Great leadership and long-term direction - Anonymous employee dbt Labs Employee Review

5.0
Mar 3, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I’ve been here a few years now. Things have evolved over time, but the core of the company has largely stayed the same since I started. Like most growing companies, some things get diluted as you scale, but I’ve actually found the opposite within teams — the inner-team culture has become stronger. Leadership genuinely cares and wants people to do well. dbt is also moving in a strong direction when it comes to developing both new and experienced leaders. There are some incredibly smart people here - like Lori, Kathryn, and Joe - who invest a lot of time in helping others grow, more than I’ve seen at most companies. If you’re willing to work hard, there’s a lot of opportunity to grow here. A lot of that ultimately comes down to how much you want to put in. dbt is currently going through the very normal (and sometimes messy) transition from startup to scale-up. There are gaps, but they’re being addressed by smart people, and there’s plenty of opportunity to step in and take on projects you care about. Personally, leaning into those opportunities has been one of the biggest drivers of my growth here, and it’s been a much faster trajectory than I experienced in previous companies.

Cons

On the flip side, there is a lot of change. As mentioned, the company is moving from a startup to a scale-up, which naturally brings shifts in people, processes, and priorities. At times that can create a bit of uncertainty, but in my experience things tend to settle and improve over the course of a few months as the new structures take shape.

Explore other reviews about dbt Labs

5.0
Jun 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I was a SDR 3 years ago for 2 years. We were pretty small back then and the team was amazing and the managers and directors pushed you but had your back in every way. We had a director that was invested in us until the end to get us promoted to whichever path we truly wanted.

Cons

Change in management pre and post merger

1.0
Feb 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Dbt used to be an amazing company to work for. The culture was exactly what you would want.

Cons

Once a new COO was brought in to “make changes,” the culture and execution deteriorated significantly. Senior sales leadership created an environment that was particularly hostile to women. Support for parental leave was minimal, and women’s needs around that time were openly deprioritized in both planning and expectations. In Revenue Operations, multiple high-performing women were pushed out through a pattern of unrealistic deadlines and shifting expectations. Decisions were delayed for months at the leadership level, then timelines were retroactively enforced and blamed on the women responsible for execution. These roles were later backfilled with men. Women of color who have been publicly recognized multiple times for their impact and contributions, and who have been with the company since its early days, have yet to be promoted despite sustained success. At the same time, poor performance from certain male employees was repeatedly overlooked, requiring others to absorb additional work to compensate. Many of the strongest contributors, both professionally and personally, have left or are actively leaving. If you value work-life balance, mental health, and equitable treatment, especially as a woman, this is not a supportive environment.

5
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dbt Labs Response
4mo
Thank you for taking the time to write this. The themes you raise, especially around the experiences of women, equity in promotion and performance management, leadership behavior, and parental leave — are serious. I want to acknowledge that directly. The environment you describe is not the standard we hold for ourselves at dbt Labs. If anyone has felt pushed out, overlooked, or unsupported, particularly during critical life moments - that matters and needs to be fixed. As we’ve grown and evolved as a company, we have made changes. Some have worked well. Others have required reflection and adjustment. Feedback like this is important because it pushes us to examine our leadership behaviors, decision-making, and systems more closely. If you would be open to it, I would genuinely value the opportunity to listen directly and better understand your experience. There is absolutely no pressure — but please send me an email if you're open to a 1:1 so I can hear more and action on the feedback. (megan.pittman@dbtlabs.com) -Megan Pittman, Chief People Officer, dbt Labs
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