Marc Benioff

He’s the CEO and co-founder of San Francisco-based Salesforce, one of the world’s largest software companies, which owns the popular messaging service Slack and is worth nearly $300 billion. He also owns Time magazine.

When I ask Benioff about the properties in the anonymous LLCs, things seem to take a turn. He starts speaking more quickly and fidgets with a piece of paper in his hand. He’s reluctant to go through the holdings, and his adviser on the Zoom call jumps in to say we can discuss later.

A couple of days before the interview, Benioff texted the same NPR colleague again, asking for intel on my story. Then he called me and demanded to know the title of this piece. During that call, he also mentioned he knew the exact area where I was staying. Unnerved, I asked how he knew, and he said, “It’s my job. You have a job and I have a job.” During the interview, he brings up more personal details about me and my family.

I leave the meeting disconcerted and still unclear about what exactly is happening with his land in Waimea.

The following day, I drive around with a photographer to take pictures of the town and Benioff’s projects. We go to the property he described as a community center and are confronted by one of his employees. The photographer explains we’re there to take photos of the outside of the building. Shortly afterward, I get a text from Benioff. His employee seemed to think we were “snooping,” and he says he’s escalating the incident to NPR CEO John Lansing. Lansing confirmed he spoke with Benioff, without going into detail — the NPR newsroom operates independently, and the CEO is not involved in editorial decision-making. Benioff didn’t respond to my question about the purpose of this call.

    • @Soulg
      2•10 months ago

      They’ll certainly never understand when everyone just insults them or write them off immediately just because they have a different opinion or don’t know the same information

      • @STOMPYI
        1•10 months ago

        Agreed. I don’t have the wisdom yet to reach such a view rooted in such different understanding. They think it’s charity when someone takes everything and gives a little and I see it as indignity.

        Unfortunately it was the tools used on me to mold a understanding. I never was shown much patience or empathy with my views and it’s tough learning how to give it. In my day if 100 people told ypu you are wrong one would start to beleive it. Now a days everyone is galvanized and my way of teaching isn’t just not useful it’s more galvanizing. I’ll work on it soulg!