Pros
The benefits were solid, and unlimited paid time off was a real bonus. The company organized some great on-site and off-site trips that made for fun team-building experiences.
Cons
The company had a very cliquey culture. There was a lot of excessive pandering and cheering for senior management or employees who have been there forever. This often left newer or less popular employees feeling completely sidelined. It took a considerable amount of time for me to feel welcomed, though I still did not become part of the inner circle. Decision-making often seemed to be driven more by who came up with an idea rather than the actual quality or potential of the idea. This meant that sometimes, terrible ideas from senior management, long-time employees or favorites of management would get pushed through, while better ideas from newer or less popular team members were ignored. It felt like knowing the right people mattered more than having the right skills. The focus was on who you knew rather than what you could do. This was especially true for some outside consultants who were close to the co-founders or senior management but didn’t seem to add much value and would often talk down to the employees. The company had a strong “co-founders put their buddies in senior roles” vibe. This led to weak management and there wasn’t a clear direction for the company. Projects felt all over the place, as if they were just throwing money at various ideas to see what worked. Career growth opportunities were limited, especially if you weren’t one of management’s favorites. Overall, I had concerns about where the company was heading and felt like they needed to get their act together and listen more to employees who really knew their stuff.