What happened to $17? - Distribution Center Sweetwater Employee Review

3.0
16 Oct 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are lots of amenities and some opportunities.

Cons

The amenities cost you your pay check. Insurance is unaffordable for your family. There was a message that hourly workers would be lifted to 17 per hr, lots of employees didn't see that. There's always talk of diversity but umm...where?

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Sweetwater Response
3y
Thank you for sharing your feedback. I'd encourage you to reach out to your manager or our HR team for clarification on your questions. It appears you may be confused about hourly wages since the message you mention here was not something that was ever sent out. We did, however, share with team members that they would be receiving extra incentive pay to lift their income during this holiday season. Our HR team would be happy to help explain this a bit more. In terms of insurance, last year we lowered premiums on this for all employees....resulting in some family plans going down as much as $1500/year....so we're always working to make this affordable for our team members. Regarding diversity in the distribution center, 41% of our hires this year are female and 32% are people of color. There is always more that can be done but we're putting significant effort into this. Regarding moving up, through September this year we've promoted 306 employees....including many in the DC that have moved up to be Team Leads, Supervisors and Managers. If you have an interest in this, please make sure to let your manager and HR team know so we can engage with you for additional discussion....we're always excited to help grow our team members who are willing to put in the effort and commitment on their end. - Jeff Ostermann, Chief People Officer

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5.0
19 June 2026
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Pros

-Structure for private lessons -Create your own hours -Pool for new students -Food discount -Benefits

Cons

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4.0
5 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If sales and music are your drives, Sweetwater is as good as it gets. Management in my experience has been very supportive and development-oriented, creating a positive culture around the company. They have a fantastic training program (albeit intense) that trains on both products and sales methods, so even if you're lacking experience in a given category there's plenty of coaching and training to get you ready for the role. Over time, the position can also be quite lucrative which compliments Fort Wayne's low cost of living well. They also offer relocation assistance since all positions are on-site, and a great benefits package. I've been fortunate to become great friends with many of my coworkers and honestly some days don't even feel like work. Ultimately, with this job you get what you put in, and making a solid living to geek out over music gear all day is a pretty sweet gig.

Cons

The job is very demanding - it's a fully commission sales job that revolves around constant customer outreach via call, text, and email. This means starting out is tough financially, and days are usually long. Try to have a savings cushion before you start, especially if you're moving from another city/state. You also work nights, holidays, and rotate through weekend shifts which won't be new for those who have worked retail before, but it's still a tough adjustment. Starting out I struggled from a social aspect as well. Fort Wayne is a cool city, but it's no LA, NY, or Chicago. Long hours at work make going out and making friends or getting involved in community groups/organizations difficult.

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