Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
HubSpot co-founder and chief technology officer Dharmesh Shah apologized after commenters criticized a LinkedIn message thanking employees on the day the company dismissed them. Shah edited the post to acknowledge that his wording overlooked the pain and uncertainty of being laid off.
What Dharmesh Shah originally posted
Shah’s original LinkedIn message said: “My personal thanks to all of the people that HubSpot parted ways with today. You helped make HubSpot the company it is. Best wishes with the next chapter.”
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Boston Business Journal reported on October 12, 2026, that the post drew criticism because it publicly thanked people at the moment they were losing their jobs. Commenters described the message as cold, impersonal or out of touch. Those descriptions represent reactions from some commenters, not a measured or unanimous view of HubSpot employees or the public.
Why Shah apologized
Shah added an update to the post acknowledging that the original wording missed the emotional reality of a layoff. His update read:
#1 Best Overall
- we like to ship out right away
“My original post was curt and insensitive. I’m sincerely sorry. I meant to express gratitude publicly (vs. the direct interactions I’ve had individually) to those who lost their jobs, but failed to acknowledge the pain and uncertainty of being laid off. As a co-founder, I should have showed the people who helped build HubSpot more care and empathy.”
The apology addressed the tone and timing of his public message. The available reporting does not establish that it reversed the layoffs, changed severance or otherwise repaired the consequences for affected workers.
How many HubSpot employees were laid off?
The Boston Business Journal reported that HubSpot’s cuts affected roughly 660 workers, or about 7% of the company’s global workforce. HubSpot had announced the reductions the prior week.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The report said the reorganization accompanied a strategic shift from building software toward delivering customer outcomes with artificial intelligence. It also reported that CEO Yamini Rangan’s employee email said the reorganization was “not driven by AI-related efficiencies.”
Rank #3
Were the layoffs caused by AI?
The answer depends on which part of the explanation is being described. The reported strategy change involved using AI to focus more on customer outcomes, but Rangan’s quoted caveat specifically said the reorganization was “not driven by AI-related efficiencies.” That distinction does not support a simple conclusion that HubSpot laid off employees because AI had replaced their work.
The available account does not provide a more detailed breakdown of the roles affected, the company’s severance terms or how many positions were connected to particular products or functions.
Rank #4
- Author: Bungay Stanier, Michael.
- Publisher: Page Two
- Pages: 244
- Publication Date: 2016-02-29
- Edition: 1
Who is Dharmesh Shah?
Shah co-founded HubSpot with Brian Halligan in 2006 and serves as the company’s chief technology officer. His position as both a founder and senior executive shaped the criticism: commenters were responding not only to the words themselves but also to who delivered them and when.
What HubSpot and Shah have said publicly
The Boston Business Journal reported that Shah and HubSpot did not respond to separate requests for comment on Monday. The public statements available in the account are therefore Shah’s original post, his edited apology and the quoted phrase from Rangan’s employee email.
Best Value
What the episode shows about layoff announcements
A message intended to express gratitude can land differently when it appears on the same day people are informed that their employment has ended. Shah’s revision illustrates the gap between a speaker’s intent and the circumstances in which employees receive a message. His apology specifically recognized two issues that the original post did not mention: the pain of losing a job and the uncertainty that follows.
For people following the layoffs as investors, employees or job seekers, the confirmed facts are limited: approximately 660 positions were affected; the cuts represented about 7% of HubSpot’s global workforce; the company described a strategic move involving AI and customer outcomes; and the CEO’s quoted explanation said AI-related efficiencies were not the driver. The sources do not establish how affected workers responded to Shah’s apology or whether it changed their view of the layoffs.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
