The founder of a $633 million startup possesses a trait that most people lack.

In order to achieve success, it may be necessary to adopt a more lighthearted approach and remain committed to continuing your efforts, even during challenging circumstances.

According to Jake Loosararian, CEO of Gecko Robotics, the company produces wall-climbing robots for hazardous jobs, such as inspecting the interior of a power plant boiler or nuclear missile silo for structural problems.

In 2013, Gecko transitioned from a college engineering project to a successful business. It was ranked 42nd on the 2024 CNBC Disruptor 50 List and is currently valued at $633 million.

Loosararian, 33, believes that Gecko's success would not have been possible if he had not been willing to venture into uncharted territory and confront difficult and unclean conditions. Specifically, Loosararian recalls spending parts of the past ten years testing robots in dark, hazardous environments and soldering circuit boards in boiler rooms of power plants, which were hot and dirty.

Launching the business was a risk, as many of his closest friends and advisors thought it was a longshot, he says.

According to Loosararian, his hands-on approach helped him and Gecko stand out from other startups and aspiring innovators who haven't achieved success. He believes that Gecko's success and growth are largely due to their commitment to the value of grit and perseverance.

The trait of grit, which involves persisting in the pursuit of a goal despite obstacles, is often linked to success by psychologists. According to University of Pennsylvania psychology professor Angela Duckworth, grit may be even more crucial than skill or intelligence.

According to Duckworth, grit is the combination of passion and perseverance that drives individuals towards long-term goals. It involves having the stamina to keep pushing forward, even when faced with challenges, and sticking with one's future plans for an extended period of time, rather than just for a week or a month. To achieve success, individuals must work diligently to make their future a reality.

A company built on grit

Gecko Robotics was founded by Loosararian, an electrical engineering graduate, who spent three years bootstrapping the company after college. With no financial resources, he lived on friends' floors and at power plants where he tested early versions of Gecko's robots.

Loosararian often contemplated abandoning his job as a talented engineer. He would think to himself, "I don't fit in here. I'm a hardworking engineer with a hard hat, steel-toe boots, and covered in coal soot. I don't belong in this place."

He decided to embrace those challenges, leaning hard on his initial belief that he'd found an untapped, potentially lucrative market.

"Endurance is crucial for success, as many successful businesspeople, including billionaire Eric Schmidt, have emphasized," according to a 2022 CNBC Make It article.

As innovators and designers and technologists, we are most needed in unwelcoming environments, like those where Gecko's robots typically operate, according to Loosararian.

Gecko's challenging origins have instilled a culture of determination and resilience among its 300-plus employees.

""To truly appreciate the value of understanding how the built world works, everyone must drive robots and run the software. This is an exciting prospect, as it requires a collective of individuals who are all passionate about this value," Loosararian remarks."

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