DogVacay Reviews

Pros

great place to work at

Cons

challenging place to work at

Pros

It would be hard to make this a better place to work. The obvious stuff like the adorable pups at the office, location by the beach, catered meals, etc. is all great, but what really makes this an incredible place to be is the attitude of everyone here. People are truly invested in the company mission; we believe in and ENJOY the work we're doing. Hiring has been done thoughtfully and everyone here is smart and talented; it doesn't feel like there's any dead weight, which means we can move quickly and accomplish so much more. Everyone is super motivated and seems genuinely happy to be here, which means it's a happy place to be. Bottom line: I'm proud to say I work here, and I have a lot of fun doing it, which is really all you can ask for.

Cons

The two week vacation policy is very 1990's corporate americana. Do away with it all together and let people take time as they need it; your employees will appreciate it and research shows people take less time off on average than if there was a formal policy in place.

Pros

You build really great relationships with everyone. The best part is feedback is always acknowledged. The company really makes you feel that you have a say in changes. Every department has its own functionality and we all work together to put out an amazing product and platform of users. The office life is amazing and because our supervisors and head people in charge know we work hard, rewards are given and much praise is given. As an employee, I feel valued and not just a number and it is the little things that count. I will put it to you this way, the founder takes the time to introduce himself to each new employee and makes an effort to know his staff. It was awesome to know that he knew my name and at the time I was just hired. I am not just an associate number do count. Overall, DogVacay is a unique bond with its employees and really feels like a big family. Oh did I mention we can bring out dogs to work? Bonus points!!!

Cons

At times, it can get a bit noisy as we do not have our own sections seating wise. The reason is that we are always needing to communicate and be approachable because we operate as a team. This more so is a downside in Customer Care as we are on the phones and it can get noisy.

Pros

Culture of GSD. Found a message and a mission and are executing. If you have been in a startup before you know what to expect. People come and go. Agile means sometime jobs go bye bye when you find you have to pivot. You have to pivot when something is not working. Dev team is filled with opinionated engineers who love development and they have a tom combined experience. Enterprisey they are not and proud of it. Favor working code not specs and API dogma. We don't have time to be perfect (or anywhere near it). Hugely metric driven thanks to a great Datawarehouse project. Some people can't deal with data driven decisions. Oh well.

Cons

Stumbled a lot in the early going but that is long gone now. Too much to do and too few people. Occasionally they have over hired in places that do not need that many people. Occasionally acts like a bigger company than they are. Like the review process. But tolerable. It's a small company. You are not going to get *numerous* promotions as not everyone can be a VP! Who'd do the work? If you are a developer, you will learn. But don't expect a 10 year career here until it is a lot bigger. Over crowded for sure. Some pedantic attitudes towards benefits. Santa Monica is both nice and awful.

Pros

This Company is still young, so there is huge room to grow with it and learn new skills. As a company that's just leaving behind being a "start-up" a lot of functions are manual or "hacked" just so that the product does what it needs to do. f you're ok with doing many different functions or having to figure out new ways of doing things on the fly, it's great. Also, SO MANY OFFICE DOGS!

Cons

The company is currently going through a frenzied state of constant focus on growth, especially by the senior leadership, that they will often ignore/ postpone improvements and suggestions which don't lead to immediate benefit.If you want to fix a not client facing part of the platform or business your needs seem to be second priority. This can be frustrating as the SLT then gives the responsibility for manual processes to those lower on the totem pole instead of internally improving the product.

Pros

The team is by far the best I've ever had. I adore the people in the Analytics and Engineering department, and the whole company is rad. I've heard a lot of companies talk a big game about culture and being collegial, but it usually falls flat in the offing. The people here are simply terrific - bright, kind, humble, fun, determined and encouraging team players. We get to do some interesting problem solving and the mission of the company is great. You're encouraged to push your thought process. A lot of focus on 'kaizen' and making every aspect of the business better. There's a lot of opportunity for ownership, but it also means that you have to be ready to bring your A game. If that's not your jam, then DogVacay may not be a great fit. Very little red tape. If you see an opportunity for improvement, you can make it happen pretty fast. I feel as though I am actively encouraged to have a proper work-life balance here. The expectation is that we'll get stuff done and working on a weekend is frowned upon. People work hard, for sure, and if there is a big project underway you may work a longer day, but that is the exception. Seeing it in practice is seeing people be more productive during the time they spend at work. I smile every day on my way to work and at work. The team is what makes the company so great.

Cons

Some growing pains typical of any start-up (e.g. in-company communications); this seems to have improved a lot. Could use a better vacation policy, maybe? Honestly, it's a start-up and I sort of think the benefits and perks we get are kind of bananas great, but who wouldn't want a better vacation policy?

Pros

DogVacay was once an agile startup with a very promising future and a fun culture. The compensation is okay, benefits are decent and lots of amazing perks like bringing your dog to work. Work life balance is great and hours are flexible. They are absolutely amazing to dogs! I have learned to be a better dog owner after meeting so many dog experts. (This part hasn't changed at least.)

Cons

One bad hire after another really ruined the company's culture and negatively impacted the company's productivity and efficiency. Things move so slow that it doesn't even feel like a startup anymore. The company is overhiring in most departments and trying too hard to become a large corporation when it still has a lot of growing up to do. It makes more sense to figure out how to make your current employees more effective than to go on a hiring spree.

Pros

Mission, culture, and knowing that we're positively affecting the lives of tens of thousands of customers (hosts and guests and dogs!) across the country

Cons

It's a fairly complex business and managing all the moving parts is not for the faint of heart no those who need an environment without a lot of change

Pros

Outstanding benefits, very fair compensation, fantastic co-workers, dog-friendly work environment, fast-paced and energetic start-up environment

Cons

Currently housed in a smaller office space than I'd like, but it it expanding into a new office soon!

Pros

People are motivated. We truly believe we can improve the lives of people and our furry friends. Hard work and ownership is valued without feeling like a sweat shop.

Cons

Some more perks would be nice. Our CEO should trust his employees more, working from home is not really an option unless you have a good reason.