Goodbye, Read.cv

Illustration by Hannah Lee

In recent months, it has been devastating to see how many small, often bootstrapped companies have been acquired by large firms and, as a result, either completely vanished or transformed extensively. Mostly, not for the better.

It started with Cron (Calendar) joining Notion, then Skiff (Privacy-focused suite of productivity apps) and—more recently—also Campsite (Team communication) meeting the same destiny. Some of them were sunset, others live on with a different appearance. But when I heard the news about Read.cv (and their app Posts), my heart truly sank for a moment.

Before I explain why, a small disclaimer: As saddening as all these decisions seem, there probably were many good reasons for them. Be it personal or monetary, for the sake of the product or its people. Perspective matters. It is very complex and I am sure most of these decisions weren’t made with a light heart.

On the other hand, users are suddenly without their favourite tool. Snap. Just like that. Writing this as an indie maker of digital products and a lover of niche tools, it simply breaks my heart to see all these meticulously crafted products disappear.

Since its launch in 2021, it was nothing but a joy to be on the platform. The design language, the concept, the people—everything felt like beautiful harmony. New features never felt unnecessary. The community was always cheerful and I have actually met a few people in the offline realm. Some I still keep in contact with. And lastly, it also made a simple, shareable CV accessible for so many creatives.

Farewell, Read.cv—you will be missed.

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