Severely Underpaid, Toxic Leadership, Zero Real Growth
Pros
You’ll gain fast production experience because the workload is heavy and expectations are high. If you desperately need Canadian experience, it can function as a short term stepping stone.
Cons
If you are an experienced professional seeking fair compensation, creative autonomy, and growth, this is not the place. The workload is heavy, compensation is low, and upward mobility is limited unless you are prepared to stay for many years within a rigid hierarchy. Compensation is shockingly low compared to industry standards. The pay does not reflect workload, responsibility, or experience. Talented professionals are routinely underpaid. There is a pattern of hiring newcomers seeking Canadian experience and compensating them well below what their qualifications justify. It creates an environment where people feel stuck rather than valued. The structure is extremely hierarchical. Managers have little to no authority. Managers function more like senior production staff with no real decision making power. Ultimately, partners control everything. Partners frequently override and interrupt design processes, which kills momentum and creative development. There is little room for design growth. Work becomes repetitive and formulaic very quickly. The culture feels unprofessional at times. Public outbursts from leadership toward staff are not uncommon. Long term, loyal employees are not treated with the respect they deserve. Time off requests often feel like interrogations and unnecessarily scrutinized, Reflects a broader lack of trust in employees. Growth is extremely limited unless you are willing to spend many years climbing a rigid hierarchy. Even then, authority remains concentrated at the top.