A 24-year-old California tech worker who was fired after posting a TikTok along with her firm's assembly within the background says 'rejection is redirection'

• Michelle Serna mentioned she was fired after human sources at her job found one in every of her TikTok movies.
• Within the since-deleted video, an organization assembly could possibly be heard within the background, HR mentioned.
• The corporate fired her for “gross negligence,” based on Serna. “I’ve nothing left to do however settle for it.”

A California tech employee who mentioned she was fired from her job in telemedicine after posting a TikTok video with a piece assembly on within the background has pivoted to working her personal software program firm and is on a mission to make oft-maligned “horse women cool once more.” 

“I did not understand that my assembly was within the background till I received fired,” Michelle Serna, 24, informed Insider.

Serna, who posted about her expertise in a viral TikTok video in September 2022, mentioned she was fired from her job as a product lead at Visionable World, a UK tech firm centered on healthcare, after she posted a video on TikTok by which a gathering within the background. 

Serna mentioned she posted a since-deleted video on TikTok at 5 a.m. on August 1, 2022, displaying her espresso maker pouring espresso everywhere in the counter after she forgot to put a mug beneath it.

Her laptop computer was within the different room, however within the video, she mentioned viewers might hear her 4:30 a.m. assembly within the background.

The subsequent day, Serna mentioned she received referred to as into a gathering with human sources and her chief product officer. Somebody from the corporate had reported her video, Serna mentioned.

She informed Insider she didn’t count on to be fired when she was referred to as into the assembly by the HR consultant.

“She was the one who initially employed me and we had a really, very shut relationship and a really private relationship,” Serna mentioned. “So, it was commonplace for her to simply be like, ‘Hey, do you will have a second to talk?’ So, I did not freak out or something.”

Human sources informed Serna that she was instantly being dismissed from the corporate for making a private social media video throughout work, not getting consent from her coworkers or the corporate for recording a confidential dialog, and breaching the corporate’s belief in her as an worker.

Serna mentioned what actually harm was seeing her former govt indignant as he informed her the corporate “misplaced full belief” in her from the error. 

“My chief product officer, I beloved him. So, when he was so indignant with me, I used to be so harm as a result of I actually beloved him. I beloved working for him. I felt like I used to be studying rather a lot from him,” Serna mentioned.

Serna mentioned she was instructed by HR to delete the video, which she mentioned solely had 2,500 views earlier than it was eliminated.

“I cried for possibly 5 minutes, I believe. However I imply, in the end, I used to be simply so shocked that one thing so minuscule would result in them firing any individual who simply received a increase a pair weeks prior,” Serna mentioned, including that her efficiency on the firm was by no means introduced up as a problem.

“Nothing, by no means. Not even a single sentence,” she mentioned.

Visionable World didn’t reply when reached for remark. 

Serna, who had been on the firm for eight months, mentioned she was not upset for very lengthy, owned as much as her mistake, and needed to maneuver ahead.

“I do not essentially agree that they thought it was grounds for dismissal, however I will personal it. I made a mistake, and I ought to have been extra cautious,” Serna mentioned. “I used to be upset, however inside a couple of minutes even, I form of was like, ‘Okay, what’s subsequent?'”

Serna mentioned she launched her personal firm on the identical day as her dismissal, and informed viewers she deliberate to doc each facet of constructing the corporate on TikTok shortly after. In late October, Serna formally launched followers to her all-in-one equine administration tech firm, Bridle.

Serna, who mentioned she’s been driving horses for 23 years and presently posts beneath the username @brokeasshorsegirl on social media, mentioned she grew up closely concerned in rodeos and driving. 

“Bridle was impressed by my expertise rising up within the enterprise, and my frustrations with the inefficiencies that exist within the trade,” Serna wrote on LinkedIn.

“It simply feels good timing, and I at all times knew that I needed to begin this firm,” Serna informed Insider in 2022. “This firm is one thing that I’ve talked about rather a lot, that even in COVID, was one thing that I beforehand labored on and tried to do and simply wasn’t in a position to accomplish it as a result of I had a full-time place.”

On the time, Serna was protecting a constructive angle. 

“All I can say is that rejection is redirection, and when shitty issues occur to you, possibly it isn’t getting fired from a job, however shit issues occur, and issues get derailed,” Serna mentioned. “When you persistently maintain a mindset with, ‘It doesn’t matter what, I’ll maintain trudging ahead,’ I do not assume that there is any choice however success for you. It simply may not be linear.”

Regardless of the flak she acquired on-line, Serna informed her over 300,000 followers that she wasn’t involved with the destructive consideration her firing — and transparency — precipitated on-line. As of late, her TikTok is full of barrel racing and journeys to the stables. 

“I am unable to be bothered. I’ve horse-girl issues to do,” she informed viewers. “Say what you need about me, as a result of what? When you’re being depressing on the web, I am chilling with my horses — gang-gang.”