A fantastic idea with thoughtful leadership only hampered by fate and the CEO
Pros
It should be said that this idea of a company was needed in the industry, and for that they deserve applause. Furthermore, the office was stunning, the bond between employees was strong, and the support was there for the most part. I'd say that much of the C-suite, and leadership, were caring and forward-thinking. The COO, CFO, and CPO are all wonderful people with a deep interest in their employees. Truly it is sad to see the larger impact of the outside world affect such a great idea.
Cons
I am upset I even have to write a review. Honestly, I have heard through backchannels that the previous two negative reviews were laid at my feet. I find it insulting for a litany of reasons, not the least of which is how badly those were written. I now find myself having to write this in an effort to save any potential reference check as I look for work. When a previous review was published my LinkedIn came under attack by agents of the company and it greatly affected my ability to find employment in the midst of a crushing pandemic. That being said I will not hold back with my thoughts as the truth is important. There's a legendary story from the early days of Saturday Night Live wherein Bill Murray and Chevy Chase got into a scuffle due to Chase's proclivity for antagonizing his co-workers. During the fight, Murray supposedly yelled "Medium Talent!" at Chase in an effort to sum up his thoughts on Chase. I always found that to be a biting thing to say, and I have always thought about that story whenever I dealt with the CEO. It's not really his fault. To his credit, he did have a pretty good idea, but the system was built for folks like him to benefit, and he has. I think that's why I have always given the man a pass for his many cringe-worthy takes on social issues and his interactions with those of not his race. And let me be very clear. There were many problems that stemmed from race issues. From who was promoted over those with more skill and experience, to strategy when it came to trying to acquire new business, to baseline interactions. These problems reflect a systemic issue that exists outside of the company, but it has been laughable to see the company scramble to align itself with current movements with its track record. Oh and because many things are of public record the company took new funding and then let go of several employees just days later. The CEO posted on social media about what a great time he was having at a large sporting event while leaving the labor of abruptly ending the employment of several people to the women in his company. The less said about the social media presence is probably for the better, especially the CEO's which reeks of abject desperation to save face while barely hiding contempt for the interruption of his quest to be a titan of an industry.