Braden Wallake, the CEO of US-based B2B agency HyperSocial, has defended himself after facing backlash for a LinkedIn post in which he shared a tearful selfie while announcing staff layoffs. The post, published on 10 August, described the layoffs as 'the toughest thing he's ever had to do' and took responsibility for the decision.
Wallake wrote that the layoffs were his fault, explaining that he had made a decision in February and stuck with it for too long. He emphasised that his company has always been 'people first' and expressed regret that he could not have made better decisions to avoid letting employees go.
The post drew a mix of negative and positive comments, with some critics accusing him of making the situation about himself. In a follow-up post on 11 August, Wallake apologised, stating: 'No, my intent was not to make it about me or victimize myself. I am sorry it came across that way.' He then created a thread for people seeking work, inviting them to share their resumes and qualifications.
Wallake's initial post highlighted the emotional toll of letting go of just a few employees, contrasting it with larger layoffs often seen in the news. He said: 'I know it isn't professional to tell my employees that I love them. But from the bottom of my heart, I hope they know how much I do.'
