Meta Layoff Shame, Fake Recruiters and Dodgy Handoffs

In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Adam Alpert, serial entrepreneur and founder of Pangea—a global talent marketplace shaking up the way companies hire contract and fractional workers. Adam’s career reads like a startup thriller, packed with wild twists, from pandemic-era "hacker houses" to the awkward nightmare of firing a co-founder while still sharing the same roof. His stories blur the lines between work and life in ways that are equal parts hilarious and brutally honest. They dive into the drama behind Meta’s recent layoffs—what really happened, and what it says about corporate culture today. Listener confessions take center stage, too, with tales of workplace sabotage, printing disasters, and the kind of office mishaps that make you cringe just hearing about them. Adam also shares hard-won lessons from building a startup during COVID, including what happens when your co-founders are also your roommates (spoiler: boundaries tend to go out the window). And if that’s not enough, there’s the story of a CEO who secretly tested employee loyalty and the accidental budget leak that left an entire team scrambling. Whether you’re curious about the future of remote work, navigating messy professional relationships, or just love a good workplace horror story, this episode has it all. Tune in—it’s about to get weird. Key Takeaways How Pangea's fractional work model is transforming hiring (think "human cloud" for talent). The importance of clear boundaries when working (and living) with co-founders. Why vulnerability and shared experiences (like New Year's Eve fondue) strengthen teams. Navigating the fallout from public "low performer" labels in layoffs. Strategies for handling workplace manipulation and ethical dilemmas. In This Episode: [00:00] Introduction to Adam Alpert [08:57] Building Pangaea during the pandemic [11:22] Navigating co-founder dynamics [16:07] Weirdest workplace moments [20:11] Meta's layoff controversy [23:49] The reality of job security in tech [26:44] Listener question: Is my boss replacing me? [33:52] Listener question: Recruiter call setup [39:21] Listener question: Printer mistake [43:46] Final thoughts and outro Notable Quotes [00:14:33] "Imagine you're living with the person that you're firing. Oftentimes founders push off that hard decision because it's an awkward conversation. Imagine having that conversation and then seeing that person the next night, the next day, and every single day after that for 180 days." — Adam Alpert [00:17:28] "Spending New Year's together in our home, which was our office, just together, is a thing that most people don't experience in their lives. It was one of the happiest moments of navigating that experience together, and it felt like we had figured out how to live together, work together, and also just be friends together." — Adam Alpert [00:23:37] "When I was in charge of hiring at my old company, if Google let go of people, I was like, great, because we need a data scientist. Small and medium-sized businesses are excited to have anybody who used to work at a big corporation." — Maya Kowalski [00:25:31] “Don't take anything for granted. The company's priorities can change, and you could be out of a job tomorrow." — Adam Alpert Resources and Links Adam Alpert Pangea App LinkedIn Website Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website LinkedIn Workplace Weirdness Email: [e-mail] SpeakPipe Website Instagram Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.