3.0
48% would recommend to a friend
Paula Wickham
56% approve of CEO
52% positive business outlook
Pros
If you live in Cedar Rapids the location is very convenient.
Cons
Could use more support for their employees.
Pros
Due to the solid relationships built at ThinkSafe with much effort over the past three years, I have found it my responsibility to post a review and highlight a bit of my experience. I am posting this October 8, 2021, and officially parted ways with ThinkSafe on October 7, 2021. To those who may read this, I worked directly with the President of ThinkSafe. - Entrepreneurial environment This means there is no shortage of being able to think on your own two feet to come up with solutions to problems or solve other items coming down the pipeline. There is no ceiling to your learning and leadership ability. -Family/employee first oriented The flexibility as I developed relationships and trust with the C-Suite was unparalleled. From time-off with short notice to personal issues I needed to attend to, I was able to take care of those first so that my concentration at work was not impacted to a high degree. For this I'm thankful. ThinkSafe has multiple family working here, but they earn their keep and are the hardest workers throughout the company. It is incredibly impressive as they don't use their relationships as an excuse to do nothing, they instead use their relationship as a reason to drive the entire company forward. -Income potential This is a business where you will not have a corporate room, sit in the back corner, and not be noticed. In other words do not expect a job making multiple six figures just paper pushing. Here's what it will take: There is an incredible opportunity when it comes to partnering with the C-Suite to make selling a reality and the strategies associated with such. In other words, work for your keep, pay for your seat, and do your part to help the company grow and your compensation will be justified and rewarded. Base pay is generous. For reference here was my situation: Year 1 $30,000 base (zero experience in SaaS), Year 2 $35,000 base, Year 3 base $40,000 with uncapped commissions and earning opportunity. This base pay can be your reality and the commission earnings are up to you! There is usually a cap at companies before you have to "split" off a sales territory. The C-Suite will treat you unique and fairly, bring your income goals to the table and you'll be able to sit down and map out a plan to get there. -Relationship This isn't a one-way street at ThinkSafe. If you are open to having relationships, they are incredible. There are many people that work at ThinkSafe with a high pedigree in the department of success and significance. If you cultivate these relationships they will help shape your future. One of the biggest opportunities I had at ThinkSafe was realizing that for some it is their "forever" home and for others, it is a ladder into a personal calling where your partnership with ThinkSafe cultivated the growth you are experiencing.
Cons
These are not my negatives, they are negatives you will find depending on your level of ambition. Again, this is in the sales department only. I can not speak for other departments. - Entrepreneurial environment Not thinking on your feet and being able to have strategic conversations won't cut it. You're not just an employee you are a part of the business success. -Family/employee first oriented This can be abused, if you abuse this privilege then you won't be around for long. When you are hired you will immediately feel like you belong to a family with a mission. Albeit, fast-paced. -Income potential This isn't a sitting around type of environment. It takes work. If you are not looking for work and are looking for a river of easy-flowing money, you may not have to character to make the cut. -Relationship Do not manipulate this. The relationships are genuine. When you are asked how you are doing, it is not a gimmick to get you to slip. It is a serious question, no room for lies on your end.
Pros
Saving lives with AED’s is important.
Cons
I feel as though I was offered a very significant career opportunity but it was pie in the sky. Paula is a typical “used car salesperson” type and uses these techniques in interviews. I had accepted a different opportunity but decided to go with TS. I expressed this and was hired on the spot. My first day of work Paula asked me if my other offer was true and when I replied of course, she looked disappointed. I should have known then I was in for a rude awakening. Early on while working with TS I had a death in my circle. I asked if I could go to the funeral and come back. Paula talked to me several times saying are you sure you could come back after the funeral, I think it would be really hard to come back. She appeared to think I should not come back afterward. Because she pushed this I decided she would think badly of me if I came back after, so I finally said, you’re right. I should not come back. Then she was angry with me. Her management style as well as her personality is very passive aggressive. While working there I expressed concern to other employees because they never covered their noses or mouths when coughing or sneezing. The quarters are tight and it is a damp, dingy, smelly, basement or breeding ground for germs. She must have over heard this because one day she stood in front of my desk and loudly discussed how she wasn’t afraid of germs. I also took exception to the fact employees would fill up their water from the bubbler, placing the lip of their cup on the spout. Not too long after this the office had an outbreak of intestinal flu that took 3 days to get over. I have thought back on this as Covid ravishes the nation with concern. One employee came into work with puke on his shirt. That’s how relaxed the dress code is. She ended up spending hours in the ER with this employee for nothing. She also spent a great amount of time taking care of another employees mental health needs. He lived about 45 minutes away but she put everything on hold to, what, I don’t know? He was married and lived with his mother. Why she felt the need to be this involved in these employees who were misfits, I don’t know. I hope she takes germs and personal hygiene more seriously now. Hygiene was also an issue there. One man would wear Trek sandals and every step he took, the smell would waft around the room. He was related to her, how do you address that? She often wore hats because she did not want to wash her hair. She told the entire staff this. Often she would say to me, you know we all had great jobs before this one. I would just look at her, puzzled. I never talked about my previous employment. I had heard wonderful things about what a spendthrift Paula was and it helped her to be competitive. It was an attribute I was very interested in seeing and learning. I never compared my fortune 100 background to a grassroots private business. Again, a very passive aggressive trait. There were certain practices of hers business wise that I would often comment on because I sincerely thought they were innovative and cost savings affirmed, she quickly got rid of those things and bought new. I believe she was projecting her passive aggressiveness on me and became offended. Once she wanted the staff to take a off the day after Thanksgiving. None wanted to. We all needed the pay. She was pretty upset with us but finally gave us the day off with pay because she didn’t want to come in. I was promised endless opportunities, existing accounts, loads of training and help, once I asked one of the managers how to best describe and use verbiage to try and get more sales. Questions to ask, etc…I had been clear in my interview I needed this. He went to the white board and started writing numbers down in between his routine/habit/superstition of waving his arms, twitching, touching his face a certain a number of times, and various other tics. All of it was overwhelming and useless. In addition this is a draw position. You have to pay the company back before you make any commission. “ A draw is a simply a pay advance against expected earnings or commissions. Sales commission structures are usually designed to give an employee some control over how much they earn during a certain time period. It adds a direct incentive to performance: The more you sell, the more money you'll make.”. It truly is. I CAN TELL YOU MANY OF THE OTHER REVIEWS HAVE BEEN HEAVLY EDITED BY PAULA. HER COMMENTS HAVE BEEN DELETED. AND SHE HAS WRITTEN THE GLOWING REVIEWS HERSELF. she has to, because it is a very toxic environment, with little training, and an unforgiving CEO who is out of her depth. Work at a fast food joint instead.
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