Lack of growth and poor culture overshadow flexibility - Business Development Representative (BDR) State Affairs Employee Review

2.0
13 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Company is flexible/willing to spend CEO Vision

Cons

No upside No growth potential No leadership training You’re a number to the frat bro running the revenue Bad culture, bad management, specifically for sales teams

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State Affairs Response
1w
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback with us. We appreciate both your compliments and your candid constructive criticism. We are sorry to hear that your experience during your short tenure with us did not reflect the positive and supportive environment we strive to create. We are glad to hear that you support our CEO’s vision and feel that the company is flexible and willing to invest resources where needed. However, it is concerning to hear that you felt there was a lack of career growth, leadership training, and upside. Providing clear pathways for professional development is incredibly important to us, and we are actively working on strengthening our internal training programs so our team members feel supported in their long-term career goals. We also take your feedback regarding our culture very seriously. Our goal is to foster an inclusive, respectful environment where every employee feels valued. We would welcome the opportunity to learn more about your specific experiences. If you are open to it, please reach out to our team. We wish you all the best in your future professional endeavors.

Explore other reviews about State Affairs

5.0
17 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

State Affairs sits at the intersection of AI, news/media, and policy, which is a pretty amazing place to be if you're interested in any one of those, much less all three. The team is growing incredibly quickly and the level of talent is high. The product velocity is astounding, and in a matter of months they build a best-in-class solution with a totally new perspective on how to serve customers. Customers love the product, team is great to work with, and incredible amounts of accountability and room for growth. People work hard, but it's a really constructive culture where feedback is fast and not personal and the value comes in quickly learning from mistakes and growing quickly.

Cons

Usual pains of a fast-moving startup. Product and company is moving faster than process, which is exciting, but can lead to inefficiencies and rework.

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State Affairs Response
1mo
Thank you for sharing your experience at State Affairs! It’s rewarding to hear that our mission at the intersection of AI and policy, along with our fast-paced culture of accountability, has been such a positive fit for you. We appreciate your candor regarding the "startup pains" of moving faster than our internal processes; we are actively working to bridge that gap to reduce rework and improve efficiency as we scale. We’re glad to have your talent on the team as we continue to build this best-in-class solution together.
5.0
19 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I am a recent undergrad and have worked at State Affairs for a few months now as a software engineer. I would recommend working here, especially as an engineer, to anyone looking to accelerate their learning and ability to contribute. The product is very promising and has been gaining traction across every industry I could name. I know this because the engineering team, BDR sales team, and even the editorialists work very closely together, and their achievements are broadcasted. This alone contributes to the company culture, but there is much more to be said. The hiring team clearly emphasizes both skillset and culture fit, as evidenced by the collaboration and eagerness to help me when needed, as well as the high expectations for me coming in. My ramping experience has been incredibly fast but equally rewarding. I was pushing production code week one while simultaneously learning the stack and best practices of the company. It is very cool to see your impact that quick. There is certainly a grind culture here, but that is to be expected from any startup that is serious about their product, and with strong leadership to back it up, my enthusiasm to be here hasn’t dulled. I will add that compensation is very competitive and benefits include ISOs, healthcare, and generous PTO. I strongly recommend it!

Cons

I have very little cons to provide. Like I said, the grind culture my not be for everyone, but that is up to the engineer. That being said, it is definitely valued here, and I would encourage anyone to give it a shot.

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State Affairs Response
4mo
Thank you for the detailed and enthusiastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that your ramp-up has been fast, impactful, and rewarding, and that the close collaboration across engineering, sales, and editorial has stood out to you. It’s especially great to know you’ve felt supported while being challenged from day one. That balance is something we work hard to maintain. We appreciate your honest perspective on the culture as well; building something meaningful at a startup takes real commitment, and we’re grateful for teammates like you who lean into it with enthusiasm. Thanks for being part of State Affairs and for recommending us to others.
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