In the world of tech sales, success comes with perks, recognition, and a seat at the table with high-flying executives. But what happens when the culture that once celebrated your achievements suddenly turns against you? Last week, TechCrunch reported on a lawsuit filed by Isabella Vincenza, a former top salesperson at CloudKitchens – Uber founder Travis Kalanick’s latest startup – which sheds light on the company’s high-pressure sales environments.
‍

Rising to the Top

Hired in 2018 as CloudKitchens' first female salesperson, Vincenza quickly rose to become one of the company's top performers. Her success was rewarded with invitations to exclusive "President's Club" dinners hosted by CEO Travis Kalanick at his Bel Air home. These events, reserved for top salespeople, included cocktails by the pool and chef-prepared dinners where top performers could mingle with company executives.

At these gatherings, Vincenza recalled being greeted with hugs from Kalanick and receiving praise for her work. Sometimes, she would be invited to sit near him during dinner, engaging in conversation throughout the meal. "If you were the best salesperson, you were his favorite person because you were making the company a lot of money," Vincenza told TechCrunch.
‍

A Sudden Shift

However, Vincenza's story eventually took a dramatic turn. She alleges that after announcing her pregnancy in 2022, her treatment at the company changed drastically. At one President's Club dinner in August 2022, Vincenza, visibly pregnant, claims she was asked to move when she tried to sit across from Kalanick. She said he hardly looked at her, would not engage in conversation, and didn't say goodbye. Vincenza left the dinner unsettled, in retrospect feeling that this was when she began to be treated as a pariah at the company.
‍

The Lawsuit

In July 2023, about six months after returning from maternity leave, Vincenza was fired. She has since filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, naming Kalanick, two other executives, CloudKitchens' parent company City Storage Systems, and its associate company CSS Payroll as defendants.

The lawsuit alleges wrongful termination, sex discrimination, and a hostile work environment, among other claims. Vincenza claims she spent years "dodging all of her employer's sexist curveballs," and that the "office culture was that of a boys' club." She also alleges receiving less pay and a smaller equity grant than her male counterparts, and claims she was "retaliated against for standing up for herself" following her pregnancy and subsequent maternity leave.
‍

Company Response

CloudKitchens, however, rejects these allegations. A company spokesperson stated that Vincenza "had one of the highest salaries amongst hundreds of account executives, yet in the last year of her tenure at the company she was one of the lowest performers." The company also claims that an internal review found Vincenza's discrimination claims "to have no merit."
‍

A Broader Context

Vincenza's case is not occurring in isolation. It echoes some of the allegations that led Kalanick to step down as CEO of Uber in 2017 following an investigation into that workplace's culture. CloudKitchens has faced similar lawsuits before, with other female employees alleging unfair labor practices and pay discrimination. One female employee sued the company alleging that she was forced to work unpaid overtime and was denied meal breaks. Another employee who remained anonymous, told TechCrunch that employees were pressured to work until burnout, sometimes staying in the office until 2 a.m.

As the legal process unfolds, Vincenza's case serves as a talking point for those in the sales industry, prompting discussions about workplace culture, gender dynamics, and the balance between high performance and employee well-being in competitive sales environments.