The Daily

The Spectacular Rise and Fall of WeWork

Nov 18, 2019

Amy Chozick, a writer at large for The New York Times and expert on corporate drama, dives into the meteoric rise and dramatic fall of WeWork. She unpacks the charismatic yet controversial leadership of Adam Neumann, whose bold vision turned a collaborative workspace dream into a corporate nightmare. Chozick highlights the stark contrast between employee aspirations and Neumann's reckless management that led to massive layoffs and investor disillusionment. The discussion sheds light on the perils of ambition unchecked and the lessons learned from WeWork's saga.

23:25

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Episode guests

Amy Chozick

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

The WeWork Revolution: From Dreams to Reality

9min

WeWork's Fall from Grace

5min

The Downfall of WeWork: A CEO's Fall from Grace

5min

WeWork Layoffs and Political Developments

3min

It was one of the most valuable start-ups in the United States, with bold plans to revolutionize how and where people worked around the world. Today, we look at how the dream of WeWork crumbled — and explore the story of the man responsible for the wreckage.

Guest: Amy Chozick, a writer at large for The New York Times covering the personalities and power struggles in business, politics and media.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Background reading:

Adam Neumann had an inexplicably persuasive charisma and a taste for risk. Then he found a kindred spirit with an open checkbook.
WeWork is preparing to eliminate at least 4,000 employees, cutting nearly a third of its work force in an effort to staunch further financial losses.

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