On October 29, 2025, at precisely 20:42:17 UTC, Business Insider released a report—available exclusively to its subscribers—detailing an unusual event at the intersection of social media influence and corporate financial regulation. The situation unfolded when Snowflake, the prominent data-storage and cloud technology company, was compelled to file a formal 8-K document with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following an unsanctioned public statement made by one of its senior executives. This filing, an obligatory disclosure instrument mandated by federal securities laws, is typically used to notify investors of significant or extraordinary developments that could influence their assessment of a company’s financial standing or future performance.
At the heart of this story lies an unexpected interaction between Snowflake’s Chief Revenue Officer, Mike Gannon, and a social media personality known as James Dumoulin, the creator behind the widely followed account “theschoolofhardknockz,” active on both TikTok and Instagram. In a brief yet widely circulated video recorded in front of the iconic façade of the New York Stock Exchange, Gannon spoke candidly about Snowflake’s projected revenues. During this conversation, which attracted substantial attention—garnering more than 555,000 views on TikTok and approximately 138,000 likes on Instagram—he asserted that Snowflake expected to conclude the calendar year with revenues slightly exceeding $4.5 billion and expressed confidence that the company would approach the $10 billion mark within the next few years.
While such forward-looking statements might seem like enthusiastic comments typical of corporate leaders, they presented a deeper regulatory concern. According to Snowflake’s official 8-K filing issued that Monday, the company explicitly clarified that the executive in question was not an authorized spokesperson for the disclosure of financial or earnings-related information. Snowflake urged investors and the general public to refrain from placing reliance on these remarks, emphasizing that corporate financial guidance must originate only from designated and vetted communication channels. The filing effectively served to correct the public record and mitigate any potential market confusion that might arise from Gannon’s unverified comments.
Further reinforcing its stance, Snowflake used the filing as an opportunity to reaffirm its previously released financial guidance for the third quarter and for fiscal year 2026, both of which had originally been issued in August. This official guidance projected annual revenue of approximately $4.395 billion—a figure notably more conservative than the informal estimate offered by Gannon in the viral video, representing a difference exceeding $100 million. By restating these financial targets, Snowflake sought to underscore the authority and precision of its documented forecasts as opposed to off-the-cuff remarks that could distort investor expectations or influence trading behavior.
Both Gannon and Dumoulin declined to provide additional commentary when contacted for clarification. A company spokesperson, when reached by Business Insider, directed all inquiries back to the content of the official 8-K document, reinforcing the notion that the company’s only credible and approved narrative regarding its financial position and outlook rested within that formal filing. Dumoulin, known for conducting casual interviews with wealthy entrepreneurs and executives, boasts an enormous online following of over 5.6 million users on TikTok alone. His informal interview style, blending elements of entrepreneurial storytelling with accessible financial discussions, appears to have captured the attention of audiences worldwide—including Gannon himself, who admitted during the recorded exchange that he regularly watches Dumoulin’s videos.
Though countless pieces of financial commentary circulate daily on social platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, few have the distinction of triggering a corporate disclosure event so significant that it becomes enshrined in an SEC filing. The episode serves as a striking illustration of how the boundaries between corporate communication, personal expression, and social media influence are increasingly fluid in the modern digital economy. What began as a seemingly harmless public conversation has evolved into a revealing case study in the complexities of maintaining regulatory compliance, corporate responsibility, and investor trust in an era where information spreads instantaneously across platforms and audiences.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-interview-snowflake-cro-triggered-an-8k-filing-2025-10
