Pros
Good people. Most of the “Management Team” are genuine, intelligent, and make efforts to make positive change. Decent pay for fresh graduates. Those who missed out on an MNC opportunity can benefit from (barely) competitive pay and build technical expertise for the first 2 (at most 3) years of their professional careers. Convenient office location. It sits on top of One-North MRT with plenty of food options and amenities. You get AWS, (join before July), HR-organised overseas team-building trips (confirmed before November), a performance bonus (if the owner ‘feels’ the company is doing well) and a budget for self-development (subject to approval).
Cons
Poor leadership. Most decisions are made by the owner who serves as CEO, COO, CFO, CTO and HR. The majority of the “Management Team” is powerless or left out of key decisions with some exceptions (see below). However, when things go south there is no accountability - decisions made are forgotten or pushed to the “Management Team”. Favouritism. Individuals favoured by the owner enjoy extra perks, bend company policy/rules, and have zero accountability. Inconsistent processes. The owner and favoured individuals thrive in the ambiguity of processes (if any) put in place. Policies are changed, removed, or added at a moment’s notice to suit their needs. There are no proper checks and balances on sales activity and company finances which leave teams with actual processes as scapegoats in the event of failure. Lack of growth and real career progression. The company makes little effort to retain good people, depriving junior staff of great mentors. While promotions are given regularly like clockwork, it is often a mere title change with no real impact (the owner still calls the shots) or progression. People’s careers (and salaries) are better served elsewhere after 2 (at most 3) years. Staying longer does not mean the company values you or your contributions. Not people-centric. This is most obvious with its lack of full-time HR. With only 1 day a week (sometimes even zero when HR is on leave), company grievances or issues are often left unattended or forgotten. Whatever time is left is often spent to protect the owner from himself and to protect the company's interests. The owner proudly proclaims that his company has the best products in the market yet fails to acknowledge, develop, or retain its best people.