OwnLocal reviews

3.9

71% would recommend to a friend

(56 total reviews)

Lloyd W. Armbrust

74% approve of CEO

77% positive business outlook

OwnLocal has an employee rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, based on 56 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The OwnLocal employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Information Technology industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

56 reviews
5.0
Feb 4, 2019

Great company for tenured employees

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits. Great people. Generous severance. I didn't leave a review when I first left the company because I was sad, but I understood why it was necessary. We were overstaffed and needed to scale back. With our departure, we were given a generous severance, a long timeline to transition, and introductions to new employment. I've never seen a company do this before. Now I've been working for close to 15 years so I've seen my share. Most of the bad reviews are from the kids they should of never hired in the first place. First job, entitled, wanted to be paid while watching Netflix. I wish I was joking, but it was common to see on the screens. It actually really bothered a lot of people who cared about the company. But one benefit, they trust you to do you job. Its sad to be coupled in with that bunch, but if it was my company, I would have done the same. OwnLocal is an actual real cash-flow positive business who's not bloated by VC money. They care about the bottom line and that's good if you want to work for a real business, not one chasing the next fundraising round. If you are lucky enough to get to work here, just know whatever happens you'll be taken care of.

Cons

The newspaper industry is rough. It's hard to be the most successful company in a dying industry. To grow we have to cover the natural decline and then some. Also, there's not much day-to-day oversight, which is great for natural leaders or self-motivated people, or real professionals who know how to be employees but not ideal for folks who need a lot of direction, guidance, and acknowledgment.

4.0
Jan 31, 2019

Good time to own something

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Feels like a fam. Changes in the newspaper industry means we aren't as big as we used to be, but everyone still here is sharp and we work well as a unit. Plenty of new and existing projects to choose from; leadership seems to genuinely want you to work on things things that you like, so you have freedom. Great benefits and very flexible work schedule.

Cons

Because we're small, failing to deliver on a project hurts more than just the company, it hurts the people around you. If that sounds stressful for me it also makes my day-to-day more meaningful. Leadership is not afraid to be blunt. If you have thin skin you might leave with a bruised ego.

1.0
Jan 7, 2019

On Its Last Legs

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The benefits were good, but even that was affected a bit by cost cutting measures. The people were great, but most of them are gone now too.

Cons

I'm not sure why I'm writing this review because I seriously doubt OwnLocal will hire a new employee ever again. OwnLocal’s leadership has steered the company straight into an iceberg and the ship is rapidly sinking. The CEO is dishonest and not fit for leading a company. The CRO is a 7ft tall toddler that just wants to play with his toys (literally) and throws tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. These two are the root of OwnLocal's toxic environment. Other contributing factors? There’s no product leadership. There’s no innovation. Sales are tanking, and there’s no path to recovery. In between the 2 big layoffs that happened in the last 1.5 years, the company continued to hemorrhage talent and failed to course-correct. OwnLocal used to be a scrappy startup filled with great people. It was always unorganized and a little chaotic, but at least you could grow your career and work with talented and eager people. But those people–honestly, OwnLocal’s only redeeming quality besides benefits–are gone now. Anyone still there is either trapped by circumstance or delusional.

Viewing 13 - 15 of 56 Reviews

Glassdoor has 60 OwnLocal reviews submitted anonymously by OwnLocal employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if OwnLocal is right for you.