CEO's post bragging about employee working till 2:00 AM backfires. Netizens react: 'Did you give him pizza?...'

A CEO recently came under heavy criticism for glorifying hustle culture and overworking his team to meet targets. Cyrus Shirazi, the chief executive officer of Haven, a financial and accounting services company, sparked widespread debate after posting about his team’s late-night efforts to rescue a client’s funding round.

In his LinkedIn post, Shirazi described how his staff stayed at the office until the early hours to support a startup that faced a sudden crisis. The client’s bookkeeper had unexpectedly gone missing just before a crucial board meeting scheduled for Monday, leaving their financial records in complete disarray.

The All-Night Effort

Shirazi recounted how, instead of deferring the request to the following week, the Haven team immediately took charge of the urgent task on a Friday evening. Under the leadership of Daniel Laufer, a certified public accountant, the team worked until 2 a.m. Laufer reportedly reconciled three months of disorganized accounts, prepared a professional profit-and-loss statement along with a cash flow analysis, and assembled a polished financial summary suitable for a board presentation. Thanks to these efforts, the startup’s board meeting proceeded without issue, ultimately leading to a successful Series A funding round.

The CEO’s Perspective

In his post, Shirazi emphasized that Haven’s approach went beyond traditional accounting, positioning the firm as a partner that alleviates client stress during critical situations. He described this dedication as an example of “customer obsession” and used the story as a promotional pitch, inviting prospective clients to reach out for similar support.

Public Backlash and Praise

While the post quickly attracted significant attention online, with nearly 900 likes, it also drew sharp criticism. Many professionals questioned whether the story celebrated overwork rather than healthy workplace practices. One LinkedIn commenter pointed out that pushing employees to exhaustion in the name of client service was not an achievement to be proud of. Another raised the issue of whether overtime pay or additional compensation was provided for Laufer’s efforts. Others asked if Haven charged extra fees for working outside regular hours or if such services were bundled into client packages.

At the same time, some voices applauded the dedication of the team, noting that stepping up under such tight deadlines reflected strong commitment. The debate highlighted the growing scrutiny of hustle culture and the ethics of glorifying relentless work in professional settings.