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One truly fascinating thing about the internet is its anonymity. Needless to say, sometimes it might lead to trolls bullying and throwing dirt online but it also provides freedom and creates a safe environment to open up about things you never would face to face. Whether it's regarding family, relationships or work, getting things off your chest helps to move on with your life.
Enter Wall Street Confessions, an Instagram account dedicated to exposing a side of finance we never knew even existed. Embracing both serious and lighthearted topics, "Wall Street's Gossip Girl" asks people to speak up and unveil the truth about what working in big banks and investment firms really looks like.
Take a look at some of the posts Bored Panda has collected from this page and make sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Since 2019, the account has grown to become a community of 128K finance enthusiasts who are sharing about banking, money, and the industry that has it all. While the page collects anonymous confessions and tackles important matters about mental health, gender inequality, work-life balance and work abuse, some of the content is also positive and lighthearted.
Ri Sharma, a 21-year-old content strategist, is the founder and the voice behind Wall Street Confessions. The idea to create this Instagram account came to her when she was studying at Marymount Manhattan College, she told The Business of Business. Investment banking was her dream job since she was 16, so ever since she began studying finance, she started emailing anyone who’s anyone in the business.
Sadly, that didn't work out and Ri started to notice that there was very little honesty in banking: "When I was recruiting as a young woman of color, I thought that there were deeply rooted problems in the industry that no one was talking about. And I decided to start an anonymous confessions page for people on Wall Street. And I was 19."
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It began with only a few confessions from Ri’s friends who worked or interned in finance. The creator of the account asked them to tell her one or two things that happened while they were working on the Street, and these stories quickly picked up traction. Ri noticed that a lot of women started sharing their stories about gender and equality: "Women really, were and continue to be the backbone of the page by being so vulnerable so consistently."
Also, people seem to be very surprised when they meet her or find out who she is. "Whether it's through an interview, or through just looking at my Instagram and finding my personal [account]. They're always very surprised that I'm a woman. And I'm so young," she explained.
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Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
This is terribly sad. There are great men out there who are happy to be with women like her.
Milan 4 years ago
10 years i made much more as my wife ( both have our small companies). Everytime i had the oportunity, i pushed her and encourage her, that one time, she will be more succesfull in business as me. Last 3 years she is and made much more as me. I am proud of her and happy for her. And also a i can for a while slow down and rest for a while, last 15 years i just worked ☺️
Daria B 4 years ago
There's lots of better men indeed, but I understand that shock of this change of character. One of my ex-bosses used to be an awesomely cool person, until he became a tyrant. Sure, he had personal problems going on, it was definitely his stress and anxiety that made him that way, but, damn, did he become a completely different person. Now, I can imagine how much it must hurt when that happens to a person that means so much to you. This is really heart breaking and she's so brave for having gotten out of it. Many people stay in abusive relationships because of the past glory.
Kanga9ine 4 years ago
That change of character makes you question every one of your senses and whether anything is or was real.
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Billie Templeton 4 years ago
I feel this at a deep heart level. I've been there. Now divorced. The change he went thru was chilling. I'm wondering how I didn't see it.
M Calad 4 years ago
I dream of men that appreciate and enjoy the advantages of women's independence and empowerment, and equality and fairness in a relationship. But many men (and women) have been raised to believe that men should be put on a pedestal and be treated with special treatment. I feel many men feel their manhood attacked if they are at the same relationship level with a woman. I hope this belief changes. Why not put each other on the same pedestal and rock each other's life equally?
Julian Smith 4 years ago
It sounds like he hid his narcissism really well at first...sadly for their partners, most do!
Glen MacLeod 4 years ago
He did not change. He merely concealed his true character until he had you tied down. He is a sociopath. I speak from experience. I married a man who was an alcoholic, and I dint know. He'd been on a long dry spell and after a year of marriage fell off the wagon, went on benders and revealed himself to be viciously minded, self-pitying
Alma Muminovic 4 years ago
Sounds like a complete asshole who values money and material things over actual people. You are much better off without someone like that in your life. He needs a reality check.
Calvin Girvin 4 years ago
As a guy I can affirm yours is a sad but common story. I don't know what the answer is.
buttonpusher 4 years ago (edited)
Chances are he's playing away while on these work trips. I'd wait for him to be on another one and I'd f**k off. Better off being alone than living like that, it's not worth it in the long term and also better to do it before he inevitably pulls the rug out from under her eventually. Easier said than done though but it is for the best and you'll thank yourself for it in future.
Microwaved Robot 3 years ago
This happens. I lost, for a while, my best friend in the world. Maybe we shouldn't have crossed that 'line' but we did and were happy until... I started making more money than him. He made more per hour, I made more in overtime. We went downhill fast. 15 years later, we are still friends but it isn't the same. :-(
Mars Martin 3 years ago
The man you thought you knew, was a textbook narcissist. What you're going through is a tragedy.. My father was one, and a long term relationship was another. It's a living hell. I have no family as these men trashed all my close relationships. They're believable and they learn how to be that way. When they've achieved their goal, they toss you away. The worst depression follows. Even when you "get it", it's too late. Seek intense therapy or your life WILL be a living hell, as mine still is, after many years. I'm a work in progress.
Justine Queequag 4 years ago
Cool boyfriends don't always make good husbands, you were better off as boyfriend and girlfriend
When it comes to making an impact, Ri mentioned that her posts get people thinking at least on a granular level: "If someone's been working for 90 hours a week, or 80 hours a week, and they see something on my page, and they don't feel so alone, I view that as impact in and of itself. Because that is what the page is meant for."
Before uploading people’s confessions online, the creator posts them as is, with the exception of grammatical edits. She tries to be "as authentic as humanly possible without bothering the person who I know nothing about". However, recently she started asking anonymous confessors to share their LinkedIn account just to be sure that the source is real. "There's a shift as the page grows and evolves, and as I'm progressing," she told Forbes.
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Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
Hope they changed all the details. Otherwise OP's reputation just went in the garbage.
Ri Sharma continues to advocate for people working on Wall Street, especially women and minorities who tend to be the most vulnerable in such fast-paced work environments. "I'm very fortunate that initially women were brave in sharing their own stories," she said. Of course, it’s difficult to tackle such deeply rooted issues but by talking about them, people are starting to take action and seek change.
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Olivier Caissy 4 years ago
Knowing that this is not an isolated incident, I weep for the human race.
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AnnaBanana 4 years ago
That happened to way too many people during lockdown. I'm glad I live alone!
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Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
I hate interviews where you are asked technical questions. Due to stress and anxiety I forget the most basic things in interviews. Things that I'd just look up on the job if I forgot and it would be fine. It feels like high school where you needed to do complex math without a calculator because "you won't have one when you start working". Well, guess what...
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Nathan Pogorzala 4 years ago
Because men with the emotional depth of a kiddie pool will feel somehow weak by association if they have someone slightly damaged on their staff. Don't blame yourself, blame the weak, cowardly and fragile people who will go to any measure to prove their toughness even if that means firing someone who may require medical intervention. Image is everything (yet it means nothing).
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Sinkvenice 4 years ago
Personally I would never do it but if she's making money and can support herself, who cares? I wonder if she was already doing that when they got together. If not, I can kinda see how that could be frustrating but if she was and he already knew about it, hush up. It's just jealousy.
#27
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
It's not always a trap. This is just a horrible girlfriend. Ditch her and get a dog.
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AnnaBanana 4 years ago
But I bet that manager would throw an absolute hissy fit if the tables were turned. People who abuse power always do.
#36
Francesca Annoni 4 years ago
I'll probably choose the more qualified one instead of the one that flatter me with food gifts
#38
Moosy Girl 4 years ago
From this list that sounds like an accurate answer, doesn’t seem like there’s much else to enjoy.
#43
AnnaBanana 4 years ago
No, it's absolutely NOT better to suffer in silence!! It's the worst thing you can do, both for yourself and others suffering from mental health conditions. Your illness doesn't make you 'less than', it is part of who you are and nothing to be ashamed of.
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Alma Muminovic 4 years ago
It seems like he showed his true colors and was only dating you for your achievements. Sounds like you dodged a bullet and didn’t even realize. Status chasers are the lamest people.
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Justine Queequag 4 years ago
And then we complain that women make lesd money than men because we want an easier career path
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Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
"I have no problem with it", "you have to respect the money hustle"? NO YOU F*CKING DO NOT! There is nothing respectable to this 'money hustle' and the sooner you d*mbf*cks get that through your thick skulls, the sooner you can step away from that toxic capitalism you have.
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Roland Gosselin 4 years ago
Yes, your career is far more important than your mental health, dignity & happiness. :/
#74
Rick 4 years ago
Again, an example of self-absorbed and selfish behaviour. No, “many industries” did NOT figure this out a decade ago. Perhaps a minority few did but certainly not “many”. Unless you think all the people commuting to work every day pre-pandemic were doing so just for the fun of it? What planet do these people live on?
#77
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
They send YOU thank you notes? You need their labour, you should send THEM thank you notes.
#79
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
It's more important for your kids to have a mom and dad that are present in their lives, instead of working all the time.
#82
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
Yeah, this isn't going to work out. She's selfish and entitled if she can't even acknowledge your help. A man helping a woman doesn't mean the woman didn't accomplish anything herself. It's just one person helping another.
#83
AnnaBanana 4 years ago
But at least the rest of the world doesn't think you're a vacuous idiot!
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Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
Yeah, even with peak market hiring and low bars, there are still thousands of applicants not hired. They still don't hire people who are not good enough, so don't worry. It's just imposter syndrome, we all have/had it. You're good or you wouldn't be where you are.
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Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
You think white women or men don't have imposter syndrome? Wow. Racist ánd sexist.
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Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
Yeah, they just used you as free labour and gave a weak excuse as to why they didn't hire you. I don't get people who accept unpaid internships.
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AnnaBanana 4 years ago
Lol! Yeah, there's always one. Best just to ignore them - they're only screaming for attention anyway.
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What do you think ?
Jo Choto 4 years ago
It's a real mixed bag. I feel like there should be a section for the horrible companies and a section for the good ones, and names should be named. Because if I knew which companies supported the sexism and racism, I would do everything in my power to avoid dealing with those companies and all their subsidiaries.
Peter Kelly 4 years ago
The aspect I find most frightening is that most workers in the finance sector are completely unaware of the nature of money and how it is 'created'. There is a complete disconnect. They talk about 'making money' as though it somehow appears out of thin air, through whatever action they take, rather than the reality of what they are seeing is nothing other than a redistribution of the products of other people's efforts. Of course, even the word 'investment' perpetuates this myth. When someone 'invests' in the stock market they are not providing useful funds to the related company, they are simply gambling on the future perceived value of a business and money will be redistributed according to how that changes. It is all an incestuous cess-pit and should be made entirely illegal.
Stephanie Keith 4 years ago
The truth has always been there. It's whether you choose to deny it or face it.
Helenium 4 years ago
worked for HSBC in branch, fox hunting boss was vile, hit me, called me names, made fun of me, told me i was a trouble maker when i reported another co worker bullying me who was stealing money or hiding it so id get the figures wrong, i ended up on anxiety pills and they fired me, couldnt do anything, hated that job so much, one time it snowed real bad and i was really poor, working in a bank the ages are shocking and i couldnt afford a bus pass so id walk three miles home, they all drive past my house not one offered me a lift, so glad theyre being made redundant now, what goes around comes around
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago (edited)
Working in a bank branch =/= working in finance
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Fabian Meresse 4 years ago (edited)
Where's my violin? OMG, poor traders making 6 figures a month and crying? I'll remember that at the next post-raiding economy plans done on workers getting fired, how can we have been so selfish since then?!
Jo Choto 4 years ago
It's a real mixed bag. I feel like there should be a section for the horrible companies and a section for the good ones, and names should be named. Because if I knew which companies supported the sexism and racism, I would do everything in my power to avoid dealing with those companies and all their subsidiaries.
Peter Kelly 4 years ago
The aspect I find most frightening is that most workers in the finance sector are completely unaware of the nature of money and how it is 'created'. There is a complete disconnect. They talk about 'making money' as though it somehow appears out of thin air, through whatever action they take, rather than the reality of what they are seeing is nothing other than a redistribution of the products of other people's efforts. Of course, even the word 'investment' perpetuates this myth. When someone 'invests' in the stock market they are not providing useful funds to the related company, they are simply gambling on the future perceived value of a business and money will be redistributed according to how that changes. It is all an incestuous cess-pit and should be made entirely illegal.
Stephanie Keith 4 years ago
The truth has always been there. It's whether you choose to deny it or face it.
Helenium 4 years ago
worked for HSBC in branch, fox hunting boss was vile, hit me, called me names, made fun of me, told me i was a trouble maker when i reported another co worker bullying me who was stealing money or hiding it so id get the figures wrong, i ended up on anxiety pills and they fired me, couldnt do anything, hated that job so much, one time it snowed real bad and i was really poor, working in a bank the ages are shocking and i couldnt afford a bus pass so id walk three miles home, they all drive past my house not one offered me a lift, so glad theyre being made redundant now, what goes around comes around
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago (edited)
Working in a bank branch =/= working in finance
Load More Replies... Fabian Meresse 4 years ago (edited)
Where's my violin? OMG, poor traders making 6 figures a month and crying? I'll remember that at the next post-raiding economy plans done on workers getting fired, how can we have been so selfish since then?!
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