• Toxic startup culture masked as “fun” — heavy weekday drinking, out-of-control parties, and questionable tolerance for certain behaviors from leadership.
• Leadership lacks emotional intelligence and often makes decisions based on gut feeling, not data — despite claiming otherwise.
• Middle managers are chosen for loyalty to the C-suite, not competence.
• Questionable ethics in client strategy and business models — you’ll likely witness or be asked to support practices that feel uncomfortable.
• No clear career path. Juniors are overworked and underpaid, while others earn 4–5x more for similar work.
• High turnover, constant internal reshuffling, and a lack of transparency in company goals.
• Long, unsustainable working hours with little recognition or support.