VP Exposes Vendor's Leaked Sexist Conversation, Earns Praise From Barbara Corcoran and Thousands of Others Whitney Sharpe was on a call with a potential vendor when a screenshot of an inappropriate Slack conversation was accidentally shared with her.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

TikTok

If you've ever gotten a nasty or demeaning comment on a social media post, you know the anger and hurt that ridicule can bring.

Recently, Whitney Sharpe, a 28-year-old vice president at a recruiting and staffing firm, was subjected to degrading comments about her looks, and they were posted in a place she did not expect — the chat box of a work video call she was on.

Sharpe saw a conversation between several potential male clients speaking about her in a derogatory manner when a screen was shared with her that inadvertently revealed the chat.

In a video that's now been viewed a startling 13.9 million times, Sharpe shared a recording of her telling the men on the video call that she had seen the conversation they had been having about her, and what she thought about it.

@whitneyrose617

It's rough being a woman in a male dominated field ?

♬ original sound - Whitney

"First of all, if we're going to continue working together, I want to work with a woman sales representative because I don't want to have to see locker room talk about myself when you're sharing screens," she said bluntly in a calm manner.

The sales rep on the other end of the call tells her that the chat and accidental sharing was "inexcusable" and a mistake but Sharpe wasn't having it.

"I liked the product. I know it's good. I know it's tried and true," she says, redirecting it back to business. "But I just want to work with a woman if possible."

Sharpe's candor and professionalism caught the attention of thousands of commenters, including Shark Tank favorite Barbara Corcoran.

"You rock," Corcoran exclaimed, to which Sharpe replied that she was her "idol" and gushed that Shark Tank had inspired her so much in her career.

Other users praised Sharpe for her actions even after noticing that the potential vendor on the other end never officially apologized.

"You have class and grace and strength," one wrote. "Thank you."

"Wow. You did this without a quiver in your voice," another pointed out. "QUEEN!!!!"

In a follow-up video, Sharpe shared an email that she received from the VP of the company that she had been working with. Sharpe explains that she didn't expect the video to blow up the way it did and that she still was less than pleased with the lame apology she received. In the email, she was told that the company didn't have any female representatives that were "skilled enough" to work with Sharpe.

@whitneyrose617 How not to apologize in corporate America 101 #hrnightmare ♬ Flowers - Miley Cyrus

"Where's the I'm sorry? If you read this, it's pretty much like [an] 'I'm sorry I got caught email.' It doesn't seem sincere. It doesn't come across as genuine or it doesn't say what actions they're taking," she said, frustrated. "I don't know if they learned anything from this. It's just really sad that this keeps happening."

In a third video, Sharpe shared that the VP of sales finally called her instead of just emailing her, but said simply that she would not be conducting business with that vendor.

"I cannot work with a vendor and my company will not support a vendor that does not support women in business," she said. "It's just not going to happen."

Sharpe is based in Boston, Masschusetts. She did not disclose the name of the vendor or her own company.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at BIZ Experiences.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Science & Technology

OpenAI's Latest Move Is a Game Changer — Here's How Smart Solopreneurs Are Turning It Into Profit

OpenAI's latest AI tool acts like a full-time assistant, helping solopreneurs save time, find leads and grow their business without hiring.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Money & Finance

These Are the Expected Retirement Ages By Generation, From Gen Z to Boomers — and the Average Savings Anticipated. How Do Yours Compare?

Many Americans say inflation prevents them from saving enough and fear they won't reach their financial goals.

Science & Technology

AI Isn't Plug-and-Play — You Need a Strategy. Here's Your Guide to Building One.

Don't just "add AI" — build a strategy. This guide helps founders avoid common pitfalls and create a step-by-step roadmap to harness real value from AI.

Starting a Business

I Built a $20 Million Company by Age 22 While Still in College. Here's How I Did It and What I Learned Along the Way.

Wealth-building in your early twenties isn't about playing it safe; it's about exploiting the one time in life when having nothing to lose gives you everything to gain.