Pros
• Talented and hardworking engineering team
• Interesting technical challenges at meaningful business scale
• Exposure to complex pricing, operations, and data systems
• Engineers are capable and motivated when given autonomy
Cons
• Lack of clear, consistent leadership direction
• Major technical systems were shut down based on subjective preferences rather than data-driven evaluation
• Feedback from senior leadership was often vague or unavailable, making iteration difficult
• Frequent reversals of decisions led to rework and wasted effort
• Increasing centralization of responsibilities reduced team ownership and slowed execution
• Signs of favoritism and insider dynamics negatively impacted morale
