A former HBO employee has shared a personal account of workplace treatment that she says nearly derailed her confidence.
She said, in an unexpected twist, that treatment ultimately helped shape a major career breakthrough for her.
In a video posted on Instagram, Krystale Jesieme (@krystalejesieme) recounted how a former manager at HBO once told her to stop “dressing up” at work and instructed her to make herself “as small as possible” during an important presentation.
Years later, she says the same sense of personal style her manager criticized played a role in opening doors to an opportunity with Vogue.
Jesieme described HBO as her first job out of college, a role she landed despite majoring in biology and initially planning to attend medical school. She said the experience was both professionally formative and emotionally challenging, marked by long hours and what she now recognizes as workplace microaggressions.
According to her account, the incident occurred just minutes before a major presentation to showrunners and directors—work she had spent months developing alongside her manager.
Instead of encouragement, she said she was told her confidence and appearance were inappropriate and that she should fade into the background during the meeting.
“He told me to stand against the wall and act like a fly on the wall,” Jesieme said, adding that none of her colleagues had ever received similar instructions.
Overwhelmed, she said she missed the presentation entirely and broke down in the conference room. Another manager later intervened, telling her that dressing well was not a flaw but a transferable professional asset—and urging her never to stop expressing herself.
Years later, that advice proved pivotal. Jesieme said a chance encounter at a corporate event—sparked by a conversation over a vintage Issey Miyake top—led her to connect with a senior executive at Vogue.
Months afterwards, she received an invitation to attend a Vogue Business event in Dubai, engaging with global executives on the future of luxury and fashion.
Looking back, Jesieme said the contrast between her early workplace experience and her current opportunities underscores how personal expression, confidence, and resilience can shape long-term career trajectories—especially in environments where creativity and identity intersect.
Her story has resonated widely online, fueling broader discussions about workplace culture, power dynamics, and how women—particularly women of color—are often policed for their appearance and confidence in professional settings.
