One thing is made abundantly evident in the final seven episodes of WeCrashed: Rebekah Neumann may be a morally superior person, but she has no knowledge of the complexities of managing a company, despite her pretence to do so. She speaks philosophically and about energy and consciousness, but none of it qualifies her for the post of chief branding officer. She is a wonderful companion to have who is constantly ready to provide Adam Neumann unwavering support, which cannot be disputed. She is not a leader, though. She is neither an expert on the market in general nor a maverick like her spouse. Businesses are not run by spirituality in the marketplace. They are managed through plans. One needs expertise and a clear understanding of their goals to support those techniques. Rebekah Neumann would have been a great brand officer if WeWork had become a centre for pranic healing. She lacked the knowledge necessary to interfere with a real estate company that was attempting to change the world’s perspective, though.
Adam, though, was in a perilous circumstance. He had been trudging along on shaky ground for some time. From one investor to the next, he was prancing. Finally, he made the decision to go public with his business, but he significantly messed up the S1 document, which he and Rebekah had decorated with images and inspirational quotes. In a piece that appeared in The Wall Street Journal, it was predicted that Adam Neumann’s insanity would eventually lead to WeWork’s demise if it wasn’t stopped.
Adam was struggling to swim against the current as he was losing his allies. He still wanted to be in charge of the company and was not prepared to relinquish his position as CEO. So let’s see how the magician approaches this challenge and if he succeeds or fails.
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WeCrashed Episode 8: Recap The Swan Song Of Adam Neumann
Calls from all around the world poured into the WeWork office after the release of the unusual S1 document. Jamie Dimon from JP Morgan Chase advised that they postpone the IPO because investors were losing faith in it. He was aware that they would have to think about decreasing the valuation if they did not postpone the IPO. Adam wasn’t ready to take that action. The valuation was downgraded from 47 billion to just 20 billion.
Rebekah is more concerned about the unfavourable thoughts that the press briefings make her have in the midst of all this pandemonium. Damian Saito, who oversees WeWork’s PR, is asked to stop providing her the updates as a result. Damian temporarily lacks comprehension. It didn’t matter if she felt happy or sad because she was the Chief Branding Officer. Everyone hated the heat, but they were not affluent enough to avoid it. She questioned why these folks were making such a fuss about a small piece of paper when all they wanted to do was save the world in her pomposity. Rebekah was obviously failing to deliver and take the necessary action. Perhaps she decided to be willfully ignorant or she lacked the knowledge to recognise the implications. She was acting like a complete idiot, and the staff realised that she wouldn’t offer any useful advice or ideas.
Adam and Bruce from Benchmark Capital got into a heated disagreement. Bruce informed him that he could not grant his wife the authority to choose his successor in a soon-to-be publicly traded corporation. Adam was obviously not prepared for that change; there was a reason it was termed a public company and not a monarchy. Prior to the IPO, Adam was organising a roadshow and creating a film for those who couldn’t attend in person. The board decides that Adam should stand down as CEO of WeWork after the Wall Street article is published.
Adam Neumann was always admired by Bruce Dunlevie. He had backed him up through thick and thin. But after reading the Wall Street Journal article, he realised that Adam was doomed. He somehow felt the loss was personal. He had the impression that he had lost a wager. When Adam and Rebekah met with their attorneys, they informed him that he controlled 65 percent of the vote on any business subject because he had 20 votes on each share. Therefore, the board was unable to fire him. However, Adam still had a lot to prove in terms of his reputation. When he addresses his staff, he can tell right away that they are dissatisfied. They had been working for a very long time for minimum wage, and the IPO was meant to put them out of their suffering. However, given Adam’s reputation in the market, they lost optimism that this would be the case.
Adam hired a PR group to handle the problem. They advised Adam to keep his distance from everything and avoid providing the media with yet another headline. Adam, however, was not the type of person who could continue to remain hidden. He was a performer, but this time, his skill worked against him. Adam’s magical abilities were fading and everything was getting out of control. Beyond measure, he was irritated and frustrated. Adam is advised to be calm by Rebekah. She advises him to speak with Bruce and attempt to contain the situation.
When Adam arrives to see Bruce, he discovers that Mathew and Jacob, two of his staff members, are already seated and conversing with Bruce. When Jamie Dimon arrived, Adam observed that they had begun making plans without him. Adam cries out in vain. Additionally, Buzzfeed published the nasty dialogue and his visit to Benchmark Capital in its gossip column once it was leaked. All around Adam, there were ambushes. When Adam again asks Masayoshi Son for assistance, he drives the icing on the cake. Not only does Masa request that he resign, but he also threatens to stop the IPO if Adam remains the CEO.
Most of the time, Adam and Rebekah put on a good show. The typically extravagant marriage drops their pompous antics and, for once, engages in the most sincere communication. Adam is urged to let it go by Rebekah. She explains to him that they didn’t require money and that they could live without it. However, Adam claims that only someone who has never experienced poverty can make such a claim. Adam didn’t come from an especially wealthy family. He had established himself as an outsider. He had put a lot of effort and struggle into it. He was never given anything on a platter. In life, he had to struggle for everything. And now that he had come so far, he wasn’t ready to let go of anything. So he creates a strategy. A strategy that would provide for his family and his future. He wanted his questionable strategy to succeed; it was almost like a bet.
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WeCrashed Ending Explained: Who Becomes The New CEO Of WeWork?
The new CEO of WeWork is Benchmark Capital’s Cameron Lautner. He changes the corporate culture. He instructs the staff to concentrate more on the concrete details with his trademark British accent. He makes the environment less magical and more mundane while putting greater emphasis on reasoning.
The board talked about how they needed Masa to invest in WeWork, and that investment needed to be substantial. However, Adam continued to hold the majority of the shares and the deciding vote. They were aware that Masa wouldn’t make an investment until he was in charge of the business. Even Adam was aware of this, which is why he continued to own those shares. He utilised his position of power as a lure. He asked Masa to offer to buy out his shares for him. It required patience and the ability to maintain one’s composure. Masa finally gave in and jumped at the offer. He contacted Adam and gave him a 500 million dollar exit deal. Adam declined the offer since he was a natural gambler. He was craving more. They came to a 975 million dollar agreement after several days of talks. The curriculum of WeGrow, the school Rebekah ran but had to close because the board didn’t like it, was likewise a purchase made by Adam.
The power couple won the argument. Adam had to resign from his position, but he had secured a lucrative deal. They embarked on a new trip and departed for Israel. They appeared to have moved past their stress, worry, and past horrors. When Masa called once more, they were mentally creating this imagined ideal future. He made it plain that he wouldn’t just hand over the entire sum that had been promised. He was prepared to begin a legal dispute and was also equipped with the funds to do so. Rebekah begins hyperventilating out of panic. She understands that the struggle has not yet been won and that the horrors of the past still remain on their side.
Final Words
A fantastic performance has been given by Anne Hathaway as Rebekah Paltrow Neumann and Jared Leto as Adam Neumann. Through all eight episodes of WeCrashed, they keep you engaged with their enjoyment and entertainment. Compared to the preceding episodes, the last one’s execution may have been the most spectacular. It adds some much-needed colour and flair and makes a strong conclusion to the series. It can be argued that the producers should have avoided the mocking tone they frequently adopted, which diminished the gravity of the situation, but that is a matter of personal opinion.
WeCrashed is a compelling story that provides us with insightful information about the WeWork culture as well as, more importantly, about the peculiarities of the relationship and the connection that Adam Neumann had with his wife, Rebekah. WeCrashed is a compelling film with a sharp narrative and captivating performers.
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