SDR and loving it! - Sales Development Representative AppFolio Employee Review

5.0
Oct 7, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I interviewed at quite a few places companies between Santa Barbara and San Francisco, and have to say that AppFolio beats them all. I’ve been on the SDR team for a little over a year now and have loved it. The job is hard, yes. But you have a great team around to support and motivate you. Company culture here is huge. Every week we have pod races where the winning team gets lunch at Hollister Brew Co or Bowling at Zodos, etc. You are showered with gift cards to all the best eateries in Santa Barbara. And where do they get these prize ideas? From the team! Management is always looking for new ideas from us about how things can be better. It’s a public company with a small company feel, which is invaluable. You always feel like you’re making a difference. I mean, in the mornings I get coffee with the CEO, Brian Donahoo, and talk to him about books - where else does that happen?! The small company culture goes hand in hand with opportunities for growth. If you work hard and do well, you’re recognized. You’re asked to speak at Quarterly meetings, you’re promoted to a coaching position where you can share best practices, and of course, a nice “thank you” commission check. This was my first sales job, but I am so grateful for the top-notch training I’ve received here. Keeping in mind all the fun we have here, what ultimately makes this company so successful is its structure. I get face time with my manager every day and from day one he’s worked endlessly with me to get better and better. He always makes sure that he’s available and a resource to everyone not only when it comes to everyday minutiae, but also for career advice. Every Monday morning, while everyone’s still shaking off the cobwebs, he’s booming with energy! For my birthday, he actually went to 4 different bakeries to get me the perfect vegan cupcake #dedication. There’s complete transparency about where you stand in the company and with the team. What you put in is what you get out and I’ve seen that time and time again with people that I’ve coached. I personally love this position because the learning never stops. There’s always something more you can do to and a little extra you can put in. If you want a company where you can have an impact, grow your career and make tons of friends in the process, this is the place for you.

Cons

Since it is a growing company sometimes we run out of snacks in the afternoons. Honestly, though, no biggie. #firstworldproblems

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AppFolio Response
10y
Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review. We know how important it is to feel like you make an impact and we think about ways to enable this across the company. Our SDR program is so important to our business - thank you for making it great! And....I just noticed we now have individual Organic Guacamole cups in the fridge....better hurry to get one :)

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Pros

Frequent team outings and social events that help build relationships across the team. Generally a friendly, social environment!

Cons

The property management team is highly competitive when it comes to promotions, and I’ve seen BDRs remain in the same seat for years or eventually leave, as internal advancement opportunities can be limited. However, for top performers, there is promising upside, and you get to work with some of the best leaders in the organization. On the investment management team, leadership quality is more uneven, and there appears to be a lack of management experience, which has created gaps in coaching, accountability, and overall team development. As a result, performance outcomes have lagged, with the majority of BDRs and AEs struggling to consistently hit target. Team turnover has also been notably high, and leadership engagement only increased after a large portion of the team had already decided to leave, which by that point felt too late to rebuild morale or trust.

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AppFolio Response
1w
Thank you for sharing your feedback. It’s great to hear that you enjoyed our culture and team outings. We take your comments seriously – especially regarding the need for proactive management support, better coaching, and clearer advancement opportunities for our BDR and AE teams – and we are actively working to address these areas to ensure our reps feel supported and set up for long-term success. Thank you again for helping us improve, and we wish you the very best.
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