Recommendations from a 4 year CADY veteran - Shift Manager CADY Employee Review

2.0
2 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you are thinking of applying: The position will keep you incredibly busy from Late July to November.** (Plan accordingly) This company is a good fit if: You are fresh out of college and you either still live at home or with roommates. If you are looking to improve your confidence in photography, one season at the studio will definitely get you there! However, I don't see any financial or professional benefit in staying longer than one season. While I personally have lost interest in photography, from a confidence and capability standpoint, I could shoot a wedding tomorrow and I'm confident I would deliver a good product. I would describe the overall experience during the busy season as intensive, almost bootcamp-like. If this is your first job, level up your stamina, you'll need it! What I enjoyed: I thoroughly appreciated being surrounded by my incredibly talented co-workers. Being surrounded by other like-minded artists is a truly unique experience and it is this one, singular aspect that I miss from my time at the company.

Cons

Pay: In 2025 I made $34,322 as a shift manager In 2024 I made $31,146 as a lead photographer. **In 2025 they implemented a pretty strictly enforced black out period for our entire 5 month busy season. In my experience spontaneous social outings are better aligned for the 5-6 month period where work has historically dropped off the face of the earth from January til about June. (Even in a fulltime position I still had to find a full-time job as an assistant manager to keep things afloat during the slow season of 2024, I wish I had done the same in 2025)

Explore other reviews about CADY

5.0
6 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I learned so much by working there

Cons

Sometimes the customers are a bit rude, but my manager was alwasy there to back me up.

2.0
20 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great stepping stone to something better.

Cons

CADY appears to be led by individuals who lack a clear understanding of how to effectively run a business. The company promotes a “welcoming” culture, but in practice, it often feels performative and rooted in outdated or uncomfortable approaches. The environment within the Innovation Center is consistently tense. Teams frequently experience internal friction, and HR maintains a highly visible presence that can feel more like surveillance than support. In October 2025, Josh Cady abruptly eliminated the work-from-home policy with no transition period. This decision left many employees scrambling to adjust, particularly those who relied on remote flexibility for childcare and other responsibilities. The PTO policy is notably limited for a company of this size, and the absence of dedicated sick days only adds to employee strain. Removing remote work mid-year, while offering minimal time off, reflects a lack of consideration for employee well-being. Daily interactions can also feel forced. For example, employees are greeted each morning by HR in a way that often comes across as insincere rather than welcoming. Overall, CADY feels disorganized, undercompensates its employees, and provides minimal benefits, contributing to a challenging and unsupportive work environment.

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