Pros
The team at Okra is truly exceptional. It's made up of a remarkable and diverse group of individuals with exceptional talent and intelligence. It's evident that the company excels in its recruitment efforts, consistently bringing together best-in-their-field professionals.
Cons
Prior to its acquisition by Envision in March 2023, this company had a good reputation. However, since the acquisition, there have been noticeable challenges. There has been a significant level of turnover, particularly within the business-side teams, including leadership, product, and customer success. What's concerning is the apparent absence of a clear direction, mission, or vision from both Okra and the acquiring company, which also appears to be grappling with its own issues (I recommend reviewing Envision's Glassdoor reviews for eye-opening insights). Okra's corporate culture tends to emphasize positivity to an extent that may not reflect the current realities. Teams often find themselves in the dark regarding key developments, including financial matters, as budgets and financial information are not openly shared. Customer retention has become a notable challenge, with many customers failing to progress beyond the onboarding stage after purchase. The company has been known to make commitments to customers that the team struggles to fulfill, often on tight timelines, leading to an alarming customer churn rate. (This is not a reflection of the efforts of the success team, who are consistently working under challenging circumstances with frustrated developers tasked with seemingly impossible goals, often resulting in work weeks beyond 60 hours.) One of the most concerning aspects is the significant power imbalance in leadership. The departure of many senior leadership team members after the acquisition has left just two leaders with all managerial authority, and there is limited oversight. Additionally, the lack of trust in employees' ability to perform their best work is concerning. Given the limited availability of concrete financial or performance data and the challenging environment described above, I would strongly advise job seekers to exercise caution and consider waiting until the outcome of the acquisition becomes clearer. If you do wish to proceed with Okra, ask questions. Note where leadership struggles to answer and don't write it off as "secret until you join". If they can't answer in your interview, it's because there is no answer.