Get All Access for $5/mo

Report: Elon Musk Says Twitter Is Valued At Less Than Half of What He Paid For It Just Days After Sending Frantic Email to Employees at 2:30 A.M. The billionaire purchased the social media platform for an estimated $44 billion.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Getty Images

Things over at Twitter HQ seem to be in disarray, according to multiple internal documents viewed by Platformer over the past few days.

A leaked memo from last Wednesday, viewed by Platformer's managing editor Zoë Schiffer, revealed that Musk sent an email to employees around 2:30 a.m. telling them that the office was "not optional" while noting that Twitter's HQ in San Francisco was half empty the day prior.

The message was not unexpected, as Musk made it clear almost immediately upon his takeover of the social media platform that he expects employees to work "in office a minimum of 40 hours per week" and that "remote work is no longer allowed unless you have a specific exception."

Related: Elon Musk Slams Twitter Employees With Ultimatum: Prepare to Work 'Extremely Hardcore' or Leave by Thursday

Just days after last week's reminder, another internal memo leaked that shows how ominous things are at Musk's "Twitter 2.0."

According to the internal document, Musk said that employee stock grants are to be based on what he estimated to be a $20 billion valuation for the company — less than half of what he paid for it (an estimated $44 billion) last fall.

Schiffer explained that Musk's ultimate goal is to get Twitter to a $250 billion valuation (tenfold from where it is now) and told employees that there's a "clear but difficult path" to get there, simultaneously nodding to the changes the company has implemented over the past five months.

He also said that Twitter was on the path of an "inverse startup," which would align with the mass layoffs and the arduous hours employees have been working, with some even sleeping inside the office to maximize productivity.

Related: 'First Day of the Rest of Your Life': More Twitter Layoffs Hit, Including Esther Crawford Who Slept In Office In Sleeping Bag

On top of all the internal drama, a lawsuit filed by Twitter at the beginning of the weekend confirmed that part of Twitter's source code (the backend code that runs the platform for use) had been leaked online by a rogue user on internet hosting platform Github.

The filing asked for Github to remove the posting, which it did. It also asked the court to provide personal information (names, IP addresses, phone numbers) associated with the user profile that posted the source code, ironically named "FreeSpeechEnthuisast."

Musk did not publicly comment on either of the leaks.

Emily Rella

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.

Editor's Pick

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Productivity

6 Habits That Help Successful People Maximize Their Time

There aren't enough hours in the day, but these tips will make them feel slightly more productive.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.

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.

Business News

Here's What the CPI Report Means for Your Wallet, According to JPMorgan and EY Experts

Most experts agree that there will be another rate cut next week.