Publicity For Good Reviews

Policies and enforcement often felt inconsistent and, at times, self-serving. In my case, I lost 45 hours of accrued PTO upon termination, which had a direct financial impact. I was let go for allegedly violating a “No Gossip” policy after making a private comment to a colleague about a difficult client interaction. The application of that policy felt disproportionate, especially given what appeared to be a different standard for leadership behavior—even in professional settings. Despite holding a senior publicist role, I was regularly expected to conduct discovery calls to qualify prospects and funnel them into the sales pipeline. This blurred the line between PR and sales in a way that didn’t align with the role or expectations. The company culture was heavily revenue-driven, with a consistent push to upsell clients regardless of whether additional services were strategically necessary or aligned with their goals. There was also a reliance on low-impact tactics, including publishing client features on company-owned blogs with little to no traffic, primarily to create the appearance of coverage rather than meaningful visibility. Additionally, much of the writing function was handled overseas, with heavy use of AI to produce articles, press releases, and media alerts. This often impacted the overall quality and credibility of the work. There was also a mandatory requirement for all employees to attend Grant Cardone’s 10X Conference (in person for U.S.-based staff and virtually for international team members), regardless of role or relevance. From a strategic standpoint, media outreach was limited by a clear political lens, with certain major outlets (including ABC, CBS, and NBC) excluded from consideration. This restricted broader visibility opportunities for clients. Overall, the combination of inconsistent policy enforcement, blurred role expectations, aggressive upselling, low-impact tactics, and limited media scope made for a challenging and, at times, misaligned work environment.

The number of meetings scheduled each week makes it nearly impossible to find time for focused work, leaving employees scrambling to finish tasks after hours. Support and guidance feel minimal, and it often seems like you’re left to figure things out on your own. Advancement is also extremely limited, with only one step available every 12 weeks, and even experienced hires are forced to start from the bottom regardless of background. On top of this, processes and structures are unclear, which adds unnecessary stress and confusion to already heavy workloads. Management is very lacking and tends to micromanage to the point of requiring daily reports, which eats up time without adding value. The lack of organization and excessive oversight make it difficult to prioritize, stay ahead of client expectations, and feel trusted in your role.