Lago

Pros: As a Software Engineer, the base salary is competitive for the San Francisco market. They offer good health insurance and a 401k match, which isn't always a given at a startup environment. The stock options have potential too.
Cons: The pay structure isn't super transparent beyond the base. Bonuses feel a bit random, and there's not much clarity on how to earn more in engineering roles. Don't expect huge perks beyond the standard benefits.
Advice to Management: I'd suggest making the bonus structure and salary progression clearer, especially for engineering talent. More transparency around total compensation would really help retention.

Pros: The remote work setup is great, you can really manage your day. For us engineers, not having a daily commute was a huge plus for overall work-life balance. There's a lot of trust in managing your own schedule, which is vital for remote roles.
Cons: It's still a fast-paced fintech startup, so expect to work long hours during crunch times. As a Software Engineer, I felt pressure to deliver quickly, which meant late nights were pretty common. Weekends sometimes felt like fair game for emergencies, especially supporting the core billing infrastructure.
Advice to Management: Try to set clearer boundaries for after-hours work and weekend asks. It's tough in a startup, but burnout is real, especially for remote teams. More proactive planning could help here for engineers.

Pros: The team here is super collaborative. You really feel supported, which is important in a fast-paced FinTech startup. I appreciate the remote work flexibility too; it's easy to manage personal life as a Software Engineer.
Cons: Sometimes the processes can feel a bit chaotic as we scale. Decision-making isn't always clear, especially with new initiatives in B2B SaaS. The company culture sometimes pushes for long hours before big releases.
Advice to Management: Focus on clarifying communication channels and setting clearer expectations for project timelines. This would really help with the occasional crunch periods.

Pros: The best part was the people; colleagues in the Paris office were super smart and supportive. As a Software Engineer, I always felt like I could learn from my peers, and the collaborative atmosphere on projects was solid for a startup.
Cons: However, as Lago scaled, the company culture got a bit messy. There wasn't always clear communication from upper management, and it sometimes felt like they were out of sync with what was happening on the ground for engineers.
Advice to Management: Try to keep the open communication strong even as you grow. Don't lose that genuine startup feel with the frontline teams.

Pros: I really appreciate the remote work options here. As a Software Engineer, I can mostly choose my own hours, which is great for personal appointments. This kind of flexibility is a big draw for working at a SaaS startup.
Cons: While it's flexible, there's sometimes an expectation to jump on calls outside typical hours due to international teams. It can make planning tough if you're not careful. Also, the overall workload can be heavy, making true 'flexibility' feel more like 'flexible hours for more work'.
Advice to Management: Try to coordinate international meetings better. It'd help a lot with the actual work-life balance for fully remote employees. Support managers in setting boundaries for their teams.

Pros: As a Junior Software Engineer, the starting salary was actually pretty solid for a SaaS startup in San Francisco. They also match 401k a bit, which is a nice perk for a small company.
Cons: The health insurance options aren't great, honestly. And while we're mostly remote, they don't offer much of a home office stipend compared to bigger tech companies, which felt a bit tight.
Advice to Management: Consider reviewing the health benefit packages and potentially offering a better remote work stipend. It would really help with retention.

Pros: My teammates are really solid. As a Junior Software Engineer, I've learned a ton from the more senior folks. It's a friendly group, especially for a SaaS startup pushing usage-based billing.
Cons: The culture can feel a bit chaotic sometimes. There's not always clear communication from leadership, which is tough working remote from Europe. Things change really fast without much warning.
Advice to Management: Work on clearer communication channels. It would help everyone, especially the remote team, feel more connected and informed.