so much worse than it has to be - Anonymous employee RealSelf Employee Review

2.0
Aug 24, 2022
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- fully remote (with option to go into Seattle HQ if you're local) - excellent work/life balance, emphasis on output vs. time you're putting in, nobody harassing you before or after hours (in my experience) - some genuinely nice, extremely talented, easygoing people, including managers (BELOW executive level) - competitive salary and potential for annual bonus

Cons

what is so frustrating about this company is that it has the potential to be truly culture-shifting - it's a brilliant concept in a booming market that SHOULD be thriving. unfortunately, the almost entirely white male executive team just can't seem to figure it out. there have been two layoffs with significant cuts in 2022 less than six months apart, all affecting employees who actually DO THE WORK (some of which started at the company fewer than three months earlier before getting laid off - huge red flag), rather than the people at the tippy top who *should* be held accountable. the site is outdated, the product on the backend is a mess, they somehow have terrible relationships with the best doctors and major brands they want to court... again, the actual product they're offering is sincerely useful and has so much potential, they just keep dropping the ball. they don't seem to understand that a bloated, top-heavy, grossly overpaid executive team that keeps letting go or otherwise losing the "little people" who literally make the business function day to day is not just a really bad look but terrible for business in the long run

Explore other reviews about RealSelf

5.0
May 28, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Having lived through many eras of RealSelf leadership and team culture, I can honestly say that our current CEO and exec team are more committed to the company’s success than any previous generation of leaders. These are the biggest positives I’ve seen coming out of this change: True passion for making RealSelf amazing for our consumers and providers A clear strategic vision for modernizing our legacy brand and product, backed with resources to make it happen Laser focus on a viable, sustainable revenue growth strategy An expectation that everyone is working hard to meet our goals Opportunities for meaningful career growth that had been absent for a few years Big emphasis on a positive, collaborative culture focused on solutions and bold bets We’re in a growth phase, so it has the fast-paced energy of a startup. It’s so energizing now to work with a mostly new team of rockstars who truly want to be here and are pulling together to make RealSelf live up to its potential. We also have an inspiring mission to help consumers make smart choices about aesthetic procedures and connect them with providers who are actually qualified.

Cons

We’re a relatively lean team, and resources are not infinite. We have to be strategic and leverage AI to work smarter, sometimes making trade-offs to deliver what’s most important for customers and the bottom line. (Not a challenge unique to RealSelf, but worth noting.) Many of us also wear a lot of hats. This can be a plus in terms of learning the business and new skills, but it also means we have to operate broadly and not always as deeply as we may want. We have to think in terms of improving systems and savvy automation to ensure things don’t slip through the cracks. It can be stressful for those who are not used to context switching and driving multiple priorities at once. We’ve also inherited areas of legacy mess (code, old systems, etc.) that need some clean-up, but we’re no longer sweeping them under the rug. If you’re up to these challenges, RealSelf is a fantastic place to grow.

1.0
Mar 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pros: - Initially exciting mission and team potential - Opportunity to learn in a fast-paced environment

Cons

Cons: - Leadership transparency and communication need major improvement - Culture can feel unsupportive and high-stress - Lack of consistency in decision-making

4
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