Built by burnout, cliques, and seemingly immature leadership
Pros
I started as a member, then became a part-time employee, which was fun and rewarding until...
Cons
I became a manager and consistently experienced the General Managers, Directors, and Owners sounding supportive in the moment, but acting differently after the fact, making it difficult to trust what was said versus what actually happened. Expectations around professionalism and performance often did not align with what was modeled day-to-day by this group, and on numerous occasions I experienced situations where professionalism was emphasized in formal settings, only to have them conduct after-hours social activities that felt inconsistent with those expectations. At times, informal advice circulated among staff about how to navigate interactions with certain General Managers, Directors, and Owners, which made the overall environment feel less professionally secure than expected. There also appeared to be inconsistencies in how standards were applied across roles. In my experience, employees in revenue-generating positions often had more flexibility in how expectations were enforced, while others were held to a much stricter and less forgiving standard, creating a noticeable imbalance in accountability. The culture also felt highly cliquey and overly competitive. There are often many people competing for a limited number of roles, and it created an environment where collaboration often took a back seat to internal competition, and sound judgment was not always prioritized. At times, it felt like getting ahead required navigating dynamics that did not align with the company’s stated mission, and created a persistent sense of anxiety in certain settings. In my experience, there were also times where differing perspectives or stronger skill sets were not always welcomed, which can limit collaboration and growth within teams. There were also moments where communication lacked consistency, where something could be said in one context and later denied or reframed in another. Over time, this makes it difficult for employees to feel grounded in expectations or confident in their understanding of conversations. Turnover appeared to be high during and after my time there, with many employees coming and going in relatively short periods. That alone speaks volumes. If you are considering a full-time role, I would strongly encourage asking direct questions about retention and tenure. This environment can work for those who are comfortable navigating ambiguity, advocating strongly for themselves, and operating in a highly competitive culture. For others, especially those who are hardworking, loyal, and tend to take on more to support their team, they often end up carrying more and more, which can lead to burnout and a sense of isolation over time. Even well-intentioned employees may eventually find themselves cast aside as outsiders, and it’s just not worth the gamble or emotional toll in the long run.