject the baseless allegations made against them in the lawsuit, which was only filed against them after they rejected a $15 million payment demand.”

Clark Smith Villazor, the New York-based litigation firm that brought the lawsuit against Passes, has yet to respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

When the cost of a college degree can exceed $500,000, it’s smart to consider schools with reputations for providing students with the education and experience necessary to thrive after graduation.

And when it comes to the best return on investment, the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta earns top marks for the third year in a row, according to The Princeton Review’s latest rankings. 

The publication considered colleges’ ratings in the following categories to determine which schools offer the best value:

• Academics: based on admissions selectivity and student surveys
• Financial aid: based on school-reported data and student opinion
• College costs: based on the difference between the school’s sticker price and average scholarship and grant awards

Of course, the amount you ultimately pay for your college education may depend less on a school’s sticker price and more on your family’s financial situation. It’s possible for some students to go to an expensive college for free or close to nothing if they qualify for and receive federal or institutional aid.

But with relatively low tuition fees and high median earnings among former students, Georgia Tech offers the best value for students out of the nearly 400 colleges Princeton Review considered. Like other schools known for their academic rigor, Georgia Tech’s focus on science, technology, engineering and math likely contributes to the high salaries students go on to command.

Forbes named Georgia Tech one of the “new Ivies” in 2024 and again in 2025. The list identified highly selective universities that employers say are on par, if not better, than the eight Ivy League colleges.

Still, “there isn’t a sense of cut-throat academic rivalry” at Georgia Tech, a student wrote in Princeton Review’s survey. “Everyone is much more helpful and supportive of one another.”

Here are the 10 public colleges with the best ROI, according to The Princeton Review, along with tuition figures for the 2025-26 academic year, per the schools’ websites; average annual net prices and median earnings among students 10 years after attendance, according to Department of Education data.

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $10,512
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $33,596
• Average net price 2023-24: $13,289
• Median earnings: $102,772

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $16,258 to $28,398, depending on program and class year
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $55,436 to $68,114, depending on program and class year
• Average net price 2023-24: $22,881
• Median earnings: $86,863

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $7,020
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $43,152
• Average net price 2023-24: $12,983
• Median earnings: $72,200

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $13,602
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $51,204
• Average net price 2023-24: $12,840
• Median earnings: $80,735

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $17,478
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $55,080
• Average net price 2023-24: $14,979
• Median earnings: $92,446

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $14,934
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $52,536
• Average net price 2023-24: $11,750
• Median earnings: $84,943

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $18,346 to $20,648, depending on class year
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $63,962 to $68,444, depending on class year
• Average net price 2023-24: $14,832
• Median earnings: $83,648

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $13,406
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $44,640
• Average net price 2023-24: $13,485
• Median earnings: $78,466

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $9,028
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $33,993
• Average net price 2023-24: $16,931
• Median earnings: $68,758

• 2025-26 in-state tuition: $18,046 to $23,426, depending on major
• 2025-26 out-of-state tuition: $38,398 to $46,498, depending on major
• Average net price 2023-24: $15,201
• Median earnings: $81,504

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Movement can be one of the most powerful tools for long-term health. The earlier you start building strength, balance, and mobility, the better equipped you’ll be to maintain your independence and well-being later in life.

As a physical therapist and fitness trainer, there are seven key movements I encourage my clients to work on. If you can perform them with control and without pain, especially if you’re in your 30s and 40s, your body is aging better than most.

Keep in mind, though, that everyone is different. I always recommend consulting with a health or fitness professional before trying anything that may be too strenuous.

Push-ups train key muscle groups used in everyday tasks like lifting luggage, getting off the floor, or pushing heavy doors.

They’re also a surprisingly good indicator of cardiovascular health. A 2019 study found that men who could do 40 push-ups in one set had significantly lower risk of heart disease than those who could do 10 or fewer.

Workout tip: Make sure you keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Squeezing your glutes and bracing your abs will protect your spine and give you more stability.

Grip strength, which pull-ups demand, has been linked to lower mortality rates as we age.

Pull-ups engage your back, shoulders, arms, and core. These muscles support posture and strength for real-life scenarios like carrying groceries, opening tightly closed lids, and even holding onto a pole to prevent yourself from falling while taking public transportation.

Workout tip: If you’re new to pull-ups, try dead hangs, in which you hang from the bar with arms fully extended. Practice building up to 30 seconds.

Your ability to balance on one leg is a key predictor of longevity. In fact, studies show that people who can’t balance on one leg for at least 10 seconds in their 50s have higher risk of mortality.

Workout tip: Try slowly lowering yourself onto a bench or chair using one leg, then stand back up. Aim for 10 reps per side without losing control or balance. This move strengthens your quads and stabilizers, which are crucial for activities like walking downstairs or playing sports.

This move strengthens the posterior chain (your hamstrings and glutes), which helps prevent low back pain and improves walking and running efficiency.

Training this muscle group is important because research has shown that it leads to better outcomes when it comes to pain, disability, and overall muscle strength.

Workout tip: Stand on one leg, hinge at the hips while keeping a soft bend in the knee, and reach your other leg back behind you. Do 10 reps per side. The goal should be to do 10 repetitions without losing your balance or needing to touch the ground with the opposite leg for balance.

As you age, you lose muscle power (your ability to express a lot of work within a short period of time) much more quickly than muscle strength.

According to one study, power decreases about 10% per decade after age 40. Maintaining explosive strength helps with agility, fall prevention, and playing recreational sports well into older age.

Workout tip: Squat jumps need to be done safely, especially if you’re new to them. You don’t need to jump sky-high. Start with low jumps and gradually increase height.

A hop and stick is a controlled jump followed by a strong, balanced landing on the same leg. It’s one of the most demanding athletic moves, challenging your balance, coordination, and joint stability.

Impact activities like this can help improve bone mineral density as well as tendon health, protecting against osteoporosis and injury.

Workout tip: Stick the landing with control to build both power and balance.

The split squat isometric hold is a great exercise to build lower body strength and stability. An isometric hold is when your muscles are not lengthening or shortening, but maintaining a given range.

The leg in the back will improve hip flexor mobility, which tends to get tight when sitting for an extended period of time. The leg in the front will improve quadriceps strength which is another great predictor of longevity.

Workout tip: Try your best to keep your hips square (both hip bones should face forward). Avoid twisting or leaning over your front leg.

Andy Fata-Chan is a physical therapist and the founder of Moment Physical Therapy and Performance, which specializes in helping patients with chronic debilitating pain get back to high performance. His experience ranges from youth athletes to Olympic and professional-level athletes.

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One of the most common myths about long-term relationships is that couples eventually run out of things to say. It’s easy to believe: Life gets busy, routines take over and conversations become more about logistics than connection.

As a psychologist who studies couples, and based on my own experience being happily married, I know how tricky communication can become if you’re convinced there’s nothing left to say. But couples in healthy relationships make a habit of talking about things that matter, every single day.

Their conversations stay fresh, connected and meaningful because they never stop learning about each other. Here are five things people in the happiest relationships talk to each other about every day — that most people neglect.

Couples in thriving relationships always make a point to check in and make sure the other partner is happy.

On some days, that means asking: “Do you feel loved? Supported? Connected?” Other days, it’s about expressing appreciation, sharing a laugh over a favorite memory or talking about something they’re looking forward to doing together.

Having these daily check-ins help prevent small misunderstandings from growing into larger issues.

In the strongest relationships, both partners stay curious about what excites the other. It could be a song they can’t stop listening to, a book they’ve been devouring, a hobby they’re exploring or even a TikTok that made them laugh.

Regardless of whether their interests overlap, they stay curious about each other’s passions. This is what keeps the spark alive.

Over their years together, these little updates remind one another of perhaps the most important thing to remember in a relationship: “We’re constantly growing and evolving, and we’re doing it together.”

Happy couples are never stuck in the present or past. They often have conversations about long-term goals: owning a home, traveling more, starting a business or raising kids.

They also don’t shy away from less practical, more whimsical topics, like what they’d do with a year off, how they’d renovate their dream kitchen or where they’d go if money wasn’t a concern.

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Discussing dreams, no matter how realistic or farfetched, keeps the relationship future-oriented by instilling a joint sense of purpose and possibility. Even if a dream can’t be acted on right away, talking it over allows them to keep track of each other’s values.

Happy couples aren’t uncomfortable bringing up what’s bothering them. A healthy relationship should feel like a safe space where couples can work through their troubles together as a team.

Whether it’s a tough day at work, a lingering insecurity or even a fear about the relationship itself, they trust their partner to respond with empathy.

Over time, this daily practice of being emotionally honest builds a rock-solid sense of safety. Both partners will never feel like they have to carry their baggage alone.

Even a half-formed musing can be a fun way to connect. Happy couples never think twice about sharing their random ideas: their shower thoughts, their “what-ifs,” their “this just popped into my head” theories.

And these don’t always have to be deep or profound. In fact, they’re usually pretty silly, weird or seemingly irrelevant. Adding a little bit of playfulness and spontaneity into every conversation also makes space for laughter and even intimacy.

I always remind couples that a big part of building a successful relationship is about being intentional with the conversations you choose to have. Couples who stay connected day after day create a shared space for curiosity, growth and joy.

Mark Travers, PhD, is a psychologist who specializes in relationships. He holds degrees from Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder. He is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, a telehealth company that provides online psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching. He is also the curator of the popular mental health and wellness website, Therapytips.org.

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Much of Rafael Perales’ daily life revolves around his 11-year-old daughter’s education. Considering that the pre-teen is already a college graduate, that’s very much by design.

In May, his daughter Alisa earned two associate degrees — in mathematics and general science — from Crafton Hills College, a public community college in Yucaipa, California, where she matriculated as an 8-year-old. She’s set to start at the University of California, Riverside this fall, studying for a bachelor’s degree in computer science so she can eventually work in the tech industry, she says.

Rafael, 51, left his full-time career as a trial attorney in San Bernardino, California, when Alisa was just 1 year old so the single dad could prioritize and educating her. His career sacrifice is a reflection of his top non-negotiable parenting rule, he says: “Kids come first. She comes before everything, including myself. I’m pretty far down the list of important things.”

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When Rafael initially chose to leave his career, Alisa was already mastering her ABCs and counting into the hundreds, he says. His other child, a now-32-year-old son, was already out of the house and working as a plumber’s apprentice. When he thought about the potential benefits of Alisa receiving one-on-one attention and tutelage from her dad, the choice “became pretty easy,” he says.

Without his law income, the family struggled financially at times. They stayed “afloat” with the rent from a commercial property Rafael owned in Yermo, California, which he’d previously bought with a “modest inheritance” from his own parents, he says.

Even in moments when he worried about paying the bills, he remained certain that fully focusing on Alisa’s education was “the right thing to do,” he says. “I always had confidence that I would find a way to make it, no matter what.”

By age 2, Alisa could read on her own, says Rafael. He home-schooled her until she was 8 — when she completed the coursework required by California to earn her high school diploma — choosing from different curricula and online teaching guides based on her interests and skill level.

As Alisa’s home-school teacher, Rafael worked to establish a regular routine for her, he says — which experts generally endorse as a way to help kids feel more secure while learning and playing. They typically stuck to a schedule of instruction and schoolwork from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., five days per week, he says.

Rafael’s double role as dad and teacher helped keep Alisa focused, rather than ”[goofing] around too much” — but he was also conscious of the need to avoid overworking her, he says. Alisa frequently rode her scooter to friends’ homes in their neighborhood for after-school playdates, and on most Wednesdays, Rafael took her to Disneyland in nearby Anaheim to give her “a release valve” to look forward to each week, he says.

He also incorporated Alisa’s learning into vacations, visiting places like the Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore to learn about subjects like history and geography, he says. “We weren’t really too different [from a public school] in the amount of studying we were doing. But we were definitely, I think, being more productive,” says Rafael.

Now, Alisa’s future plans look like those of many a recent community college graduate. She’s looking forward to “meeting new people and making new friends” at UC Riverside, traveling around the world and eventually working in the tech industry, possibly running her own startup, she says.

Since she’s still just 11, Rafael intends to accompany her for most of those plans — chaperoning her travel, and if Alisa launches a startup, he’ll likely be her co-founder, she says. She’ll live at home and commute to UC Riverside, and Rafael will wait on campus during her classes, which means he’s unlikely to return to a full-time day job anytime soon, he adds.

“When people ask: ‘Are you going back to work?’ [I say], ‘Yeah, I might slow down and relax and do something like a 9-to-5 again someday.’ But, not now,” says Rafael.

Many parenting experts do caution parents not to completely disregard their own well-being, even when prioritizing their child’s health and development. Those who do risk burnout and a host of other mental health problems, according to the American Psychological Association.

But children in any educational setting can benefit from parents taking an active role in their learning and development, research shows. Kids in regular school environments whose parents who are invested and involved in their education typically show better overall academic performance, according to a 2011 study by researchers from Brown University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Parents who consistently set aside time for hands-on learning activities at home can help their kids achieve higher test scores, and increased motivation and engagement at school, other studies show.

The quality of the time you spend with your kids — whether on educational pursuits or leisure activities — typically matters more than the quantity of time, child psychologist Tovah Klein told CNBC Make It in March 2023. Quality time is a major factor in raising kids who are happy, confident and motivated to succeed, she said.

“It almost always could be said that less is more for children. They just want to be with you,” said Klein, the director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development. “It’s always about the quality of the relationship [and] the quality of the interactions.”

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