Pros
Turn was a place where some of the brightest minds in the Bay Area made some truly amazing ad-tech technology. During 2009-2013, we were *well ahead* of all competition when it comes to technical innovation and amazing reach and infrastructure. Some of the best engineering in silicon valley was being done at our HQ in Redwood City. The perks were great for a startup, we worked long hours, but we truly enjoyed the work. Over those four years, the company grew 10x in size, no matter if you measure headcount, transactions, revenue.. It was a place where you could really learn a lot and make meaningful contributions, up till about the 2012 or early 2013 timeframe.. exactly the time that the company should have IPO'ed.
Cons
With a hypergrowth startup comes a transformation, and risk. The management needs to have a vision and give strong guidance. Instead, our management shifted with the wind, didn't have the seasoned steady hand to guide the helm, and created a distracted, shifting energy that made us lose steam. Rather than focus on our strengths and sell the Turn story, we were always watching what others were doing, afraid of our own shadow, and trying to become a "SaaS" company, for whatever reason. After our second CFO was fired within a year, it was obvious that a clean exit wasn't going to happen.