This is not yet confirmed, however this is a pretty serious layoff if it is true. 
Here is the direct statement:
Rumor at Spotrunner.com is they will have layoffs next week after a big release. That is being treated as a fact. the true rumor is that it will be in the ballpark of 75 people with office closures
[20:29] meeboguest990237: The announcement is planned for thursday 11/6
Update: TechCrunch finally reports it (here) today. Proof to you once again that our sources are reliable information from friends and collegues in the “industry”.
Update (11/3/08): TechCrunch reported mass layoffs (here)
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Hope not I work for them!
me too
bring it on . Praying to be in the list to get the severance .
It would really suck if they do this now and after the BS Nick told the employees in his so called coffee with Nick meetings. Placing the blame on previous layoffs on Joan. Who are they going to blame this layoff on?
I could swear I saw Joan’s ghost roaming on the 22nd floor.
At about 3:00 today we had a big meeting.
I have been given two weeks to wrap up my work.
They are giving me a four week severence package. My last day is 11-14-2008
I was at spotrunner for two years and worked as a project manager. I understand the market is bad, but I thought we had so much funding.
Well I was wrong, the money has gone to upper level management. They were given a huge sign on bonus.
I hope it does not happen to you.
God Bless.
Joe ..good try at spreading false propoganda ..the layoffs have not been announced yet . Spot runner still has lot of potential and talent . All companies are facing huge problems right now . I am sure things will get better in 2009.
I dont know about you guys… but i got a raise
Yep, the new wave of layoffs is bigger than the last one, and took my significant other with it. Oh well, that place looks to be a sinking ship anyway. Many of the people I met from there had been severly disgruntled from the poor treatment and poor pay long before the layoff fairy showed up.
Plus it seems the higher ups can’t really figure out what, if anything, they are actually selling…
Guess it’s another warning for the coming wave of startups on the next economic upswing: take care of your people!
Oh, and by big I mean BIG. Looks to be about 100-115 people… which is a little over a third of the company.
Well sweethoney, you were wrong, I just got laid off today. If you don’t believe me call their HR office at 310-430-7900.
SpotRunner might have potential and they did have talent, except they got rid of the talent.
Things might get better in 2009, but right now I am unemployed.
You still have a job so you will be better in 2009.
Sweethoney, your comments don’t sound sweeter anymore.
Steve good to know you got a raise, I am sorry to say but that raise should have gone into saving employees, when your ass is next remeber that.
send out the rescue crew cause it looks like nick has commandeered another company to sink to the bottom of the ocean. he is beginning to develop more of a reputation for bad ideas followed by bad management.
Joe you didnt read properly. You announced on Oct 31st that you are being laid off which i think was unnecessary drama. Thats exactly what i referred to. The layoffs were announced on nov 3rd. We all knew the layoffs were coming . Spot runner is a good company overall and they can still turn the tide as they have plenty of cash .
Spot Ruiner used blog hype and investor millions in an attempt to catch up to the original Cheap TV Spots, but somehow forgot that the customer would eventually find out that Spot Ruiner charged way too much for air time to compensate for their look-alike ad bait. Now CheapTVSpots is hiring while Spot Ruiner’s disenchanted employees and partners try to figure what their stock options will be worth in 2009. Maybe Lehman Bros has an answer for you. I tend to believe the rumors (or insiders). Lack of vision, bad will, no real disruptive technology, million dollar-plus burn rate and no market for overpriced services does not a company make. Not anymore. Sorry guys. Looks like you drank the spin doctor’s kool aid.
Hello Sweet Honey,
From your trail of comments, I figure you might be the CEO of Optimistic or the CEO of spotty. Here at LA we heard a lot of good things about both of you. How do you know I wasn’t slashed on Oct 31st. Maybee you knew more than I did, but you just lied in your previous comments “false propaganda”.
Bottom line is you knew people would lose their jobs & they did. You made your money just like top executives at Lehman, you don’t care about us anyways.
The problem was that Spotrunner didn’t have a strong business plan. When they bought Optimistic they still didn’t come up with a business plan.
The way that people were let go, was very wrong. You know you have plenty of cash or sorry Spotrunner. You know Obama is humble, but you on the other hand have a lot of cash, good for you. I have an unemployment check that’s it.
Question is why did the company hire so many people in March 2008, didn’t their business plan, looking at the economy tell them something.
1st thing you learn in running any business is to create a business plan. All those years of schooling for Nick. That is why the older company that he started is worth nothing.
Sweethoney, in joy your cash.