- Lack of clear direction — priorities and goals frequently change based on the CEO’s shifting focus
- Micromanagement culture, limiting autonomy and innovation
- CEO shows a lack of trust in the broader team and only relies on a close inner circle, leading to poor collaboration and morale
- Little to no empathy from leadership; work environment is constantly high-stress
- High stress is driven by unrealistic deadlines set by management to align with the CEO’s personal timeline, rather than team capacity or planning
- No proper documentation processes; critical information is scattered across comms
- No defined long-term product or project roadmap — the company operates more like a dev house
- "Flexible working hours" are misleading; you're expected to be available well beyond 9–6, not just for time zone overlap, but for general responsiveness
- There's an unspoken expectation to work weekends and late nights — while not explicitly required, not doing so often results in visible disappointment from the CEO
- Feedback is discouraged — the CEO is resistant to input or suggestions from the team