Pros
I’ve been with ON1 for 17 years. I started as the first product manager at a fledging start-up and worked my way up through being a director and then VP. What would make me want to stay at the same company for 17 years? That’s unheard of in software, especially these days. For me it comes down to three things; the domain, the challenge, and the people. I didn’t go to college to work in software. My degree isn’t in business or computer science; it’s in fine arts. I’m a photographer who loves computers and was lucky enough to sit next to the right person on an airplane once. Boom, over 20 years later I’m still creating software for my passion, photography. Having a deep domain knowledge makes it a joy to go to work each day. I work with other photographers, some who code, some who teach and inspire to help make tools I use every day. That can be pretty gratifying. Second, is the challenge. Being a small company, everyone has to work hard, and everyone sees the results of your hard work. It’s not a place to work if you want to hide or just get by. Every day I’m challenged across a range of disciplines with one goal, the make our products better for people who love photography. I’d be lying if I said it was easy and that I don’t fail some days. But we have created a culture encouraging hard workers to use their brains to solve tough problems and do their best without bureaucracy or fear of failure. I love seeing what we create in the hands of users, empowering them to take their photography to the next level. Last is the people. I’ve been with many of my co-workers since the beginning. They are not just work friends; they have become my family. We have raised our kids together. We spend our holidays together. It’s the mutual trust and respect that we have for each other that makes this place work. Despite all the ups and downs in our market, the fierce competition, and the fundamental changes in the tools and techniques that photographers use, this team has managed to thrive.
Cons
It's a small company and you work from home so there's no free dry cleaning or massages like you may get at the big companies. Being a small company, you have to wear multiple hats from time to time.