Pros
Good salary, product/merch allowance of $200/mo, lunch provided daily, some good people to work with.
Cons
I joined the company expecting to help a growing company scale. Unfortunately, my experience was characterized by inconsistent leadership, weak planning, and a culture that made long term success difficult.
One of the most challenging aspects of the environment was the lack of clear prioritization. Everything was treated as an urgent priority, which made it difficult for teams to distinguish between genuinely critical work and routine business needs. Employees were frequently redirected from one initiative to another, often before previous projects had been completed. This created confusion, inefficiency, and frustration throughout the organization.
Decision making in both Finance and Operatjons was highly centralized, limiting transparency and reducing the ability of leaders throughout the organization to solve problems within their areas of responsibility. Employees who offered differing viewpoints or challenged decisions often felt their input was unwelcome, which discouraged open discussion and healthy debate. Furthermore, managers and directors brought in to make an impact were restricted by a lack of autonomy.
Career development was another area of concern. Advancement opportunities were discussed regularly, but many employees experienced a disconnect between what was communicated and what ultimately occurred. This contributed to declining trust and morale across the organization. Performance reviews and goal setting were irrelevant. Culture appeared to be a secondary consideration for senior leadership. Employee engagement, retention, communication, and organizational health often seemed less important than short term operational demands. Over time, this created an environment where many employees felt undervalued and disconnected from leadership.
Operational execution also suffered from poor planning. Warehouse capacity constraints and contractual commitments were not always aligned, resulting in inventory challenges and disruptions to normal business operations. In some cases, inventory became difficult to access or move efficiently due to facility and network limitations.
Vendor and carrier relationships were strained at times due to delayed payments and inconsistent communication. These issues occasionally resulted in shipment delays, transportation disruptions, and avoidable complications within the supply chain, including challenges involving cross border shipments.
Following a major corporate transaction (sale of Alani to Celsius) , expectations were created around employee recognition and bonuses as a show of appreciation. Most employees were disappointed by the outcome, and morale suffered as a result. Employees were told they would receive a sale bonus and a yearly performance bonus only to be told there were insufficient funds for bonuses despite selling Alani for nearly $2 Billion.
The company employed many talented and hardworking people. However, leadership discipline, organizational planning, and operational execution did not evolve at the same pace as the company's growth.
Prospective employees should carefully evaluate whether they are comfortable operating in an environment with rapidly changing priorities, limited organizational structure, highly centralized decision making, significant operational volatility, and a lack of legitimate care for employe rewards and recognition.