AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT COMPASS (01/05/23)

JANUARY 5, 2023 — ANOTHER ROUND OF LAYOFFS. 10% OF EXISTING STAFF OR 350 TARGETED FOR LAYOFFS.

From Robert Reffkin, the CEO of Compass…

Compass Team,

As entrepreneurs you are no strangers to managing your business and expenses to ensure your long-term success, especially in difficult economic times. As I have mentioned to you and shared publicly over the past few months, we have been doing the same things here at the company level. Like you, we've been focused over the last year on controlling our costs. As part of that work, today we reduced the size of some of our employee teams.

While decisions like these are always hard, they are prudent and allow us to continue to build a long-term, successful business for all of you. Our teams are going to continue to be focused on goals that are directly tied to helping you grow your business and create a better experience for your clients.

All responsible industry leaders are addressing these challenges, including many of our competitors. I want you to know that I am committed to your success and making sure this company does everything possible to support your growth and help you realize your potential.

I am so grateful to be working for you all.

Robert

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 — 271 LAYOFFS IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Continuing with its cost-cutting initiative, the company has announced that 271 employees, including 84 “local employees” and 187 “virtual” employees, mostly within the technology department and based in Seattle, Washington, will be laid off commencing on November 19, 2022. Virtual employees may be based anywhere, including other states, but report to the Seattle, Washington office.

According to CEO Robert Reffkin, “These reductions are difficult but ultimately necessary to ensure we can confidently navigate the current market. A significant portion of the workforce reduction involves reductions in headcount on the company’s product and engineering team. The Company believes it is in a position to reduce its go-forward investment in technology given the maturity of the Company’s technology platform.

JUNE 30, 2022 — Original post…

New York, New York-based Compass, Inc., a technology-driven residential real estate brokerage specializing in high-end properties, has announced a major reduction in force.

The reduction in force will impact 450 employees, said to be mostly recruiters of independent real estate agents and support staff.

The company's CEO, Robert Reffkin, noted that the decision was driven by rising interest rates, 8.6 percent inflation, and an impending recession, further noting the “economic environment has consistently worsened over these last few months.”

“I have been through three of these economic cycles in my career so far, and I believe that in challenging times, companies that move quickly and decisively emerge stronger and better than those who take half-measures or no action at all,”

"As an innovative residential real estate firm, we empower our agents so they have more time for advising their clients. With the solutions-driven mindset of a startup and the sophistication of a luxury brand, Compass is the future of real estate."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT REFF TECHNOLOGY

Miami, Florida-based REEF Technology. a provider of hardware, software, and management services for utilizing real estate, primarily parking lots and empty spaces, as parking lots, delivery hubs, and ghost (pop-up) kitchens, has announced a restructuring to focus on its core competencies, parking lots and ghost kitchens.

The restructuring will impact 750 employees with separations starting immediately.

According to Reef Technology CEO, Ari Ojalvo. ""At the beginning of the year, we refocused our strategic priorities on strengthening our parking business, building on the exponential growth of REEF Kitchens, and expanding our Proximity platform. We also sharpened our focus on profitability and productivity, both critical assets in inflationary environments. To adapt to this environment, it is with a heavy heart that we are parting ways with about 5% of our global workforce. In the coming days, those whose roles are impacted will be contacted individually to discuss severance and transitional support."

"Ghost kitchens are essentially restaurants without the dining space. Their focus is to sell and fulfill online food orders for delivery using third-party apps like Grubhub, UberEats, and DoorDash, or with their own delivery operation. As a result, they typically have no visible storefront. Many are trailer-based mobile operations."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT KNOCK

New York City, New York-based Knock, a technology company that facilitates real estate transactions, has announced that it is reducing its workforce by 46% or approximately 100 employees thoughout the company's various divisions. It should be noted that while the company maintains some physical locations to facilitate co-working, all employees are essentially remote workers.

According to Knock CEO Sean Black, “While substantial, the capital we raised is much less than what we set out to raise in our IPO, requiring us to rightsize the business, including the difficult decision to part ways with many of our beloved Knockstars. This is why today’s announcement weighs heavily on us and me, in particular.”

The company has raised $70 million in equity and $150 million in new debt to “power its payment platform that helps customers finance their dream homes. Led by Boulder, Colorado-based Foundry Group, an early-stage venture capital firm, the other investors include Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors, and Mauricio Umansky, a Beverly Hills real estate broker who is CEO of The Agency. The hope is for a payout IPO when conditions in the real estate and financial markets improve.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?