16 Feb 2021
Awesense Reviews
4.8
100% would recommend to a friend
Mischa Steiner-Jovic
100% approve of CEO
82% positive business outlook
Reviews by job title
7 reviews
5.0
21 Aug 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
Not only are the people at Awesense smart and competent, they are also friendly. There were board game nights, poker nights, karaoke nights, after work beers (and other beverages for those who don't drink!), and in-office challenges. It really created a warm team environment, and I looked forward to work each day. The CEO chats with all employees and hosts weekly townhalls. No micromanagement. The workplace is very casual. HR is committed to maintaining a positive, relaxed culture. They handled workplace issues that came up with immediacy and importance. The product is something you can get behind - clean tech, supported by both software and hardware.
Cons
There was a bit of financial turmoil resulting in layoffs. With turnover, there are a few gaps in management and key roles. However, I'm sure these will be filled as soon as they can.
5.0
30 Apr 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
This startup is a rare find in the Vancouver tech scene. The solution they offer saves big bucks for rich companies, so they have a great value proposition. It also heads off pollution and climate impacts, so it's a very green product. Yet they are making a solid, technologically interesting SaaS bid-data product. They are putting tools like Python, Angular JS, and PostgreSQL to work in substantive ways. I'm having a ball writing code. Their customer base is global, and they are already active on at least 4 continents. The staff (small but growing rapidly) is heavily weighted with experienced people, who have been through other startups, and want to succeed by working smart, because they have had enough death marches in past jobs, thank you. They have a bias towards hiring smart, capable people and then find a role for them, instead of blinkering their search with the current narrow job description. In their vacation policy, their openness to telecommuting, and their low-key management, they show respect for the employee's good judgement and buy-in to the company's success. Their commitment to a woman-friendly engineering team is shown by the excellent female developers they have landed. Despite the home-brew beer and fiery Czech liquor which they crack open to celebrate, they are not a "brogrammer" culture. In fact, they are some darn fine people to hang out with. Company HQ is in Vancouver, B.C., but a number of employees commute from Vancouver Island or the B.C. Gulf Islands, and a few work overseas. The company accomodates the telepresence well.
Cons
This is a startup, and it's still very risky. The whole thing might implode next month. Probably not, but perhaps. Their customers are large companies, with the attendant slow, cash-draining sales cycles. If they do land the sort of business they have the potential to, 2015-6 will be a series of success disasters: more and more customers, more and more to do, more and more growth, more and more change. Some of the time, the work-life balance will have to tip in favour of work. The flip side of respecting initiative and of low-key management is that you will be left largely alone to come up to speed. People are happy to answer questions, but there is little structure to feed you training. Similarly, it's up to you to figure out where you want to take your career, If the staff size does double in a year, then whatever the culture and the pros and cons are now, they will be different in a little while. Whatever your job is now, it will be different next year. Salary is not lavish. But no worries, if they are successful, the stock compensation is where you'll make the real money. The open-format office is cheap to furnish, and is in fashion. But I'll bet you'll be happy after you bring a good noise-cancelling headset to work.
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