Rajiv Khaneja Made Millions Young, Then Refused to Upgrade His Lifestyle

Thinking about selling your company? 24 founders told us what really happens after the wire hits. — joinhampton.com/exit-report

Rajiv Khaneja made tens of millions running an ad tech company, but still lives in the same city he grew up in, wears the same clothes, and told friends he rented his house—even though he owned it. Here’s why.

Here’s what we talk about:

• How Rajiv built a profitable tech business as a teenager (and hired adults while still in high school)
• Turning down a $2.5M acquisition offer... then heading back to chemistry class
• What 25 years of “anti-lifestyle inflation” looks like
• The impact of immigrant parents and a “worst-case-scenario” money mindset
• Why he lived undercover for years, and how finding a peer group unlocked everything
• How he built AdButler into an 8-figure, bootstrapped business
• Rajiv’s idea of a lifestyle upgrade: attentional freedom > private jets
• Happiness optimization: spending $7M on a home to be closer to friends 
• His new obsession: using AI to help cure cancer
• Co-founding Arvita Therapeutics — and why he’s still building, even with $50M+ in net worth

Sponsors:

• Achieve your dream body with https://www.dailybodycoach.com/moneywise
• Protect your upside and get your time back at https://www.cressetcapital.com/moneywise

Cool Links:

• Hampton https://www.joinhampton.com/
• Lower Street https://www.lowerstreet.co/
• AdButler https://www.adbutler.com/index.html
• Arvita Therapeutics https://www.arvita.co/
  
  

Chapters:

• (0:00) Teen Millionaire: How Rajiv Made His First Money
• (0:45) Living Cheap on Purpose: Why He Drives a Prius
• (1:59) Managing Wealth & Long-Term Investing Strategy
• (3:36) Monthly Spending Breakdown & Frugal Habits
• (9:02) The Origin Story: From Web Polls to Ad Butler
• (19:16) Family, Upbringing & Money Values
• (24:49) Social Life, Hiding Wealth & Finding Founder Friends
• (31:56) Resisting Lifestyle Upgrades After a Big Exit
• (35:40) Choosing the Right Life & Business Partner
• (41:29) Future Bets: Biotech, Longevity & Playing the Long Game

This podcast is a ridiculous concept: high-net-worth people reveal their personal finances. Inspired by real conversations happening in the Hampton community.

Your Host: Harry Morton

• Founder of Lower Street, a podcast production company helping brands launch and grow top-tier podcasts.
• Co-parents a cow named Eliza.