AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT TYPEPAD

Madison, Wisconsin-based Typepad, a provider of online blogging services, is shuttering its iconic platform and recommending a migration to another platform.

Preferably, one owned by its acquiring company, Jacksonville, Florida-based Newfold Digital, one of the largest providers in the web hosting industry.

There are very few employees involved, primarily in customer service/support desk operations and platform maintenance, who are likely to be employed by the acquiring entity.

The company has a long and troubled financial history, having been the subject of financial engineering between venture capitalists and larger platform operators.

Sometimes, Rumors and Suspicions are True

Sometimes a business doesn’t suddenly collapse because of bad luck or a sudden twist of fate—it unravels because the rumors were right all along.

Whispers, or even published reports, about multiple owners, shaky finances, questionable leadership decisions, toxic workplace cultures, decrepit technology, financial maneuvering by venture capitalists, or business decisions to let a former "cash cow" business die often surface long before the doors actually shut.

While many users, vendors, and employees dismiss these suspicions as idle gossip, they can sometimes be early warning signs of deeper problems hidden beneath the surface.

When the truth finally comes out in the form of layoffs, bankruptcy, sudden closures, or discontinued platforms, employees, customers, and investors alike realize that the red flags were never just smoke—they were signals of the fire already burning inside.

Typepad had been signaling the closure of its platform since 2020, when it stopped taking new customers to its aging platform. Neither did they seem to mount an active or aggressive attempt to migrate existing customers to the newer platform of their acquiring company. It was up to the customer to tend his own garden.

Once again, proving vigilance and skepticism by all stakeholders is prudent.

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, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT SAUDER WOODWORKING

Archbold, Ohio-based Sauder Woodworking, a producer of ready-to-assemble furniture, has initiated a reduction in force to counter the effects of a significant drop in sales.

The reduction will impact 150 employees.

EVP Dan Sauder noted, "We've had to make some adjustments to our employment levels to react to the sales drop. So we have reduced a couple shifts and we've had to reduce our staffing. Although the fallout has been swift here at Sauder Woodworking, OhioMeansJobs of Fulton County partnered with Sauder Woodworking to assist with the transition of the layoffs."

Progressive Furniture, a Claremont, North Carolina–based subsidiary of Sauder Woodworking, will cease all operations by the end of 2025, resulting in the layoff of about 30 employees. The decision stems from the loss of its primary supplier in Mexico, which provided roughly 60% of its product line, compounded by ongoing supply chain disruptions, challenging business conditions, rising tariffs, and weak consumer demand.

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, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Stanford, California-based Stanford University, a prestigious private research university, has announced a mass reduction in its workforce based on rising costs and changes in federal funding policies, including a steep revision to the endowment tax.

The reduction will impact 363 employees across various departments, including administrative services, research, facilities, communications, libraries, marketing, and student services.

Management's memo...

Dear faculty and staff,

As we wrote last month, the university is making a $140 million reduction in the general funds budget for the upcoming year. This is the product of a challenging fiscal environment shaped in large part by federal policy changes affecting higher education.

Over the last few days, many schools and units at Stanford have made staff reductions. The university is providing support resources as well as layoff benefits to eligible employees. Nonetheless, these are difficult actions that affect valued colleagues and friends who have made important contributions to Stanford.

We also know that many of you will need to make adjustments going forward as a result of budget cuts. Thank you for your hard work, for your support of your colleagues, and for all of your efforts to support our vital ongoing mission of research and education.

Sincerely,

Jon Levin, President

Jenny Martinez, Provost

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, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?