Former Google Employees Unite to Launch a New Venture

A recent layoff spree in the tech industry has affected thousands of workers around the world. Google has followed suit.

Companies announced layoffs in the first few weeks of 2023, citing economic uncertainty and fear of recession in their job-cutting decisions.

Twilio co-founder and CEO Jeff Lawson stated in a memo to employees that the business environment has become more challenging.

“Environments change — and so must we,” he explained. “We have to prioritize profit now more than ever. We’re exiting the last phase with a good market position and strong cash reserves, but unfortunately, that’s insufficient to get us through the next phase.”

Layoffs in 2023:

– Yahoo: 20% of employees

– Coinbase: 20% of employees

– Twilio: 17% of employees

– Zoom: 15% of employees

– Salesforce: 10% of employees

– Amazon: 18,000 employees

– Google: 12,000 employees

– Microsoft: 10,000 employees

New layoffs almost every day.

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) February 16, 2023

eBay CEO Jamie Iannone said the layoffs were to help the company focus on growth, acquire new technologies, and “deliver improved end-to-end experiences for our customers and support more innovation and scale across our platform.”

Similarly, tech giant Google also fired several workers, and rather than whine and give up, some of them have teamed up to form a new company.

After Google Laid Off Workers

Henry Kirk, who had worked at Google for nearly a decade, was laid off alongside 12,000 others earlier in January. He then decided to make use of the opportunity to establish his company.

Kirk and his team plan to set up a design and development studio in San Francisco and New York. He stated that he had given himself and his team six weeks to complete the company’s foundation, even before the 60-day notification period.

Henry Kirk worked for eight years at #Google and was fired after the company laid off 12,000 employees in line with the recent cost-cutting measures.https://t.co/7jnMNcoMXO

— Mint (@livemint) February 22, 2023

The new company will concentrate on providing research and design tools for other companies websites and apps, engineering projects for businesses that need more experience, and helping startups and funding.

He shared his story on LinkedIn, saying, “I have 52 days left. I need your help. I’ve always believed that hard work and results will get you far in life. While this event may place doubt in that belief, it is my experience that these life challenges present unique opportunities.”

“Here’s where you can help… I would appreciate introductions to your network. Please give likes and reposts to get the word out,” he continued.

“I’m looking for conversations to identify opportunities where my team can help a business go from 0 to 1 or 1 to 100 through our end-to-end software services (research, design, and development),” he added. He explained that six ex-Google employees would join him in his endeavor.

A Google manager who got laid off liked working with his colleagues so much he's trying to set up a new company with 6 of them https://t.co/PsPqX8Oihf

— Business Insider (@BusinessInsider) February 19, 2023

“Today, I’m leaping forward and turning this tragedy into an opportunity. I’m teaming up with 6 outstanding #xooglers to shape and own our futures.”

Kirk added, “We’re starting a design & development studio in NYC and SF. It’s probably the worst time ever to do this. But that’s the exciting and challenging part.”

Henry Kirk at Google

In a report by Business Insider, Kirk said that he enjoyed working at Google, relishing his time there, and thinks of it as attending “Google University.” 

Rather than be downcast by the layoff, Kirk intends to continue the positive working environment he experienced at Google in his new venture.

He says, “Seven of the finest ex-Googlers are fired-up, eager to research, design, and develop the most scrappy to ambitious software projects (and we’ll do it quickly).”

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