Expanse Reviews

- HR that is neither H nor R - Independent thought is punished. Asking simple questions of your manager like "which metrics are we using to define project success" or "what's my deadline" will result in you being labeled difficult and confrontational. - The entire business is run top-down and ultimate deference to your manager and c-level is required. A "data-driven" approach means senior management manipulates metrics until they align with what they want to do and then lie to you. - Company values that are really a list of values that no one at the company believes or follows. - A co-founder who "wins" discussions by screaming and pounding his fist on the table. Another co-founder who smiles while he lies through his teeth. - Employees that are not valued for their work, and instead are valued solely for the number of people in the inner circle who like them.

*My review was originally removed by the company, which is the epitome of irony because Expanse claims to pride itself on transparency and feedback. I’ve adjusted it to see if the company will allow this review to stand.* Unfortunately, the negative reviews of this company are the real truth. Working at Expanse has been the worst chapter of my professional career so far. It is a constant battle with anxiety, fear, and smiling through others’ unprofessional behavior in the hopes that I can avoid any type of confrontation. Leadership selectively chooses who is taken seriously (and 8 times out of 10, they choose fellow men) and yelling in meetings occurs at all levels. There are departments within the company that run smoothly and have experienced, calm, mature managers; however, the majority of the company is in a state of unhealthy stress and concern regarding the status of their jobs, and when they look to guidance from their managers they are met with inexperience and rudeness. There is absolutely no job security and minor mistakes are not forgiven, nor are they forgotten. I personally have had one error - which was quickly corrected - brought up by my manager for weeks on end, which has had an irreparable impact on my confidence. Verbal harassment is a regular occurrence and is brushed aside, ignored, and treated like it’s “no big deal” by leadership...but, what can you expect when one of the VPs wears a tee shirt that says “There once was a man from Nantucket” (if you don’t know that limerick, just know that it is disgusting and has no place being brought up in an office). Female employees cry in the bathroom on a daily basis as a result of how they are spoken to in meetings: cut off mid-sentence, not listened to, and told that their tangible results are never good enough. Sexism is both inter- and intra-gender: one woman in a leadership position went out of her way to mock and belittle women on her team in meetings. When I’ve interviewed at other companies, I don’t know what to say other than “My current company is toxic and I need to get out.” At Expanse, it is impossible to be a part of the “cool crowd” and get promoted if you didn’t go to Stanford. The company’s products and mission are interesting and important, but about 80% of employees are terrified that one mistake will cause them to be terminated. If you’re an IC, your voice and input do not matter. This is no way to exist day-to-day. It’s sad that this type of work environment exists today.