Christina Campodonico

Like other Bay Area actors, Sarah Kliban was already struggling before her union went on strike in mid-July.

core/paragraph

Like other Bay Area actors, Sarah Kliban was already struggling before her union went on strike in mid-July.

The aftermath of the pandemic and recent changes to the entertainment industry had taken their toll on her business, said Kliban, an actor and voice-over artist who since the late 1990s has been a member of SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents a range of actors and artists who perform on screen and behind the mic.&nbsp;

The aftermath of the pandemic and recent changes to the entertainment industry had taken their toll on her business, said Kliban, an actor and voice-over artist who since the late 1990s has been a member of SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents a range of actors and artists who perform on screen and behind the mic.&nbsp;

Demonstrators for a SAG-AFTRA strike rally stand in front of San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0144.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-185687"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Demonstrators for a SAG-AFTRA strike rally stand in front of San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023.</figcaption></figure>

core/image

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0144.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-185687"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Demonstrators for a SAG-AFTRA strike rally stand in front of San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023.</figcaption></figure>

A self-described fifth-generation San Franciscan, she also runs Diversity Casting in San Francisco’s North Beach. Kliban has done casting work for shows including Blindspotting, set in Oakland, and the Sausalito houseboat thriller series The Last Thing He Told Me, starring Jennifer Garner, as well as Joe Talbot’s love letter to the city, The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

A self-described fifth-generation San Franciscan, she also runs Diversity Casting in San Francisco’s North Beach. Kliban has done casting work for shows including Blindspotting, set in Oakland, and the Sausalito houseboat thriller series The Last Thing He Told Me, starring Jennifer Garner, as well as Joe Talbot’s love letter to the city, The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

“My income, it’s been killed this year,” Kliban said. “It’s basically on the operating room floor, and we’re waiting to see if it can be resuscitated.”&nbsp;

“My income, it’s been killed this year,” Kliban said. “It’s basically on the operating room floor, and we’re waiting to see if it can be resuscitated.”&nbsp;

Kliban is hardly the only local film industry vet feeling the squeeze after labor negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which includes major Hollywood studios such as Disney and Paramount and Silicon Valley streamers such as Netflix, broke down for both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America earlier this year.

Kliban is hardly the only local film industry vet feeling the squeeze after labor negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which includes major Hollywood studios such as Disney and Paramount and Silicon Valley streamers such as Netflix, broke down for both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America earlier this year.

As for other Northern Californians in the entertainment business, their livelihoods have been put on standstill as well by the dual actors’ and writers’ strikes—which essentially converged a couple weeks ago <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2023/07/sag-aftra-actors-writers-wga-strike-hollywood-1960-ronald-reagan.html">into a mega media work stoppage not seen since the 1960s.</a>&nbsp;

As for other Northern Californians in the entertainment business, their livelihoods have been put on standstill as well by the dual actors’ and writers’ strikes—which essentially converged a couple weeks ago <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2023/07/sag-aftra-actors-writers-wga-strike-hollywood-1960-ronald-reagan.html">into a mega media work stoppage not seen since the 1960s.</a>&nbsp;

Sticking points of both strikes include calls for <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/residuals-hollywood-actors-writers-striking-101497038">better compensation on residuals from streaming services </a>and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/actors-strike-why.html">guardrails around the use of artificial intelligence</a> in the entertainment business to preserve jobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sticking points of both strikes include calls for <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/residuals-hollywood-actors-writers-striking-101497038">better compensation on residuals from streaming services </a>and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/actors-strike-why.html">guardrails around the use of artificial intelligence</a> in the entertainment business to preserve jobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

State Sen. Scott Wiener speaks at a SAG-AFTRA strike rally in front of San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023. 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0172.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-185691"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">State Sen. Scott Wiener speaks at a SAG-AFTRA strike rally in front of San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023. </figcaption></figure>

Those themes came through loud and clear during a SAG-AFTRA strike rally on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday. Union members and leaders, local politicians and supporters assembled to denounce corporate greed and voice <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/union-fears-hollywood-actors-digital-doubles-could-live-for-one-days-pay-2023-07-13/">concerns about AI technology</a> potentially being used in film and television to replicate actor likenesses without regulation or appropriate compensation.

Those themes came through loud and clear during a SAG-AFTRA strike rally on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday. Union members and leaders, local politicians and supporters assembled to denounce corporate greed and voice <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/union-fears-hollywood-actors-digital-doubles-could-live-for-one-days-pay-2023-07-13/">concerns about AI technology</a> potentially being used in film and television to replicate actor likenesses without regulation or appropriate compensation.

“We are here to draw a line in the sand,” Broadway star and rally emcee Anthony Veneziale said. “It is time for humans to put humans in the human craft of art. We will not be a side margin in the profits of your giant conglomerates.”&nbsp;

“We are here to draw a line in the sand,” Broadway star and rally emcee Anthony Veneziale said. “It is time for humans to put humans in the human craft of art. We will not be a side margin in the profits of your giant conglomerates.”&nbsp;

Supervisor Connie Chan echoed the sentiment, directing her remarks at Silicon Valley tech companies in the streaming space and major motion picture studios.&nbsp;

Supervisor Connie Chan echoed the sentiment, directing her remarks at Silicon Valley tech companies in the streaming space and major motion picture studios.&nbsp;

“We are also here to remind the Hollywood executives and the Hollywood tech companies that their humanity is on the line,” Chan said. “We are telling them it is time for you to reflect on your humanity and think about what you are contributing to our humankind and to our society collectively.”

“We are also here to remind the Hollywood executives and the Hollywood tech companies that their humanity is on the line,” Chan said. “We are telling them it is time for you to reflect on your humanity and think about what you are contributing to our humankind and to our society collectively.”

San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin even said his colleagues would take part in boycotting Netflix until the actors’ strike was resolved.&nbsp;

San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin even said his colleagues would take part in boycotting Netflix until the actors’ strike was resolved.&nbsp;

“We are all not going to watch Netflix as long as they are screwing you artists,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are all not going to watch Netflix as long as they are screwing you artists,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

San Jose Assemblymember Ash Kalra said he would take the matter of AI regulation to Sacramento if studios and streamers refused to meet the unions’ demands.

San Jose Assemblymember Ash Kalra said he would take the matter of AI regulation to Sacramento if studios and streamers refused to meet the unions’ demands.

San Jose Assemblyman Ash Kalra shows solidarity with striking SAG-AFTRA workers at a demonstration at San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023. 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0193.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-185690"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">San Jose Assemblyman Ash Kalra shows solidarity with striking SAG-AFTRA workers at a demonstration at San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023. </figcaption></figure>

“If they’re not going to do it at the bargaining table, we’ll legislate it,” Kalra said. “If they’re not going to take care of it, protect your rights under AI, we’ll do it ourselves.”

“If they’re not going to do it at the bargaining table, we’ll legislate it,” Kalra said. “If they’re not going to take care of it, protect your rights under AI, we’ll do it ourselves.”

Earlier in the day out of the state capitol, Gov. Gavin Newsom offered to broker a deal between Hollywood studios and the writers’ and actors’ unions, though neither executives nor actors or writers have shown formal interest in bringing Newsom to the negotiating table, according to the Associated Press.&nbsp; SAG-AFTRA intends <a href="https://www.sagaftra.org/sacramento-sag-aftra-strike-rally">to hold a strike rally outside the state Capitol</a> at noon Thursday.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day out of the state capitol, Gov. Gavin Newsom offered to broker a deal between Hollywood studios and the writers’ and actors’ unions, though neither executives nor actors or writers have shown formal interest in bringing Newsom to the negotiating table, according to the Associated Press.&nbsp; SAG-AFTRA intends <a href="https://www.sagaftra.org/sacramento-sag-aftra-strike-rally">to hold a strike rally outside the state Capitol</a> at noon Thursday.&nbsp;

Organized labor representatives also promised to show solidarity with striking actors. Tony Delorio, the principal officer of Teamsters Local 665, said on behalf of the Motion Pictures and Theatrical Trade Division for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, that the union would withhold its labor until SAG-AFTRA secures a contract.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Organized labor representatives also promised to show solidarity with striking actors. Tony Delorio, the principal officer of Teamsters Local 665, said on behalf of the Motion Pictures and Theatrical Trade Division for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, that the union would withhold its labor until SAG-AFTRA secures a contract.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We’ll stand side-by-side for you for everything,” Delorio said, leading the crowd in chanting “SAG-AFTRA” in unison.&nbsp;

“We’ll stand side-by-side for you for everything,” Delorio said, leading the crowd in chanting “SAG-AFTRA” in unison.&nbsp;

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-time-to-pay-the-piper">‘It’s Time To Pay the Piper’</h2>

core/heading

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-time-to-pay-the-piper">‘It’s Time To Pay the Piper’</h2>

Debbie Brubaker is a Directors Guild of America member and seasoned film producer who lives in Lafayette and has worked on films such as Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, Sean Penn’s Flag Day, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine and locally set TV shows such as Tales of the City. She noticed a slowdown in the local film industry earlier this year in anticipation&nbsp;of WGA writers putting down their pens. Brubaker had two jobs for Netflix lined up before the subsequent writers’ and actors’ strikes put them on hold.&nbsp;

Debbie Brubaker is a Directors Guild of America member and seasoned film producer who lives in Lafayette and has worked on films such as Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, Sean Penn’s Flag Day, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine and locally set TV shows such as Tales of the City. She noticed a slowdown in the local film industry earlier this year in anticipation&nbsp;of WGA writers putting down their pens. Brubaker had two jobs for Netflix lined up before the subsequent writers’ and actors’ strikes put them on hold.&nbsp;

Brubaker said her production business is down about 55% this year, and that she’s killing time by penciling out budgets for prospective films, working on a patchwork of seven indies in development, going swimming every day and decorating her newly built in-law unit with cheap finds from Nextdoor, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.&nbsp;

Brubaker said her production business is down about 55% this year, and that she’s killing time by penciling out budgets for prospective films, working on a patchwork of seven indies in development, going swimming every day and decorating her newly built in-law unit with cheap finds from Nextdoor, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.&nbsp;

While she’s felt the squeeze of the strikes on her business, she supports the actors and believes the time has come for writers to get their fair share of residuals.&nbsp;

While she’s felt the squeeze of the strikes on her business, she supports the actors and believes the time has come for writers to get their fair share of residuals.&nbsp;

“I think that the writers have been given a raw deal for a long time,” Brubaker said. “And now it’s time to pay the piper.”

“I think that the writers have been given a raw deal for a long time,” Brubaker said. “And now it’s time to pay the piper.”

A close-up of a SAG-AFTRA union pin during a demonstration at City Hall

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0192.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-185686"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A close-up of a SAG-AFTRA union pin during a demonstration at City Hall</figcaption></figure>

Even though mortgage payments loom over her head, Brubaker—ever the optimist—believes she’ll find a way to weather the drought of work as she’s done for over 40 years working in the Bay Area film industry.&nbsp;

Even though mortgage payments loom over her head, Brubaker—ever the optimist—believes she’ll find a way to weather the drought of work as she’s done for over 40 years working in the Bay Area film industry.&nbsp;

“One of my favorite expressions is ‘There’s always left field,’” Brubaker said,&nbsp; referencing James Earl Jones’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SB16il97yw">inspirational “People Will Come” speech</a> from the film Field of Dreams. “In that field of dreams, there’s going to be a ball that’s going to come wild out of left field, that’s going to pick you up and carry you along. This has been a really bad year for income, but I never give up.”&nbsp;

“One of my favorite expressions is ‘There’s always left field,’” Brubaker said,&nbsp; referencing James Earl Jones’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SB16il97yw">inspirational “People Will Come” speech</a> from the film Field of Dreams. “In that field of dreams, there’s going to be a ball that’s going to come wild out of left field, that’s going to pick you up and carry you along. This has been a really bad year for income, but I never give up.”&nbsp;

Brubaker sees another silver lining. She hopes the dearth of union work will create an opportune time for independent film to have a renaissance in the Bay Area, and give people looking to break into the film industry a chance to get their careers started.&nbsp;

Brubaker sees another silver lining. She hopes the dearth of union work will create an opportune time for independent film to have a renaissance in the Bay Area, and give people looking to break into the film industry a chance to get their careers started.&nbsp;

“If people can get their foot in the door and get their movies made while nothing else is being made, maybe we can have a resurgence of the independent film,” Brubaker said.&nbsp;

“If people can get their foot in the door and get their movies made while nothing else is being made, maybe we can have a resurgence of the independent film,” Brubaker said.&nbsp;

Napa SAG-AFTRA member and voiceover artist Ferdelle Capistrano hasn’t seen a slowdown in her specialty—narrating audiobooks—since the actor or writer strikes began. Audiobooks are <a href="https://www.sagaftra.org/files/sa_documents/Strike_Can_Work.pdf">unaffected by the SAG-AFTRA strike</a> and Capistrano has audiobook work scheduled through September. But she is taking the time to work on her own independent short film with her husband and friends.&nbsp;

Napa SAG-AFTRA member and voiceover artist Ferdelle Capistrano hasn’t seen a slowdown in her specialty—narrating audiobooks—since the actor or writer strikes began. Audiobooks are <a href="https://www.sagaftra.org/files/sa_documents/Strike_Can_Work.pdf">unaffected by the SAG-AFTRA strike</a> and Capistrano has audiobook work scheduled through September. But she is taking the time to work on her own independent short film with her husband and friends.&nbsp;

“It was kind of a way to get my community of friends to be like, ‘Hey, we don’t have to be discouraged by this,’” Capistrano said. “I hope others do the same. There’s always inspiration to be drawn from the world around us that keeps our well filled.”&nbsp;

“It was kind of a way to get my community of friends to be like, ‘Hey, we don’t have to be discouraged by this,’” Capistrano said. “I hope others do the same. There’s always inspiration to be drawn from the world around us that keeps our well filled.”&nbsp;

A movie production crew prepares to shoot a scene for the film "San Andreas" on Hyde Street in San Francisco on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.   

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-1408739983.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-183194"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A movie production crew prepares to shoot a scene for the film &#8220;San Andreas&#8221; on Hyde Street in San Francisco on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-1408739983.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-183194"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A movie production crew prepares to shoot a scene for the film "San Andreas" on Hyde Street in San Francisco on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-1408739983.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-183194"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A movie production crew prepares to shoot a scene for the film &#8220;San Andreas&#8221; on Hyde Street in San Francisco on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. </figcaption></figure>

While the strikes offer a creative respite for some, for others the economic consequences and potential financial fallout are top of mind.&nbsp;

While the strikes offer a creative respite for some, for others the economic consequences and potential financial fallout are top of mind.&nbsp;

Manijeh Fata, Executive Director of Film SF, otherwise known as the San Francisco Film Commission, already sees how the dual strikes could ripple throughout the local economy, impacting not only ancillary unions and jobs around the film industry but also sectors that service film locally. She points to some stats from the commission’s most recent <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/Film%20SF%20Annual%20Report%20FY21-22_1.pdf">fiscal year report</a> as indicators of the impactful economic role that film plays in San Francisco.&nbsp;

Manijeh Fata, Executive Director of Film SF, otherwise known as the San Francisco Film Commission, already sees how the dual strikes could ripple throughout the local economy, impacting not only ancillary unions and jobs around the film industry but also sectors that service film locally. She points to some stats from the commission’s most recent <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/Film%20SF%20Annual%20Report%20FY21-22_1.pdf">fiscal year report</a> as indicators of the impactful economic role that film plays in San Francisco.&nbsp;

“Every year, productions spend millions of dollars locally on hotel nights, car rentals, catering, hardware, lumber, office supplies, wardrobe, props and equipment rentals,” the document reads.&nbsp;

“Every year, productions spend millions of dollars locally on hotel nights, car rentals, catering, hardware, lumber, office supplies, wardrobe, props and equipment rentals,” the document reads.&nbsp;

Also cited in the report: <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/Film%20SF%20Annual%20Report%20FY21-22_1.pdf">up to $250,000 per day can be injected</a> into a local economy when a film shoots on location. One measure of this impact is hotel stays: the estimated number of hotel stays for crew members last year was 4,811 nights, up from 2,258 the previous fiscal year, and 1,259 hotel stay nights for local SAG-AFTRA hires, up from 1,078 the previous year, according to the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also cited in the report: <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/Film%20SF%20Annual%20Report%20FY21-22_1.pdf">up to $250,000 per day can be injected</a> into a local economy when a film shoots on location. One measure of this impact is hotel stays: the estimated number of hotel stays for crew members last year was 4,811 nights, up from 2,258 the previous fiscal year, and 1,259 hotel stay nights for local SAG-AFTRA hires, up from 1,078 the previous year, according to the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But since January of this year, only 131 productions have been permitted with a total of 214 shoot days, according to Film SF. That’s compared to 197 productions approved between January and July 2022, with a total of 436 shoot days, and 304 productions approved between January and July 2019, with a total of 616 shoot days.

But since January of this year, only 131 productions have been permitted with a total of 214 shoot days, according to Film SF. That’s compared to 197 productions approved between January and July 2022, with a total of 436 shoot days, and 304 productions approved between January and July 2019, with a total of 616 shoot days.

“We just hope that it gets resolved soon, because obviously, the economic benefits of this industry are really important to our economy,” Fata said.

“We just hope that it gets resolved soon, because obviously, the economic benefits of this industry are really important to our economy,” Fata said.

The previous writers&#8217; strike that began in 2007 cost the state&#8217;s economy an estimated $2 billion, according to the Associated Press.

The previous writers' strike that began in 2007 cost the state's economy an estimated $2 billion, according to the Associated Press.

The previous writers&#8217; strike that began in 2007 cost the state&#8217;s economy an estimated $2 billion, according to the Associated Press.

Jane Stillwater, an 81-year-old background actor from Berkeley, chants at a SAG-AFTRA strike rally at San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023. 

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0182.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-185689"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jane Stillwater, an 81-year-old background actor from Berkeley, chants at a SAG-AFTRA strike rally at San Francisco City Hall on July 26, 2023. </figcaption></figure>

Even for members of the film industry not directly involved with the SAG-AFTRA or WGA strikes, the work stoppages feel like the frontlines of a fight for better working conditions, wages and protections for every type of worker in the film industry.&nbsp;

Even for members of the film industry not directly involved with the SAG-AFTRA or WGA strikes, the work stoppages feel like the frontlines of a fight for better working conditions, wages and protections for every type of worker in the film industry.&nbsp;

Heather MacLean—a member of Teamsters Local 2785, which represents location scouts and managers like herself—has been location-scouting in the Bay Area since 2009. Among other projects, she&#8217;s worked on blockbusters such as The Matrix Resurrections and Ant-Man and the Wasp as well as Bay Area-set productions including Blue Jasmine and the TV shows Blindspotting and Girlboss. MacLean told The Standard she’s been feeling the financial squeeze on her work and film budgets for years.&nbsp;

Heather MacLean—a member of Teamsters Local 2785, which represents location scouts and managers like herself—has been location-scouting in the Bay Area since 2009. Among other projects, she's worked on blockbusters such as The Matrix Resurrections and Ant-Man and the Wasp as well as Bay Area-set productions including Blue Jasmine and the TV shows Blindspotting and Girlboss. MacLean told The Standard she’s been feeling the financial squeeze on her work and film budgets for years.&nbsp;

Heather MacLean—a member of Teamsters Local 2785, which represents location scouts and managers like herself—has been location-scouting in the Bay Area since 2009. Among other projects, she&#8217;s worked on blockbusters such as The Matrix Resurrections and Ant-Man and the Wasp as well as Bay Area-set productions including Blue Jasmine and the TV shows Blindspotting and Girlboss. MacLean told The Standard she’s been feeling the financial squeeze on her work and film budgets for years.&nbsp;

She attributes the cost-cutting to a Silicon Valley mindset of maximizing profits while minimizing labor costs. Because of that, the strikes are bigger than a few lost jobs for her: they amount to a long,&nbsp; hard look in the mirror at what stands to be lost if film workers don’t stand their ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She attributes the cost-cutting to a Silicon Valley mindset of maximizing profits while minimizing labor costs. Because of that, the strikes are bigger than a few lost jobs for her: they amount to a long,&nbsp; hard look in the mirror at what stands to be lost if film workers don’t stand their ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“There’s a frustration with how the greed of the top is crushing the workers at the bottom,” MacLean said. “All of this, it’s actually a fight for the rest of us.”&nbsp;

“There’s a frustration with how the greed of the top is crushing the workers at the bottom,” MacLean said. “All of this, it’s actually a fight for the rest of us.”&nbsp;

Hollywood strike slams Bay Area filmmaking: ‘My income, it’s been killed’

Liz Lindqwister

Ashley Yao was thinking about quitting her job at DocuSign in December, when she received an ominous calendar invitation.&nbsp;

Ashley Yao was thinking about quitting her job at DocuSign in December, when she received an ominous calendar invitation.&nbsp;

“The exact same day, I checked my email—I got invited to this really vague, 15-minute all-hands meeting,” Yao said. “I kind of was like, ‘Oh, wait, the same thing happened in the fall,’ where a bunch of people from my team got laid off.”&nbsp;

“The exact same day, I checked my email—I got invited to this really vague, 15-minute all-hands meeting,” Yao said. “I kind of was like, ‘Oh, wait, the same thing happened in the fall,’ where a bunch of people from my team got laid off.”&nbsp;

DocuSign laid off Yao that day, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2023/02/17/docusign-layoffs-sees-company-slashing-10-percent-more-of-workforce/?sh=668ecefd1a9b">along with hundreds of other employees</a> from its San Francisco team—the second major round of layoffs the administrative tech company carried out in 2022.&nbsp;

DocuSign laid off Yao that day, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2023/02/17/docusign-layoffs-sees-company-slashing-10-percent-more-of-workforce/?sh=668ecefd1a9b">along with hundreds of other employees</a> from its San Francisco team—the second major round of layoffs the administrative tech company carried out in 2022.&nbsp;

READ MORE: <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/father-and-son-laid-off-from-bay-area-tech-jobs-within-months-of-each-other/">Father and Son Were Both Laid Off From Bay Area Tech Jobs. It Was a Bonding Experience</a>

READ MORE: <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/father-and-son-laid-off-from-bay-area-tech-jobs-within-months-of-each-other/">Father and Son Were Both Laid Off From Bay Area Tech Jobs. It Was a Bonding Experience</a>

Yao joins the more than <a href="https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/tech-layoffs/#:~:text=Last%20year%2C%20more%20than%20140%2C000,and%20a%20tumultuous%20stock%20market." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">140,000 people</a> who have been let go by tech companies in the last 12 months, many of whom <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/tech-layoffs-san-francisco-job-cuts-march/">were based in the Bay Area</a>. Though these workers may have held high-paying positions and collected cushy severance packages on their way out, the nonstop deluge of Big Tech layoffs has many in the industry wondering: What comes next?&nbsp;

Yao joins the more than <a href="https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/tech-layoffs/#:~:text=Last%20year%2C%20more%20than%20140%2C000,and%20a%20tumultuous%20stock%20market." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">140,000 people</a> who have been let go by tech companies in the last 12 months, many of whom <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/tech-layoffs-san-francisco-job-cuts-march/">were based in the Bay Area</a>. Though these workers may have held high-paying positions and collected cushy severance packages on their way out, the nonstop deluge of Big Tech layoffs has many in the industry wondering: What comes next?&nbsp;

Four Bay Area folks—laid off from DocuSign, Airtable, Meta (formerly Facebook) and Mad Mobile—found their way from tech companies’ doors to a Taiwanese tea company, AI startups and, for one industry veteran, a Napa Valley winery.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Four Bay Area folks—laid off from DocuSign, Airtable, Meta (formerly Facebook) and Mad Mobile—found their way from tech companies’ doors to a Taiwanese tea company, AI startups and, for one industry veteran, a Napa Valley winery.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ashley Yao, 26, of San Francisco, a former Account Executive at DocuSign who was recently laid off, poses for a photo in Duboce Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 20, 2023. After being laid off Yao has spent her time focusing on a beverage company she co-founded prior to leaving DocuSign. | Jungho Kim for The Standard

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LayoffsUnemp032023_027.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-142764"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley Yao | Jungho Kim for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-big-tech-to-scrappy-startup">From Big Tech to Scrappy Startup</h2>

<h2 id="h-from-big-tech-to-scrappy-startup">From Big Tech to Scrappy Startup</h2>

For Yao, the news of her layoff was, ironically, a relief.&nbsp;

For Yao, the news of her layoff was, ironically, a relief.&nbsp;

The 24-year-old had grown disillusioned with her work as an account executive and had been searching for a way out well before DocuSign’s layoffs. Yao now runs a tea startup with her business partner and boyfriend, Kyle Gillaspy, a product manager at Oracle. 

The 24-year-old had grown disillusioned with her work as an account executive and had been searching for a way out well before DocuSign’s layoffs. Yao now runs a tea startup with her business partner and boyfriend, Kyle Gillaspy, a product manager at Oracle.

“It didn&#8217;t take me too long to realize, ‘Oh, I don&#8217;t think this is what I want to do with the rest of my life,’” Yao said. “I am a Taiwanese immigrant, I love cooking and I would always have family nights and dinner clubs at my place every Sunday with my closest friends.”&nbsp;

“It didn't take me too long to realize, ‘Oh, I don't think this is what I want to do with the rest of my life,’” Yao said. “I am a Taiwanese immigrant, I love cooking and I would always have family nights and dinner clubs at my place every Sunday with my closest friends.”&nbsp;

“It didn&#8217;t take me too long to realize, ‘Oh, I don&#8217;t think this is what I want to do with the rest of my life,’” Yao said. “I am a Taiwanese immigrant, I love cooking and I would always have family nights and dinner clubs at my place every Sunday with my closest friends.”&nbsp;

Yao combined her passions for cooking and heritage in her company, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drinkkace/">Kace</a>, which produces unique drinks akin to the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/who-will-be-serving-bubble-tea-at-this-upcoming-boba-bash-here-are-our-best-guesses/">Bay Area’s popular boba tea</a> offerings. With flavors ranging from passion fruit lychee to apple jasmine, Yao says Kace plans to launch its drinks soon, having recently secured a Taiwanese manufacturer.

Yao combined her passions for cooking and heritage in her company, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drinkkace/">Kace</a>, which produces unique drinks akin to the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/who-will-be-serving-bubble-tea-at-this-upcoming-boba-bash-here-are-our-best-guesses/">Bay Area’s popular boba tea</a> offerings. With flavors ranging from passion fruit lychee to apple jasmine, Yao says Kace plans to launch its drinks soon, having recently secured a Taiwanese manufacturer.

Barista Ken Kawachi makes some boba drinks at the Asian Art Museum on June 1, 2018 in San Francisco. | Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GettyImages-1321762244-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-141348"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Barista Ken Kawachi makes some boba drinks at the Asian Art Museum on June 1, 2018 in San Francisco. | Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>

Today, Yao is one of the many laid-off tech workers who found a different path from the industry she left behind. But it wasn’t easy getting there, and her status as a foreign-born worker from Taiwan with citizenship in Canada meant that being laid off put her work visa in jeopardy, even before she left DocuSign.&nbsp;

Today, Yao is one of the many laid-off tech workers who found a different path from the industry she left behind. But it wasn’t easy getting there, and her status as a foreign-born worker from Taiwan with citizenship in Canada meant that being laid off put her work visa in jeopardy, even before she left DocuSign.&nbsp;

“Locally, most of my international friends haven&#8217;t been laid off—if they have, they might have to leave the country or find another job within [60] days,” Yao said. “They have a pretty strict turnaround time for maintaining their visa status.”&nbsp;

“Locally, most of my international friends haven't been laid off—if they have, they might have to leave the country or find another job within [60] days,” Yao said. “They have a pretty strict turnaround time for maintaining their visa status.”&nbsp;

“Locally, most of my international friends haven&#8217;t been laid off—if they have, they might have to leave the country or find another job within [60] days,” Yao said. “They have a pretty strict turnaround time for maintaining their visa status.”&nbsp;

Highly skilled foreign workers based in the U.S. often hold what’s called an H1-B visa, which has a grace period of <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/12/08/1141402046/h1b-visa-immigrant-workers-tech-layoffs-60-days-to-find-a-job">60 days</a> to find a new employer, or else risk deportation. Roughly <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models/h-1b-cap-season#:~:text=Please%20note%20that%20up%20to,year's%20regular%20H%2D1B%20cap.">65,000 of these visas</a> are granted yearly, and <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/H1B_Characteristics_Congressional_Report_FY2021-3.2.22.pdf">nearly 70% of approved </a>applications in 2021 were for “computer-related occupations,” according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;

Highly skilled foreign workers based in the U.S. often hold what’s called an H1-B visa, which has a grace period of <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/12/08/1141402046/h1b-visa-immigrant-workers-tech-layoffs-60-days-to-find-a-job">60 days</a> to find a new employer, or else risk deportation. Roughly <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models/h-1b-cap-season#:~:text=Please%20note%20that%20up%20to,year's%20regular%20H%2D1B%20cap.">65,000 of these visas</a> are granted yearly, and <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/H1B_Characteristics_Congressional_Report_FY2021-3.2.22.pdf">nearly 70% of approved </a>applications in 2021 were for “computer-related occupations,” according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;

Yao, for her part, will not be deported immediately because <a href="https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/do-i-need-a-visa/#:~:text=In%20most%20circumstances%2C%20Canadian%20citizens,Canada%20or%20from%20other%20countries.">of her Canadian citizenship</a>. She is applying for an innovator’s visa as well.&nbsp;

Yao, for her part, will not be deported immediately because <a href="https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/do-i-need-a-visa/#:~:text=In%20most%20circumstances%2C%20Canadian%20citizens,Canada%20or%20from%20other%20countries.">of her Canadian citizenship</a>. She is applying for an innovator’s visa as well.&nbsp;

‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’&nbsp;

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me">‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’&nbsp;</h2>

<h2 id="h-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me">‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’&nbsp;</h2>

Ashley Yao’s route from Big Tech to tea company is certainly unique, but other former tech workers are finding increased opportunities in the startup sphere, especially in artificial intelligence.&nbsp;

Ashley Yao’s route from Big Tech to tea company is certainly unique, but other former tech workers are finding increased opportunities in the startup sphere, especially in artificial intelligence.&nbsp;

Software engineer Stephen Campbell made the leap from his job to entrepreneurial tech in December, after being laid off from Airtable, a cloud productivity company. The company let go of <a href="https://www.channelfutures.com/business-models/airtable-layoffs-hit-more-than-250-employees-company-to-operate-more-cautiously#:~:text=Airtable%2C%20an%20enterprise%20software%20company,its%20workforce%20or%20254%20employees.&amp;text=In%20a%20blog%2C%20Howie%20Liu,as%20vice%20president%20of%20partners.">20% of its workforce</a> in early December, including the 24-year-old Campbell, who had been with AirTable for 18 months.

Software engineer Stephen Campbell made the leap from his job to entrepreneurial tech in December, after being laid off from Airtable, a cloud productivity company. The company let go of <a href="https://www.channelfutures.com/business-models/airtable-layoffs-hit-more-than-250-employees-company-to-operate-more-cautiously#:~:text=Airtable%2C%20an%20enterprise%20software%20company,its%20workforce%20or%20254%20employees.&amp;text=In%20a%20blog%2C%20Howie%20Liu,as%20vice%20president%20of%20partners.">20% of its workforce</a> in early December, including the 24-year-old Campbell, who had been with AirTable for 18 months.

But it wasn’t all bad, as he went on to found two startups and one of the Bay Area’s many AI social collectives. Campbell’s current company, Revamp AI, aims to use generative tech to help small businesses analyze and use data to grow their companies. He co-founded Revamp with longtime friend Pierce Kelaita, another engineer who was <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/meta-dumps-11k-employees-reducing-company-size-by-13/">recently laid off by Meta</a>.&nbsp;

But it wasn’t all bad, as he went on to found two startups and one of the Bay Area’s many AI social collectives. Campbell’s current company, Revamp AI, aims to use generative tech to help small businesses analyze and use data to grow their companies. He co-founded Revamp with longtime friend Pierce Kelaita, another engineer who was <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/meta-dumps-11k-employees-reducing-company-size-by-13/">recently laid off by Meta</a>.&nbsp;

“Getting laid off, honestly, is the greatest thing that&#8217;s ever happened to me,” Campbell said. “It&#8217;s just absolutely a catalyzing moment in my life, and I&#8217;m incredibly thankful I was laid off.”&nbsp;

“Getting laid off, honestly, is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me,” Campbell said. “It's just absolutely a catalyzing moment in my life, and I'm incredibly thankful I was laid off.”&nbsp;

“Getting laid off, honestly, is the greatest thing that&#8217;s ever happened to me,” Campbell said. “It&#8217;s just absolutely a catalyzing moment in my life, and I&#8217;m incredibly thankful I was laid off.”&nbsp;

READ MORE: <a href="https://sfstandard.com/technology/ai-workers-suddenly-most-popular-kids-in-san-francisco-as-industry-parties-explode/">AI Workers Suddenly Most Popular Kids in San Francisco as Industry Parties Explode</a>

READ MORE: <a href="https://sfstandard.com/technology/ai-workers-suddenly-most-popular-kids-in-san-francisco-as-industry-parties-explode/">AI Workers Suddenly Most Popular Kids in San Francisco as Industry Parties Explode</a>

Pedestrians walk the streets of Hayes Valley, a central San Francisco district, where techies and AI startups have begun dominating the local culture, dubbing it 'Cerebral Valley.'

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/INLINED2_CerebralValley011023-15.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-113354"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pedestrians walk the streets of Hayes Valley, where techies and AI startups have begun dubbing the area, &#8216;Cerebral Valley.&#8217; | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/INLINED2_CerebralValley011023-15.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-113354"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pedestrians walk the streets of Hayes Valley, where techies and AI startups have begun dubbing the area, 'Cerebral Valley.' | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/INLINED2_CerebralValley011023-15.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-113354"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pedestrians walk the streets of Hayes Valley, where techies and AI startups have begun dubbing the area, &#8216;Cerebral Valley.&#8217; | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure>

Though the startup is currently looking for funders, the generous severance packages given to Campbell and Kelaita actually paid for the early months of their startup.&nbsp;

Though the startup is currently looking for funders, the generous severance packages given to Campbell and Kelaita actually paid for the early months of their startup.&nbsp;

“It&#8217;s a big decision to quit your job and go full-time on the startup,” Campbell said. “When I was laid off, it was just fantastic because Airtable severance was extremely generous, and I&#8217;ve been able to support myself completely off of that. We&#8217;ve been bootstrapped up until this point—which was really great, because we haven&#8217;t had to take on early VC funding.”&nbsp;

“It's a big decision to quit your job and go full-time on the startup,” Campbell said. “When I was laid off, it was just fantastic because Airtable severance was extremely generous, and I've been able to support myself completely off of that. We've been bootstrapped up until this point—which was really great, because we haven't had to take on early VC funding.”&nbsp;

“It&#8217;s a big decision to quit your job and go full-time on the startup,” Campbell said. “When I was laid off, it was just fantastic because Airtable severance was extremely generous, and I&#8217;ve been able to support myself completely off of that. We&#8217;ve been bootstrapped up until this point—which was really great, because we haven&#8217;t had to take on early VC funding.”&nbsp;

A small subset of laid-off workers have managed to seed-fund their startups with severance monies, but it takes a certain amount of capital and guts to financially bet on oneself—especially in today’s volatile tech sector.&nbsp;

A small subset of laid-off workers have managed to seed-fund their startups with severance monies, but it takes a certain amount of capital and guts to financially bet on oneself—especially in today’s volatile tech sector.&nbsp;

“It does take a very specific kind of person to be able to take the risk [&#8230;] towards starting their own company,” TechCrunch editor Natasha Mascarenhas said <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/laid-off-tech-workers-using-214932299.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in an interview with Yahoo</a>.&nbsp;

“It does take a very specific kind of person to be able to take the risk [...] towards starting their own company,” TechCrunch editor Natasha Mascarenhas said <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/laid-off-tech-workers-using-214932299.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in an interview with Yahoo</a>.&nbsp;

“It does take a very specific kind of person to be able to take the risk [&#8230;] towards starting their own company,” TechCrunch editor Natasha Mascarenhas said <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/laid-off-tech-workers-using-214932299.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in an interview with Yahoo</a>.&nbsp;

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-navigating-a-floundering-market">Navigating a Floundering Market?&nbsp;</h2>

<h2 id="h-navigating-a-floundering-market">Navigating a Floundering Market?&nbsp;</h2>

This batch of laid-off employees is, in some ways, incredibly lucky to hop from unemployment right back into the world of entrepreneurship. Of the roughly 110,000 big tech workers that have been laid off this year, it’s possible that many may not actually go back to jobs in the tech industry, especially if recent economic conditions continue.&nbsp;

This batch of laid-off employees is, in some ways, incredibly lucky to hop from unemployment right back into the world of entrepreneurship. Of the roughly 110,000 big tech workers that have been laid off this year, it’s possible that many may not actually go back to jobs in the tech industry, especially if recent economic conditions continue.&nbsp;

Nearly 60% of people with tech-focused jobs do not actually work in the tech industry, according to <a href="https://www.comptia.org/content/tech-jobs-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tech analytics firm CompTIA</a>. Industries like health care, education and finance employ thousands of tech workers, and may now pick up highly skilled workers who were laid off from bigger companies like Meta at the end of 2022.&nbsp;

Nearly 60% of people with tech-focused jobs do not actually work in the tech industry, according to <a href="https://www.comptia.org/content/tech-jobs-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tech analytics firm CompTIA</a>. Industries like health care, education and finance employ thousands of tech workers, and may now pick up highly skilled workers who were laid off from bigger companies like Meta at the end of 2022.&nbsp;

“I contacted a few of my friends at Meta that were laid off, and the vast majority of them went on to have similar roles at smaller companies,” Kelaita said. “But my heart really, really goes out to everyone that’s looking for a job, since companies are scaling back on their hiring, their budget, all of that.”&nbsp;

“I contacted a few of my friends at Meta that were laid off, and the vast majority of them went on to have similar roles at smaller companies,” Kelaita said. “But my heart really, really goes out to everyone that’s looking for a job, since companies are scaling back on their hiring, their budget, all of that.”&nbsp;

The Turk St. side entrance of the California Employment Development Department seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in San Francisco. | Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/FEATURED_LayoffsUnemp032023-2500x1674.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-140177"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Turk Street entrance of the California Employment Development Department seen on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, in San Francisco. | Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>

San Francisco’s economy has only just started to show signs of damage from the layoffs. The city’s tech-heavy labor market <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/layoffs-decimated-sf-last-year-whats-next-for-2023/">maintained an extremely low unemployment rate</a> through much of 2022, and the SF Controller’s Office consistently reported that new tech jobs would continue to outpace the rate of layoffs.&nbsp;

San Francisco’s economy has only just started to show signs of damage from the layoffs. The city’s tech-heavy labor market <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/layoffs-decimated-sf-last-year-whats-next-for-2023/">maintained an extremely low unemployment rate</a> through much of 2022, and the SF Controller’s Office consistently reported that new tech jobs would continue to outpace the rate of layoffs.&nbsp;

But economic conditions turned further southward recently, as the banking world suffered a major blow when <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/payroll-is-on-monday-vcs-startups-scramble-for-answers-after-biggest-bank-crash-since-2008/">Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed</a>. San Francisco’s heavy reliance on tax income from commercial real estate has also started to raise alarm bells at City Hall, as hundreds of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/san-francisco-braces-for-epic-commercial-real-estate-crash/">thousands of square feet sit empty Downtown</a>.&nbsp;

But economic conditions turned further southward recently, as the banking world suffered a major blow when <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/payroll-is-on-monday-vcs-startups-scramble-for-answers-after-biggest-bank-crash-since-2008/">Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed</a>. San Francisco’s heavy reliance on tax income from commercial real estate has also started to raise alarm bells at City Hall, as hundreds of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/san-francisco-braces-for-epic-commercial-real-estate-crash/">thousands of square feet sit empty Downtown</a>.&nbsp;

In February, San Francisco saw its <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/unemployment-rate-san-francisco-silicon-valley-layoffs-impact-job-market/">largest uptick in unemployed residents</a> since the pandemic began three years ago. Layoffs are particularly relentless, with <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/amazon-cuts-9000-more-jobs-months-after-laying-off-thousands/">Amazon’s 9,000 company-wide layoffs</a> affecting 400 SF-based workers in early March. Banking volatility <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/after-svbs-failure-who-will-fill-the-void/">narrowed the startup fundraising</a> space, and SVB’s collapse threw SF-based First Republic Bank into hot water.&nbsp;

In February, San Francisco saw its <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/unemployment-rate-san-francisco-silicon-valley-layoffs-impact-job-market/">largest uptick in unemployed residents</a> since the pandemic began three years ago. Layoffs are particularly relentless, with <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/amazon-cuts-9000-more-jobs-months-after-laying-off-thousands/">Amazon’s 9,000 company-wide layoffs</a> affecting 400 SF-based workers in early March. Banking volatility <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/after-svbs-failure-who-will-fill-the-void/">narrowed the startup fundraising</a> space, and SVB’s collapse threw SF-based First Republic Bank into hot water.&nbsp;

READ MORE: <a href="https://sfstandard.com/technology/first-republic-bank-san-francisco-banking-sector-worries/">Why the Bay Area Should Be More Worried About First Republic</a>

READ MORE: <a href="https://sfstandard.com/technology/first-republic-bank-san-francisco-banking-sector-worries/">Why the Bay Area Should Be More Worried About First Republic</a>

Despite all the warning calls, some laid off workers say the job market doesn’t feel that daunting—it’s just that the lucrative Big Tech jobs with perks, fat salaries and catered lunches might not be available anymore.&nbsp;

Despite all the warning calls, some laid off workers say the job market doesn’t feel that daunting—it’s just that the lucrative Big Tech jobs with perks, fat salaries and catered lunches might not be available anymore.&nbsp;

Kelaita’s father, Paul Kelaita, was laid off from Mad Mobile within months of when his son lost his job at Meta. But as an industry veteran who weathered the dot-com crash in 2000, the 2008 recession, the 2020 pandemic and today’s tech bloodbath, Paul says the recent woes are just part of the tech industry’s boom-and-bust cycles.&nbsp;

Kelaita’s father, Paul Kelaita, was laid off from Mad Mobile within months of when his son lost his job at Meta. But as an industry veteran who weathered the dot-com crash in 2000, the 2008 recession, the 2020 pandemic and today’s tech bloodbath, Paul says the recent woes are just part of the tech industry’s boom-and-bust cycles.&nbsp;

Paul and Pierce Kelaita pose at the 2019 Rose Bowl. The father and son were recently laid off by tech companies. | Courtesy Paul Kelaita

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_1702-2500x1875.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-142711"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Paul and Pierce Kelaita pose at the 2019 Rose Bowl. The father and son were recently laid off by tech companies. | Courtesy Paul Kelaita</figcaption></figure>

“Sometimes it feels like it&#8217;s history repeating itself with tech layoffs, because oftentimes you see the success meter for companies is how quickly they can hire and grow,” Paul Kelaita said. “But inevitably, it seems like that’s the beginning for layoffs in the future. It&#8217;s just numbers that they can&#8217;t sustain.”&nbsp;

“Sometimes it feels like it's history repeating itself with tech layoffs, because oftentimes you see the success meter for companies is how quickly they can hire and grow,” Paul Kelaita said. “But inevitably, it seems like that’s the beginning for layoffs in the future. It's just numbers that they can't sustain.”&nbsp;

“Sometimes it feels like it&#8217;s history repeating itself with tech layoffs, because oftentimes you see the success meter for companies is how quickly they can hire and grow,” Paul Kelaita said. “But inevitably, it seems like that’s the beginning for layoffs in the future. It&#8217;s just numbers that they can&#8217;t sustain.”&nbsp;

Hollywood strike slams Bay Area filmmaking: ‘My income, it’s been killed’

4 laid-off San Francisco techies tell us where they are now

The Standard Top 10: Which SF startups got the most cash in 2021?

I dated an AI robot. He was a douchebag

Elon Musk sues OpenAI and Sam Altman, claiming Microsoft is ‘perverting’ company’s mission

Search Results for: artificial intelligence

Hollywood strike slams Bay Area filmmaking: ‘My income, it’s been killed’

4 laid-off San Francisco techies tell us where they are now

The Standard Top 10: Which SF startups got the most cash in 2021?

I dated an AI robot. He was a douchebag

Elon Musk sues OpenAI and Sam Altman, claiming Microsoft is ‘perverting’ company’s mission