Inside the Corgi Tech Startup Meltdown: How Employee Romance and Shocking Posts Threaten to Tear the Company Apart
Ever wonder what happens when a San Francisco tech startup’s office drama spills out into the wild world of social media? Well, buckle up—because Corgi, a young, hip insurance company known for its fresh-faced, online-savvy vibe, just found itself drowning in a sea of viral chaos. It all started with a super-detailed dating checklist from one of their own, sparking a whirlwind of backlash that only got wilder when another employee’s offensive posts hit the spotlight. Suddenly, CEO Nico Laqua was playing defense, trying to save his company’s rep amid a storm of controversy. Is it really possible that a startup’s quest for that perfect “Gen Z swagger” backfired spectacularly, turning the spotlight away from insurance and onto… dating preferences and cringe-worthy tweets? Let’s dive into this juicy mess and see what went down. LEARN MORE
A San Francisco tech startup has suddenly found itself at the center of a different kind of attention.
Corgi, an insurance company that has built its image around a young, online-heavy workplace culture, is facing backlash after several employees’ social media posts went viral.
One staffer’s highly specific dating checklist sparked controversy after another employee’s offensive posts went viral.
- San Francisco startup Corgi faced backlash after employees’ viral social media posts sparked controversy over dating preferences.
- Head of community Brooke LeBlanc drew attention with a detailed dating checklist.
- CEO Nico Laqua defended Corgi’s startup culture.
Soon, even the company’s CEO was defending its culture online.
“Suddenly, people were looking at Corgi for all the wrong reasons,” PR veteran Chris Harihar said.
A dating checklist from a Corgi employee put the insurance company in the spotlight
The drama began with Brooke LeBlanc, Corgi’s 29-year-old head of community.
On September 18, LeBlanc posted a list on X detailing what she wanted in a future partner. The post quickly went viral before she deleted her account, as reported by Bored Panda.
Her requirements included a man between 35 and 42, who was “healthy, masculine, smart, funny, lighthearted” and had a “provider/protector mentality.” She also wanted someone who was “post-economic (still hardworking),” kind, generous, and thoughtful.
Her list also included some more specific requirements.
She wanted a future partner with no children yet, but who wanted them eventually. She also wanted someone on a “healing path,” which she defined as having a history of serious commitment to personal growth through therapy, books, or wellness retreats.
The person also had to be fit and sober, live in the same city as her, and care about their health.
Among her preferred traits were having no previous marriage or engagement and working in tech.
LeBlanc later claimed the viral post had already helped her find five potential suitors.
She eventually deleted her entire X account.
The dating controversy was followed by a separate issue involving another Corgi employee
Another Corgi employee, named Nicole Clash, was criticized after posting language that included a slur against people with disabilities.
In a September 20 post, she wrote, “Reading is hard for the retarded; it’s ok I understand.” Insurance Business magazine identified her as a Corgi marketing staffer.
Another deleted post also caused outrage after Clash said she would “not attempt to police” people who use the N-word.
However, outlets including The New York Post did not see the original post and instead reviewed screenshots.
The comments prompted criticism from another Corgi employee, Ella Schlaghecke, a partnerships manager.
“There is a distinct difference between believing that society should not censor people and deciding that we have no responsibility to challenge language that dehumanizes others,” Schlaghecke wrote.
Clash later told The New York Post that she removed some of the posts “after reflection.” She also said the posts did not represent Corgi’s views.
As the dating post was making the rounds, Corgi CEO Nico Laqua aimed what he described as “cancel culture.”
The 26-year-old CEO wrote on X that startup investors and people who spend a lot of time online care too much about publicity.
“If I’ve learned one thing about startups, it’s that VCs and very online figures care mostly about press and social media,” Laqua wrote.
He then contrasted that with the people actually building the company, adding that “real hackers and builders care about making a durable business.”
However, the company later clarified that Laqua’s post came before Clash’s controversial posts.
Corgi said Laqua did not support the language used in those posts and that neither did the company.
The social media drama also drew attention to Corgi’s broader workplace culture
Cancel culture is alive and well, but, at Corgi, we have thick skin and believe strongly in freedom of expression.
For those who don’t know us, Corgi is an increasingly diversified financial institution, best known for our insurance products and generating hundreds of millions…
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