Best people & leadership in the agency game - Account Strategist SmartAcre Employee Review

5.0
Sep 9, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I've worked at SmartAcre twice now -- why did I come back? These are the best and smartest people I've ever worked with/for. Everyone is passionate about their work and brings their best every day because of it, which inspires me to do the same and is the reason I've grown as much as I have as a professional. As someone who is a returning employee, I can not speak enough to the difference in the company culture today vs a few years ago. The leadership team puts the people first. Here are a few examples of how/what that actually means: 1) They are the most transparent leadership team I've ever worked for. I was actually shocked during the first quarterly agency recap meeting when they told us the company revenue goals, where we stood at that point in the year (down to the dime - we also all have access to see this directly within our CRM if we ever wanted to look for ourselves) and where we're headed as an agency/ any changes we should anticipate coming our way. The CEO literally records a video for the agency every single Friday with a recap of what he's been up to all week and highlights any exciting news or agency wins (he also always remembers to give a shout out for any birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, moving/purchasing a first home, encouraging someone to enjoy an upcoming vacation, etc). In the past, I literally had no idea what the leadership team was up to and felt a frequent sense of anxiety about changes that could be coming if I sensed something was up. It is basically the complete opposite of that today and it's why I love working here. They even fired a client after a new point of contact was hired there who didn't treat our team with the respect the SmartAcre leadership team ensures that all members of the agency are given. 2) They will go SO far out of their way to make sure you're supported and set up for success that the only reason I've seen anyone fail over the past 2 years (only 1 full time employee has left during this time) is due to a lack of passion for what they're doing. They used to require that people work in-office, at one of their spaces in Bethlehem, Denver, or NYC, but now it's a fully remote agency, so you can work from wherever and are never required to go into an office. However, there are still office hubs that can be used when you'd like to and events planned to make sure we can still see each other in person from time to time. Endless opportunities here for learning and growing, you'll never be bored (which for me, is critical or I lose the drive to bring my A-game), the clients are also great people, and everyone here wants to see you succeed. There's an unlimited time off policy, 401k match, great health benefits, paid maternity leave, $1k/yr learning stipend, and more. ****tl;dr: This is a really, really awesome place to work.

Cons

Agency life is tough, and days can be a little unpredictable which some people don't jive with. I actually require that type of environment, so it definitely works for me, but if you want a job where you kick your feet up and no one ever comes to you with an urgent request that you're expected to tend to, this won't be for you.

Explore other reviews about SmartAcre

5.0
May 8, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I started as an intern and transitioned to full-time. What got me to stay with SmartAcre was the great people and the fast-paced work environment. When working with my team there is always a "Get Sh** done" attitude that is highly infectious and motivating. I know this may sound generic, but you truly do learning something new every day. For me, it was extremely important that I got as much exposure to all aspects of digital marketing as possible early in my career, and SmartAcre does this well: I touch many aspects of digital marketing (demand generation, ABM, email, content, PPC, SEO) and get exposure to some of the most popular marketing automation platforms (like HubSpot, Pardot, Marketo). There is a lot of opportunities to grow in the agency and I feel as if the upper management cares about my future with the company.

Cons

Agency life isn't for everyone. Work is fast paced and you are expected to produce high-quality work in a relatively short amount of time. Sometimes your team is pushing a deadline and you need to stay later then you planned. From time to time, the hours your client pay you for limits what you can do for them which is frustrating. You want to produce the best work possible but can't because they paid for 5 hours of work instead of the 10 that would have made it great. For me, it was important to draw a distinct line between work and my personal life. For those who don't have healthy work/life hygiene or are ones to easily get consumed by the quantity of work, beware.

1
2.0
Dec 1, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Unlimited vacation. Opportunity to work from home. Fun events and culture.

Cons

Underpaid and terribly overworked employees. It's like a sweatshop for marketing professionals. Leaders are from Bethlehem, PA, so they spend tons of money going to visit clients at the Denver office. They stay in expensive hotels and get drunk on company money. When you realize that they are wasting money on fancy hotels and bars only because you and all of your fellow employees are underpaid, it's upsetting. They promised promotions to almost every worker and they never got promoted. CEO can be a jerk and lash out at random times. You basically need to teach yourself how to do everything because the turnover rate is so high so no one knows what they're doing. Would not recommend this to anyone looking for a long-term job, you'll be a mess and realized you made a bad decision after about a year of working there. They want you to have a good work/life balance, but it's hard to do that when you have to come in early and stay late every day just to finish all of your work you have - and then they hire more clients!

10
avatar
SmartAcre Response
8y
Thank you for your feedback. Our leadership is always listening to our team to improve. It has been a year of extreme growth with our new team in Denver, and supporting the continued stream of clients who want to be a part of the great work you/our teams are doing. We strive to ensure that everyone is supported, has a clear growth path, and is appropriately recognized with competitive compensation and benefits. Our leadership team acts with integrity and the increased travel to the new office was required and responsibly budgeted for. This has been beneficial for new and existing team members, providing the chance to travel, and lead and collaborate across offices, teams and clients. While we do not agree that all of your claims here are factual, we understand there is room the agency to continually improve. We are disappointed to hear about your experience, and we will use this feedback to improve. Facts for others considering working at SmartAcre: - In 2017 promotions were given to 8 different employees. - 12 raises were given based on performance in 2017. - 100% of employees were/will be given year-end bonuses in 2016 and 2017. - Medical coverage options were expanded and employee cost was reduced to as little as 10% of monthly premiums for 2017 through 2018. - Employer 401k contributions were raised from 3% to 6% based on team performance in 2016. - On average over the last 12 months employees were able to enjoy 16 days of vacation in addition to 13 paid holidays. - SmartAcre employees were able to travel to 11 different states to meet clients and/or attend 12 conferences or training events in 2017. - SmartAcre continues to formalize training including certifications and support from 6 different technology partners. - A dedicated HR resource and professional services firm will be introduced to employees beginning January 2018. - In a recent best places to work in PA survey, overall SmartAcre scored 88% vs the 92% state average (which we will continue to work to improve).
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All