For a time, Terra Kaffe was a great place to work, but in recent years, the company has taken a significant downturn.
Leadership at the top is disorganized and inconsistent. While there are moments of strong vision, the CEO, in particular, lacks respect for employees unless they are constantly performing at 120%. Personal boundaries are frequently disregarded. Employees are often asked to remain online during vacations or personal time, making it difficult to fully disconnect or enjoy time off. Late-night calls about new ideas or last-minute changes to ongoing projects are common, and scheduled time away is often interrupted or met with guilt. The overall atmosphere can shift dramatically, often based on the CEO’s mood, making the work environment feel unpredictable. The highs are very high, but the lows are just as extreme.
There is frequent talk from leadership, especially the CEO, about creating a psychologically safe environment, but the reality is quite different. The CEO's approach fluctuates—one moment acting as a seasoned, tough leader, the next casually "paling around" with staff, which creates confusion and instability. Genuine, meaningful support is lacking, and decisions often change abruptly. Senior leadership seems more focused on advancing their own careers than on fostering a collaborative and healthy workplace.
The company is also notoriously frugal. Employees are expected to use personal devices, such as laptops, without proper resources provided. Despite the company being at a stage where equity could be more competitive, the CEO offers it sparingly, while portraying it as a significant future upside for those who remain loyal. Small gestures of appreciation are rare, and when they do occur, an outsized display of gratitude is expected. Employees are asked to give a lot but receive little in return.
On the positive side, the brand is strong, and the product is decent, but the company's leadership, especially the CEO, is its major shortcoming. This may sound like the perspective of a disgruntled former employee, but I can tell you this—former and current employees across all levels, tenures, and levels of closeness to the CEO feel the same way. There are a select few who have "drank the Kool-Aid," but the vast majority are deeply disappointed in the trajectory the company has taken.
Ultimately, Terra Kaffe is run by a first-time founder who lacks the experience and leadership skills needed to build a positive workplace. Over time, most of the tenured staff have left for more supportive and respectable environments.
