Patreon laying off 20% of staff • Hacker News Board

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#51

Post by Shalomboy » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:44 PM UTC

sokoloff wrote: post #31

> A $1,500 stipend to replace your company laptop. It seems like a wild choice to give a specific figure as additional cash rather than just letting them keep their (wiped) laptop. That additional cash will be taxed (as should a laptop that is left with the ex-employee, but the used laptop can be valued and taxed as a used laptop rather than a $1500 cash payment [and frankly would often be, um, overlooked...). It see…

I mean, I wouldn't want to have to bulk-purchase a large number of well-spec'ed laptops in this market. But you aren't wrong.

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#52

Post by newswasboring » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:44 PM UTC

thomasmarcelis wrote: post #34

apical_dendrite wrote: post #17

There are so many contradictions in this statement that either the person who wrote it is completely muddle-headed, or just a bad liar. > Nothing about our core business has changed – it remains strong and consistent a few paragraphs later > But our transformation is going to take time and the next paragraph > At the same time, the market in which we operate has undergone profound change over the last 6 months. We ne…

If we throw all the arguments at the wall, one must stick right?

I think it's a bit more sinister. If they write everything they can claim later they "considered" it.

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#53

Post by Ekaros » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:45 PM UTC

cmiles8 wrote: post #28

Honestly the most interesting thing to me here is that to took nearly 500 people to run Patreon.

Make me always question what is going on in these companies. They are essentially a middle man reoffering payment providers services. Host some content. Lot of time just links to external platforms. There is some marketing but not really that much.

They really should be running sustainable service for like tenth of that many employees... If even that. Most of the people don't care about them just the creators on their platform and less cut they take better for patrons or patronees.

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#54

Post by yonisto » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

cmiles8 wrote: post #28

Honestly the most interesting thing to me here is that to took nearly 500 people to run Patreon.

I really don't get.

Twitter used to have 7500 employees and now it is working perfectly ok with 1500~

What am I missing from business perspective?

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#55

Post by john_strinlai » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

officialchicken wrote: post #19

Bottom line: How do these layoffs increase the successful outcome of product launches on the platform in any way?

i think the goal is to increase profit by reducing operating expenses, not to increase the successful outcome of product launches.

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#56

Post by KomoD » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

theamk wrote: post #10

KomoD wrote: post #3

I can never take such statements seriously.

It is pretty serious for all those people who has been laid off.

I'm not saying the situation isn't serious. I'm saying I can't take these performative fluff statements seriously.

Going on and on about how good these people are and then how well the business is going, as they are firing them.

"special, beautiful humans" "wonderful humans" "kind, ambitious, hard working, and mission-driven humans"

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#57

Post by ryandrake » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

natbennett wrote: post #20

Patreon just does this every few years. At least Jack Conte didn’t post a video of himself crying about it this time.

Kind of tone deaf of him to post a somber layoff message below his open-mouth laugh-smiling profile picture.

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#58

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

password54321 wrote: post #7

[flagged]

[deleted]

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#59

Post by colechristensen » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

>Creators are earning billions of dollars each year on Patreon, and those earnings have continued to exhibit steady, strong growth.

>Creators, members, revenue, and processing volume continue to show strong, consistent growth every month.

lol strong consistent growth -> 20% layoff

Re: Patreon laying off 20% of staff

#60

Post by ab71e5 » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

codegeek wrote: post #42

The only possible positive thing out of this cringy article is that the severance is decent (for a US company). 4 months of pay and healthcare coverage through Year end. Everything else could have just been a couple of sentences. Companies need to stop doing this melodrama every time they decide to fire people. Everyone knows the goal is to make money and keep a company profitable for their shareholders. Why these me…

Exactly. I would be insulted if I was part of this layoff, brutal honesty would be much better