DO NOT WORK HERE!!!!!!!! (music store runner) - Music Store Associate Sweetwater Employee Review

1.0
21 May 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-wholesale discount - cool people who are also used and abused -lazy management (when they like you) (this is more of a con tbh) Only work here if you have a lot of money to spend! You can get your discount and get what you want and then get out! (Just pretend you love Sweetwater and don't tell anyone your plan! :] ) Lie and say you're from Fort Wayne and you always wanted to work at Sweetwater! Talk about how passionate you are about Sweetwater even if you have never been inside! Then lie about being a musician! You will surely get inside!

Cons

You will be underpaid. You will be overworked. You will be verbally abused. They will bully you. They will gaslight you and make you feel worthless. They will target you if they don't like you. You can try to keep your head down and over-work but they will get abused one way or another. It doesn't matter if you are an over-achiever you are still worthless to them. The campus is run like a police state, you are being watched, your keyboard strokes logged. If you dare to speak against management they will strike you down and make sure you never get a job again. The orientation is brainwashing and tries to make you drink the kool-aid. They purposely hire people who are people pleasers, people who don't question authority and narcissists! They will turn any passion for music you have and lure you in, they will use it against you to make you docile. They don't care about the local music scene only care about profiting from it. Sweetwater has no future plans for the store, the store makes very little money compared to online sales. They will phase it out because it doesn't make them enough money anymore. The certain person of title (cannot say or I will be censored) has said: "Careers don't exist" and "Don't expect to be happy" just to give you a taste of Sweetwater! Co-workers have been sexually harassed and the company always turns a blind eye and defends the perpetrators. Sweetwater is an evil company, they have an army of bootlickers ready to defend everything they do, the values they talk about are corrupt and rotten to the core because management doesn't follow them. My advice is to work in a warehouse or be a server to support your musical career not this bullcrap!

Explore other reviews about Sweetwater

5.0
19 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

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

Cons

-I personally did not have problems

4.0
5 Jun 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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