I felt compelled to write a review after reading the CEO response to the latest review from March 2020. I can’t say I’m surprised, as that is standard protocol for him: respond with anger, resentment, & an illogical knee jerk reaction. He runs his business in the same manner, so at least there is some consistency.
I find palpable irony in his reference to accountability. One of the biggest struggles as an employee of the company was his lack of finesse in humbleness, liability, and self reflection; he was one to quickly point the finger in fits of rage or tension.
Since he is is a fan of referenced quotes by esteemed professionals, maybe the following will have some merit for him:
“Leaders inspire accountability through their ability to accept responsibility before they place blame.” - Courtney Lynch, authored of a widely acclaimed leadership book.
Now, in recognition of whomever wrote the March 2020 review, I too can confirm the sexual harassment and gender discrimination exuded by the CEO. Reading that review brought all too real feelings back of what I personally experienced. It’s uncanny how identical what I heard verbatim and experienced during my time is to what the March 2020 review says. My career has taken me to places that dwarf my experience at Dream Factory, by leaps and bounds. The manipulation, blatant inappropriateness and misogynistic behavior that was normalized in those walls, is anything but customary or warranted. Claims of clients unsettled because of their “sexual dreams of their account manager” is something I never thought I would need to reference or audibly admit happened. But I can see, the behavior and the ownership hasn’t changed in the years that have passed. And it’s time that some of that accountability is shared.
I wish I was exaggerating, because as I reflect on those vivid moments, I’m reminded how asinine the operations and CEO of Dream Factory was. One of my most memorable quotes of Paulo, during a moment when a natural pressurization of owning a business occurred, was his irrational correlation to the teams performance and it’s impact on his wife’s lifestyle. It was near this time I realized this dynamic and environment would soon start hindering not only my headspace, but my professional career. The kicker for me, was when I was mandated to communicate to clients that we had a “head of graphic design” billable at ~160/hour (approx.), yet was a novice intern, with minimal experience, and required a translator to work with as they spoke only Portuguese. Yet all of our clients required English. I refused to perpetuate the immoral and borderline illegal behavior to a pool of clients who I authentically cared for. It risked my personal brand and decayed my conscious.
The scariest part of all of this, there are no checks and balances. No one to advocate for the employees and ensure compliant and moral operations. Employment agreements and outrageous harassment can freely take place when it’s the CEO at the helm.
I don’t regret my time with DF. I knew when I needed to get out, and I successfully did. It gifted me with the ability to recognize my worth, identify gaps & questionable approaches/practices, run autonomously and carry an insurmountable workload. It was a blessing in disguise.
But, if I can play a part in uncovering the truth of this company, the wrongdoings, and the mistruths of a tyrannical CEO, I would label that as MY accountability to those being gaslit in considering the merit of this company.
About the “theory” of credibility. March 2020 reviewer, your input is immensely credible to me, and my past colleagues, because it’s a direct reflection of things we experienced too.