Kevin Hart is arguably the most successful comedian on the planet.
But while he’s undeniably a talented funnyman, many who have worked for Hart say his skills as a businessman are less impressive.
Behind the scenes at his media company Hartbeat, layoffs and leadership shakeups have reportedly become the norm.
And several current and former employees claim that the comedian has dealt with the stress by going out of reach.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Hartbeat, once positioned as a rising multimedia player with ambitions across film, television, and digital content, has been struggling under financial pressure.
The company, which was previously valued at around $650 million, has faced mounting challenges as the broader media landscape tightened and costs climbed.
Those challenges came to a head with a series of layoffs. In one round alone, roughly 20 employees were let go from a workforce of about 80, according to the report.
More cuts followed, including roles tied to podcasting and scripted television development — areas that had been central to Hartbeat’s expansion strategy.
Among the casualties were teams connected to projects like a Barbershop television adaptation for Amazon and a second season of the animated series Lil Kev.
