An unfortunate decline - Sales Advisor RealSelf Employee Review

2.0
Jun 8, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Overall, work life balance across teams are great. Pay is fairly competitive for the market as well. Also, the company mission is admirable.

Cons

When new leadership was appointed in 2019, a slew of bad decisions were made that has unfortunately left the company hanging on by a ‘thin thread’. The products we sell are outdated and instead of innovating, we just increase prices. There have also been multiple rounds of layoffs over the past 3 years with headcount steadily decreasing - including but not limited to now having no marketing or HR team. The company is simply ‘keeping the lights on’, with no growth in the foreseeable future. If you are looking for contract work, Realself could be a good fit - otherwise, I would look elsewhere for stability.

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RealSelf Response
3y
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and feedback about your experience at RealSelf. We appreciate your positive comments about our work-life balance, competitive pay, and admirable mission. However, sorry to hear your concerns about the company's leadership changes and the impact on the organization. We understand that change can be difficult, and we have taken your feedback seriously by actively working to address the challenges you have mentioned and to ensure that the company is on a sustainable path for the future. We have recently implemented a new strategy to focus on innovation and product development, and we are committed to providing our customers with the best possible experience. Regarding the layoffs, we recognize that this has been a difficult time, unfortunately the macroeconomic environment has forced us to make some tough decisions, but we are committed to treating our employees with fairness and respect throughout the process. We appreciate your advice about leading with empathy, and we strive to do so every day and committed to being transparent with our employees to create a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and supported. Thank you again for sharing your feedback, -Kirsten

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

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