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This CEO Fired His Entire HR Department to Rescue His Failing Fintech Company: ‘Problems Disappeared When I Let Them Go’
Entrepreneur.com ^ | May 21, 2026 | Jonathan Small

Posted on 05/22/2026 5:14:29 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam

After his company Bolt lost 97% of its value, Ryan Breslow gutted it, saying HR was “creating problems that didn’t exist.”

When Ryan Breslow’s fintech company Bolt lost $10.7 billion in value, he had a radical diagnosis: HR needed to go. “They were creating problems that didn’t exist,” Breslow, 31, said at Fortune’s Workforce Innovation Summit. “Those problems disappeared when I let them go.”

(Excerpt) Read more at entrepreneur.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: bolt; ceo; fintech; fired; personnel; ryanbreslow
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To: MayflowerMadam

As another poster pointed out, the titles were different.
All is forgiven.


61 posted on 05/22/2026 7:22:59 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: Liz

Never will H1-B visas be banned. All the big corporations love them. Those corporations are the big donors to politicians. You and me are not. Term limits will go a long ways solving so many issues of corruption. But who will pass term limits? The politicians in control are not going to term limit themselves.


62 posted on 05/22/2026 7:30:27 AM PDT by Bobbyvotes (Work is worship. Instead of praying, I did more work & became more wealthy. )
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To: Red Badger

I really miss Scott.


63 posted on 05/22/2026 7:31:02 AM PDT by rocksblues (Thank you Shana Chappell. “You are nobody special Biden!!! America Hates you!!!!!”)
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To: Vermont Lt

I’ve made that same argument that we should go back to calling that function the “personnel office”. “Human Resources” implies a utilitarian view of people which frequently is at odds with human dignity.


64 posted on 05/22/2026 7:40:54 AM PDT by Crolis ("To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it." -GKC)
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To: V_TWIN

SORTA LIKE THE SURGE OF “DATA CENTERS” NOW????


65 posted on 05/22/2026 7:54:39 AM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: Sicon

4 Day work weeks aren’t the issue. The PTO yes.
4-10’s would be preferable for most people if I had to guess, and probably better for overall health.


66 posted on 05/22/2026 8:06:28 AM PDT by SPDSHDW (A sinner saved by Jesus)
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To: SPDSHDW

Yes, I agree that 4-10’s would be better, and preferable, to most people. I was mostly meant to highlight the unlimited PTO, though I suspect there is still a practical limit. That is, if you take so much PTO that you aren’t getting your work done, then you’re likely to be shown the door.


67 posted on 05/22/2026 8:08:32 AM PDT by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell)
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To: MayflowerMadam

HR is nothing more than the HOA for businesses.
HOA - Home Owners Association


68 posted on 05/22/2026 8:08:52 AM PDT by Mr. Mohasky (Common sense in a world lacking any, will be perceived & construed as an extreme point of view.)
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To: V_TWIN

:: Somebody somewhere was doing it to prove they were essential to the company. ::

Or justify their upcoming performance bonus.


69 posted on 05/22/2026 8:19:13 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (The Democrats' official policy is now, “Hate, Violence and Murder". Change my mind.)
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To: V_TWIN

He should give Trump spine lessons.


70 posted on 05/22/2026 8:22:01 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (The Democrats' official policy is now, “Hate, Violence and Murder". Change my mind.)
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

Trump isn’t a dictator.


71 posted on 05/22/2026 8:23:26 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

I meant to add, “More’s the pity!”


72 posted on 05/22/2026 8:23:42 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: T. P. Pole

Bingo


73 posted on 05/22/2026 8:27:56 AM PDT by packrat35 (“When discourse ends, violence begins.” – Charlie Kirk, and they killed him anyway)
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To: MayflowerMadam

I liked the good old days when you saw the HR (Personnel) guy on your first day and then again on the last.


74 posted on 05/22/2026 8:34:50 AM PDT by NewHampshireDuo ( )
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To: V_TWIN

“Ah yes....Walter Peck.

Has William Atherton played a jackass in EVERY movie he’s ever been in? Lol!”

Overview of William Atherton’s Roles

William Atherton is widely recognized for his portrayal of antagonistic characters, particularly in iconic films from the 1980s. However, he has not played a “jackass” in every movie he has appeared in.

Iconic “Jerk” Roles
Atherton is best known for several memorable characters that fit the “jerk” archetype:
Movie Title Character Name Description
Ghostbusters (1984) Walter Peck
An overbearing EPA agent who clashes with the Ghostbusters.

Real Genius (1985) Professor Jerry Hathaway
A smug and manipulative professor.

Die Hard (1988) Richard “Dick” Thornburg
A self-absorbed reporter who prioritizes his career over safety.

Variety of Roles
Despite his reputation for playing antagonistic characters, Atherton has taken on a range of roles throughout his career. Some examples include:
The Sugarland Express (1974): Played a hapless fugitive.
The Day of the Locust (1975): Featured in a dramatic role.
The Last Samurai (2003): Portrayed a character in a historical drama.
Conclusion
While William Atherton is celebrated for his “jerk” roles, he has demonstrated versatility by playing various characters across different genres. His filmography includes both antagonistic and non-antagonistic roles, showcasing his range as an actor.


75 posted on 05/22/2026 8:59:46 AM PDT by missthethunder (Since the 1980 Rona Barrett interview. IYKYK. )
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To: MayflowerMadam

“Bolt now operates with about 100 employees, down from thousands.”

and

“We have a team a quarter of the size”

and

“He gave workers 60 days to adapt to a leaner culture but said 99% couldn’t make the shift”

of of those match up with the article’s claim of a 30% layoff ...

actually, none of the numbers in the article make any sense ...

looks AI written without human editing ....


76 posted on 05/22/2026 9:11:02 AM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: MayflowerMadam
You need payroll and benefits.

You do not need HR.

77 posted on 05/22/2026 9:31:23 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (The tree accused of killed Sonny Bono was planted.)
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To: Sicon

Unlimited PTO seems common at a lot of startups. My son works for a space agency that I guess you could call a startup. He has unlimited PTO, but he also works a lot of overnights and things when they are launching. So there are times when there’s absolutely no PTO.


78 posted on 05/22/2026 9:52:43 AM PDT by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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To: cyclotic

I’m salary but my job has lots of travel, meaning I’m on the road many weekend days. If it was just a handful that’s no big deal, but it can get pretty excessive. I keep track and make up a lot of them whenever I want.

Net month I’m taking ten days off for vacation, all makeup days.


79 posted on 05/22/2026 9:59:46 AM PDT by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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To: MayflowerMadam

Sounds A LOT like the place I work. HR is nothing but a thorn in the side of everyone across all departments.


80 posted on 05/22/2026 11:19:25 AM PDT by vpintheak (The left is violence.)
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