The founder of women’s business network Business Chicks has defended herself against accusations of greed after a fiery post appeared on the company’s social media channels lamenting widespread redundancies at the business.

An Instagram post on the group’s official account alleged all thirteen of its staff were made redundant on Wednesday, one day after hosting members at an ‘open day’ for the group’s new coworking space where staff say they were told to sell $10,000 ‘platinum’ memberships to customers.

Business Chicks was founded by Emma Isaacs 17 years ago and runs a membership for women entrepreneurs as well as events with high-profile celebrities including Elle MacPherson and Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as entrepreneurship conferences.

The post on the company’s Instagram, which is no longer online, claimed Isaacs was planning to now run the business by herself without staff. The post claimed two of the staff made redundant were pregnant and one would now not be able to access maternity leave.

“Emma’s greed has changed the course of this staff member’s financial safety and joy which should be her only priority before giving birth,” it said.

In comments via text message to this masthead, Isaacs rebutted that allegation.

“This is fundamentally untrue. I’ve done all I can in my capacity as founder to sustain the business in its current size, and it was unfortunately the only option left in front of us,” she said.

Isaacs said a total of nine staff had been made redundant, not 13, and said all staff had been given the notice required under their contracts of four weeks.