A San Francisco tech CEO says he was ousted because he used LSD before a big investors' meeting

[natman]

A San Francisco tech CEO says he was ousted because he used LSD before a big investors' meeting​

SF tech CEO says he was fired due to LSD use at investor meeting

Quirks commonplace in tech culture ended up becoming a thorn in the company’s side.

www.sfgate.com

I realize that things are a lot more relaxed in the tech business than in some other businesses, but you'd think that taking hallucinogens before meeting with your investors would be considered a bad idea pretty much anywhere.

 

[Lutherf]

Going through the nice, short article, it seems this guy made a few decisions that might cause the casual observer to question his judgement.

 

[Roadvirus]

Taking an LSD trip before an important meeting? Very bad plan.

 

[Carjosse]

A San Francisco tech CEO says he was ousted because he used LSD before a big investors' meeting​

SF tech CEO says he was fired due to LSD use at investor meeting

Quirks commonplace in tech culture ended up becoming a thorn in the company’s side.

www.sfgate.com

I realize that things are a lot more relaxed in the tech business than in some other businesses, but you'd think that taking hallucinogens before meeting with your investors would be considered a bad idea pretty much anywhere.

You would be surprised what is tolerated in these kind of places, the tolerance increases depending on how much money there is.

 

[Lutherf]

You would be surprised what is tolerated in these kind of places, the tolerance increases depending on how much money there is.

The article mentions that the business he was CEO of was valued at "a couple of billion dollars".

 

[Carjosse]

The article mentions that the business he was CEO of was valued at "a couple of billion dollars".

Guess not enough. A couple billion in the tech startup world is nothing. If you get up to WeWork level felonies are not out of reach.

 

[Grand Mal]

Guess not enough. A couple billion in the tech startup world is nothing. If you get up to WeWork level felonies are not out of reach.

WeWork is mentioned in the report. This guy is compared to the CEO of WeWork.

 

[natman]

You would be surprised what is tolerated in these kind of places, the tolerance increases depending on how much money there is.

I first started working in downtown San Francisco in the early 80s for a large bank. Three piece wool suits and ties were required attire.

A few years ago I interviewed at a tech company in SF. I saw a guy wearing Madras shorts, a grey T-shirt and flip flops working there. He was making himself a cocktail at the provided bar.

 

[yankintx]

Don't do drugs kids, just say no, at least until it's quiting time.

 

[GDViking]

Micro dosing is for people with a tolerance built up...

Not a good idea if you have not dosed for a while...

At least that's what I heard...

 

[Mr Person]

"He attempted to take a small dose of the hallucinogenic — known in some circles as microdosing — before a key investors’ meeting in 2019.

It didn’t work out. He said that he saw “numbers and images swelling and shrinking on the screen” and that his body felt like it was melting."

SF tech CEO says he was fired due to LSD use at investor meeting

Quirks commonplace in tech culture ended up becoming a thorn in the company’s side.

www.sfgate.com

.....that isn't microdosing...


At any rate, I guess he was dumb enough to tell someone he was doing it. Maybe say nothing and you have the plausible deniability of a sudden severe stomach bug.

 

[Carjosse]

I first started working in downtown San Francisco in the early 80s for a large bank. Three piece wool suits and ties were required attire.

A few years ago I interviewed at a tech company in SF. I saw a guy wearing Madras shorts, a grey T-shirt and flip flops working there. He was making himself a cocktail at the provided bar.

That would fly at my company too and we have a bar as well, not a tech company. A lot of companies are adopting a more casual environment everywhere.

I despised wearing dress shirts and pants at my internships.

 

[Carjosse]

WeWork is mentioned in the report. This guy is compared to the CEO of WeWork.

Yeah but early this guy was not making enough money to get away with it.

 

[phoenix2020]

I work in tech in SF. While the notion of a “bar” in the office is a bit exaggerated (no one has time to mix drinks) it’s common for fridges to be stocked with beer, and grabbing a bottle or pouring some wine around 5pm, even in meetings, isn’t too unusual. It mainly depends on how late an evening it might be.

Obviously, clothing is relaxed. Suit and tie are only expected ~ one evening a year (holiday party).

Drugs though? I don’t see that as a norm at all. People are hired and well paid for their intelligence and judgment. Drugs are one of the fastest paths to questioning that judgment.

 

[natman]

I work in tech in SF. While the notion of a “bar” in the office is a bit exaggerated (no one has time to mix drinks) it’s common for fridges to be stocked with beer, and grabbing a bottle or pouring some wine around 5pm, even in meetings, isn’t too unusual. It mainly depends on how late an evening it might be.

Nothing exaggerated about it, he had a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand that he got from a selection of liquor bottles sitting on the coffee room table. It was one o'clock in the afternoon. Although calling it a "coffee room" doesn't really cover it, it was the size of a small bodega with glass door refrigerators on the walls filled with mixers, sodas and snacks. Anything to keep people in the building as much as possible.

Not like the old days when people drank discretely out of a bottle of scotch in their bottom desk drawer.