OwnLocal reviews

3.9

71% would recommend to a friend

(9 total reviews)

Lloyd W. Armbrust

74% approve of CEO

77% positive business outlook

Reviews by job title

9 reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

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1.0
Apr 21, 2017

Scaling Arrested Development

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The employees of OL are what make it special. Not leadership. I took a 50% pay cut to join OL to share my expertise as they scaled the business. To further drive this point, several of my co-workers worked a 2nd job to make ends meet because their entry level job pays less than a living wage at a little over $10, but hey, you get a free lunch and after 90 days you get free Starbucks and free parking eventually... (you have to wait for a spot to open so sometimes much longer than 90 days) it's the CEO's philosophy to bring "some" jobs (imo, those he doesn't value) in way under market. He likes making people work for it. He said he did it in his 20s (like 8 yrs ago) so his employees should do it too. All right, Dad. OL has done some things well. Scaling it up will be hard unless you are willing to listen. Otherwise, I saw a potential for UBER culture. Don't let that happen. You have really great people working for you

Cons

On the 5th day of employment, I knew I was not a fit. It's very clique-y and one of the worst examples of the Millennium gen cliche. The culture is high performance borderline fear based. Not for everyone for sure. Leadership needs to be careful with their words as they often expose themselves to possible litigation. They prefer to ignore that advice. A couple of employees allowed each other 1 racial slur a day against the other one. Neat, huh? IMO, there's a hardcore bro culture with a side of alcoholism. Witnessed the CEO yelling at and belittling his wife reducing her to tears. Not in front of the kids, please. My final straw...during the voting session of a potential hire...the person's age (saying the candidate was old) came up over and over again.

5.0
Feb 7, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I have never felt so invested in by an employer. I have been with the company for several months, and learn something new everyday about the industry, and about myself professionally. Its a fast-paced environment with a culture of ownership, and transparency. I hope I can do as much for this company as they have done for me.

Cons

I wish I had started at OwnLocal sooner! The only real con is that some salaries start below industry standard, but you're compensated through many other benefits (free Starbucks, AMAZING lunches, fun work events, unlimited vacation, and seriously good insurance).

5.0
Mar 29, 2016

Toxin-free Kool-Aid

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

OwnLocal is the most upbeat environment I've encountered after twenty years in the industry.The people are smart, responsible, and fun-loving. Control structures are loose and egalitarian; executives sit on the floor with engineers and salespeople. The culture encourages and celebrates success. Most organizations this size are rife with gossip and office politics, so I keep expecting the other shoe to drop, but it hasn't. If you have a lot of industry experience, you will be able to make a strong mark at OwnLocal because senior management is incredibly open and responsive to feedback. Self-honesty reigns here. If you're more on the junior side, you'll enjoy the organization because your voice will still be heard and you'll be teamed with talented engineers from whom to learn. And, of course, the perks: 24/7 parking, infinite Starbucks, great location, and an endless number of celebratory events.

Cons

OwnLocal is still working to properly formulate its engineering and product organizations. Engineering has improved significantly in just a quarter - in particular, by clustering into small initiative-driven teams and streamlining their hiring processes a bit. While not exactly a con, the transparency at OwnLocal can be occasionally shocking. Financials are made available to every employee. Salary structures are also public, which is unusual at a company this size. Senior management will admit to mistakes and flaws. Leave your optical game at the front door.

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