Movies

Blake Lively’s Lifestyle Brand Was a Toxic Nightmare Filled with Drugs, Affairs, and Office Chaos

BBG News

According to former employees who spoke to the Daily Mail, Blake Lively’s discontinued lifestyle brand was characterized by a toxic work environment and unprofessional behavior, leading to complex legal disputes.

Founded in 2014, Preserve initially aimed to rival Gwyneth Paltrow‘s Goop by offering premium artisanal items for sale online. Unfortunately, it experienced a swift decline and ceased operations within a year.

Six ex-employees of the company shared their insights, painting a picture of a turbulent work environment they referred to as ‘chaotic’. Some of them expressed disbelief and frustration over the actress’ recent accusations of an inappropriate workplace atmosphere against her colleague Justin Baldoni, finding it ironic given their own experiences.

The business, allegedly run by Blake Lively’s brother Eric Lively from his Manhattan apartment, was reportedly a chaotic environment. Here, it is said that he often consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana. Furthermore, staff members were left out in the cold when Eric overslept, and they were forced to work on the floor for extended periods before any furniture was purchased, according to former employees.

In his capacity as the company’s head, a man named Eric, aged 43 and married since 2005, was reportedly involved in an extramarital relationship with one of our colleagues, according to statements made to the Daily Mail by three ex-employees.

According to a team member, the company was a complete chaos, without a doubt. Interestingly, the accusations Blake has recently made against Baldoni seem quite ironic, considering that the work environment at that time was one of the most chaotic, toxic, emotionally taxing, and disorganized places you could possibly imagine.

A former colleague commented about Blake, saying, ‘After working at Preserve, my feeling toward her was indifference.’ They described the atmosphere as extremely unpleasant or poisonous.

The staff chose to remain anonymous due to concerns that they might face retaliation from the Lively family, as they were voicing concerns about a supposedly disorganized and unsuitable work atmosphere that the actress was in charge of.

Staff reported that a significant number of individuals were required to agree to confidentiality clauses regarding the shocking collapse of the company.

Additionally, it was reported that some individuals received monetary compensation worth up to $300,000 following their threats of lawsuits due to their perceived mistreatment.

Moreover, it seems no word about Blake was leaked to the media then, apparently due to the meticulous efforts of his publicist, Leslie Sloane. Interestingly, she is also involved in the ongoing legal dispute with Baldoni at present.

According to a team member, Leslie Sloane closed everything down completely. It’s alleged that they concealed all the information related to that particular organization.

Preserve had a promising beginning. 

In the year 2014, Blake collaborated with the thriving marketing entrepreneur Krishnan Menon based in Los Angeles. Menon assisted in the establishment of Preserve by employing personnel from his own marketing firm, Phenomenon Marketing.

As a connoisseur of sustainable living, I’d like to draw your attention to the captivating content on our premium online platform. Here, you’ll find earth-friendly recipes that are as nourishing for your body as they are for the planet, paired with artisanal fashion finds handcrafted by talented makers. To give you a taste of what awaits, let me share some enticing snapshots of Blake, our model, bathed in the warm glow of polaroid images that speak volumes about our brand’s authenticity and charm.

On our ‘About Us’ page, it proudly declares, ‘We hold the conviction that cultivating a brighter future honors the past we value, for everyone.’

Ever since Blake’s brother took on a leadership position, I can’t help but feel like our beloved team is spiraling out of control. It seems like everything’s going awry!

Eric had a distinguished career as an actor in Hollywood, with a significant part in the 1999 Disney Channel series “So Weird” and minor roles in shows like “The L Word,” “Full House,” and “American Pie.

However, unlike his sister, Eric didn’t experience the same level of success in his acting career. As per his IMDb profile, Eric declared bankruptcy in 2009 and his most recent screen appearance was in 2014.

Back in the autumn of 2014, Preserve shifted its base from Phenomenon’s Los Angeles workspaces to Eric’s cozy studio apartment situated in the heart of lower Manhattan.

He brought on board approximately eight young professionals from the digital marketing and design field over the past year, during which time, as some employees described it, there was a period of “disorganized activity.

According to an employee, Eric lacked the necessary qualifications for running a company. Additionally, there were numerous instances where the employment situation felt unprofessional.

For quite some time – either weeks or months – there were no tables (desks) available. As a result, we ended up sitting directly on the floor. It wasn’t missed by anyone that this lifestyle website, which was promoting high-priced merchandise, didn’t even have desks for its own use.

In this space, there was no separation between residential and work areas. Instead, the sleeping area was integrated into one large room. A whiteboard was present, but the studio lacked extensive furniture overall.

‘I felt like he was being an actor, acting the part of creative director of this company.

Unexpectedly, without warning, he instructed you to create a strategy and present it the following day. The next morning, when you arrived at work, he was still sound asleep.

On weekdays, others often found themselves waiting outside in the chill, until Eric would allow them inside.

According to someone, he remained in bed smoking cannabis while it was cold outside, and refused to let others inside. It was also alleged that he was heavily dependent on prescription medication, often smoked openly, and consumed alcohol excessively.

According to a colleague, upon arriving at work, the air carried an odor that strongly suggested someone had been smoking marijuana the previous night. It was evident that he had attended a party.

Another staffer said Eric was ‘very charismatic and convincing. You want to be around him.’

They mentioned that even though you might not be aware of it, being near him can be unpredictable. We often found ourselves at the mercy of his volatile emotions and impulsive actions, which could be quite erratic. There were frequent outbursts of anger. It was like walking on thin ice.

One colleague expressed concern by stating, ‘No one with a rational mind seemed to be supervising us,’ implying that Eric often assigned bizarre tasks and called pointless meetings without clear objectives.

One insider said they were told about a particularly bungled 2015 photoshoot.

A team of employees and a fashion model were reportedly taken by car to Blake’s mansion in Westchester County, located just north of New York City, for planning purposes ahead of an upcoming photo shoot. However, it wasn’t until two hours later that Blake made an appearance at the location.

According to the source, it was reported that Blake left her home significantly later than usual, appearing disheveled and unkempt.

The main goal was to demonstrate that she was accessorizing the photoshoot, and that’s essentially what she did by incorporating items such as bracelets into the images. This was practically the extent of her creative contributions.

An additional source mentioned: ‘Other colleagues shared with me details of a fashion shoot organized by Eric in New York, which took place several days earlier. However, Blake was not involved in this event.’

It turned out to be a fiasco when he managed to persuade film school students to work on the shoot without pay, acting as unpaid interns instead.

The team mentioned that the atmosphere was chaotic, particularly after dark on our fifth-floor apartment. They were hurriedly carrying camping equipment up five stories due to a sense of urgency.

Late nights were not unusual, according to one employee.

According to the staffer, some individuals were laboring non-stop for 20 hours every day, which is an extraordinary length. This wasn’t due to a surplus of work, but rather because the situation was so disorganized and Eric seemed to keep people within his influence against their will.

neighbours living nearby found it annoying when Eric’s loft was constantly used for a business operating around the clock, prompting them to submit multiple complaints about this issue to the New York City Department of Buildings in January 2015. Despite attempts by inspectors, they were unable to gain access to the premises.

The Building Department received a complaint alleging that the Preserve was operating in violation of zoning regulations, specifically for commercial or manufacturing purposes within a residential area. An anonymous tipster stated their intention to report an individual who has been conducting an online business out of their apartment, resulting in a frequent presence of 10-20 people at any given time.

Staff said one irate complainant was their downstairs neighbor, former NHL player Sean Avery.

To be completely honest, Avery – a man I deeply admire – seemed surprisingly nonchalant when the Daily Mail reached out about the rumors. He casually mentioned, “It was alright, honestly, among New York neighbors,” and then added that he had met Blake just once but found her to be not only charming but also strikingly beautiful.

According to three team members, they confided in The Daily Mail that there was an alleged romantic involvement between Eric and one of his colleagues.

Others felt uneasy regarding their connection, given that Eric had been wedded to Angelina Davydova, aged 47, since 2005.

It seems that despite no recent appearances together on Eric’s public social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram for quite some time, there are indications that Davydova and Eric might still be married.

Davydova did not respond to a request for comment.

Occasionally, employees asserted that their paychecks were inconsistent. It was reported that two employees struggled to cover their public transit costs because Preserve didn’t pay them promptly, during the gradual downfall of the company in 2015.

Over the last few months, Blake managed to balance work, her pregnancy with their firstborn, James (who was born in December 2014), and visits to Vancouver, her husband Ryan Reynolds’s birthplace.

However, come the spring of 2015, she found herself returning to New York City. This journey led her to be part of the Times Square set for Good Morning America on April 21, 2015, where she was there to publicize her movie The Age of Adaline.

In the spring of 2015, overwhelmed by a disorderly and harmful work environment, the top management of Preserve sought assistance from Blake, and arranged a meeting with him at a hotel in New York City, as reported by the Daily Mail.

A staff member stated that [Blake] swiftly ended the discussion, expressing her unwillingness to engage in any matters concerning her brother. The whole gathering revolved around Eric, yet Blake chose not to listen to further discussions about him, thus the conversation didn’t progress.

At the meeting, another staff member stated that Blake showed no interest or concern about the matter at hand. Consequently, some staff members chose to pursue legal action.

It seems that some employees had planned to take legal action against the company, but it appears that all the reported disagreements were resolved prior to any formal court proceedings. Word has it that one employee was given a settlement worth as much as $300,000 and subsequently left the state.

Reports from within the company indicate that they initiated several lawsuits following a wave of employee dismissals.

All were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements to stay silent about the goings on at the company.

2015 saw the closure of Preserve, an event that was often ridiculed due to its supposedly pompous blog entries and failure to develop a profitable business strategy.

During an interview with TIME Magazine in June 2015, Blake attributed the underwhelming debut of the brand to perceived bias and media scrutiny.

She stated that they set women in competition with one another. Unlike male entrepreneurs, they are not subjected to being torn down, scrutinized, dismantled, and their words used as fodder for criticism.

Additionally, Blake asserted that the start of her venture was hastened so it could appear in the August 2014 issue of Vogue.

Since we were already scheduled for a Vogue magazine cover shoot, it wouldn’t be feasible for me to ask Anna Wintour for an additional six months,” she explained.

The actress emphasized that her team is composed of exceptional individuals who show up daily, giving their all with tears, sweat, and joy.

Those staff have remained silent on their experience, until now.

Previous workers chose to voice their concerns publicly following Blake’s allegations against Baldoni of sexual misconduct and a questionable work atmosphere during the filming of ‘It Ends With Us’, as reported by The Daily Mail.

A staff member commented on the irony, stating that she filed a lawsuit against her workplace, which itself had three valid complaints. Approximately one third of the employees – around three individuals – had made these legal claims.

The other person stated, ‘She showed no interest in grasping the impact of her brother’s poor management on us.’ In essence, they were implying that she is self-centered and disconnected from our situation.

A third commented, ‘She was consistently kind towards me.’ However, given her emphasis on maintaining a positive image and controlling the storyline, one might expect a higher level of professionalism in her actions.

Read More

2025-05-20 02:40

Previous post The Who splits with Zak Starkey, again: Drummer challenges band’s justification
Next post Australian Radio Legend John Carroll Dies After Long Cancer Battle