Pros
When I look back on the 4.5 years I spent at Lulu, I'm very grateful for the opportunities and experiences I had there. First, as you'll see in nearly all of the reviews, the people are great. They're the kind of people who are drawn to self-publishing and creativity, who want to work with authors and creators (no matter how weird) who are brave enough to share their ideas with the world. Everyone who works at Lulu can tell you a story or two about the sometimes bizarre, sometimes brilliant, often heartwarming ways in which Lulu users interact with the platform. It's inspiring and fun. Lulu's culture is intentionally structured to foster innovation and risk-taking. Everyone on staff is encouraged to be dreaming up the Next Big Idea, and change is a constant. It's easy for people who are naturally curious and driven by a genuine interest in what they do to thrive in that environment. Growth may not always come in the form of a raise or a promotion, but the door to learning something new is always open. Those who are interested in the business, confident in what they have to offer and good at adapting to change will get a lot out of working at Lulu - whether they temp for six months or stick around past the 4-year mark.
Cons
Many team members are uncomfortable with the pace of change, and too much energy is spent worrying and complaining. The atmosphere turns toxic at times, and it can be tough to show up with a good attitude. On a few occasions, unfortunately, I witnessed disrespectful behavior that should not have been tolerated. It doesn't matter how plentiful the snacks are - nobody's performing at their best if they don't feel respected or valued. If Lulu's culture of innovation is going to work it needs to be clearly communicated and consistently reinforced by leadership actions. The staff needs better support; they need good people management and mentoring so they can be confident and creative, instead of worried that their jobs will soon disappear (see other reviews). The departments with team leads and managers below the VP level fare better than others - so Lulu just needs to duplicate a model that's already proven successful.