David Small Designs Reviews

But that time has passed. Over the course of 20+ years, David Small Designs has transformed from a one-person operation to a highly-reputed full-scale business, employing 35 full-time staff at the peak of its growth. I joined DSD around the time of this peak, only to see it largely squandered in a matter of months. During my relatively short tenure at DSD, I witnessed the rushed adding and dismantling of departments, the “musical chairs”-esque shuffling of employees between positions and teams they were not trained for, and most upsettingly — the unceremonious dismissal of a significant portion of staff over the span of a few months. In some cases, new staff (full-time, not freelancers) were hired in response to influxes of work, then immediately let go once the rush died down. In other cases, established staff were forced into new positions, only to have those positions eliminated. And as a cherry on top, certain positions and groups were eliminated entirely as cost-saving measures, without any regard for their actual value (project managers, sales staff, and marketers be damned). I realize companies downsize all the time, but many of these layoffs simply reeked of careless planning. In addition to the seemingly “fly by the seat of your pants” approach taken by management, matters are only exacerbated by David Small’s overall terrible disposition towards his employees. Because it’s his company, it feels like the staff are merely pawns to do his bidding — be it selfishly prioritizing his own projects, or even pulling people away from their work to complete personal tasks/errands for him or his family. As a person, David is a true Jekyll/Hyde: one moment he’s friendly and patient, the next he’s vile and abrasive — set off suddenly by the smallest of triggers. I often felt deflated after meetings and encounters with him.

The management at this company is by far the worst I have experienced. They change processes, company direction, people’s roles, and the staff themselves every week. The careless hiring and firing that has happened over the last year is out of control. They routinely fire talented, loyal employees presumably because they earnt a raise and defenceless young professionals within probation periods, because they used them for short term work. This is a stressful and tense work environment where people are overworked and undervalued. And constantly worried about losing their jobs. The depressing “who’s next” atmosphere is something I never want to feel at a job again. I have lost all respect for this company and particularly David Small. Don’t be fooled by his cheerful speeches and overly friendly introduction- they mask a very unpleasant man. To any potential job seekers: avoid David Small at all costs, you’re better off at any other company. To potential clients, find another firm that treats their staff better.