Big Duck Reviews

4.5

86% would recommend to a friend

(10 total reviews)
avatar

Sarah Durham

100% approve of CEO

92% positive business outlook

Reviews by job title

10 reviews
1.0
23 Mar 2017

Not true to its mission

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The nice thing about Big Duck is that they hire smart people who truly are motivated to make a difference. The office also has a great view of the Manhattan bridge!

Cons

When I joined Big Duck I was hopeful and excited to be amongst like-minded folks who wanted to help nonprofits execute their missions. It wasn't too long before reality set in and I realized the company's image was just a facade — it seemed like making a profit was the main priority. It wasn't about putting the best work forward, but using a cookie-cutter template to churn out mediocre work. While the employees got to come in and leave at a reasonable time, every minute during the work day was time-tracked. This fostered an environment where people quietly worked at their desks and messaged one another to ask if it was ok to interrupt them before walking over and asking a question. Employees for the most part were undervalued and there was no real opportunity for growth, which has resulted in a high turnover. It seems like the company takes advantage of the term nonprofits and uses that as an excuse to justify undercompensating employees. Even little things like getting bagels once a week came out of all of our pockets (we all took turns), and at one point there was a jar we could contribute to to pay for coffee.

5.0
1 June 2018

Honestly one of the best places to work, hands down

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working at Big Duck was a breath of fresh air from the marketing agencies I worked at in the past. I honestly didn't know that such a firm existed and I still pinch myself for having the opportunity to work there. Big Duck has certainly set a high bar for every other work environment I will ever come across. While the chance to work with such a large variety of nonprofits is what reeled me in, what really kept me there was the people. The team is crazy smart, good humored, and thoughtful towards the work and each other. The pay was more generous than I ever experienced at past agencies, and it was the first time I had ever in my career received proper and consistent reviews. Also, the work-life balance was stellar and is difficult to find elsewhere.

Cons

I had so many great experiences at Big Duck, but it's not fair to say it's absolutely perfect (no company is). Being a small firm with the founder as CEO, upward mobility is gained through your title and level of responsibility (which is what you'll find at most firms) but I feel like Big Duck is just more creative in paving a path that is tailored to a person's strengths. There were moments of micro-management, but I was also given permission to question the status quo and leadership team, which is something that isn't usually encouraged at agencies. The overall environment felt like a very reasonable give and take.

2.0
8 Dec 2016

High turnover

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The fact that the company works with non profits attracts great, caring, compassionate people. The company also values work / life balance.

Cons

Employee retention and job satisfaction are not prioritized, so there's extremely high turnover. The owner micro manages everything. There's an unnecessary amount of processes and rules. They use working with nonprofits as an excuse to not compensate people appropriately, but then the owner spends $3k on a chair for her office. Employees are frequently encouraged to strive for "good enough."

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Glassdoor has 11 Big Duck reviews submitted anonymously by Big Duck employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Big Duck is right for you.