How are the career development opportunities at 829 Studios?

Perks and benefits are a bright spot

Despite what recent leadership-written reviews may suggest "A Supportive and Worthwhile Experience" the web team does not seem to be growing, considering the company has just undergone its second round of layoffs in two years, largely under the direction of the new VP. Leadership often positions itself as collaborative and supportive, but in reality, feedback is only valued when it aligns with favored perspectives. Career growth is inconsistent and heavily influenced by internal politics. While the client work can be engaging, it’s frequently undermined by unclear direction and a lack of strategic leadership. Process improvements are mostly reactive, not proactive, leading to avoidable friction in day-to-day workflows.

-Exceptional leadership that fosters growth and innovation -Impressive growth trajectory providing exciting opportunities for career advancement -Diverse and prestigious clientele offering meaningful and challenging projects -Talented and passionate colleagues who make every day enjoyable and rewarding

- Would love more off-sites to bond with the larger team

Collaborative, fast-paced environment filled with smart, driven people who genuinely care about their work Leadership encourages innovation, autonomy, and entrepreneurial thinking—your voice is heard Strong cross-functional alignment between strategy, creative, media, and technology teams Opportunities for career advancement and skill development are abundant Transparent communication and clear strategic vision from senior leadership Culture strikes a great balance of high performance and humanity—people have fun, support one another, and celebrate wins together

The pace can be intense at times, which may feel overwhelming for those new to agency life -- but compared to other agencies, the pace is extremely well controlled and would be greatly appreciated by those who have worked at similar companies. With rapid growth comes change—flexibility and adaptability are key

The company is growing fast and I have a lot of new teammates. I work with some interesting clients. There are growth opportunities all over the agency. Leadership is open to feedback and are transparent in company meetings. Benefits are great and affordable with new ones popping up each year. My favorite is Summer Fridays! I like my manager and team. We get together and it feels like a team even when work gets difficult.

It's performance marketing so you need to move fast. Don't always have time to focus in on specific tasks. Training as a new hire is lacking as you need to take on clients quickly. As I mentioned above, there are new teammates which is good but some of the legacy employees are resistant to change. This is getting better though because 829 continues to grow and needs outside experts to keep it up.

The company offers a fast-paced environment where you can learn a lot quickly, especially if you’re early in your career. You’ll have the chance to work with a diverse mix of clients across various industries, which keeps the work interesting and dynamic. Many team members are smart, talented, and genuinely kind. While the benefits are fairly standard, the agency environment provides valuable exposure to different aspects of digital marketing and client services.

Since the company became private equity-backed, the culture has shifted significantly. Leadership appears more focused on maximizing output than supporting employee well-being. Long hours are the norm—many team members regularly work over 9-hour days and exceed 150 hours per month. The Paid Media, Project Management, and Account Management teams are consistently overworked with little relief. Favoritism is a persistent issue, with leadership frequently hiring friends or external candidates rather than promoting high-performing internal team members. Recognition for hard work is often lacking, and policies are enforced inconsistently depending on personal relationships. Despite messaging around “work-life balance,” employees are often told they’re underperforming and face job insecurity if they don’t meet unrealistic expectations. Turnover is high, with several employees leaving just months into their roles. Additionally, concerns around gender pay equity remain unaddressed, with many women being paid less than male counterparts in similar positions.

I've been at 829 for several years and have had the opportunity to grow alongside the company. One of the things I appreciate most is the people. The team is incredibly smart, supportive, and always willing to jump in and help. There are a lot of genuinely good people here who care about doing great work and helping each other succeed. I've had the chance to work with clients across a wide variety of industries, take on new challenges, and continue growing my career as the company has grown. Like any agency, it's fast-paced and there are times when priorities shift quickly. The company has grown significantly over the years, which means processes continue to evolve and teams are constantly adapting. That can be challenging at times, but it also creates opportunities to have a real impact on how things are done. The leadership team is approachable, open to feedback, and invested in developing people. I've personally benefited from mentorship, growth opportunities, and the trust to take on bigger responsibilities throughout my time.

-Agency life can be busy and fast-moving - Priorities can shift as the business grows - Growth sometimes outpaces process, requiring teams to be adaptable

The company offers a fast-paced environment where you can learn a lot quickly, especially if you’re early in your career. You’ll have the chance to work with a diverse mix of clients across various industries, which keeps the work interesting and dynamic. Many team members are smart, talented, and genuinely kind. While the benefits are fairly standard, the agency environment provides valuable exposure to different aspects of digital marketing and client services.

Since the company became private equity-backed, the culture has shifted significantly. Leadership appears more focused on maximizing output than supporting employee well-being. Long hours are the norm—many team members regularly work over 9-hour days and exceed 150 hours per month. The Paid Media, Project Management, and Account Management teams are consistently overworked with little relief. Favoritism is a persistent issue, with leadership frequently hiring friends or external candidates rather than promoting high-performing internal team members. Recognition for hard work is often lacking, and policies are enforced inconsistently depending on personal relationships. Despite messaging around “work-life balance,” employees are often told they’re underperforming and face job insecurity if they don’t meet unrealistic expectations. Turnover is high, with several employees leaving just months into their roles. Additionally, concerns around gender pay equity remain unaddressed, with many women being paid less than male counterparts in similar positions.

Fast growing company Lots of opportunities to contribute

Everyone is overworked Employee turnover is high

Summer Fridays are cool I guess

829 cannot properly manage workload whatsoever. A senior manager on one of the other teams was overworked so hard that it contributed to a relapse with alcoholism. They claim to care about employees but that's mostly on the surface and only if they like you. Pay sounds good for your position before you realize most people are working over forty hours a week EVERY week, even during the summer when Fridays are all half days. Career development here is also a joke, they claim to push internal talent for position openings but you should expect open positions to be hired for instead. There are brilliant minds here being absolutely wasted at an agency that doesn't realize the value of its talent, specialists that outperform those of higher positions actively have their potential squandered by an agency that hardly allows for advancement. Burnout is so bad that some departments had to have actual trainings on how to manage the stress that comes with their insane workloads and with all that going on, don't forget to meticulously track every minute of your workday or risk being pulled into a disciplinary meeting.

I enjoy some of the people I work with in the immediate vicinity. Management is also flexible with appointments most of the time.

The list is too long and would probably incriminate me in some way. If you are looking to grow your career, I suggest you find a better agency. Wish I read these reviews before I took the job.