Overworked and weirdly corporate culture for an agency - Anonymous employee Tallwave Employee Review

2.0
11 Feb 2022
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Tallwave puts a lot of thought into its transparency as a company and how leadership functions. This was a plus, but it also contributed to the overall corporate vibe and culture.

Cons

I always thought people were exaggerating when they said they worked 60 hours a week...until I worked at Tallwave and that was my regular. Sometimes more. This is one of three agencies I've worked at in the valley and by far the least respectful of work-life balance, despite constant false promises that they would "get me some help." Culture-wise, everyone was nice, but in a completely hurmorless way, and efforts at DE&I, community building, team building, etc. felt forced and performative. I didn't see any real efforts towards inclusion or even fun for that matter. It should also be noted that they do almost no creative work or campaign concepting. Some of the clients are interesting, but most of them are very boring and technical (but not in the interesting problem-solving way) B2B clients.

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Tallwave Response
3y
Thank you for sharing this constructive feedback. We appreciate your sentiment around our efforts toward transparency. Our goal is not to build a corporate culture per se, but sometimes characteristics that appear that way may manifest as we are driven to grow Tallwave with solid process and structure so that it stands on a solid foundation. As a growing company we acknowledge occasional growing pains and work to support our Tallwavers balance so that have the help they need and sprints don’t turn into marathons often. If you are interested in sharing more in detail offline please let me know.

Explore other reviews about Tallwave

5.0
29 Jul 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

As a team member, I feel encouraged to step outside of my comfort zone and take calculated risks. The company's emphasis on lifelong learning and development is invaluable. I appreciate the opportunities to expand my skill set and contribute to diverse projects. One aspect I particularly enjoy is the strong sense of camaraderie and support, despite being a fully remote employee. The team feels like a close-knit community where everyone is valued and heard. I appreciate the company's commitment to work-life balance and its focus on employee well-being.

Cons

While the small team size allows for a high degree of autonomy and ownership, it also means wearing multiple hats at times. This can be challenging but also rewarding as it provides opportunities for diverse skill development.

1.0
11 Feb 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Talented people who try hard despite the environment. Remote flexibility.

Cons

Tallwave’s culture has effectively collapsed. Despite heavy emphasis on being “values-driven,” leadership behavior is inconsistent, exclusionary, and damaging. Favoritism is openly practiced, with the CEO investing time and attention in chosen employees while disregarding others. Communication is performative rather than honest. Long-tenured employees have steadily exited, leaving burnout and significant loss of institutional knowledge. Having since worked under strong leadership, it’s clear how much effective management matters. Its absence in recent years at Tallwave significantly contributed to the company’s cultural decline. The company’s approach, or lack thereof, to employee separations reflects broader gaps in professionalism, process, and leadership accountability.

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