Worth It - Anonymous employee RealSelf Employee Review

5.0
Mar 13, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Like Soylent Green, it is people. Smart, engaged, active. But the recipe is more than people. Its helping. Helping bring transparency to a topic that isn't always openly discussed. Helping providers grow their business and helping people around the world through the various charitable activities RealSelf is engaged in.

Cons

For some, the subject matter can be difficult to get into. As you begin to understand the consumers and why they are on the site, thinking about the service we provide to people who have few other resources, you realize how important this mission is. We help people make some of the most important decisions one can make - what to do with and to your body.

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RealSelf Response
9y
I'll admit that I had to google "soylent green" before responding. 100% agree it's the people. I share your view that being mission-driven is what's unique about our company and team. The path each person on our team takes to our mission is unique, which may be aligning with Rich Barton's "Power to the People" mantra, or the giving back work we're doing locally and internationally.

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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