Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Mar 08, 2026

Employee fired by 'crying CEO' flooded with job offers - and he takes the credit

Employee fired by 'crying CEO' flooded with job offers - and he takes the credit

After facing relentless ridicule online, business owner Braden Wallake said that 'every nasty comment was worth it' after his former employee shared his success

A marketing expert who was laid off by the CEO who went viral for sharing a crying selfie on LinkedIn has been swamped with job offers, according to his former boss. Noah Smith lost his job at the business-to-business marketing agency HyperSocial last week and firm founder Braden Wallake then took to LinkedIn to write an emotional post about the lay-offs, where he described it as the “most vulnerable thing" he will "ever share".

The LinkedIn post detailed how devastated Wallake was to deliver the tough news, and revealed that he blamed himself for failing to retain the laid-off employees. "We just had to layoff a few of our employees. I've seen a lot of layoffs over the last few weeks on LinkedIn. Most of those are due to the economy, or whatever other reason. Ours? My fault," the CEO said.


Most readers didn't take too kindly to the dramatic post, as Wallake was mercilessly ridiculed online for the tearful spiel in which he declared his love for his employees.

Despite claiming he'd 'never felt so low', LinkedIn users continued to criticise the chief executive officer for choosing to share a crying selfie rather than taking action to support his employees.

On Monday, the business owner addressed the online controversy through an update he'd received from this former employee.

Smith, who has openly supported Wallake since being let go from the company, told his former employer that he has been flooded with job opportunities on the very platform Wallake used to discuss Smith's unemployment.

Wallake shared an update about his former employee on LinkedIn


The business owner took to LinkedIn yet again to share Smith's good news. He wrote: "Noah sent me this pic the other day," before attaching a screenshot of Smith's LinkedIn inbox, brimming with people eager to discuss potential jobs.

"Going viral was never intended, but seeing this makes every single nasty comment worth it," Wallake admitted, staying loyal to the sentiment of his original post.

"You guys have FILLED Noah Smith's inbox with job opportunities, job availabilities, and more.

"Because of you all, Noah is going to have a plethora of incredible opportunities to choose from.

"And wherever he decides is going to be so lucky to have him!"

Smith's inbox was flooded with offers


Although the business owner shared that he does not regret sharing a tearful selfie to the job-seeking platform, he has been disappointed by the intense backlash it received.

Wallake told PR Week that he chose not to delete the post despite the onslaught of negative comments, as the support he received outweighed the criticism.

He said: "The reason is because I am getting countless messages from other business owners saying, 'love this, been there, worst feeling, right there with you.

"There is a lot of good that has come from this post, but I am trying to not sit there reading the negative [comments].".

The entrepreneur founded HyperSocial in 2016, and never expected to go viral for his vulnerable LinkedIn post.

Since the original message spread across social media last Tuesday, it has been revealed that HyperSocial had only let two people go from the company, and Wallake only personally dismissed one.

Smith was reportedly given the news by Wallake's girlfriend, Emily Chucta, who is the chief operations officer at the company.

Smith was reportedly let go by Wallake's girlfriend, Emily Chucta, the chief operations officer at the company


Addressing comments on the post, Wallake claimed that he had stopped taking a salary, in order to avoid laying off staff.

The CEO said: "I know it isn't professional to tell my employees that I love them. But from the bottom of my heart, I hope they know how much I do".

He added: "I can't think of a lower moment than this."

Despite announcing how difficult these financial decisions were to make for the company, Wallake appears to had been hiring as recently as two months ago, as another LinkedIn post reveals he was encouraging potential hires to get in touch.

"I'm hiring," the post read.

"Know anyone who might be interested?

"Many sales/marketing roles available: BDR/SDR/, Lead Generation, Account Executive, High Ticket Closer, and more!"

What is happening where you live? Find out by adding your postcode.

Former HyperSocial employee Smith showed public support for his former boss in his own LinkedIn post following the controversy.

Commending Wallake for his heartfelt words, Smith wrote: "After reading the post, my first thought was just: yep, there goes Braden, being way too honest on LinkedIn again and putting his heart on the line".

"To those who would look to hire me, I’m only interested in working for people like Braden Wallake who has a positive outlook on life," the marketing expert added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia Warns Iran While Expanding Diplomatic Efforts to Contain Widening Middle East War
Iran’s President Rejects U.S. Surrender Demand as Drone and Missile Strikes Hit Gulf States
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Drone Swarm Targeting Strategic Shaybah Oil Field
Pakistan Faces Growing Pressure to Balance Ties With Iran and Saudi Arabia as Regional War Intensifies
Middle East Conflict Tests Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision to Transform Saudi Arabia Into a Global Hub
Proposed U.S.–Saudi Nuclear Deal Could Ease Traditional Nonproliferation Requirements
Iran Claims Strike on U.S.-Linked Oil Tanker Near Saudi Waters as Maritime Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Says Air Defences Destroyed 23 Drones and Three Missiles Amid Escalating Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Warns Iran Against ‘Miscalculation’ After Missile and Drone Attacks Across Gulf
Iranian Missiles Intercepted Across Gulf as Air Defences Activate in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain
U.S. Justice Department Pursues Criminal Cases Against Cuban Officials in New Legal Push
Abrupt Cancellation of U.S. Army Exercise Sparks Speculation Over Possible Middle East Deployment
Saudi Arabia Led OPEC Output Surge Ahead of Iran Strikes, Survey Finds
Cristiano Ronaldo Travels to Spain for Hamstring Treatment After Injury in Saudi Pro League Match
Saudi Aramco Reroutes Oil to Red Sea as Strait of Hormuz Disruptions Hit Gulf Exports
Saudi Arabia Presses Ahead With Economic Diversification Despite Fiscal and External Deficits
Middle East Conflict Puts Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Races at Risk
Iran Targets Israeli Diplomatic Site in Bahrain and US Air Base in Qatar as Regional Conflict Expands
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Three Ballistic Missiles Targeting Prince Sultan Air Base
Iran Launches Fresh Missile and Drone Attacks Across Middle East as Regional War Intensifies
Saudi Arabia Opens Direct Communication Channel With Iran in Bid to Prevent Wider Regional War
Saudi Arabia Maintains Strong Fiscal Position Despite Global Uncertainty, Finance Ministry Says
Saudi Arabia Considers Response After Iranian Drone Strike Hits Major Northern Oil Refinery
Saudi Carrier Flynas Plans Limited Flight Resumption to Dubai Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia and UAE Pledge Close Coordination to Secure Oil Supplies for Japan
Middle East Conflict Casts Doubt Over Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Races
Iran Rejects Claims of Attacks on Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Oman
Saudi Arabia Condemns Iranian Strikes Targeting Türkiye and Azerbaijan
Saudi Pro League Orders Clubs to Continue Matches Despite Escalating Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Scrambles to Redirect Oil Exports as Gulf Storage Nears Capacity
U.S. Embassy in Riyadh Issues Emergency Security Alert After Drone Strike and Escalating Regional Threats
Iran Expresses Gratitude to Saudi Arabia for Closing Airspace During Escalating Conflict
Saudi Arabia Fears Iranian Strikes Could Target Senior Leaders as Regional War Escalates
Iran Says Its Strikes Target Only U.S. Military Assets and Denies Attacking Saudi Arabia
Drone Strike Hits U.S. Embassy in Riyadh as Middle East Conflict Escalates
Tom Brady’s Saudi Flag Football Event May Shift to U.S. as Middle East Conflict Disrupts Plans
Iran War Strikes Saudi Arabia at a Critical Moment for Its Economic Transformation
Saudi Cabinet Declares Kingdom Will Take All Necessary Measures to Defend National Security
United States Urges Citizens to Leave Fourteen Middle Eastern Countries as Iran War Escalates
Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery Targeted Again in Second Drone Attack Within Two Days
Saudi Pro League Orders Clubs to Continue Fixtures Despite Rising Middle East Conflict
Trump Pursues Major Civil Nuclear Agreement With Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Turmoil
Mass Drone Attacks Strike Gulf States as Iran Conflict Spreads Across Region
No Verified Confirmation of Ronaldo Departure Linked to Iran Conflict or AFC Suspension
No Verified Evidence of Israeli Intelligence Arrests in Qatar or Saudi Arabia
Drone Attack Forces Temporary Shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s Largest Oil Refinery
Israel Intensifies Air Campaign in Tehran as Iran Expands Regional Retaliation
Iranian Strikes Escalate Middle East Conflict, Drawing Saudi Arabia Closer to Wider War
No Verified Confirmation of Drone Strike on King Fahd Causeway Amid Regional Tensions
No Verified Evidence Saudi Crown Prince Is Seeking to Weaken Israel Amid Regional Tensions
×