slow decline - Engineering Manager Affirm Employee Review

1.0
Jun 6, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good pay Great benefits ($0 medical premium, monthly wallets) ESPP Away days (too many)

Cons

Affirm has experienced a notable downturn since their IPO, which raises questions about the sustainability of their current business model. This concern primarily revolves around the lack of revenue generation - a critical issue that shareholders will inevitably question. While the mission of Affirm is noble - to provide fair loan/terms to people - it is important to recognize that our operations essentially involve selling debts. This method, unfortunately, tends to exacerbate financial burdens on those already in precarious situations, which presents an ethical concern. A further indication of the company's struggle was the acquisition of a startup that had failed to secure funding. This move should serve as a red flag in the context of the current economy. While attempts have been made to rectify the company's direction through increased frequency of quarterly planning, the impact of these efforts has been minimal. Despite consistent feature releases aimed at increasing revenue and reducing costs, a 20% workforce reduction was still deemed necessary. My primary issue is that to reach such a drastic decision, the company must have been grappling with issues for a considerable period. However, it appears that insufficient action was taken to correct the course. I believe responsibility for this oversight falls upon the 25 VPs who remain employed despite their apparent inability to navigate these challenges effectively. In conclusion, this situation highlights a dire need for leadership that can promptly identify and address issues to prevent similar future scenarios.

Explore other reviews about Affirm

5.0
Jul 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Supportive team, great benefits and transparent leadership.

Cons

Role can be specific which may prevent you from working on other areas / with other teams as easily.

3.0
Jul 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Affirm has a lot of talented engineers and high impact, interesting products to work on. The company is remote first and I traveled abroad for a few weeks a year while working.

Cons

Most of the projects were under tight deadlines which put a lot of stress on the engineers. Management didn't really understand what was required of engineers for many of the projects which made it difficult for them to communicate the team's needs upward. My team was short staffed for senior and staff engineers so techincal leadership was also lacking.

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