Pros
GB&SMITH has one big asset: every single employee is truly committed, efficient, competent and loves the company. It's a pleasure to work with such people, everyone is fun and nice, you can count on them and be helped easily. Mistakes are accepted as well, as long as you learn from them. Balance between professional and private lives isTRULY respected and that's a first for me. They expect results not hours, plus they seem to be working on home office projects which is nice.
Cons
1) Trust. The CEOs don't trust or listen to anyone but themselves. You can't suggest anything because as an employee, they must believe that somehow you are not trustworthy and only trying to get more and more money from them for no reasons at all or simply patiently waiting for a mistake to sue them. I don't get this when, as said above, everything seems to be doing his best. 2) Don't join GBS if you expect a descent wage cause you won't get a copper. Every single negotiation is a battle. Your skills are not worth anything (actually they are on the market but it's not a relevant argument in the company), what you did for the company either. On top of the salary itself, don't even think about getting benefits. GB&SMITH definition of benefits is strongly paternalistic. they'd rather organize a big trip in Iceland than give a general bonus for good results. And don't forget to say thank you to your generous CEO, you ungrateful employee! 3) product and strategy: basically non existent. The CTO acts like a child and is so convinced he is a genius he'd rather follow is constantly changing thoughts than competent expert he hired for...the pleasure to tell them they are wrong I guess. 4) don't expect any gratefulness. You can work as hard as you want, if they can't stand you or simply don't care, you won't get anything, not even a thank you. Let alone money as explained before. 5) they base all their decisions on feelings rather than facts.
