Pros
My experience at Cotopaxi has been really positive. I've been given the opportunity to contribute at a meaningful level across a variety of business units. This is due in part to the fact that as a start up, we all wear a lot of hats. It's also due to the fact that the workplace culture is very collaborative. Given we are building this company from scratch, this environment is a lot of fun for people who love the challenge of building and creating across all areas and functions of business. This is also a culture of embracing the change that comes from a rapidly growing business. Generally speaking strategy doesn't change too often, but the tactics of a specific strategy can change based on performance. Sometimes this can cause a bit of frustration in the team which is understandable, but in my observation it's always done for the health of the company and spirit of failing fast and applying those learnings to the next tactic. Bottom line, because of the exposure to various disciplines, the autonomy, etc. you learn a lot here very quickly, and you are given a ton of responsibility and trust to get the job done. Work/life balance is better than any other place I have worked. We have flexible time each week to get outside or volunteer. I rarely get a call, slack, or email from anyone at work before 9am, or after 5pm. If it's a powder day, I don't expect to see my team in before noon. The people you get to work with are my favorite part. This company attracts and retains a really great group of people that believe in the mission of the company and are seeking a different kind of career experience. A strong camaraderie develops from the shared experience of building a company from the ground up, and all the fun, and challenges that come along with it. I've laughed more, and met more fun people at this company than any place I have worked.
Cons
In the first few years of the business we under invested in HR and this has led to some pain points around people strategy, professional development, and some of the tactical HR components. This is being addressed however and should improve in the near term. The exec team has acknowledged this is an area of opportunity and in my observation is committed to improving things here. Given most people wear both strategic and tactical hats, and there is a lot of work to be done, we sometimes run into disconnects between teams that cause frustration. Actively trying to do better at long term planning and the right types of touch points, and processes to connect strategy to tactical execution, and measure how we did would be beneficial.
