You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

CEO Lays off 900 Employees in Shocking Video Call Better.com has let go of 9% of its workforce.

By Emily Rella

entrepreneur daily

YouTube
Better.com CEO lays off 900 employees

Bah humbug!

Spirits were not so bright over at Better.com when CEO Vishal Garg laid off 900 employees in a Zoom meeting.

The leaked video footage shows Garg saying that the company will be letting go of 15% of its workforce, though it was later clarified that the layoffs accounted for 9% of employees.

"The market has changed, as you know, and we have to move with it in order to survive," he said. "This isn't news you're gonna wanna hear, but ultimately it was my decision, and I wanted you to hear it from me. It's been a really, really challenging decision to make."

Garg told employees that this is the second time in his career that he's had to deliver mass layoffs and said that he hoped we wouldn't cry during the process this time around.

"If you're on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg explained in the video. "Your employment here is terminated effective immediately."

The woman videotaping the call can be heard crying and pleading to the screen.

"This is not real," she heartbreakingly says. "After everything we did."

Better.com is a digital mortgage and loan website that launched in 2016.

The website is currently down, with a note that says it is "doing a little home improvement."

Reports state that the company is valued at $7 billion after receiving a $750 million "cash infusion" just days ago.

This latest move is not Garg's first bout with scandal at the company.

In an email last November obtained by Forbes, the CEO seemed to verbally abuse employees by calling them dumb and slow.

"You are TOO DAMN SLOW. You are a bunch of DUMB DOLPHINS and…DUMB DOLPHINS get caught in nets and eaten by sharks," the email said. "SO STOP IT. STOP IT. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. YOU ARE EMBARRASSING ME."

Better.com currently has main offices in California, North Carolina and Texas.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

This Dad Started a Side Hustle to Save for His Daughter's College Fund — Then It Earned $1 Million and Caught Apple's Attention

In 2015, Greg Kerr, now owner of Alchemy Merch, was working as musician when he noticed a lucrative opportunity.

Business News

Yes, You Can Buy a Foldable Tiny Home on Amazon — And Now It's Selling for Less Than $12,000

The waterproof and flameproof house was listed around $35,000 a few months ago.

Living

Bring the Fun to Work with This $40 Xbox Accessories Bundle

Includes cables, charger base, a gaming headset, and more.

Thought Leaders

We Live in a Data-Driven World — Here's a Case For Listening to Your Gut Instead

Honing and trusting one's intuition can lead to quicker, more effective decision-making. Here's how to harness the power of listening to your gut to make the best choices.

Business News

This One Word Is a Giveaway That You Used ChatGPT to Write an Email, According to an Expert

"Delve" has increased its presence in written work since ChatGPT entered the scene.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.