Pros
When I walked into the door for my interview at the Head Office for Caffe Demetre, I instantly got a good vibe. Something about the place and the people made me want to work there before I even sat down. After getting hired on as their Marketing Specialist, I can confidently say that this was hands down one of the best jobs I've had in my life. Let's start out with the team, it's a small one but a powerhouse. Including myself, there were two marketing specialists, an R&D Chef, a photographer, and our two bosses, the VP of Operations and the CEO/Founder. The company has that start-up feel - everyone is friendly and after about 2 weeks, it felt like I was friends with them for years. The one thing I especially loved about my position was getting to have full creative control with what was going on. I worked on their blog, videography, as well as some corporate partnerships. In each element I worked on, I was able to freely pitch new ideas, chase after anything I thought was possible, and was given complete autonomy when it came to making decisions. I loved feeling empowered and that there was so much trust put into employees. The work environment was also superbly collaborative, which I loved. Working with the main team on a day-to-day basis helped to fuel ideas, and also kept the workplace fun and social, while also productive. The work culture, like I said, was start-up feel. Make your own hours, and no one took advantage of that. The bosses, VP of Ops & CEO both treated their employees with immense respect. The CEO was honestly someone who I could have seen as a fatherly figure, genuinely caring so much about his employees, and always letting you know how much he loved what you were doing. The VP of Ops was helpful in pushing you to accomplish more and going beyond your own limits. A challenge that truly helped me grow in many ways. I left this job for personal reasons and travelled abroad, but I know that it will always have a very special place in my heart for leaving such a strong, positive impact on me, in addition to helping me learn and grow in so many ways. Anyone who gets the chance to work here is truly lucky! (Oh and of course unlimited dessert is just another one of the many great perks).
Cons
The only downside to working at Caffe Demetre head office was that I found that the potential for growth within the company was limited. I was the only person in my job/doing my tasks, and while I appreciated being able to have full creative freedom/control, it also meant that my learning curve was limited to only my talents and abilities. I understand that this is due to the nature of the smaller size of the company which is understandable. So for me, I'd say it was an excellent starting point for me coming straight out of university.