Altruist has become a textbook example of how a company with potential can lose its way. The culture is toxic and defined by constant fire drills. The product is extremely buggy, which creates nonstop pressure on teams and leads to widespread burnout. Instead of fixing root issues, the organization simply pushes people harder, creating a cycle that never ends.
Additionally, VP-level leadership routinely disregards employees’ time. They escalate issues out of nowhere, pull people into unnecessary urgent situations, and expect immediate responses regardless of workload or planning. This creates even more chaos and further contributes to burnout.
There’s no real career progression, no structured performance reviews, and very little guidance on how to grow within the company. Employees are left to figure things out on their own.
The company has gone through two layoffs within a year, and the underlying issues haven’t changed. It feels like the business is burning through cash without any long-term strategy, and employees are the ones bearing the impact of that instability.
Product and engineering operate in silos, and the relationship between the two is strained. There is frequent infighting, misalignment, and finger-pointing instead of collaboration.
Leadership struggles to provide clear direction, often shifting priorities and reacting instead of planning. Middle management isn’t equipped to guide teams or manage effectively, which only adds to the confusion.
The executive people team provide little support, and many employees feel they cannot trust the team responsible for upholding company culture. Concerns are often minimized or ignored.
By far one of the most dysfunctional organizations I've worked for. They'll try to sell the mission to you during the interview process and use that as an excuse for the high levels of stress you will undoubtedly experience working here. This. Is. Not. Normal. Not even for a startup. Don't let them tell you otherwise.
