Dear Odyssey CEO,
I joined Odyssey in August 2016 after a friend in my town’s community had Facebook messaged me saying someone recommended me being a great writer with a great voice. I was an avid reader of all of the articles that popped up on my Facebook newsfeed as I scrolled, being able to relate to a majority of the articles because real life people were writing them. I wanted to be one of those people, but I never knew how to become one.
Fast forward through having a phone interview with the Managing Editor who oversaw our Salina Odyssey community, who kept our small team motivated and going, and who offered me the Editor-In-Chief position, to the saddening time I’m in right now.
All of the communities that this kickass Managing Editor oversaw have one big group chat on this app called GroupMe. It’s wonderful; we’re like a family. We talk about anything and everything, and we all care about what the others have going on in their life. 99% of the time it’s not even Odyssey related and involves our Bitmojis to express our feelings and thoughts of the day.
Anyways, Wednesday, February 1st was the first time I was wishing it was already April Fools’, because I thought this was a legitimate joke. In our EIC GroupMe, our wonderful Managing Editor said:
“I have talked to a few of you, but I want to let you all know that today is my last day at Odyssey. 80% of the company was let off this morning. I don’t have a lot of answers, but please know that you all have a special place in my heart and I know each of you have amazing futures ahead of you!!”
Wait. Timeout.
How are you going to tell me you can let 80% of your employees go, one of those being the most supportive, down-to-earth women I know who was relatable and friendly from the get-go? Not to mention, someone who I just video called with not even 24 hours with beforehand about our goals for my town's Odyssey community and ideas on how to grow our team. Like, seriously – she was sitting in your office, busting her butt to make sure I was still doing okay as I had voiced my want to not be my community's Editor-In-Chief anymore a few weeks ago.
The Managing Editor you just laid off is the only reason I am motivated and happy to have not resigned my EIC position for Odyssey a few weeks ago.
Who’s going to send us Friday weekly recaps and reminders with encouraging words, bright colors, and the closing gif I looked forward to at the end of every e-mail? Who’s going to make me feel like a queen every time our community meets our submission goals (going on week two, ladies, y’all rock) in every Monday debrief e-mail? Who’s going to send me content ideas to forward on to my Creators if they’re in a brain fart on what to write about that week? Who’s going to initiate conversation in our small, but growing, community GroupMe chat so I don’t feel like I’m talking to myself sometimes? Who’s going to sit on video calls with me and say “hi” to my dog when we start the call? Who’s going to ask for dinner suggestions, movie reviews, or any other decision-making dilemmas in our EIC GroupMe chat?
Odyssey, I am sure you have a reasoning behind your decision, but I just want to let you know that you cut one of the best employees you had. She literally lived and breathed Odyssey.
And a big thank you to this wonderful Managing Editor we had. If you didn’t pick up on it yet, you kinda rock! Keep your head high, and your ever-so-loving and appreciative EIC’s closer. Although, we may not be your EIC’s anymore, we are always here for you, just want what’s best for you, and want to see you successful and happy! Thank you for all that you have done for myself, my Creators, and the rest of your EIC team. We love you!
Sincerely,
A Very Disgruntled Odyssey Editor-In-Chief
