So, I realize that intolerance is a problem at all that jazz, but the below email is pretty global in its distaste for organized religion. And though it’s sort of prickish, ’cause I’m sure you’re all working as hard as you can, in spite of ourselves, we kind of dig it, in a tough love kind of way. Moving forward, we’re going to suggest it be used as a form letter for anyone dealing with slacking employees. Swap out WFC for your bitch bank of choice (BAC, C, whatever you fancy. Ladies’ choice).

From: [redacted]
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 10:38 AM
To: [redacted group]-Investment Banking
Everyone below the MD level –
We are an investment bank. Unless you are an orthodox something, please get into the office. We are getting paid minimum wage for a reason — we are not making money, which is hard to do from home.
Join Wells Fargo and become a teller if you want to take bank holidays.
[redacted]
Managing Director
Investment Banking
Thomas Weisel

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Comments (127)

  1. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:37 PM

    First Post.

  2. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:39 PM

    Seriously?

  3. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:39 PM

    Ha!!! If this is real this person is toast

  4. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:40 PM

    If you are s&t who are you supposed to be calling and what are you supposed to be trading? This is like shops that make you get there at 6:30 am, when all you do is stand around drinking coffee/smoking butts for 45 minutes…

  5. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:41 PM

    file this in the same place you put the “bernie madoff to give graduation speech at wharton.”

  6. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:43 PM

    @5- nope.

  7. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:45 PM

    @5- nah, it’s real.

  8. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:46 PM

    Getting into finance, I never imagined all the BS face time. Most people don’t do shit for 4 (at least) of the 12 hours they are in the office.

  9. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:47 PM

    This is absolutely what people think/say but you’d have to be a complete moron to put it in writing. I call bullshit on this one.

  10. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:53 PM

    It’s gonna be a pitch book kind of Easter!

  11. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:54 PM

    Amen!
    Thank the Lord
    If i told you the # of lame entitled jr. nbanker excuses I heard from 2002-2004 from pitch monkeys…you would puke
    Post 9/11 jr. bankers are the most entitled fuckers around.
    If you made VP prior to 9/11 you know this gym/seamless web bag/to car home by 8 nonsense… and 6 wedding weekends/summer for the chix as well.
    Good fucking riddance

  12. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:55 PM

    @4, S&T isnt investment banking, lets be honest

  13. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:55 PM

    there is simply NO WAY this is real

  14. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:58 PM

    @13- the guy’s an md so that’d be absurd if someone under him was impersonating him…and i doubt someone at the md level would be pulling pranks, but rather would be completely serious sending it

  15. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:58 PM

    it’s not outlandish enough to be fake. stupid enough (of the guy) to be real, though.

  16. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:58 PM

    Why is it everyone below MD level? The MDs are so unproductive that staying home will yield the same results as going in?

  17. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 2:59 PM

    An edited screen grab of the email will settle this. I’d follow that by a head rolling.
    Your boss …

  18. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:01 PM

    @16- cause the guy’s an MD. he can’t very well boss people around on his level or above.

  19. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:03 PM

    @17- from who, a recipient?

  20. Posted by Investorcluzo | April 13, 2009 at 3:05 PM

    this is a joke. ..seriously, the markets were closed. that will teach him to leave his computer on over the weekend.
    @11 – agreed, this analyst entitlement thing went way too far during the dot com days when banks had to compete against the silicon valley feel good bs. unfortunately the only thing that got re-set was banker pay (and the free drinks/meals).

  21. Posted by american bandersnatch | April 13, 2009 at 3:05 PM

    I’ve got no problem with this memo. If you want to be treated and paid like a hard charging, take no prisoners mudderfudder, get your ass into the office on Friday.

  22. Posted by Anal_yst | April 13, 2009 at 3:07 PM

    This definitely seems plausible, especially if its a relatively small group (say

  23. Posted by FUNdamental | April 13, 2009 at 3:12 PM

    Jamie D on the whit courtesy phone for [redacted].
    Finally the voice of reason squeaks out from a dark corner.

  24. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:12 PM

    sounds like it could be Quinlan, Warner, Bader, Stack… or Ann A-keechy-keechy-kichica!

  25. Posted by FUNdamental | April 13, 2009 at 3:13 PM

    Jamie D on the whit courtesy phone for [redacted].
    Finally the voice of reason squeaks out from a dark corner.

  26. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:14 PM

    Wells Fargo Securities was in the office on Friday

  27. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:14 PM

    John Soden…

  28. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:17 PM

    @21 Agree. I don’t get the shock and outrage either. Although, last I checked Wells (80b) vs Weasel (125m), so he could have picked someone more his size.

  29. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:17 PM

    analyst@22 knows what’s up.

  30. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:18 PM

    Anyone who has not been an actual Investment Banker thinks this has to be a fake.
    Everyone who has been an actual Investment Banker knows this has to be real.
    Choose which group you think is credible.
    Bitches . . .
    – Dave Chappelle

  31. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:21 PM

    This makes sense. Most MD’s are insecure morons anyways. If they had any talent, they would have gotten out of IB well before the Principal level (and more likely, the VP level).

  32. Posted by miami | April 13, 2009 at 3:23 PM

    31 is soooooooooo right.

  33. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:26 PM

    @29- i guess he was just going with the regional rival?

  34. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:27 PM

    what an idiot, Friday was not a Federal Reserve Bank Holiday so the tellers @ wells fargo would have been working

  35. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:31 PM

    …and you want to be my latex salesman…..?

  36. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    at least he said please.

  37. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:34 PM

    I love that guy…send my resume right now.

  38. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:36 PM

    CHUNG is KING!!!!

  39. Posted by NotNasser | April 13, 2009 at 3:38 PM

    I was in my office Friday. You may have heard that I was playing bridge with three buddies, that isn’t relevant: we WERE all in the office.

  40. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:41 PM

    That watch costs more than you car. I made $970,000 last year. How much you make? You see pal, that’s who I am, and you’re nothing. Nice guy? I don’t give a shit. Good father? Fuck you! Go home and play with your kids. You wanna work here – close! You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? You can’t take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? You don’t like it, leave.

  41. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:43 PM

    “We are getting paid minimum wage for a reason — we are not making money, which is hard to do from home.”
    Confused, drunk, or just a lousy writer? No wonder no-one came in early to crank out revision #64 to this doofus’s 200-page pitch book to Microsoft.
    Putz.

  42. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:45 PM

    @41 tell me you are NOT quoting Boiler Room

  43. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:48 PM

    @41 well done. I’d like to think this communique is true although its a bit of a stretch to think that TW needs all hands on deck on Good Friday to work on their next $ 20 mm PIPE.

  44. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:51 PM

    @43 Glengary Glen Ross genius. You might want to stick to Will Farrell films

  45. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:51 PM

    “Unless you are an orthodox something”
    Since it’s Good Friday he’s talking about, I’m pretty sure the orthodox somethings wouldn’t be taking the day off.

  46. Posted by american bandersnatch | April 13, 2009 at 3:53 PM

    @43 – Please go home. Coffee is for closers.

  47. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:55 PM

    @45 & 47
    ~Lighten up old timers

  48. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:56 PM

    @42, good call.
    and to add to your point, it actually is REALLY easy to NOT make money from home…this guys needs to get a better grasp of the english language.

  49. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 3:56 PM

    @46 Chicho think that u bull crapper need to come to Bolas Bar and drink some tequila and eat some nice beef tacos with my special white sauce. Focker!!!

  50. Posted by american bandersnatch | April 13, 2009 at 4:01 PM

    @48 – Get back to cobbling!

  51. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:02 PM
  52. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:04 PM

    @51 – Did you mommy not hug you enough?

  53. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:06 PM

    So…William McLeod or Brad Raymond, which of you is it? Balls that big deserve to be recognized.

  54. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:07 PM

    Are you kidding me?
    Entertaining, sure. Warm and fuzzy, not so much. But how is this in any way, shape or form offensive?

  55. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:08 PM

    @54- none of the above. it was sent by John V. Soden III.

  56. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:09 PM

    @55- who said it was offensive? by your own admission it was entertaining, which is really all anything needs to be to be posted on DB.

  57. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:09 PM

    My money is on Brad and that this is taken out of context… locker room banter, not serious.

  58. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:09 PM

    McLeod is in San Fran. Raymond is in NYC. I vote Raymond.

  59. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:11 PM

    The guy who sent this should be fired for (1) not knowing Friday wasn’t a bank holiday, (2) for not knowing that “orthodox” whatevers wouldn’t have recognized Friday as a holiday and (3) not understanding that not making money from home is something millions of people do with ease on a daily basis. He brings shame on all boutique investment banking shitheads everywhere.

  60. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:12 PM

    @52
    Generic collection of white guys in suits.
    Can we have an AQR style meltdown, too?

  61. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:12 PM

    it’s not brad, it’s soden, an IB MD in san fran.
    – someone who actually go the email

  62. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:13 PM
  63. Posted by Suits | April 13, 2009 at 4:15 PM

    43,
    They’re not.

  64. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:15 PM

    @ 57
    Wasn’t questioning the existence of this on DB. Was more of a general response to all the “OMG, dood is in troub!” type comments.

  65. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:16 PM

    Northwestern?

  66. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:16 PM

    Bravo to the guy for having a set on him and not buying into that whole work-life balance bullshit. You wanna eat, you’d better earn. There are plenty of people on the unemployment line who are willing to take your job for half the pay…..

  67. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:17 PM

    #56, #62: I see Soden’s previous employer was UBS. He must be a top-tier banker! And that picture! He certainly cuts an impressive figure.

  68. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:19 PM

    @64 Gotcha.
    Too young for the classics.

  69. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:19 PM

    jsoden@tweisel.com
    now everyone bombard him him emails!!!

  70. Posted by Suits | April 13, 2009 at 4:20 PM

    Also, there are “orthodox” things that aren’t Jewish. Thanks for playing.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Christianity

  71. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:24 PM

    Soden sent that???
    Awesome hahaha

  72. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    43 You gotta be kidding.

  73. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    What about Cesar Chavez holiday?

  74. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:33 PM

    Just for the record, Friday was the second day of Passover. Orthodox Jews would not have been in the office.

  75. Posted by blndebnker | April 13, 2009 at 4:34 PM

    That is just delicious. Of course I wasn’t in the office, but that’s not the point.

  76. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:36 PM

    @75- that’s why he said “unless you are.”

  77. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 4:43 PM

    @77 – Understood. Comment was for the benefit of 46 & 60. Sorry for not labeling.
    75

  78. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 5:39 PM

    The pschiatry of all this is beautiful. Doubt whomever wrote the alleged note will ever be stenographically vocal ever again.
    And, whoever outed the memo is a hero. Bullies don’t like “personalization”. It crushes them.
    ~Sigmoid Freud

  79. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 5:52 PM

    Weisel isA weasel.

  80. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 5:54 PM

    If this was an April Fool’s joke it was sent 9 days late. Pretty embarrassing.

  81. Posted by trojan | April 13, 2009 at 5:57 PM

    type A personality is the new killing it

  82. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 6:10 PM

    Wells Fargo’s investment bank is way more legit than Thomas Weisel Partners. The tech boom is over and TWP has nothing to offer.

  83. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 6:17 PM

    This was my favorite part of executive bios – “Thom is also the founder and largest investor in the Discovery Channel (previously US Postal) pro cycling team, formerly led by Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the Tour de France, which he established 18 years ago.”
    So basically he owns a cycling team that once was famous and once was lead by cycling’s only famous athelete, but now is neither.

  84. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 6:28 PM

    Why would anyone think this is too strange to be real?
    Frankly, I’m surprised to see Dealbreaker make a big deal out of this. Its not really that offensive, and I’ve seen far worse.
    I’m even MORE surprised to see so many pussies commenting and feigning their shock and dismay. Just how thin-skinned are you?
    Maybe you should be consultants or some shit like that.

  85. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    @85 = Weasel
    Wouldn’t expect any less from a weasel.

  86. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 6:50 PM

    Not a Weasel.
    –85

  87. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 7:10 PM

    This guy is not half as offensive as the BAC bonus pool

  88. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 8:41 PM

    Well he sure is no grammar whiz, since he obviously meant to say that it IS hard to make money from home. It would appear he’s also in the slow lane for technology (not to mention management skills), since he doesn’t grasp that people can make just as much money working from home as sitting in an office where MDs are focusing everybody on face time BS, and that e-mails like this have a reliable habit of flying around to thousands of unintended recipients and making the sender look like an idiot.

  89. Posted by NotNasser | April 13, 2009 at 8:56 PM

    “Prior to joining the firm, John was a Director in both the Healthcare and M&A groups at UBS Investment Bank; he joined the predecessor firm, Dillon, Read & Co. as an Associate.”
    So he pretty much spreads death and dismay wherever he goes, right?
    Way to keep the string going, Soden.

  90. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 9:46 PM

    @85- how did DB make a big deal of this? they posted it, sure, but they post a lot of stuff. those making a big deal of it are the people commenting it’s too crazy to be real.

  91. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 9:48 PM

    @85- it was an amusing email. had spunk. this is a light-hearted gossip site. seems no brainer to show up on db.

  92. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 10:02 PM

    @85- rightly noting it was “kind of prickish” = making a big deal?

  93. Posted by guest | April 13, 2009 at 10:42 PM

    Soden – - you are so freaking lame. Look at the deals that you list on the TWP website. Two mega-transactions in all 2008 – - a $78mm m&a trade, and a deal that is likely so small that it will embarrass you and your partners. I know it’s a tough market, but the first half of the year you had some “tailwinds”.
    You have to be joking to come down on the junior folks for not being in the office on Good Friday (and/or the second day of passover – - i.e., only for the “orthodox something’s”). Get a freakin life a-hole.
    Your former colleague that has no respect for you.

  94. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 2:38 AM

    ouch. rumor from the desk is the same jr banker who posted this was saved from a rif last year. Tough love indeed.

  95. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 3:07 AM

    it’s real. the complete e-mail chain that went around is even funnier.

  96. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 8:35 AM

    way to go PE. don’t let the man get you down.

  97. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 8:49 AM

    @96- post it!

  98. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 8:57 AM

    @97-Nah, doubt it was PE

  99. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 12:36 PM

    415.722.4707

  100. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 1:20 PM

    Someone post the full email chain!!!

  101. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 1:40 PM

    i hear it was AC. what a punk

  102. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 1:42 PM

    @102- you heard wrong. it was soden.

  103. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 1:46 PM

    no, the leaker

  104. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 1:47 PM

    @102 is right. Definitely was AC. Can’t say I blame him though

  105. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 1:48 PM

    @102 is right. Definitely was AC. Can’t say I blame him though

  106. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 2:05 PM

    Definitely LM… she’s hot.

  107. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 2:05 PM

    @107 ditto that

  108. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 2:14 PM

    Sounds like everyone is upset about the bonus pool at a second tier firm this year. Clearly poor judgment on the sender’s part, but not much better on the part of the person who posted it in this venue. People that have jobs in this market should probably concentrate on doing them rather than slandering others…

  109. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 2:36 PM

    @109 you’re gay

  110. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 2:57 PM

    @71 Orthodox Easter is a week later.

  111. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 3:50 PM

    Soden, get a life

  112. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 4:45 PM

    Can we get a full email chain please? It’s been a slow tuesday.

  113. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 6:45 PM

    @ 109 double gay

  114. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 8:16 PM

    Pretty gay that you all have so much time on your hands to write messages using @#. Start studying for the GMATs.

  115. Posted by guest | April 14, 2009 at 8:30 PM

    I thought greed is good?

  116. Posted by guest | April 15, 2009 at 1:39 PM
  117. Posted by guest | April 15, 2009 at 1:42 PM
  118. Posted by guest | April 15, 2009 at 1:47 PM
  119. Posted by guest | April 15, 2009 at 2:00 PM

    117-119, thats not the chain you dimwit.
    but nice shoutout to DB from Gawker :)

  120. Posted by guest | April 16, 2009 at 7:16 PM

    Worked for him too. Not surprising at all.

  121. Posted by guest | April 18, 2009 at 11:39 AM

    Jesus, San Francisco i-banking analysts are pussies. This guy Soden should be promoted or join a trading desk.

  122. Posted by guest | April 23, 2009 at 5:01 PM

    in case anyone still cares, Raymond actually called all the jr. hc bankers into his office to ask “is he really that bad?”…yeah Brad he is really that bad! that’s why some analysts actually cried after getting allocated to the group.

  123. Posted by guest | December 29, 2009 at 6:03 PM

    @83: you’re absolutely right, WFC is a totally badass IBank! Is that you 45sec into this clip??
    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/12/wells-fargo-accused-of-animal-neglect-following-foreclosure-of-rhode-island-farm-animal-sanctuary.html
    I hope you and the others at Well Fargo are taking good care of the sheep at Bonniedale Farm!
    Cheers, and good luck with the subprime business!

  124. Posted by guest | January 30, 2010 at 7:53 PM

    looks like WF is now a BB and twp still no deals

  125. Posted by RetiredMD | September 25, 2010 at 5:51 PM

    Looks like the writer of the original get your asses in here e-mail will now be abusing a new group of analysts and associates at Houlihan Lokey… http://www.hlhz.com/us/press/pressreleases/2301.aspx

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