Unstable Company With Knee Jerk Reactions - Anonymous Calendly Employee Review

The culture here has been completely drained. Morale is low, and stress is constant—largely due to the recurring layoffs that seem to happen every three months, triggered by erratic executive decisions. I typically appreciate founder-led companies, as founders often care deeply about their people. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here. The CEO operates with a cold, detached approach, showing little regard for the employees affected by repeated workforce reductions. In the scramble for self-preservation, even direct managers may undermine their own teams to keep their roles—creating a toxic, cutthroat environment where trust is eroded and collaboration is nearly impossible. The culture here has been completely drained. Morale is low, and stress is constant—largely due to the recurring layoffs that seem to happen every three months, triggered by erratic executive decisions. I typically appreciate founder-led companies, as founders often care deeply about their people. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here. The CEO operates with a cold, detached approach, showing little regard for the employees affected by repeated workforce reductions. In the scramble for self-preservation, even direct managers may undermine their own teams to keep their roles—creating a toxic, cutthroat environment where trust is eroded and collaboration is nearly impossible. This company suffers from a lack of strategic consistency. Leadership frequently pivots directions—ramping up hiring and investment around a new initiative, only to reverse course six months later and lay off entire teams. This cycle repeats every few months, making long-term stability nearly impossible. The CEO is deeply involved in every aspect of the business. While understandable given it's his company, this level of involvement often leads to micromanagement in areas outside his expertise. The result is paralysis and confusion rather than progress. The organization can't seem to decide whether it's sales-led or product-led, creating misalignment across teams. People have said for the 3+ years I've been employed, we don't understand the vision. Compounding the issue, high product churn undermines any marketing efforts, making them inefficient and costly. Meanwhile, competitors are gaining ground rapidly. Our lack of early investment in AI—something we’re only now beginning to address—has left us playing catch-up in a space where we could’ve led. On the people side, career growth is virtually nonexistent. Promotions are rare to non-existent, even for top performers. Employees regularly work 60+ hour weeks, earn stellar reviews, and are still passed over without recognition or reward. Promises are made but never fulfilled. Finally, the executive culture is a problem in itself. The COO, in particular, appears more focused on hearing himself speak than on listening, collaborating, or driving meaningful change. Nearly every other executive that has been hired in the last three years has churned, largely I feel due to a culture dominated by ego.