It was just a normal Tuesday afternoon for the 19 people working at a small tech startup in India. Then, suddenly, everything changed.
At 1:10 PM, the CEO sent an urgent message asking everyone to join a video meeting. Nobody knew what it was about. When the meeting started, the CEO dropped the bombshell: the company had run out of money. All the investors had pulled out, and the startup was shutting down immediately. The team wouldn’t get their salaries for the month, and they were told not to come to work the next day.
Four years of hard work, long hours, and dreams—all gone in one video call.
What It Felt Like for the Employees
One of the employees, a Rust developer who shared his story on Reddit, said he was still in shock. There were no signs that the company was in trouble. No layoffs, no warnings, no hints. Just suddenly, the company was closed, and everyone was out of a job.
Others shared similar stories. One person said the CEO’s meeting lasted only three minutes, and just like that, they were all laid off. The team was left confused and worried about what to do next.
How Could This Happen?
Many people wondered why the employees weren’t warned earlier. Usually, when a company is running low on money, the leaders know ahead of time and try to prepare the team. But here, no one knew until the very last minute.
Some experts said the CEO should have been honest about the company’s problems and helped employees plan for the future. Instead, employees were left without pay and no time to find new jobs.
The CEO did offer to help the team find new work through his contacts, but many felt it wasn’t enough after such a sudden shock.
This Is Not Just One Story
Sadly, this kind of sudden shutdown is becoming more common in the startup world. Many tech workers shared their own experiences of being laid off without warning. It’s tough—losing a job like this can cause a lot of stress and uncertainty.
Still, some people encouraged the affected employees to stay hopeful. One commenter said, “This hard time will pass. New opportunities will come. Just keep believing in yourself.”
What Can We Learn?
This story shows how risky working at startups can be. For founders, it’s a reminder to be open and honest with their teams. For employees, it’s a lesson to always be prepared—keep your resume ready, save money, and watch for warning signs.
Most of all, it reminds us that behind every startup success or failure are real people whose lives are deeply affected.
If you want to read the original story or help out the employees, you can find the full conversation on Reddit’s r/developersIndia.
