The CEO Who Chose People Over Profit — And Proved Everyone Wrong
When Dan Price founded Gravity Payments, he was just another young entrepreneur chasing growth. But as his company expanded, he began to notice something that didn’t sit right. His employees were struggling — living paycheck to paycheck, juggling second jobs, and drowning in financial stress — even as the business grew profitable.
Then one afternoon, Dan overheard a conversation between two coworkers. One confided that she was working nights just to afford rent. That moment hit him harder than any business loss ever had. “What’s the point of success,” he thought, “if the people building it can’t live with dignity?”
In 2015, Dan made a decision that would shock the corporate world. He announced that he was cutting his own $1.1 million salary down to $70,000 — the same amount he promised every single employee at Gravity would earn from then on.
Critics called it reckless. Business analysts predicted bankruptcy within months. Even some staff members were skeptical, worried the gesture wouldn’t last. But Dan was determined to prove that paying people fairly wasn’t charity — it was strategy.
The first few months were tough. Dan sold his second home, downsized his lifestyle, and weathered the ridicule of the media. But as the months turned into years, the results began to speak louder than any headline.
Employee happiness skyrocketed. Productivity surged. Staff turnover plummeted. People who once struggled to survive now had time — and energy — to thrive.
Revenue didn’t fall — it tripled. Customer loyalty deepened, and Gravity became a model of what ethical capitalism could look like. Harvard professors now teach his decision as a case study in modern leadership.
Dan’s experiment wasn’t just about money. It was about reimagining what success means. “If your dream only works for you,” he said, “it’s not a dream — it’s a trap.”
Years later, Gravity Payments continues to thrive, and so do the people behind it. Many employees bought their first homes, paid off debt, and started families — all because one man decided that profit shouldn’t come at the cost of people’s peace of mind.
In an age obsessed with growth at all costs, Dan Price’s story is a reminder that the real measure of success isn’t your net worth — it’s the lives you lift along the way.
Because sometimes, the boldest business move isn’t raising prices.
It’s raising people.