I shared an replace with our staff at this time that I need to additionally share publicly, thus I’m republishing it right here on our weblog. Right here it goes:
Pricey Rockers,
As we speak we made the choice to scale back our workforce by 15% %. Rockers affected have already been knowledgeable and met with their leaders for readability on their subsequent steps. I can’t categorical sufficient my gratitude for his or her contributions to the corporate, and now we have assured them that we are going to do every little thing we are able to to assist them on this transition. I may even be personally out there to supply my assist.
It was a tough however crucial choice to allow Rock to turn out to be a extra sustainable and centered firm, permitting us to return to profitability. Though some issues that introduced us listed here are past our management, the accountability for this choice rests with me because the CEO.
Shifting ahead, I need to reassure every of you that our mission stays the identical: to make advertising and marketing higher whereas having a constructive affect on this planet. These changes had been vital and crucial for us to proceed working in direction of that.
Why are we doing this? Why now?
Over 2022, we’ve began a number of initiatives to streamline and scale our operations to return Rock to profitability. In addition to that, we delivered a efficiency under our plan and will have completed higher as a workforce. Not that we didn’t work laborious, actually, we did, however we misplaced operational effectivity and have become extra advanced, stopping us from placing our A-game on the market. Sadly, regardless of all our laborious work, our efforts weren’t sufficient to get us the place we would have liked to be.
We’re additionally dwelling in a second of elevated financial uncertainty, rising rates of interest, geopolitical conflicts, and a world recession looming. The second known as for motion, decisiveness, and focus. Rock has navigated unsure moments like this earlier than, and I’m positive this received’t be the final. Nice firms are resilient firms. They’re outlined by their capacity to satisfy the second and adapt quick.
What adjustments?
Greater than ever, it’s time to be frugal, resourceful, and agile. It’s time to simplify— doing fewer issues higher. It’s time to give attention to the issues that matter to our shoppers and enterprise, turning into extra scalable day by day.
Over the previous couple of years, we began to maneuver extra slowly, and we misplaced a few of our startup frugality. With these adjustments, we have gotten an easier, extra centered group with fewer merchandise, departments, and organizational layers. We now have a transparent plan to speed up the sundown of non-core merchandise & initiatives whereas specializing in two enterprise priorities:
I) accelerating our world self-service and product-led development mannequin, and
II) doubling down on delivering success and rising our enterprise shoppers.
Our workforce dimension, construction, and composition now replicate these priorities.
These changes will allow us to attain our profitability objectives, turning into much less depending on exterior market situations and exterior capital to exert extra management over our future.
Your function on this journey
I perceive that the present downturn has brought about loads of anxiousness amongst our workforce and the tech trade as a complete. I wished to thank every Rocker in your endurance and for at all times believing in Rock and our mission, which stays as vital as at all times. By embracing change and dealing collectively as a workforce, we are going to proceed constructing a permanent firm.
You stayed for a purpose, to assist us fulfill this mission as a workforce. This second asks all of us for elevated duty, and we should execute with self-discipline to proceed the gorgeous trajectory we’re so pleased with. Keep in mind that smaller groups can get extra completed and transfer quicker. With elevated focus and agility, we are going to proceed constructing the world’s main Content material Cloud and, now, each Rocker performs a good greater function on this journey.
As at all times, you possibly can rely on my dedication, and I’m relying on yours. We count on you to be there for our shoppers and Rock.
So, at this time, let’s give attention to supporting our colleagues with the compassion they deserve. Tomorrow, we are going to collect at a City Corridor assembly to debate the updates to our strategic plan and begin subsequent week centered and energized to ship our objectives for 2023. With the best construction and an elevated focus, it’s upon us to execute.
The way forward for advertising and marketing is content-first, and in instances of financial uncertainty, manufacturers want content material greater than ever. We can be right here to assist them!
Rock on,
D.
