Pros
The only positive about this company was my teammates. We formed strong friendships, mostly because we shared the same struggles and stresses of the job. The camaraderie was the only good thing that came out of this experience.
Kontras
Where do I even begin? The biggest issue is the CEO—completely unqualified to run a company, lacking leadership skills, and unwilling to take feedback. This place will drain you mentally and physically. Expect zero work-life balance, unrealistic workloads, and being penalised for something as basic as taking a lunch break. A fraudulent commitment to DEI – The company loudly promotes DEI but the CEO fails to practice any of it. It’s nothing more than a marketing ploy. If her network and clients knew the reality of how she truly operates, they would be appalled. False promises on commission – The commission structure is already laughably low, but even then, employees rarely receive what they are owed. If the CEO has any involvement in a deal - no matter how minor - she will take the majority of the commission for herself. Many employees have been misled and short-changed time and time again. No career growth – Promotions come without pay raises. Instead, you’re given an impossible “bonus structure” that no one actually benefits from. Pay raises? They don’t exist. Toxic culture – Feedback is never welcomed; if you do share, it will be used against you later. There is no support for employees going through hardships - you will be made to feel guilty for taking a sick day or even using your own annual leave. Expect to be contacted on holiday. Horrific turnover rate – And now I understand why. The constant cycle of hiring and firing is shocking. Unprofessional behaviour – Employees are questioned about their personal lives in ways that cross every professional boundary (e.g. being asked if you're pregnant or on your period when stressed). Salary well below market rate – Justified by the company being a “startup,” yet other startups offer far more competitive pay and benefits. Complete disregard for employee safety and well-being – At a company event, our all-female team was told to keep a specific client engaged to secure business. Despite his repeated inappropriate advances, the CEO dismissed our concerns, even encouraging an uncomfortable employee to have lunch with him. Only when she saw a strategic opportunity did she act - exploiting the situation for her own gain rather than protecting her staff. Workplace culture - The only time the workplace felt tolerable was when the CEO wasn’t around. She is patronising, intimidating and makes the environment incredibly awkward. When she’s absent, teammates make it bearable - but that’s not enough of a reason to stay. No respect for policies or procedures – The CEO constantly changes company policies on a whim, disregarding standard protocols and making up rules as she pleases. There’s no consistency - what applies one day may change the next, leaving employees confused and the work environment chaotic. She also regularly makes decisions that cross ethical lines, showing a complete lack of integrity and no regard for boundaries.