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Plaid Layoffs

plaid.com

101–110 of 345 posts

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#101

Dear Floofernistas, This is the hardest thing I have ever done. The market changed - I thought we would make more money, now I think we will make less money. Therefore we have discovered that we don't need all of you. If you aren't needed, here is some money. I hope this is enough money that the internet isn't too mad at me. Remaining Floofernistas, please be kind to the ex-Floofernistas, and help them. Again, I am s…

In the chimpanzee world, this would be handled differently. In chimp world, when alpha chimp causes chaos that brings down the community, a group of beta chimps will tear apart alpha chimp limb-by-limb, then they elect a new alpha from the group of beta subversives. This also how the organized crime works - leaders get a lot of benefits, but they also get the downside accountability when they fuck up ("skin in the ga…

If you think this is a sign that plaid is anywhere near their last valuation of $13bn, then I have news for you.

The real problem is inequality. Zach is facing consequences, but the drop from $1bn to $100mn (a 10x decline in wealth) is so much less impactful than $250k to $25k (illustrative of what an employee is more likely facing).

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#102

Dear Floofernistas, This is the hardest thing I have ever done. The market changed - I thought we would make more money, now I think we will make less money. Therefore we have discovered that we don't need all of you. If you aren't needed, here is some money. I hope this is enough money that the internet isn't too mad at me. Remaining Floofernistas, please be kind to the ex-Floofernistas, and help them. Again, I am s…

And BTW, I take full responsibility for everything, which means nothing.

To me it means something. To write to the world that you made a mistake and you were responsible takes courage.

It may lead to change. It may not. But it’s important part of normal apologies.

I suspect what you are missing is specific action - what is this person specifically going to do differently?

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#104
post #28

What delusional playbook does every tech leader get the idea to refer to their employees by cringey names like "Plaids" or "Metamates" in serious memos like this? Imagine if your physician did this... "Hey there KaiserPermanientoid! You have cancer!"

Dear Kaiser Permanientoid,

While your time on this Earth is impermanent, your time with us will soon be permanent.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#105
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Signed, rich guy who hopes that shareholders react positively to these layoffs"

Signed, guy who - is trying to build a useful product - thought he might be rich by now - turns out to be worth nothing until profit turns black - is facing the downside of a free market economy - is having one of the worst days of his/her life - will be forgotten by the internet (again) in about 2 days

> is having one of the worst days of his/her life

Oh no, how sad.

Pretty sure the people being laid off are having far worse days than the person who gasp had to write a letter.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#106
post #60

> approximately 260 talented Plaids "Plaids" This joins the list of Googlers, Xooglers, Nooglers, Amazonians, Tweeps, Krakenites, what else?

Rackers at Rackspace

As a former Racker, I was always fine with that - it more or less makes sense, although I never racked a server in my time there. What was funny was that we had an organic tendency to apply the same naming scheme to employees of other companies. After Rackspace acquired Datapipe, they had to tell us to stop calling them Datapipers.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#107
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why?

Because the UK is in Europe. Makes as much sense as a Japanese company referring repeteadly to employees in New York and/or the United States.

the UK is not, politically, part of Europe (as in the EU) anymore, even if it is part of the geographic (non-political) region known as Europe.

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#108

Dear Floofernistas, This is the hardest thing I have ever done. The market changed - I thought we would make more money, now I think we will make less money. Therefore we have discovered that we don't need all of you. If you aren't needed, here is some money. I hope this is enough money that the internet isn't too mad at me. Remaining Floofernistas, please be kind to the ex-Floofernistas, and help them. Again, I am s…

You can certainly find a pattern from these tech layoff announcements, but also it touches almost everything? what would you do otherwise though

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#109

> Macroeconomic conditions have changed substantially this year. Despite being well-diversified across every category of financial services, we are seeing customers across the industry experiencing slower-than-expected growth. sry for the stupid question, but does anyone have a good breakdown/video/article/explanation on the market change? I have some idea, but I'm not a pro.

Interest rates were increased by the federal reserve to ultimately try to increase unemployment to hopefully decrease inflation. This is working by increasing the cost of capital

Re: Plaid Layoffs

#110

> approximately 260 talented Plaids "Plaids" This joins the list of Googlers, Xooglers, Nooglers, Amazonians, Tweeps, Krakenites, what else?

Is there some HR from hell manual somewhere that encourages this? Does anybody sincerely enjoy being called some cringey pun?

It's to make you think of it more like a family than what it is, a contractual means to an end for both parties.
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