RV - Anonymous employee RED VELVET Employee Review

I've been here several years and through all the highs and lows, this team works so hard, and has such heart. The passion and the drive each and every person puts into their role here continues to blow my mind. We've been through a lot together (covid, post-covid, surges in spend and recession drops). Through it all, it's all hands on deck and we charge ahead because we love what we do, even when it's hard. By no means is anyone or any company perfect (especially in a service-based business!), but it is clear to me that this team is invested in continuing to grow and learn.

This isn't the right place for everyone as evidence by some of these other reviews here. But if you really love this kind of work, which I do, there's not a better place to be.

RED VELVET is home to an incredible team of dedicated, intelligent, and welcoming professionals who bring creativity and enthusiasm to everything they do. Collaboration among team members is one of the company’s greatest strengths, creating a supportive environment where individuals can learn from each other and tackle challenges together. The work and clients are often engaging and dynamic, offering opportunities to contribute to innovative projects that can be both fulfilling and creatively stimulating. The office space itself is thoughtfully designed and inspirational, fostering a sense of creativity and focus that aligns with the nature of the work.

Working with direct team members and peers at RED VELVET was often a bright light in the day, thanks to their collaborative and supportive nature. However, the agency's lack of clearly defined processes, role expectations, and structured career growth made it a challenging environment to navigate. Passion and dedication were valued, but this was sometimes framed as simply "what you do for family," which could feel exploitative over time. The demands on work hours and the resulting work-life balance were significant. Multiple consecutive 18+ hour days took a toll on the team, particularly in such a small organization, where the sentiment often felt like "this is just what the program demands." In my specific experience, career growth became contingent on finding my own replacement, as there was no leadership assistance in facilitating a transition into the next role in my career growth that had been agreed upon at the start of my employment. Similar situations are represented by other employees not receiving titles reflective of the work they complete on a daily basis. This lack of support left me feeling undervalued and added unnecessary hurdles to an already demanding environment. The agency was led by two sisters who were wonderful individuals personally, but their management approach could have benefited from more consistency. For example, the CEO's close involvement in daily operations sometimes created friction, as she openly described herself as "the hardest person to work with." Culturally, RED VELVET would have benefited from greater diversity in gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The environment often felt overly homogenous, which may have hindered fresh perspectives and healthy, constructive debate in the workplace.