Pros
If you're young, as I was when I started, you'll love it: Free soda, lots of free lunches, plenty of drinking during work hours and quarterly review meetings, bring your dog, casual attire, very nice fitness center. Being called a "Partner" makes you feel as though you belong and you're part of something. The president, Bob Hillis (but, how cool, everyone just calls him Bob!), is very motivational. You hear a lot about the "cult of Direct Supply"; all of the above is what fuels that perception. Work can be challenging and rewarding. Work-life balance can be a struggle with long hours in certain departments, but leadership is flexible and understanding.
Cons
After about 10 years, I began to feel this isn't what a company should be like. Do I really want to hear a dog barking next to me while I'm on the phone? Do I really want to work with people wearing sweatpants in the office? What kind of company serves bloody Mary's on Friday mornings? Should I really see executives obviously under the influence at company functions or industry events? I started to feel as though all of the soft benefits were a mask for some of the real problems - no growth in the past 5 yrs, constant change in leadership, and lack of real direction beyond motivating talking points. And as inspiring and gifted as Bob is, he seems to be maxed out for real growth ideas or change, which is unfortunate for all he'd done and accomplished. I started to see the wizard behind the curtain. I knew it was time to go when we had to pitch new ideas to a group of 10 or so, including lawyers, who gave a thumbs up or thumbs down. What happened to the wonderful culture of growth and risk taking and ideas that existed when I started?