Cookie cutter - Project Manager Big Bully Turf Employee Review

I had a supportive manager

A lot of the culture felt fake, but that is sort of common in these sales companies. Schedule for the next day wasn’t released until night prior

Pros: • You stay busy. • You gain exposure to many operational aspects of projects.

I worked at Big Bully as a Project Manager, and my experience left me with serious concerns about both how employees are treated and how projects are sold to customers. Internally, my role was classified as exempt, but in practice involved heavy day-to-day oversight, strict expectations around hours and availability, and task-level direction. When I raised good-faith questions about whether my classification was appropriate and asked for clarity, I was told the issue would be reviewed by HR. That review never occurred. After weeks of follow-ups with no resolution, I was laid off. The timing made it difficult not to view the layoff as retaliatory for speaking up. Rather than addressing the concerns or providing transparency, the company chose to remove the role. In addition, I observed sales practices that made me uncomfortable. In my experience, jobs were frequently sold with key items intentionally left out so the initial price appeared lower. Once the project was underway and the customer’s property was already disrupted, Project Managers were expected to explain why those missing items were “necessary,” resulting in change orders that often increased the total cost by thousands of dollars. This approach was openly discussed and, in some cases, bragged about by sales staff as a way to close deals. As a Project Manager, this put me in the position of managing frustrated customers who felt misled, while having little control over how the project was originally sold. Cons: • Lack of transparency around classification, pay, and expectations. • Heavy oversight despite being labeled “exempt.” • Raising compliance concerns is not handled constructively. • Sales practices can put project staff in ethically uncomfortable situations. • Job security feels fragile if you advocate for yourself. Bottom line: If you value ethical sales practices, transparency, and the ability to raise concerns without fear of retaliation, this may not be the right company for you. Bottom line: If you value ethical sales practices, transparency, and the ability to raise concerns without fear of retaliation, this may not be the right company for you.