Pros
1. Interaction with Members The food and beverage entrepreneurs that make up the company’s Membership are incredible to work with. The ability to share your expertise with these growing businesses was truly the highlight of the job. However, this was often a burden to employees who were already perpetually overworked, yet were also required to get in as much face-time with Members as possible. There are only so many hours in the day… 2. Hardworking Teammates The majority of the team is made up of young, incredibly bright and hardworking individuals who have more or less built the company. The team works quite well together, despite varied professional backgrounds and experiences. Great team camaraderie; likely from lots of long hours spent in the office together. 3. Free Food & Beverages Lots of amazing food and drinks around at all times. Plus, discounts at the company’s grocery store. Organic chocolate bars and foamy soy lattes don’t pay my bills, though.
Cons
1. CEO CEO is inconsistent, unreliable, and unprofessional; frequently made inappropriate and uncomfortable comments relating to race, sex, employee appearances (such as what a female employee was wearing, or “joking around” about sexual assault) CEO loves coming up with new half-baked business plans that completely upend the workflow and priorities of each department. This results in a great deal of backtracking and reallocation of time and resources. CEO doesn’t allow directors or managers to effectively do their job, as he attempts to keep a hand in every project - despite a lack of knowledge and/or expertise for the project in question. 2. Culture Reinforces unsafe working environment and policies, such as requiring employees to report to work in a government-declared state emergency. Such policies were justified as being necessary to “toughen up” young or “privileged” employees. An open workplace - employees don’t have their own desks - and the expectation to be at one of any three locations at a given moment ensures limited productivity. If an employee regularly works in a secluded area of the building (…like a stairwell), they could reasonably expect to be called out for not interacting with the team or contributing to “company culture.” Constant preaching about the “vision” and “mission” of the company, while actual day-to-day practices and operations were unethical and probably bordered on illegal. Private employee information available for all to see and edit on the shared company drive. 3. Work / Life Balance Employees are expected to be available to work at all times. Not unusual to receive a text or phone call with an “urgent” request or assignment from the CEO or his business partner on a holiday or during personal vacation time. Workplace is unreceptive and unrealistic for those with families; employees with kids have been reprimanded for needing to pick up their children from school or daycare (and yet, employees were paid nowhere near enough to afford these services...) at hours considered completely appropriate at any other workplace. 4. Compensation & Benefits Company organization is constantly in flux due to turnover and/or backtracking from failed or abandoned projects. This results in employee compensation changing often; from (very low) base salary w/ or w/o commission; to new (even lower) base salary plus profit sharing, to yet another new (still low) base salary plus equity. Regardless of compensation structure, pay is well below average for both the area and industry. Little to no consistency in salary for equivalent positions across departments, or when considering experience level. Employees provide their own phone, computer (some employees are given a Chromebook, but this obviously limits computing capabilities to internet only), and other resources, often without reimbursement from company. Very limited benefits - employer pays a portion of healthcare but does not offer vision or dental. 20 days vacation but no federal holidays. 5. Professional Development, Growth, Leadership Depending on specific position, very little to no professional development is provided. Structure and priority of each department changes on a regular basis, with little to no training or transition time provided. Some Directors have the potential to be great mentors for their subordinates, but upper management does not allocate time or resources for true leadership and professional development. Leaders are criticized for not micro-managing employees, and/or for not enforcing unrealistic or unreasonable assignments and timelines.