Successful entrepreneur from Forbes 30 under 30 list allegedly failed to meet payroll obligations, followed promptly by flaunting new Chanel rollerblades on social media.
In a shocking revelation, Forbes has conducted an investigation into Daniella Pierson, the founder of The Newsette Media Group, uncovering significant discrepancies and accusations of inflated claims and unethical business practices within her media and marketing empire.
Pierson, who publicly touted over 1 million newsletter subscribers and a company valuation of around $200 million, is said to have actual daily newsletter subscribers closer to 500,000—less than half her claim—according to internal documents and former employees. The revenue figures cited also included gross, not net revenue, inflating the apparent business size.
The investigation further revealed a toxic workplace culture marked by Pierson's erratic management style. Ex-employees described instances of interference with staff work, denying bonuses while flaunting luxury purchases publicly, micromanaging sales calls to the detriment of client relations, and repeatedly rescheduling meetings. One former employee highlighted a disconnect between Pierson’s public persona and internal reality, suggesting she prioritized the image of being a “badass CEO” over genuine business success.
The $200 million valuation, stemming from a 1.25% investment by an investor named Rahal, was reportedly made without scrutinizing the company's financials, indicating the valuation lacked solid business fundamentals. Forbes had previously highlighted Pierson as one of the wealthiest self-made women of color based on these numbers, which appear to have been misleadingly leveraged by Pierson to attract partners and investors despite the internal turmoil.
Pierson’s own admissions include "faking it till I made it," such as posing as her own intern and using fictitious names in communications early on to generate interest. This personal branding approach continued into public and investor relations, raising ethical concerns regarding transparency and accurate representation of the company’s status.
Despite the accusations, Pierson vowed to take action to help others who find themselves under attack from false claims as she continues the important work of removing barriers for female founders.
Pierson's latest venture, Chasm, is a membership club with a mission to close the gender gap through entrepreneurship. Chasm offers monthly grants and resources to female founders and is pitched as an invite-only club of 'the most successful men and women in the world' who contribute $25,000 annually.
The accusations are part of a broader picture painted by former colleagues and business records. Behind the glossy covers and inspirational speeches, Forbes says, lies a story of exaggerated claims, inflated subscriber counts, and revenue figures that rarely matched the hype.
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