Lack of accountability, starting at the top - Anonymous employee Defined.ai Employee Review

2.0
Oct 28, 2020
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Interesting experience with fast-paced startup growth -Opportunity to work directly with people from across the world

Cons

-More focused on growth and revenue (impressing investors) than employee experience: though it was very often mentioned the "excellent career development opportunities" available within the company, no systems ever established to create pathways for this development. No system for performance reviews was ever established/implemented during my tenure at DefinedCrowd. -Lack of accountability in leadership team decisions: employees have little to no ability to provide feedback on questionable leadership team actions and decisions. The few times feedback was requested, it was never acted on, and the issues persisted. -As others have mentioned, sales team was often directed to say "yes" to all contracts, regardless of DefinedCrowd's capacity or ability to execute the project successfully. This often lead to employees doing work well outside of the scope of their assumed responsibilities. -CEO/Leadership team will celebrate the successes of the company in front of employees, rather than alongside them.

Explore other reviews about Defined.ai

5.0
Aug 29, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This is a true turnaround story. For anyone who has been here for the last 3+ years, the change is night and day. The company was facing immense challenges, and to be blunt, its future was uncertain. The new leadership that came in didn't just save the company; they gave it a new, clear, and ambitious vision. Visionary Leadership: The current leadership team has a clear, strategic direction and has successfully navigated the company back from the brink. Their focus and decisiveness have been the key drivers of our recent success. Real Impact & Growth: Because we are still in a "re-building" start-up phase, there are incredible opportunities to take on responsibility and make a tangible impact. If you are proactive and want to learn, your career can grow very quickly here. Positive Cultural Shift: The culture has matured significantly. We are moving towards a more professional, transparent, and metric-driven environment. Decisions are increasingly based on data, not just on intuition or "how things used to be done." This has been a breath of fresh air.

Cons

The biggest challenge we face is internal and, frankly, a classic symptom of a successful turnaround. There is a tangible friction between the "old guard" and the new, more performance-oriented culture. Cultural Resistance: Some long-time employees seem resistant to the new, more professional and metric-driven approach. This can sometimes create silos or slow down projects, as the new, agile way of working clashes with older, more entrenched processes. Growing Pains: As we rapidly professionalize, some of the old start-up charm is being replaced by process and structure. This is a necessary evolution, but for some, it feels like a loss. It can create an "us vs. them" mentality between different tenures of employees if not managed carefully.

1
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Defined.ai Response
9mo
Thank you for your in-depth review and feedback. We continue working hard to implement more tools and processes that will allow us to continue growing profitable.
1.0
Apr 17, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- The focus on ethical AI and high-quality training data is genuinely inspiring and a necessary. - The company has done an excellent job positioning itself as a thought leader in AI policy and ethical sourcing.

Cons

- No clear, consistent strategy from the top. The sales team often struggles to convert the company’s vision into a repeatable, scalable process. - While the CEO is a visionary founder, there is a systemic issue with her acting as a "rogue salesperson." She frequently inserts herself into deals without consulting the sales team. - There is a jarring gap between the CEO's public persona as an ethical AI advocate and the internal management style

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