July 26, 2026
Slacked, snacked, and suddenly sacked
This July I Was Fired from Simple AI (A Deeply YC Company)
Fired after 3 weeks, then the internet argued if it was tragic, messy, or just cringe
TLDR: Andy Trattner says Simple AI fired him after only three weeks and cut off his work access abruptly, then his post shot up the Hacker News charts. Commenters split between sympathy for another ugly startup exit and eye-rolling at the post’s chaotic style, with many demanding the missing reason behind the firing.
A founder-friendly startup firing story has exploded into full-on comment section theater. In the post, Andy Trattner says he was booted from Simple AI after just three weeks, with his Slack access reportedly disappearing mid-workday at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday. Instead of giving readers a neat corporate explanation, he leaned hard into chaotic, jokey language — calling it a "supportively forcibly exited" moment and openly wondering what word even fits. That tone became the real fuel for the backlash, because the crowd on Hacker News seemed almost as interested in how he told the story as in the firing itself.
The strongest reaction? A grim, veteran startup chorus saying: this is exactly why you should never sacrifice your life for a company you don’t own. One commenter dropped a horror story about being promised more ownership, then getting cut 19 days before a major milestone, turning the thread into a mini support group for people burned by flashy young companies. But the other camp was much less sympathetic. Some readers said the post made the author look bad, confusing, or painfully online, with one basically declaring, “Am I old, or does this whole thing have no point?” And hovering over it all was the bluntest question in the room: okay, but why was he actually fired?
So yes, this is a story about a short-lived job. But the real spectacle is the internet doing what it does best: turning one messy exit into a referendum on startup culture, posting style, and whether public oversharing is brave, funny, or just exhausting.
Key Points
- •The author says he was fired from Simple AI in July after about three weeks on the team.
- •The post states that his Slack access was deleted while he was working at around 6 p.m. on a Tuesday.
- •The author identifies Zach as his manager during his short time at the company.
- •The article includes screenshots and links intended to document the author’s account and public discussion of the incident.
- •The post ties the experience to startup and Y Combinator culture, references Sam Altman, and notes that the related Hacker News thread briefly reached the top ranks.