Pros
It’s a small company so you can get to know everyone. Weekly all-hands meetings do a pretty good job of keeping everyone in the loop and working towards strategic goals. The team is smart and works hard. Site selection consulting is also an interesting line of work. I would recommend SSG as a place to work for someone right out of undergrad.
Cons
The company feels like one big sales organization because of the way pricing is structured. Most research is funded by real estate commissions instead of charging a fee up front, which becomes an issue when client projects don’t follow all the way through to a completed transaction. For this reason keeping fixed costs low is important. Even if you are not paid on commission and are working in a support position, you need to be ok with a smaller salary with the potential of a bonus based on revenue targets that are often out of your control. This pricing strategy also affects benefits, because SSG only contributes to the premiums of employees and not their families. Also, there is not a pathway for career advancement unless a new line of business is created or a principal (all pretty young) leaves the company because it is such a small team.