All Surface, Not much Substance - Comfort Care Specialist Hello Innovation Employee Review

Fair place to work at

okay place to work at

This is a company that’s driven by purpose. We are out to change the world by solving problems (that we care about) in ways that have never been done before. We are not driven by revenue. Build great products and solutions and the revenue becomes incidental. I’ve personally been in several meetings and discussions where millions of dollars have been thrown at us, but we turned those things down as they didn’t align with our ultimate purpose and what we’ve set out to do. The environment is high-paced, ever-changing, and always challenging. You’ll never find a place where you can learn more than you do here. Continual learning is a core part of our culture, and it’s encouraged (better word might be “required”) to take time to learn. Honest and direct feedback is another core component of who we are…and it’s not something that happens behind closed doors. And that feedback is always given as a way for everyone understand what could have been done differently that may have produced a better solution. And never assuming anything is something that is drilled into everyone here. And though that has become somewhat of a cliche…I assure you it’s VERY real here. It sounds easy on the surface, but where most people fail is not taking the “anything” piece of it in a literal way. Not many are naturally wired to not assume something that worked amazingly well in the past will also work amazingly well in the future. And though that assumption may indeed be correct, it also assumes that there is no better way to do it. This was one of the biggest challenges for me to change in how I think. The CEO, most importantly in my opinion, is a good person. He really does care about people and is wired in a way that he literally can’t NOT help you in any way possible. You never have to ask. If he senses or hears about a problem you are having (personal or professional)…he will come to you offering help. And this sometimes does actually get in the way. I could list several times that things that have come up, usually in people’s personal lives, where he literally drops everything he’s doing and dives in to focus on helping. From a purely professional perspective, the CEO is very involved at every level. Some perceive that as micro-managing, and in some ways…that is correct. But the typical understanding people have about micro-management will paint the wrong picture in your mind. I’ve learned it’s a matter of perspective. When you see something that you can add value to or help with…don’t you want to get involved? Joey is very good at what he does, and consumes information faster than anyone you’ve ever met. And when he gets involved, its to help make things better. He knows where he can help and jumps in to do that. There is no bureaucracy. There is no red tape. There are no hoops to jump through when you work here. You have direct access to anyone in the company (CEO included of course). From an advancement and compensation standpoint…there is huge opportunity for both. But unlike other companies, neither happen based on how long you’ve been here. It’s all about performance and attitude. Raises are always significant (10%-30% increase). Nobody is locked into a role that can never change. Advancement is always the output of performance, desire, aptitude, and interest.

Everything I listed in the “Pros” section could go into this “Cons” section. It’s really just a matter of how you view it. Not only is this not a place for everyone…frankly, it’s a place for very few. There are high expectations at all times. You will never get comfortable in what you are doing, or how you are approaching problems and solutions. Comfort leads to complacency which leads to mediocracy which leads to failure. Innovation does not happen when you are “comfortable”. I’ve seen several people come and go. And those that go simply were not able to function in this environment. And at the core, I believe it’s just that their heart wasn’t in it. I cannot stress enough that you must align with the company vision in a very real way. I also believe that is not something that you can “learn to align with”. You either will or won’t…before you even start. There are a lot of perks (several mentioned in other reviews, so I’ll spare writing the same list). But ultimately, it comes down to people and mindset. Those that buy into the vision, want to play a role in achieving that, and are willing to do what it takes will thrive. Those that are here for the toys, free stuff, shiny objects, and a good paycheck will not. If you do not align in a real and personal way with what we are doing…you will never make it here. Those that are too set in their ways; those that will not accept that there might be a better way, even the current way is great; those that are unwilling to continually learn; those that want to just punch the clock and get a paycheck; those that want to do the same things in the same ways they always have; those that are easily offended or cannot take direct feedback with an honest and positive attitude….those people never have or never will be a good fit.